Leading the Way

by Marsha Hubler

  “We should tell her that Katie’s event is next.” Skye click-clicked her tongue, prompting Champ to follow.

  “Skye,” Chad said, grabbing Champ’s bridle, “if you’d like, I can take Champ and cool him down while you talk to Mrs. Thomas. And don’t worry about Katie. I’ll get her and Boomer to their entrance gate.”

  Skye handed Chad the reins and started toward Mrs. Thomas. “Thanks. I’ll see you after Katie’s event.”

  Skye hurried to greet Mrs. Thomas. Just as she reached the doorway, Mr. Thomas came rushing to his wife’s side.

  Skye’s face lit up with surprise. “Mr. Thomas, you’re here!”

  “Yes, we’re here—together. I just parked the car—I think in the very last parking place in the lot,” Mr. Thomas said with a chuckle.

  Mrs. Thomas’ smile now freed her face of the worry that had been her trademark. “I’m sorry we’re late. Did we miss Katie’s event?”

  “Nope.” Skye glanced at her watch and smiled back.

  “I’m so glad we made it in time,” Mr. Thomas said. “My business tied me up again, but that will be changing, thanks to you, Skye.”

  “Me? What did I do?”

  Mr. Thomas looked affectionately at this wife. “Skye, you and Mr. and Mrs. Chambers—well, your entire Keystone Stables ministry—helped me realize what’s really important in life. I’ve been doing a lot of serious thinking since I visited the ranch a few weeks ago. And with God’s help, I’m getting my priorities in order. I know Katie and her mother need me now more than ever.”

  Skye beamed another broad smile. “Wow! That’s the best news ever! I guess you know Katie’s been a mess over what’s happened with your family. We couldn’t even convince her to do her best today. She didn’t care about the show at all when she thought you weren’t going to be here, Mr. Thomas.”

  “And I’m real sorry about that,” the man said. “I only decided to come this morning after I prayed with our pastor. He also helped me see things more clearly.”

  “And when we get home, we’ll be counseling with Reverend Kline on a regular basis.” Mrs. Thomas’ tone was filled with hope.

  “Hey,” Skye said, “we’ve got to let her know that you two are here—together.”

  “Attention, ladies and gentlemen,” the loud speaker echoed. “The Special-Needs Barrel Racing starts in five minutes. We have six entries this year!”

  Skye glanced at the other end of the arena where Katie would soon enter. “That’s Katie’s event. I don’t have much time, but I think—”

  “Barrel racing?” Mrs. Thomas seemed stunned. “All Katie ever told me was that she was riding in the show. But barrel racing? That sounds dangerous.”

  “Sounds like she’s got something to prove,” Mr. Thomas said as he touched Skye’s shoulder. “Skye, don’t worry about it. Let’s surprise her.”

  “But…she hasn’t been practicing—”

  “Sorry, folks.” A man in a black uniform approached Skye, the Thomases, and a small crowd of onlookers now gawking in the doorway. “Unless you’re waiting for a rider to come out, you need to move on. We gotta keep this open. There’s lots of horse traffic coming through here.”

  The onlookers melded into the crowd, shuffling in all directions. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas started to walk away.

  “Sir,” Skye said to the security guard, “we are waiting for a rider.”

  “That’s fine, but please step away from the doorway.” The guard pointed inside the arena. “You can stand along the inside wall.”

  “Thank you,” Skye said. She and the Thomases slipped inside, joining others who were waiting.

  “Attention!” the loud speaker announced. “The first barrel racer is number twelve, Katie Thomas, on Boomer!”

  Skye pointed to the center of the show ring. “Katie and Boomer are going to race around those three barrels full speed ahead. If they have the fastest time, they win!”

  “Oh, my!” was all Mrs. Thomas could say.

  At the other end of the arena, Chad led the Katie/Boomer team into the ring. A roar of applause shook the building.

  “There she is!” Skye said. “See that thin wire stretched in front of Boomer? When he runs through that, the clock starts.”

  “I had no idea that’s what she was up to,” Mr. Thomas said. “Now that takes guts.”

  “Oh, my!” Mrs. Thomas’ voice was high-pitched.

