Throw Your Heart Over

Chapter Twelve Part 13

Chapter Twelve

Chris followed the show results online, so she knew Nicholas did okay, but not great. Covered their costs, but that was pretty well it. Then she waited on tenterhooks for the trailer to pull into the drive. She found herself jumping up at imaginary sounds days before they could be expected to arrive. It was a relief when she finally heard the truck.

The show hadn't been great, and it had been a long drive, but Nicholas jumped out as if he'd just come from Elmville. With a winning lottery ticket. He flashed a grin at her. "Ready to meet Benny?"

"Benny?" she asked. Benny was not an awe inspiring name.

"I know. His official name is Beneficial Wind or something grandiose like that - he's Benny around the barn. Let's get the others out first."

T was the first horse out. He was obviously happy to see Christine, and she spent some time fussing over him while Nicholas got Catspaw and Max settled.

"Wait here, I'll bring him through to the arena."

Christine walked into the arena and waited to see Benny.

Her first thought was that Bunny would have been a more appropriate name. His ears were ridiculously large in proportion to the rest of him. Her second thought was that he moved - weirdly.

Nicholas noticed her expression. "I know. He shambles, rather than walks. I don't know why they were trying him in three day eventing - he was horrible in dressage. But just wait." He passed her the lead rein while he set up a couple of jumps.

Chris patted his neck. "Hey Bun- I mean, Benny. Welcome. Hope you're almost as good as he thinks you are."

Benny didn't seem worried. He cocked a hip, rested his back leg, hung his head and paid no attention to her neck pats. He looked as if he'd been the one driving all the way back.

Nicholas jogged over. Benny opened an eye. "Come on lazybones." Nicholas said. He ran the lead rein around the halter and back, to make a rough bridle, and leaped on the horse. Christine always envied the way he could mount a horse so effortlessly.

At a walk, Benny still looked like he was barely keeping from falling over. When Nicholas urged him into a trot, he looked more coordinated, but a nudge to a canter, and he was a new horse. He was fluid, smooth, and deceptively fast. Nicholas turned to her and smiled at the surprise on her face.

"Now watch this."

He set him at a jump. He flew, effortlessly and landed with barely a bump. Nicholas continued around the arena, and went over the broader oxer. Again, the jump was effortless, smooth, and beautiful to watch.

Nicholas slowed him back down to the trot, and finally the shambly walk.

Christine rubbed Bun-Benny's neck as Nicholas slid off. "I should have let him settle, but I had to show you. Bareback, and it was as easy as if I'd been in a saddle. He's an incredible jumper. But, he does have a couple of quirks."

"Such as?" Christine asked.

"Well, there are his ears for one thing. And that walk. He looks really goofy until he gets going. Fortunately, show jumping is about results, not pretty."

"He doesn't like getting his feet wet. So that could be an issue in outdoor shows. He'll leap well over any water jumps, but wet days might be a problem.

"And finally, he's lazy. This is his go-to state. He responds to a rider with no problems, but on his own..."

Christine looked at the horse standing by them. Again, he looked asleep, nothing like the Pegasus she'd just seen in action.