text: Mary McCausland Anny's Clover 
   
   
     
   
      I reached down and adjusted my stirup. My stomache lurched as I waited for my turn to go in the ring. I breathed in Clover's scent. Sweet hay and grain. Clover was my twelve year old Irish Sport horse gelding. I found him abandon and ill. It took years for him to get into shape and able to jump, but all the hard work finally payed off. I couldn't ask for a better horse. My trainer, Sarah, stood next to me as we waited for my turn. The rider in the ring was just finishing up and as they cleared the last jump, my heart dropped. All of the riders had gone clear so far and for me to win I had to get an amazing time with no faults. I took a deep breath and angled Clover onto the rail. We walked in slowly but as the rider exited the ring we cantered off! Clover was excited and held his head up high. We made a circle and then came to the first jump. They ranged from 3' to 4'. Clover easily soared over the first green and white vertical, landing soundly on the other side. I asked him for a lead change and we turned right. The next jump was a higher oxer with bright purple flowers hanging from it. Clover pushed off from the ground and cleared it with ease, his ears pricked forward. He was being so perfect! His grey coat wasnt even breaking a sweat. I could feel his big muscles bunch underneath me as we jumped into a two stride. He cleared the first vertical effortlessly and galloped on. He spooked a bit at the second jump and I had to give him a lot of leg. He took off early and I was flung backward. I grabbed the reins for support and tried to steady myself but it was to late. As Clover flew over the oxer, he kicked his back feet out and the front pole went tumbling to the ground. I gathered my reins again and looked to the next jump. My chances of winning were gone but I still went on. Clover shook his mane out and  pulled on the reins, wanting to go faster. I pulled back and sat deep in the saddle. He had a nasty habit of taking the reins out of my hands, but not now. We came to the last two jumps and Clover barely looked at them. He popped over an orange vertical and cleared a blue triple bar.  
      The crowd cheered wildly but I knew that rail had cost me the win. I walked over to Sarah, a look of disapointment on my face. 
      "Hey, don't be mad. This happens all the time," Sarah said. "Why don't you go walk him back to the barn and put him away. He needs to rest for tomorrow." 
      "I'm not really mad, but I could have prevented it or done something else." 
      "Again, it happens. Okay? It's over and now we have to look forward. You did great!" Sarah walked off to go talk to my mom and I headed to the barn area, ready to change into my fuzzy pants and T-shirt.  
      After I put Clover away, fed him, and changed, I sat on my tack trunk and started shining my boots. I looked up and saw my boyfriend, Mathew, walking toward me. I put my boot down and walked over to him. "Hey! Did you see me ride?" I asked as I hugged him. 
      "Yeah I did. You were great." 
      "Oh please! I knocked a rail! That's not good!" 
      "Well you were good to me..." He smiled at me and bent his head closer to mine. I leaned my head in and our lips touched. I'm glad he was here with me for support. I don't know how I would have survived the weekend. He put his hands on my waste and the kiss seemed to last forever. Eventually we pulled apart and he got something out of his back pocket. It was a paper clipping from the newspaper. It read: 
   
    Sixteen year old Anny Cape has been dreaming of this moment her whole life! She has finally made it to the intermediate jumper division with her 16.2 hand horse, Clover. At this years Summers End horse show, will she be able to pull out on top? Or crash and burn on the course? 
   
     
   
      "What? Why did they make this about me?" 
      "I don't know. I just found this in the paper and thought you'd want to read it..." Matt put the paper on my trunk and sat down. 
      "Yeah thanks, they weren't vey friendly at the end though," 
      "Yeah, well they just want to make a story, but don't listen to them. You'll kill at the show!" 
   
   
   