  An anxious silence settled over the crowd. Every eye focused on the starting team as Chad led them to the starting wire and backed away.

  Boomer was raring to go!

  From her far corner of the arena, Skye watched as Katie fought to restrain the powerful animal. Neck arched and eyes wild, the horse’s body tensed as he focused on the race before him. He tugged at the bit and pranced.

  Katie tightened her hat string, took a deep breath, and kicked Boomer in the ribs.

  The Pinto’s ears pricked, every muscle tightened, and with one mighty surge, he lunged forward, tripping the wire. Off he went in a mad dash toward the barrels, just as he had trained to do so many times before.

  “And they’re off!” the loud speaker blared. The crowd went wild.

  Skye glanced at the huge wall clock that ticked off each second.

  “C’mon, Katie!” Mr. Thomas joined the screaming crowd. “You can do it!”

  “Ride ’em, cowgirl!” Mrs. Thomas joined in.

  Skye glanced from Katie, to the clock, back to Katie, whose sloppy riding around the first barrel was only too obvious to Skye.

  Lean forward more! Skye wished she had a megaphone. Your cut was too wide!

  Again, Skye glanced at the clock. Fifteen seconds. “Too slow,” she said out loud.

  The team rounded the second barrel. Out of the turn, Katie reined Boomer tight instead of giving him his head. He trotted to the third and final barrel.

  Twenty-eight seconds, the clock flashed.

  Katie, way too slow! You’re blowin’ it! Skye became more frustrated by the second!

  “C’mon, Katie! Faster!” Mr. Thomas yelled.

  “Go, Katie, go!” Mrs. Thomas’ voice was getting hoarse.

  A wider turn around the last barrel and off toward the finish line!

  Now you can make up time! “Go! Go! Go!” Skye yelled.

  Again, and for no clear reason, Katie held Boomer back.

  Instead of running at top speed, the horse cantered. The team crossed the finish line like they were out for a Sunday afternoon ride.

  Lazy applause matched Katie’s sloppy effort.

  “Thirty-four seconds,” the loudspeaker announced. “There’s lots of room here for you other riders. The blue ribbon is sayin’, ‘Come and git me!’”

  “That time won’t win a thing unless the other riders are on mules,” Skye mumbled, but then she remembered Mr. Chambers’ words. Wisdom. Patience.

  Well, I’m glad she didn’t get hurt, Skye told herself.

  “Her heart just wasn’t in it,” Mr. Thomas said.

  “Well, at least she didn’t quit,” Mrs. Thomas replied. “That’s more than we’ve done lately.”

  Katie slowed Boomer to a walk as they left the ring and approached the exit door.

  “I’ll bring her out.” Skye started toward Katie. “I have a feeling she’ll be sorry she didn’t do her best this time.”

  At the starting line, a new racing team approached the wire.

  “Next contestant, number forty-three, Ian Weirick, on Cobalt!” echoed through the arena. Encouraging cheers erupted from the crowd.

  Skye hurried to Boomer’s side, grabbed his bridle, and touched the blind girl’s arm. “It’s me, Katie. I’ll lead you out!” She had to bellow to make herself heard.

  “Okay, Skye,” Katie yelled and pushed her Stetson back. “At least I didn’t lose my hat. That penalty would’ve been two seconds more. Not that it mattered!”

  You weren’t going fast enough to lose anything but the race! Skye bit her tongue before the words could fly out. “At least you finish
ed the course, Katie, and you didn’t get hurt. That’s saying something.”

  In the hallway, Katie slid off a horse still raring to go. “Easy, Boomer.”

  “Thirty-four seconds is not exactly ribbon speed,” Skye said as she grabbed Boomer’s bridle to steady him. She glanced over her shoulder at the Thomases. Both held their index fingers to their lips. Sh-h, they mouthed silently.

  “Yeah, I heard the man. No biggie,” Katie snapped. Reaching toward the saddle, she hooked the stirrup over the horn and started to loosen the cinch. “Who was here to see me anyway?”

  “Final time, twenty-seven seconds!” blared from the arena. “That puts Ian Weirick and Cobalt in first place!” Another round of applause split the air.

  “I was here, Katie!” Mrs. Thomas tried to make herself heard over the din.

