Liberty and the Dream Ride by Stacy Gregg Page A

Liberty’s paperwork with Blaire Andrews, so Issie walked it alone.
    She’d been hoping that the cross-country course would be less terrifying this time around, and certainly some fences appeared less daunting. But as she stood on the precipice of the deep, deep ditch in front of the Gamekeeper’s Brush she felt completely and utterly sick. If there had been any other alternative she would gladly have taken it, but the Gamekeeper’s Brush offered no choice – there was just one way to go. Actually , Issie thought as she looked at the jump, there are two ways to go – over the fence or down into the ditch!
    Unable to shake off her feeling of dread, she moved on to fence 25, the Tobacco Stripping Table – a flat rustic tabletop. She was confident about this jump. It was very wide, but Comet would clear it easily, and his little stridings would come in useful at the next fence too – the Normandy Bank, which required the horses to leap up on to a grassy mound then take a stride, jump a trakehner at the top of the bank and then jump back down again off the other side of the bank.
    As she paced out the stridings, she was trying to imagine jumping the same bank on Liberty. The mare was so physically different to Comet. Her strides would be much bigger.
    By the time she arrived back at the stables Issie was even more nervous than she had been last night. At least with Comet, she understood how his mind worked, all his little quirks and his foibles. Like the way he sometimes stood back from a fence and she needed to keep her legs on right until the last moment, or his tendency to veer to the right if he was planning to run out. But with Liberty she didn’t have a clue what the mare would do. The horse was a total mystery to her – and she was about to ride her round one of the biggest cross-country courses in the world! Maybe there was still a chance to back out of this.
    â€œThe paperwork is all sorted,” Avery announced when Issie arrived at the stables. “Blaire has given the rider transfer her stamp of approval.”
    â€œI’ve spoken to Mr Valmont too,” Tara told Issie. “He’s agreed to let you take over the ride and he’s planning to come and watch your dressage test tomorrow.”
    â€œGreat,” Issie said. “Really… that’s… great.”
    Avery looked at his watch. “We’ve got the trotting-up in half an hour. You’ll need to trot both horses for the judges and then you can give Comet his final workout.” Avery turned to Tara. “Issie should be free by two – we can meet you here again then and she can ride Liberty.”
    â€œExcellent,” Tara agreed. “I’ll have the mare ready for you.”
    The trotting-up was a glamorous event – a bit like the celebrity red-carpet walk before a film premiere. The horses would always be presented perfectly groomed with plaited manes and the riders would dress up in their best outfits. A crowd would gather to watch the horses trot as the judges checked them to see if they were sound and ready to compete.
    For her outfit that day Issie had chosen a simple black skirt and a cream blouse, and a pair of flat, black brogues.
    â€œBoring!” Stella had pronounced as she watched Issie getting dressed. She dug around in her own suitcase and pulled out the dress she’d worn to the party the night before, a brightly patterned violet and blue sundress with frills on the edge. “Why don’t you borrow this?”
    â€œI’m not trying to scare the horses,” Issie responded.
    â€œIt’s pretty,” Stella said.
    â€œI don’t want to look pretty,” Issie replied, “I want to look professional.”
    â€œYou look like a professional bore. At least wear your floral shirt instead of that cream one!”
    Issie sighed. “All right! But I don’t see what the fuss is about anyway. Everyone will be looking at the