Chapter 75

Rio sat and watched the rest of the class. One rider in particular caught his eye. The man was big, broad-shouldered, with muscles to spare. He rode a big bay horse. They laid down a perfect pattern and were declared the winners at the end of the class. Rio was impressed with the man’s riding skills as well as the man himself. Now there’s someone I could really get into, Rio thought as he watched the handsome hunk ride into the arena to get his first place ribbon to the applause of the crowd.

Rio rode back to the barn. He dismounted and walked Zeus into the stall.

Merry came up to the door. “How’d it go?”

“I coulda done better,” Rio replied as he pulled the saddle from the horse’s back. “I went off pattern and was DQ’ed.”

“Well, don’t worry, you’ll do better tomorrow.”