Believe in Me: A Rosewood Novel by Laura Moore

wooden rails jarred her thoughts. Enough with the navel-gazing. She had work to do. It was a beautiful morning and she needed to concentrate on something besides herself and her failed marriage. She was darned lucky Turner was such an easygoing fellow. She’d walked the yearling down the gravel path without his causing a moment’s fuss.
    “Whoa, Turner.” She brought the colt to a halt and lifted the latch but waited to open the gate until Andy had trotted past on Mistral. Margot, astride Saxon, a big dapple gray, spotted her and circled at the far end of the ring to give her plenty of time to lead Turner into the ring. Even though Turner was a mild-mannered colt, he still needed to have his learning situations carefully controlled so that nothing came at him too fast. Once a young horse was overexcited, its ability to learn effectively went right out the window. If the horse became rattled or spooked, it might then have negative associations with the experience, making the lesson wind up like the game of Chutes and Ladders, sending the youngster backward rather than forward in its development.
    Jordan had already practiced opening and shutting the gate with Turner, and he was used to it from the daily trips to the pasture as well, so she met no resistance when she opened the gate wide enough to lead him through it, turned him in a half circle, and then brought him back slowly to the gate, again using her voice as an aid to halt him before she closed it.
    The big difference between Turner’s experience in the pastures and in the riding ring was that in the ring he was being taught to understand that he would be working with humans, and still under their control. As yearlings weredeeply inquisitive creatures, Jordan took her time walking him, letting him see the other two horses and the wooden jumps positioned at various angles and distances in the center of the ring. Both Margot and Andy had slowed their mounts to a walk, and would resume trotting and cantering once Turner was comfortable with the goings-on.
    The colt held his head high, pricking his ears forward as he gazed around, his gait over the raked sand quick and lively. Walking on his left side, careful to stay in his line of vision, Jordan kept her stride deliberate and the tension on the lead rope light.
    “That’s a boy. Nothing new here. You’ve seen this all before. Soon you’re going to be like Saxon here, getting ready for the show season, making sure those flying changes are as smooth as silk. The judges are going to love you, you’re such a clever, handsome fella. It’ll be nothing but blue ribbons for you.” She prattled on, her voice as confident as her steady stride, letting her body language communicate to the young horse that there was nothing to fear. After another tour of the ring she angled their path toward the center and again brought him to a halt. Casually she delved into her pocket, brought out a dried carrot treat, and let him swipe it from her open palm as she patted his neck.
    “All set?” Margot asked, as she and Saxon passed near them.
    “Yeah, he’s doing great.” She stroked his neck just beneath his halter’s leather strap.
    “He’s always good for you,” Andy remarked. “He’s not nearly as happy when Felix takes him out.”
    “Jordan, hon, I saw Jade as she was leaving for school. I’m so sorry—”
    She shrugged and continued scratching Turner’s neck. “Don’t be. It’s Nonie’s loss. I had some good ideas, but she obviously preferred Owen Gage’s. That’s the name of the game.”
    “I am sick to death of Nonie and her spiteful ways. Whatis it with the women around here, behaving as if they’re still in junior high? I’d understand if she wanted to stab
me
in the back, but you didn’t have anything to do with getting Blair suspended. And now Jade’s upset, convinced she’s cost you your first job—”
    Knowing Jade and Margot were blaming themselves made it all the worse. “Margot, this really