Second Chances

"Easy, now, wait your turn." Tandi gave a gentle pat on Jack's shoulder, calming him with her tender touch. She held the reins loosely in her gloved hand and felt the saddle shift beneath her as the horse stomped one hoof down into the soft arena sand. She softly clicked to the horse to shift his weight then settled down more firmly into the stirrups.

This was her first official outing on Jack. She had earned enough points over the season to make it to the trials, but if Tandi didn't place in today's competition, her chances were nil. The sound of the crowds and the announcers' P.A. system had Jack's blood up, ready to get into the show ring.

A rider and his lanky bay-colored thoroughbred trotted up to the pair, pulling up when they'd drawn abreast. "Hey, Tandi. This is him? This the new Game Boy?"

"Actually, I think he's better than Game was Ryan. I think you'll be surprised at how he moves, like Quicksilver, only better."

"Quicksilver! Really? You think he's that good?"

Tandi nodded her head, "Yep. My dad would have loved this horse, that's why I call him Jack."

"Uh, wasn't your dad's name George?"

Tandi laughed briefly. "Silly! Of course Dad's name was George, I meant Jack, as in 'Jack of all trades'! He really can do it all."

"Oh, ok, I get it. Jack, George, Spot, a name is a name..." Ryan quickly ducked as Tandi playfully swatted at him. "So, you really got him from the meat market? He looks great, but can he jump?"

Loud groans erupted from the audience as a top rail went down when horse and rider failed to judge a set of doubles accurately.

"Oh, he can jump. He lives for the rails, just you watch." Tandi thought back to ten months earlier when her horse Game Boy had been retired because of an ankle injury.

Unable to continue competing, she had lost her position on the equestrian team. No one was willing to loan her a replacement horse so she had gathered up all her cash and headed to the nearest auction, hoping to find a miracle.

Tandi's thoughts returned to that day-it didn't even seem like it had been ten months ago...

The horses stood quietly, gaunt, hungry and thirsty. They waited to be herded into the chutes and up onto the shipping trucks. Dull, shaggy coats, tangled manes and lifeless tails were a sad cry from the once proud animals they had been. Tall, short, young and old, all were headed for the same destination; the slaughter house.

Tandi wandered outside of the corrals, looking each lot of horses over carefully. She was cautious not to gain the attention of the attendants. They would gleefully prod an animal being examined closer to the fencing for a quick buck, not caring if the vicious shock of the prod pole caused any harm to the animal.

Her eyes flicked from her book to the numbered tags around the horses' too skinny necks. She looked at known pedigrees, checked confirmation for obvious injuries or deformities, then made little notes in the margin of her book. Static filled the air as the loudspeaker crackled to life.

"Ladies, gentlemen. Please take your seats, we will begin in five minutes."

Tandi finished her perusal of the corrals, then made her way back inside, sitting in one of the middle seats which would give her a nice view of each animal as it was paraded around for the buyers.

She took out her notes, then waited patiently for her selections to come up. I wish I could save them all. Tandi sighed, knowing these horses were bound for dog food or glue factories made her cringe inside.

"Ok folks, first up today is lot number ten-two-two."

The attendants led in a tall black horse, extremely sway-backed and limping noticeably.

"All right folks, I have an opening phone bid for this animal of twenty dollars, do I hear twenty-five?"

Several off color comments were made by a group of kids in the lower bailey of the crowd, but no one raised the bid. After several calls into the audience, the auctioneer closed the first sale of the morning.

This is going to be a long, hard day. Tandi wanted a horse, needed one actually and hated resorting to the local auction house. I wish I could save you all, I really do. Tandi noticed every rib of every hungry horse, every unattended cut or gash and died a little inside. I wish I would have brought a camera today, then the local papers would really have something to print up.

She sat and watched as horse after horse went to the meat buyers. Several of the horses she was interested in went to a few local land owners and the prices were quickly driven up beyond what she could afford. Tandi had no choice, if she didn't buy a horse soon, she would never have time to train for the trials. They were less than a year away.

"Lot number five-two-three-three on the block now folks. He may not look it but this horse is only four years old, now what am I bid? Do I hear thirty?"

Tandi checked her notes, then held up her paddle. One of the meat buyers countered her bid and she lofted her paddle once again.

The meat buyer quickly waved his hat twice and the auctioneer jumped the price from fifty dollars to seventy. If I can push it high enough, it won't be worthwhile for him to bid on this horse. Tandi firmly bid again, up to eighty dollars.

