As Megan watched him leave, she sighed. "I wish I had the answers he seeks." She headed towards the corral when a loud whinny pulled her into a sprint. She bolted through the open gate as Brett jumped the railed fence.
Christa was hanging on to the reins with a death grip. The young girl's face turned ghostly white as her mouth hung open but no sounds came out. Megan raced to the opposite side of the arena and met Brett there.
He grabbed the bridle and gently coaxed the mare to put her front hooves on the ground. It took only a minute, but it seemed an eternity. When all four hooves touched the ground, Megan took the reins while Brett helped Christa dismount. The young girl staggered across the arena, never looking back. With a deep breath, Megan laid her head against the horse's flank and saw a snake slithering away. She gulped the scream, refusing to spook this mare again.
After putting the mare in the stable, Megan wandered to the front porch where Christa sat, staring at her hands. She paused, trying to figure out what to say. "Hey, how are you doing?" she asked, trying to sound upbeat. The young girl shrugged, still not looking up. I can understand her being shaken, but this is not typical of Christa. "I'm sorry," Christa mumbled. "I didn't think anyone would mind, because I was here last summer. I talked with the mare first and let her sniff my hand. It was like she had remembered me." The girl's dark eyes held frustration and fear. "What happened? Did I do something wrong?"
"No," Megan said. She paused for a moment, wondering how much to tell her. One look at Christa and she knew the young teen needed the truth. "There was a snake slithering on the ground. It could have happened to anyone." She moved closer but did not sit with the young girl. "Your experience kept you in the saddle." This remark did nothing to soothe Christa or get her to respond. "Something like this happened to me when I was first learning to ride," Megan said. "I almost didn't get back on, but I'm glad I did." She waited a few minutes but Christa said nothing. "Would you like to go riding after lunch?"
Christa shrugged again as she pushed herself to a standing position. She remained silent as she joined the others for lunch. Megan stayed on the porch, biting her lower lip while shaking her head. "It's going to be a long summer for that girl if she doesn't ride. She lives and breathes horses as I do."