“Come on Nightmare hurry it up you big lazy animal,” Calin said jokingly. The huge horse came out of its stable and stood in the middle of the barn so big and fearless.

“Well you sure are a beauty.” Calin stood there looking at the animal in amazement. “Come on let’s start saddling you up.” Calin walked away to the bigger part of the barn and the horse followed. Calin started to saddle the horse up and she heard footsteps.

“Come on, Hurry up we don’t have all day.” Nightmare’s owner Esperanza walked in all ready to ride.

“Ok, just let me check if he’s okay to ride today.” Calin leaned down to take a look at the horse’s hooves and legs and she noticed that his left back leg was lifted up and looked a little shaky.

“I’m not sure that Nightmare is up for it today, his leg looks to be maybe hurt,” Calin said worriedly. “Maybe you should come back tomorrow to train and give his leg a day to rest.”

“Look, we have a competition in one week we need to practice, I’m not paying you to tell me that my horse is sick or hurt so saddle him up and tell me what to do,” said the owner Esperanza angrily.

“Fine,” Calin said worried about the horse. When she finished getting the horse ready Esperanza jumped on the horse and they rode off into the field to warm up.

“Come on Trekk.” She said opening his stall and started saddling him up. She jumped up on the horse and trotted into the field where the other horse was there warming up.

“He doesn't seem to be running well today.” Calin said while watching the horse carefully.

“He seems to be lifting his leg up after every few steps.” Calin said.

“He’s fine, he’s just being stubborn today,” Esperanza said anxious to continue her ride.

“I think he’s trying to tell us something,” Calin jumped off her horse and walked over to the horse and felt his leg.

“His leg feels fine it’s just his leg is shaking and he doesn’t seem to want to put it on the ground,” Calin said.
“Well fine today after practicing I will call in a vet to look at it but if you would please excuse me I would like to go back and practice the routine,” Said Esperanza.

“Fine, start off trotting and then jump those fences, then do a tight turn around the blue barrel and then canter off, got it?” Calin said a little madly.

“Whatever,” Esperanza said angrily as she started and when she did the tight turn the horse collapsed.

“Oh my gosh is he okay!” Calin ran over to the horse not paying attention to the Esperanza.

“His leg!!! It’s hurt!” Calin said annoyed that Esperanza didn’t listen to her.

“Ugh my competition, I can’t compete anymore,” Esperanza said not even paying attention that her horse was hurt. “Put him down, he’s no use to me anymore,” Esperanza said while looking at the horse.

“No you can’t put this beautiful horse down... I’ll give you 5,000 for the horse,” Calin said not believing what she had just done.

“5,000 for a horse that can’t ride? Deal! (Ring, ring ring) well would you excuse me I have to take this,” Esperanza walked away talking on her phone. Calin looked at the horse’s leg more carefully and took off his saddle.

“Ugh sure is bad,” Calin took out her phone and called the vet.

“Yes sir, I understand I will find a replacement horse, don’t worry,” Esperanza said on her phone.

“Ahem,” Esperanza looked at Calin and tapped her foot.

“Excuse me,” Calin said politely in to her phone. “What do you want now?”

“I need a new horse to compete with.”

“Go some where else I don’t need to be giving any of my horses to you,” Calin said annoyed that she would even ask a question like that.

“How about that one,” Esperanza said pointing at Trekk.

“No, he’s been my horse ever since I was a little girl, I’m not letting some stranger compete with him.”

“Fine, ugh!!!” Esperanza said while storming away.

“Sorry I’m back,” Calin said into the phone.

“I will be over in a couple minutes, just make sure the horse doesn’t get too stressed,” The vet on the phone said.

“Ok thanks, see you in a few minutes bye” Calin said then shut her phone closed. She walked in the field to find her horse Trekk. When she found him she brought him into his stable and gave him some hay and fresh water. Then she checked on her other horses and made sure they were ok when she got back into the field with the horse she saw a large truck come up to the barn.

“Don’t worry Nightmare help is on the way,” she said calmly while petting him. She got up and started walking towards the truck and as soon as the truck stopped the back door opened and a little girl jumped out and ran over to Calin.

“Hi, I’m Jenny, I’m helping my mommy today,” The little girl said with a big smile on her face. The front door of the car opened and women stepped out and walked over.

“Hi I’m Annie” she said with a smile on her face. “I see you have already met my daughter.”

‘Ya she told me she’s helping you out,” Calin said.

“Yep its wonderful having her around, anyways can you bring me to your horse?”

“Sure, follow me.” Calin started walking into the field and they followed. “ Here he is.”

“Well, let me feel his leg,” she said while she knelt down and felt his leg. “Well this doesn't seem to be broken. It is just simply sprained. With the right care he should be back to jumping and galloping around in about a week.”

“Really, that's great!” Calin said surprised.

“Yep but we should probably get him in his stall, it’s getting late.”

“Ok well how should we move him?”

“Well I’m pretty sure he can still walk just not on all four legs so lets just help him up and bring him into his stable.” Calin nodded then they got to work. Anny helped the horse up and Calin leaded the horse to the barn. When they got to the barn they walked down all the stalls until they got to the one that had Nightmare’s name on it. Calin took out his bit and took off halter. Then she walked back out of the stall and saw Annie looking at the horses. “Hi, um I know this is a lot to ask, but can my daughter stay here for like one hour I just got a call from someone and they need my help but it wont take long.”

“Ok sure, I could show her all my horses.”

“Oh thank you so much, well, I got to go, bye,” Annie said while she walked away.

“Jenny? Want me to show you all my horses?” Calin said from down the barn.

“What’s this horses name? He’s pretty looking,” Jenny said while petting Trekk.
“Oh him that's Trekk he was my first horse I have had him since I was a little girl.”
“Oh I like him. What’s this horses name I like his/hers reddish color.”
“That's Valentine she is a really good show horse.”
“What are the names of all your horses?”
“Well theirs Trekk, Valentine, Nightmare, Brownie, Cloudy, Moon dance, and last but not least Cashew.”
“Wow that's a lot of horses!”
“Ya it’s a lot of work but its worth it.”
“Hi, back again,” Annie said walking in again.
“Aw mom your back again,” Jenny complained.

“Well sorry honey but its time to go,” Annie said.

“Oh ok,” Jenny said and started to walk away.

“Well I hope Nightmare’s ok just remember give him water and hay and make sure he is not walking on his left back leg ok? Bye,” Annie said and started to walk away.

“Oh ok bye. I wonder if nightmare could enter the competition.”




1 1/2 Weeks later

“Ok Nightmare it’s been more then a week I think your ready to do this.”

“What are you doing here and you’re on my horse, and your competing!!!” Esperanza said in shock.” I thought his leg was bad, you lied, you lied to me.”

“No I didn't his leg was sprained and just needed some time to heel and so its all heeled up and he can ride again so we are competing in to days competition,” Calin said with a smile on her face.

“Number nine is up with horse Nightmare and rider Calin,” the announcer said over the speakerphone.

“Well I got to go I’m up,” Calin said and hopped on the horse and they rode into the track.

“Ugh!!!” Esperanza said while she watched Calin as she rode off. When all the horses were done they tallied up the scores and the winner was announced.

“In 3rd place we have Sarah on Bullet. For 2nd place we have Emily on Biscuit and for 1st place we have... Calin on Nightmare!!!”

“Oh my gosh I won!!! I actually won!!!” Calin screamed in joy.

“No!!! This couldn't have happened I should have won,” Esperanza yelled. And there was Calin and her horse in the winner’s circle with the crowd cheering there names.