"Well, now we have a pretty little lady looking to buy a young horse, boys let's show her the horse can move!" At the auctioneer's request, a saddle was tossed up on the huge horse, then quickly tightened. One of the attendants, wearing sharp spurs, climbed into the saddle.

The horse, obviously malnourished, staggered a few wobbly steps. The rider laid his spurs to the horse's ribs, raking them cruelly across the shoulders; trying to get the horse to show some spunk.

Tandi stood up and yelled down, "One hundred and fifty, cash money!"

"I have one-fifty bid from the lady, it's one-sixty to you sir?"

The meat buyer shook his head 'no' then sat down and wrote a few notes in a book on his lap.

As the gavel crashed down and the auctioneer yelled "Sold!" Tandi called out once again, "Get that man off my horse and I see anymore cuts on his shoulder I'll sue you for the vet bill!"

The attendant laughed as he dismounted, then blew her a kiss.

Of all the nerve! She watched as the horse was led from the arena, hoping she'd made the right choice. She grabbed her purse, paddle and booklet, then headed down to the paymaster.

"Hi, lot five-two-three-three, for one hundred fifty dollars."

"Sure, Hon. You hauling or are we delivering?" The older woman behind the barred window asked as she pulled a file folder from a large stack on her left.

"I'm hauling."

"Fine, fine, ten percent charge for the house, and your total is one-sixty-five. Cash, cashier's check or money order?"

"Cash, and I need a receipt. The book also states this horse comes with some paperwork?"

"Uh, huh, yep, that's right Hon." The woman counted out the bills on the counter top, wrote up a receipt, then slid the folder and receipt under the metal grating. "Sign the top form in the folder and he's all yours."

"What am I signing?"

"It's just a disclosure, you won't hold us responsible if the horse isn't healthy or whatever."

"I'll sign when the horse is loaded in my trailer, not before then."

"Well, that's not how it works here, either you sign or the livestock stays."

"Actually, that's not how it works, see? I have a receipt which says I paid for this horse, and if you try to keep me from my horse, I will call the police. I have already witnessed several acts of cruelty toward that animal at your employees hands and I am not signing anything until that horse is in my trailer."

The woman flushed but quit arguing. Instead, she pushed the loudspeaker button down, "Lot five-two-three-three, for pick-up." She released the button, then pointed toward a small corral at the back of the feed lot. "You can pick him up over there, an attendant will bring him out. And don't forget to stop and sign this before you leave, you won't get off the lot without the carbon copy."

"Thank you." Tandi said the words sweetly, though she felt ready to bowl the woman over. More flies with honey, more flies with honey. She repeated to herself several times before she reached her truck. She swung it around and weaved back toward the feed lot where she'd been directed to and saw the horse on a lead rope, tied to a fence.

She pulled up next to the fencing, using one side of the trailer and the fencing to create an alley which led directly into the trailer, hopefully the horse would load quickly and she could get out of this nasty Hell hole.

Tandi approached the horse quietly, speaking to him soothingly. At first the horse showed no response, but as she neared and the soothing tones continued crooning to him, his ears at last swiveled with interest in her direction.

"Good boy. Easy does it. See, I won't hurt you." Tandi held out her hand and softy rubbed the horse's sensitive muzzle. She let her hand rub his head briefly, then over the blood caked shoulder. "I won't let them hurt you again, I promise. You'll have a good bucket of grain and some sweet hay once you're in the trailer, and I'll take care of these tonight."

The horse held his head at her eye level and though his withers towered over her by a good ten inches, Tandi showed no fear. She was also glad she owned a thoroughbred-height trailer for the horse stood seventeen hands easy. She untied the cheap roping and continued talking to the horse, slowly leading him toward the awaiting trailer.

"Ok, boy, now or never. Are you going to load for me or won't you, hmm?" Tandi's step never slowed as she walked up the ramp into the three-horse slant and was very relieved when the horse obediently followed. He took up his position in the first stall and Tandi quickly snapped the trailer tie onto his halter, effectively locking him in place. She then hung the hay bag in his reach and tossed a cupful of grain on the top so he would eat it first. She set the panels in place, then locked the gate into position.

Tandi pulled up next to the paymaster, signed the waiver and took the carbon copy, as well as an envelope from the woman. Once through the gate and onto the road, she let out a loud "Whoo hooo!"