  “Oh, hi, Mom,” Katie replied without turning around. “Well, I’m glad you’re here.”

  “And I’m here too.” Mr. Thomas’ voice cracked.

  Katie stopped dead in her tracks.

  Skye could only imagine what was going through the blind girl’s mind.

  Turning toward her father’s voice, Katie glowed. “Dad!”

  Mr. Thomas wrapped his arms around his daughter as though he hadn’t seen her in years. “I’m so sorry, Katie. I’m so sorry.” Eyes moist, the man waved his wife toward him.

  “Oh, Dad,” Katie said, “I’m sorry too, for not trying harder in the race. I want you to be proud of me.”

  “Katie,” Mrs. Thomas cried, embracing the two, “we are proud of you, for what you’ve accomplished. And we have some good news for you. Your father and I are, well, we want to start over. With the Lord’s help, we’ll do it—together!”

  “Oh, Mom,” Katie said, her eyes watering. “I’m so glad!”

  Skye stroked Boomer’s chin, basking in the scene unfolding before her. “Wow! How cool, God,” Skye whispered. “Thanks for answering prayer.”

  Katie gave a tender hug to her mom and dad then slowly turned. “Where’s Skye?” she asked, wiping the tears from her face.

  “Right here,” Skye said.

  Hand in hand, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas moved to the side.

  Katie reached in Skye’s direction. “I just wanna say thanks, Skye. Thanks for being my favoritist friend. You’re the best!”

  Skye took Katie’s hand then slipped an arm around her shoulders. Her heart filled with the satisfaction and pride of a job well done, Skye now knew that God had used her for something very special.

  She thought about the summer, an exciting summer that had taught her one important truth. “Winning” came in ways as different as the colors of horses. And winning with God was even better than winning a blue ribbon. Of this she was very sure.

  “Nah, I’m not the best,” Skye said with a winning smile. “God is. I’m just here to help.”

  A Letter to my Keystone Stables Fans

  Dear Reader,

  Are you crazy about horses like I am? Are you fortunate enough to have a horse now, or are you dreaming about the day when you will have one of your very own?

  I’ve been crazy about horses ever since I can remember. When I was a child, I lived where I couldn’t have a horse. Even if I had lived in the country, my folks didn’t have the money to buy me one. So, as I grew up in a small coal town in central Pennsylvania, I dreamed about horses and collected horse pictures and horse models. I drew horse pictures and wrote horse stories, and I read every horse book I could get my hands on.

  For Christmas when I was ten, I received a leather-fringed western jacket and a cowgirl hat. Weather permitting, I wore them when I walked to and from school. On the way, I imagined that I was riding a gleaming white steed into a world of mountain trails and forest paths.

  Occasionally, during the summer, my mother took me to a riding academy where I rode a horse for one hour at a time. I always rubbed my hands (and hard!) on my mount before we left the ranch. For the rest of the day I tried not to wash my hands so I could smell the horse and remember the great time I had. Of course, I never could sit at the dinner table without Mother first sending me to the faucet to get rid of that “awful stench.”

  To get my own horse, I had to wait until I grew up, married, and bought a home in the country with enough land for a barn and a pasture. Moon Doggie, my very first horse, was a handsome brown and white pinto Welsh Mountain Pony. Many other equines came to live at our place where, in later years, my husband and I also opened our hearts to foster kids who needed a caring home. Most of the kids loved the horses as much as I did.

  Although owning horses and rearing foster kids are now in my past, I fondly remember my favorite steed, who has long since passed from the scene. Rex, part Quarter Horse and part Tennessee Walker, was a 14 1/2 hands-high bay. Rex was the kind of horse every kid dreams about. With a smooth walking gait, he gave me a thrilling ride every time I climbed into the saddle. Yet, he was so gentle, a young child could sit confidently on his back. Rex loved sugar cubes and nuzzled my pockets to find them. When cleaning his hooves, all I had to do was touch the target leg, and he lifted his hoof into my waiting hands. Rex was my special horse, and although he died at the ripe old age of twenty-five many years ago, I still miss him.

