Gold Medal Rider Read Free

puzzled. “How did you know Dorothy and Nigelmight be in North Carolina? Usually they’re on Long Island.”
    Kate laughed. “Half the eventers on the East Coast spend the winter in the South, and most of those go to Southern Pines,” she said. “They don’t want to try to keep their horses fit in the snow. You can’t gallop in indoor arenas—there isn’t room.”
    Lisa wrinkled her nose. “But how would you know that?” she asked.
    “Don’t forget Kate’s history,” Carole reminded her.
    “That’s right,” Kate said, laughing. “Long ago, I even spent a few winters in Southern Pines, North Carolina. That was before I learned not to take myself so seriously.”
    “Oh, right.” Lisa felt embarrassed. She always had such a great time hanging out with Kate that she forgot Kate had been one of the best junior event riders in the country. Carole had told them all how famous Kate had been, but Lisa had never seen her that way, and Kate rarely talked about her riding past.
    “Don’t feel silly,” Kate said. “That’s been behind me for a long time. I prefer just riding for fun. But you guys will love North Carolina. It’s a gorgeous state to ride in.”
    While Kate described the pine forests and sandy hills of southern North Carolina, the little plane chugged forward into the fading light. It was dark when they arrived and saw Dorothy and Nigel waiting on the tarmac.
    “Dorothy! Nigel!” Carole called to them from the doorway of the plane. Dorothy and Nigel waved back. Nigel was wearing a Norwegian sweater and a baseball cap along with breeches and riding boots. He was even wearing spurs. Dorothy wore jeans and a jacket. She still rode occasionally, despite her injured back, but she did most of her horse training from the ground.
    “This is our friend Kate Devine,” Carole said.
    “We feel like we know you already,” Dorothy said pleasantly, a smile lighting her face.
    “I say,” said Nigel, shaking Kate’s hand, “you look familiar. Don’t I know you from somewhere?”
    “You should,” Dorothy chided him. “Kate’s one of the best junior eventers around.” She smiled at Kate. “Nigel wasn’t in the United States back when you were competing, but I remember seeing you at several competitions. And, of course, Carole, Stevie, and Lisa have told us all about you.”
    “I
used
to be an event rider,” Kate said to Nigel, a small but firm smile on her face. “I don’t compete anymore. I just ride for fun.”
    “Well, we’re glad to meet you,” Nigel said. “Any friend of The Saddle Club is a friend of ours.”
    The girls chattered enthusiastically while they gathered up their belongings. Kate said a quick good-bye to her father, and they all piled into Dorothy’s car. It was a tight fit. Lisa sat on Kate’s lap, and Carole sat on Stevie’s.
    “It isn’t a long drive,” Nigel assured them. He hit a pothole and Lisa’s head bumped the roof. “Bouncy, though.” They all laughed.
    “Maybe you should have brought horses to the airport,” Stevie suggested. “We could have ridden back instead.”
    “I’d have had to bring my best jumpers,” Nigel said, shaking his head as he hit another bump. “These roads are horrendous.”
    As they drove, Dorothy told them a little bit about Southern Pines. “It’s a great place to train horses. Not only is the weather pleasant, but there’s lots of open land to train on. There’s a big national forest with open bridle trails, and you can reach it from our stable.”
    “So many eventers come to this part of the country in the winter,” Nigel added, “that the last events of the fall and the first events of the spring are held right around here.”
    The Saddle Club knew that “events” were a type of horse show that tested all of a horse’s capabilities. In a three-day event, the horse performed a dressage test on the first day, which showed off its elegance, beautiful movement, and perfect obedience. On the next day the horse