   Chapter 2  
   
  Later in the afternoon, Matt and I went out to dinner at one of the finest restaurants in town, Inzo's! Of course it took me like three hours to decide what to wear. I just went with a simple black skirt and a brown cami with a tan wife-beater. I curled my hair and put a purple flower in it. I think I looked smokin!  
        The resaurant was super packed when we got there and we had to wait like an hour before we sat at a table. When we eventually got one I ordered their orginal spaghetti and meetballs while Matt got some Spinach and Ricotta Cheese Savory Tart thing. It looked really good! 
      "You know, this is really nice. You didnt have to take me out to eat. Really!" I looked up at Matt, who had a big mouthful of food in his face. I laughed and took another bite of my Spaghetti. Apparently, Matt didnt "dress up" like me. He wore a green polo and Khaki shorts. 
      "Oh, I know I didn't have to, but I did anyway. I wanted you to have some time to relax and take your mind off things." 
      "Ahh...thanks. Well it's working." He smiled and reached over the table and grabbed my hand. It tingled with our touch and I smiled back. 
      "Would you like refills on your drinks? It's on the house." We both looked up and saw our waiter standing next to us, tray in hand. 
      "Umm. Yeah, sure! Thanks!" He took our glasses and walked in the direction of the kitchen. 
      "Well that was cool!" Matt said. I laughed at how his face looked when he said that. 
      The waiter returned A few minutes later with our drinks filled and fresh! We thanked him and took a few sips. 
      "Hmmm...Mine kinda tastes funny," I held up my Pepsi and examined it. It looked fine but it tasted sort of off. 
      "Mine too! It's really tangy!" Matt took another sip, made a face and put it down. " I think I'm ready to go. Are you done?" 
      "Definitely, I'm tired." 
      We got up from our table and left the once crowded resaurant. The parking lot was deserted, besides from a few cars. It was a full moon outside and was easy to see. My shoes clicked on the asphalt as we walked. We got into Matt's car and just as I sat down I felt sick. I covered my mouth as I started to gag. 
      Woa! Anny? Are you alright? You look si..." As Matt said that his face turned pale and he started to close his eyes. His head fell forward and hit the seering wheel. The car horn started going off and I screamed. I grabbed him, putting him upright. His eyes were fully closed and I immediately began to panic! My breathing got super fast and my head was feeling weird. I got really light headed and eventually threw up on Matt's shoulder.  
      "Omigod! Thank God your not awake!"  I started gagging again at the smell and with that, I passed out next to him.        
   
   
   
   Chapter 3  
   
      My eyes fluttered open, foggy and dazed. Light streamed in through the windows of the car and I lifted my head. Matt was still out and smelled really gross. As my eyes came back into focus, so did my mind. The last thing I could remember was throwing up on Matt, which was still on his shoulder. My body was all sweaty and sticky. I scooted away from him and took deep breaths. I turned the car on and rolled down the windows. The Kentucky air outside was freezing! It had to be in the high forties, at least. If it was so cold out, then why was I sweating? I looked at Matt. He wasn't dead since his chest was moving so I went back over to him and poked his thigh. His eyes flicked open and he turned his head. 
      "Omigod! My head is pounding." He rubbed his eyes and looked at his right shoulder. "Anny?" 
      "Yeah..." 
      "Why do I have Chunks on my shoulder?" He breathed out deeply and flicked a piece at me. 
      "Ewwww!" I threw the chunk back at him again. "Um...I guess I kinda threw up on you last night. Do you remember?" I looked at his eyes. They were all red as he rubbed them. 
      "I remember our drinks tasting weird and then I passed out in the car..." 
      "Yeah. Oh my God!!" I threw my hands out to my side in shock. 
      "What!?" 
      "The waiter! At the restaurant! He slipped something in our drinks! That's why we passed out! I knew there was something wrong with the drinks. Omigod, whats my mom...Ahhh! My mom!!"      
  I grabbed my phone from my purse and turned it on. Eleven messages! It was almost noon! I called my mom with shaky hands.  
      "Mom..." 
      "...." 
      "Yes, I know. Well something happened last night. It's to long to say now, but it's important. We'll meet you at the show. Okay?" My head throbbed from the light of the sun and I shut my eyes to block it out. 
      "....." 
      "WHAT!?" Matt jumped beside me at the sound of my vioce. "Okay, just keep him calm. We'll be there as fast as we can." I hung up the phone and looked at Matt.  
      "We going to the show?" 
      All I could do is nod. I couldn't stop the tear from running down my cheek. I wiped it off and Matt drove to the show. 
   
   
   
   chapter 4  
   
      We drove the twenty minutes back to the show grounds. The fog was getting heavier as we entered the wooded area. I sighed and looked out the window. Green pastures and wild flowers sprouted everywhere. horses and riders walked on paths and in the rings. There was every color of horse you could imagine. Bay's, chesnut's, gray's, white's, every color. People where cleaning tack and giving horses bathes. By the barn area, I saw my mom, Sarah, and their groom, Juan, standing by Clover. 
   
   
   Text: Hooves and hearts incorporated All rights reserved. Publication Date: July 25th 2012 https://www.bookrix.com/-marymccausland