  If you have a horse now or just dream about the day when you will, I beg you to do all you can to learn how to treat with tender love and respect one of God’s most beautiful creatures. Horses make wonderful pets, but they require much more attention than a dog or a cat. For their loyal devotion to you, they only ask that you love them in return with the proper food, a clean barn, and the best of care.

  Although Katie’s story that you just read is fiction, the following pages contain horse facts that any horse lover will enjoy. It is my desire that these pages will help you to either care for your own horse better now or prepare you for that moment when you’ll be able to throw your arms around that one special horse of your dreams that you can call your very own.

  Happy riding!

  Marsha Hubler

  Are You Ready to Own Your First Horse?

  The most exciting moment in any horse lover’s life is to look into the eyes of a horse she can call her very own. No matter how old you are when you buy your first horse, it’s hard to match the thrill of climbing onto his back and taking that first ride on a woodsy trail or dusty road that winds through open fields. A well-trained mount will give you a special friendship and years of pleasure as you learn to work with him and become a confident equestrian team.

  But owning a horse involves much more than hopping on his back, racing him into a lather of sweat, and putting him back in his stall until you’re ready to ride him again.

  If you have your own horse now, you’ve already realized that caring for a horse takes a great amount of time and money. Besides feeding him twice a day, you must also groom him, clean his stall, “pick” his hooves, and have a farrier (a horseshoe maker and applier) and veterinarian make regular visits.

  If you don’t own a horse and you are begging your parents to buy one, please realize that you can’t keep the horse in your garage and just feed him grass cuttings left over from a mowed lawn. It is a sad fact that too many neglected horses have ended up in rescue shelters after well-meaning families did not know how to properly care for their steeds.

  If you feel that you are ready to have your own horse, please take time to answer the following questions. If you say yes to all of them, then you are well on your way to being the proud owner of your very own mount.

  Do you have the money to purchase: the horse? (A good grade horse can start at $800. Registered breeds can run into the thousands.)

  a saddle, pad, and bridle, and a winter blanket or raincoat? ($300+ brand new)

  a hard hat (helmet) and riding boots? ($150+)

  essentials such as coat and hoof conditioner, bug repellent, electric clipper and grooming kit, saddle soap, First Aid kit, and vitamins? ($150+)

  Does your family own at least a one-stall shed or barn and at
least two acres of grass (enough pasture for one horse) to provide adequate grazing for your horse during warm months? If not, do you have the money to regularly purchase quality oats and alfalfa/timothy hay, and do you have the place to store the hay? Oh, and let’s not forget the constant supply of sawdust or straw you need for stall bedding!

  Are you ready to get up early enough every day to give your horse a bucket of fresh water, feed him a coffee can full of oats and one or two sections of clean dry hay (if you have no pasture), and “muck out” the manure from the barn?

  Every evening, are you again ready to water and feed your horse, clean the barn, groom him, and pick his hooves?

  Will you ride him at least twice a week, weather permitting?

  If the answer to any of the above questions is no, then does your family have the money to purchase a horse and board him at a nearby stable? (Boarding fees can run as high as a car payment. Ask your parents how much that is.)

  So, there you have the bare facts about owning and caring for a horse. If you don’t have your own horse yet, perhaps you’ll do as I did when I was young: I read all the books I could about horses. I analyzed all the facts about the money and care needed to make a horse happy. Sad as it made me feel, I finally realized that I would have to wait until I was much older to assume such a great responsibility. And now years later, I can look back and say, “For the horse’s sake, I’m very glad I did wait.”

  I hope you’ve made the decision to give your horse the best possible TLC that you can. That might mean improving his care now or waiting until you’re older to get a horse of your own. Whatever you and your parents decide, please remember that the result of your efforts should be a happy horse. If that’s the case, you will be happy too.

  Let’s Go Horse Shopping!

  If you are like I was when I was younger, I dreamed of owning the most beautiful horse in the world. My dream horse, with his long-flowing mane and wavy tail dragging on the ground, would arch his neck and prance with only a touch of my hand on his withers or a gentle rub of my boot heel on his barrel. My dream horse was often different colors. Sometimes he was silvery white; other times he was jet black. He was often a pinto blend of the deepest chocolate browns, blacks, and whites. No matter what color he was, he always took me on a perfect ride, responding to my slightest commands.