June 2009 Story Contest

 

The Barrel Racers by Lizzy1

 

“Ready, set, go!” said Makayla.

I took off around the barrels on Moonlight. We went around the first barrel perfectly. The second barrel we wiggled a little bit. The third barrel we went a little to far from the barrel so I kicked Moonlight to get her running a little faster.

“12 seconds flat!” Makayla called after me as she reset the stop watch.

“We need to beat 12 seconds.” I said as I was walked Moonlight over to her. Makayla is my best friend. Makayla trotted Cisco up to the starting line.

“Ok, I’m ready.” She said.

“Ready, set, go!” I said. Makayla took off with Cisco. She went around all the barrels as if she were a pro at barrel racing.

“10.10 seconds!” I called after her.

“How did you do that?!” I asked.

“You just have to stay focused and stay with the horse.” Makayla said. “Let’s cool them down.” Makayla said.

“Ok.” I said as I turned Moonlight around to walk by Cisco. After we cooled our horse down and groomed them we put them back in their stalls.

The next morning I awoke by a very loud whinny. I got dressed and hurried outside. I saw Moonlight had her leg caught in the pasture fence. The more she tried to pull her leg out of the fence, deeper the cut got. I ran inside and yelled “Moonlight has her leg caught in the fence!” Mom and dad raced after me. I got Moonlight’s lead rope and clipped it on to her halter. My dad got his chain stall and cut the board far away for Moonlight’s leg. I stroked her from her neck to her shoulder to keep her clam. After her leg was free, she got up but, she kept her cut leg from touching the ground. Then, she was standing on her leg properly.

Mom had called the vet. The vet was running straight for us. After she was done looking at my horse’s leg she said “This cut is almost down to the bone.” “I will have to give her stitches here.””

We helped to keep the other horses away from Moonlight. After she was done she said “I would like to keep her at the vet’s office for tonight.” She called her assistant to come with a horse trailer to pick a horse up. I lead Moonlight over to the trailer. The vet’s assistant rode in the trailer with Moonlight.

Makayla came running from her house. She doesn’t live that far. We made a trail from her house to our ranch and house.

“I thought I saw Moonlight in the vet’s trailer.” She said.

“Moonlight got her leg caught in our fence.” I said crying. “So I will have to ride Ace for the competition.”

Makayla got Cisco from the pasture. Ace was already in his stall. Makayla got Cisco ready while I got Ace ready. After were done I walked Ace in to the indoor arena first because his stall was right across from it. Makayla walked Cisco behind us. I saw my mom doing riding lessons with my young brother and some other students on some of our ponies. We had to split the indoor arena. It was going to be hot today so it was best to do riding lessons or barrel racing practice in the morning or late after noon. I mounted Ace and walked him around the barrels first, then trotted, next I cantered. We didn’t know why the barrels were already set out. We guessed that some of the students who board horses were practicing.

“I’m ready to be timed.” I told Makayla who was holding the stop watch. Makayla checked Ace’s girth and boots. “Thank you” I said.

“You’re welcome” she said.

I pulled Ace up to the starting line. “Ready” I told Makayla.

“Ready, set, go!” She yelled.

Ace and I thundered past the starting line. The first barrel was prefect, the second one we knocked over, and the third one we wiggled a little.

“10.14 seconds!” Makayla called after me. “Adding the penalty is 10.18 seconds!” she said.

We were practicing for team barrel racing were if you knocked down a barrel you get a 4 point time penalty and that could hurt your score. When Makayla mounted I checked Cisco’s girth and boots.

“Thank you” she said.

“Your welcome” I said. She warmed up Cisco like I warmed up Ace. She walked Cisco up to the starting line.

“Ready” she said.

“Ready, set, go!” I yelled.

Makayla and Cisco went around all the barrels perfectly. “10.09 seconds!”I said.

“Let’s cool our horses down.” I said. We walked our horses around the ring. We tried not to disturb the lesson my mom was having. We groomed our horses and put them in the pasture. We put the barrels up and looked at the bulletin board. It had team barrel racing, cattle roping, dressage, and show jumping that got pick from our barn to sponsor us at the fair grounds. Under team barrel racing said PAIGE AND MAKAYLA. We smiled at each other.

The following afternoon while we were grooming our horses for our late after noon practice for barrel racing, Suzie came running straight for us with her horse trotting by her side.

“Makayla! Paige!” she yelled.”Look at the bulletin broad!” yelled Suzie, too. We keep our horses tied up in the arena. We looked at the bulletin board. It said: PICKED BY A SRUVEY, PEOPLE HAVE VOTE THIS BARREL RACING TEAM TO HAVE THE BEST CHANGE OF WINNING AT THE WESTERN EVENTS. GOOD LUCK. We walked back to our horses tied up in the indoor arena. After we got done practicing barrel and put our horses away, I walked Makayla home and took a shower.

Their was only 1 day before the team barrel racing event Makayla and I spent almost all day washing and brushing our horses. We spent all week practicing in costume on barrel racing. When we were done we put blankets on them and wrapped their legs. When we were done we let them relax in their stalls and we went on a trail ride. I rode Spy and Makayla rode Pie. A relaxing trail ride was a perfect way to remove stress before a competition.

The next day we loaded our horses and set off for the fair grounds. Makayla and I were very nervous. When we arrived at the fairgrounds we only had an hour to brush our horses, saddle them, and get them warmed up.

We put our horses in our assigned stalls. We groomed our horses, saddled them, and warmed them up. We mounted our horses and got ready to carry our stable’s banner. Makayla would be carrying the banner in front and I would be carrying the back of it. We would canter straight down the middle and turn right and exit the arena. When we were done, we waited until everyone was done. They shot the cannon and put the barrels out.

We were the first team up and I was riding in the first round. I walked to the starting box. When I was ready, Ace and I thundered out of the starting box. When we ran past the finish line the speaker yelled “10 seconds for Willow Hill stables round 1!”

“Good boy, Ace!” I said as I patted his shoulder.

Makayla said “You did great!” as I cooled Ace down.

“Thank you” I said. It was Makayla’s turn. If she gets a time less than 10 seconds we would win! She took off around the barrels very fast and very carefully. She thundered past the finish line.

“9.00 seconds for Willow Hill stables!” “They are currently in first place!” the speaker yelled.

When the day was over and we returned home, we screamed! We looked at our shining medals. Mom put the trophy in the lounge. We had done it! We won the team barrel racing competition! We were going to the nationals! Dad threw us a party to celebrate! We knew if we believed in our selves, we could do anything.

B.F.F’s

The end