The weeks following were spent on conditioning and strengthening Jack's abused muscles. One day, while Jack trotted on the hot walker, Tandi read through the papers which had come in the envelope from the auction house.

"No way!" She called out. She pulled Jack to a halt, then rolled his upper lip back, revealing a tatoo. Tandi scribbled the numbers down quickly, then started the hot walker once more.

She ran inside, switched on her computor, then typed in the Thoroughbred Registry's web address. She entered the numbers carefully, then impatiently waited for a search result.

Jack's yearling picture jumped onto the screen, next to his pedigree. A list of his winnings and races were posted at the bottom. History! I can get your records! This is so great!

Jack's original breeder and trainer had been happy to forward his information to the new owner; relieved the horse did not go to the slaughter house.

The sound of polite applause brought Tandi back to the present. It had been a long hard row to hoe, but she and Jack had worked together, first on bringing him up to his present healthy state, and secondly on the skills and stamina he would need to compete.

"Look, Tandi, Mike's giving it a go with Nonna. I thought he retired her?"

Tandi shrugged and watched the well matched horse and rider enter the ring. Mike set off at a good clip, lining his horse up for the first set of fences.

"He's going for the clock! He better hope he has a clean round," commented Ryan.

"He's got a good horse, if he would only give her her head." They watched as the horse swept through the second set, then approached the Sea World water feature jump. "Pull up, Mike. Pull her up!" Tandi urged from the sideline. "He doesn't have the angle!"

"I know!" Ryan and Tandi both gasped as the horse gathered herself for the jump, launched into the air and when her back heels rubbed the pole, horse and rider tumbled into the water.

Immediately there were grounds crews rushing to assist the fallen horse and rider.

"Get up, Mike." Ryan urged

"Nonna looks okay, but I don't see Mike up yet, Ryan."

"There he is!" Tandi stood up in her stirrups to see better. "I think he's okay, he's scratching!"

Mike took the reins from an attendant and slowly led Nonna from the arena. Applause from well wishers in the audience continued until he exited the gate. Within minutes, the hazard was reset and ready for the next go around.

"Ladies and gentlemen, today's last competitor is Tandina Lewis, on Handsome Jack."

"Well, that's me, Ryan, wish us well?"

"Of course I do, it'd be great to have you back on the team!" Ryan watched as Tandi and Jack trotted into the arena.

Tandi stopped the horse momentarily, nodded to the judges, then nudged Jack into a canter. The horse's glossy red coat held hints of brass and copper as he moved across the arena. He held his head and tail high, ears rotating forward and back, listening to his rider's cues.

Tandi sat up straight, black blazer and tan breeches impeccably pressed, boots mirroring the sunlight's bright glow. She gathered Jack in as they approached the first gate, an oxford with a row of low hedges, then let him fly. Horse and rider were one as the hurdle was cleared with inches to spare.

They tackled the first combination without hesitation, horse eager and rider deftly attuned to her mounts' willingness to perform. They approached the high wall which set up the water jump and Tandi guided Jack on the longer, safer route. As the wall passed beneath them, Tandi looked forward, lined Jack up and gave him free rein.

The pair soared over the Sea World Jump, cleared the doubles then cantered around the arena, setting up for the final set of fences. A triple with a wall, a very tough combination, required a skilled rider and an athletic horse.

She cut across the arena, trying to gain a few seconds and urged Jack to a faster clip. The first jump loomed ahead and Tandi tucked her knees in as the horse gained speed.

Jack set his ears forward, gathered himself and when he felt Tandi give him his head, his body flew over the first fence. Two strides and they were over the second fence. Jack saw the wall ahead and he sped faster over the turf, listening to Tandi's voice as she urged him forward, upward. He collected his strength and surged over the wall, then tucked his hind feet neatly beneath his belly.

As the last combination was cleared, a tremendous cheering rose from the crowd for they had just witnessed a spectacular fete of horsemanship and they knew it. A perfect round! The judges double checked their stopwatches and a nod was given. As the time was flashed onto the board, Tandi hugged her Handsome Jack.

"We made it, Jack!" She pulled him to a trot as they circled the arena once in acknowledgment and Jack held his head high. He knew the sound the crowd made was for him and he gave them a good show. With neck arched and heels stepping high, horse and rider exited the ring.

When the reporters were able to ask her how she felt, Tandi simply replied, "When Game Boy retired earlier this year, no one was willing to give me a chance and I lost my position on the Team. Jack's changed all that. He's taught me that everyone and everything deserves a second chance."

The End