Sonita, (whew!)

"Crystal, I need some help," I asked.

"What's up?," my friend asked.

"I need somebody to ride Sonita for me."

Crystal looked puzzled. The World Show was looming. I was working Sonita daily, a solid, tough work-out designed to hone her skills. I was sharpening her responses as best I could, getting her to move lightening quick off a shift in my seat or a lift of my hand. I wasn't letting anybody else handle her at all, much less throw a leg over her.

"You know how Sonita is. It occurred to me somebody might want to try her out in Stephenville. I don't want her to take somebody's leg off."

"Well, what do you want me to do?" Crystal asked.

"Just ride her. Get on, cruise around and have a good time. Sonita could use the break and I want her to be friendly in case somebody wants to take her for a spin," I still couldn't believe I was saying it. I heard myself casually discussing selling my horse as if she was a car. My voice sounded hollow and false. I felt a little sick.

Sonita felt my unease and pinned her ears. She turned out of her stall and went to the back of her run. She squealed and struck at my other young mare, Loki.

Loki had spent the last few years stalled next to Sonita. She was used to her nonsense. Loki yawned and stared back at her with a mildly insolent look in her eyes.

"I'd love to ride her, are you sure? I can take her out?"

Crystal took Sonita's halter off the hook and began to slide open the stall door. She looked excited and scared. Two emotions that suited a first ride on my psycho show horse.

"Yeah, go ahead, I have plenty to do," I answered.

I caught up my line-up and led them to the rail. I kept a half an eye on Sonita as Crystal groomed her and hauled out her saddle. Crystal kept up a steady line of excited and nervous chatter. I only heard half of what she said.

Sonita stared after me with her head flung high. She pawed the ground and grimaced as Crystal tightened the cinch.

"What do you want me to ride her with?" Crystal asked.

"Just use a ring snaffle, I won't make you deal with Sonita and a full bridle all at once," I answered.

"Go where you want, do whatever feels safe," I told Crystal as she threw her leg over.

I stood and watched as Crystal trotted my horse across the fields and headed out to the trails. Sonita moved out sure and strong, her roan speckled flanks already flecked with nervous sweat. She was too well behaved to do anything but head out the way she was pointed, but I saw her ears rapid-fire back towards me and the white of her rolling eyes as she watched me as long as she could. Crystal sat high and tight in the saddle, her nervous tension showed in her back and the fists clenched on too tight reins.

It was hard not to admire Sonita's strong, muscled lines. She had grown up into such a fine horse. I was proud of my pretty red mare, she held a straight line and disappeared out of my sight without a single wring of her tail.

They were gone all afternoon. I worked through my rides one by one. As I left the arena with each set of horses I would stop and stare at the last place I had seen my mare. I would stand and watch again as I headed back to the arena.

What if Sonita hurt her? Where the hell were they? I had no idea how I would explain this to Crystal's husband if they didn't come back. I was sure wishing I had given them a few more parameters than I had. Crystal was a trail riding fool, I had no idea where they could be.

It was dusk and I had dropped all pretense of feeling all right about what I had done. I was letting my imagination run wild. I saw visions of my horse mangled and dead alongside a busy road, Crystal blood-stained and broken, sitting next to her corpse, too stunned to move. I saw Crystal, dragging on the ground behind my crazy girl, her foot caught in the stirrup. I saw Sonita gleefully stomping what was left of my friend into the ground.Why had I ever thought it was a good idea to send my dear, sweet, wonderful friend out alone on my little spawn of Satan?

I saw Sonita's white blaze in the gloom of the evening first.. They headed in at the same steady trot they had left at.

I swore off ever watching CSI again and let rage flood over my relief. They were fine, how dare they be fine? My angry words were cut off when I saw the huge smile on Crystal's face. She sat deep in the saddle, her legs relaxed and the reins hanging loose. Sonita's tail swung side to side in a happy rhythm and her eyes shone calm and content.

"Oh man! What a horse!" Crystal almost shouted her excitement, "She is so much fun!"

"I was getting worried, " I said, "did everything go alright?"

"I let her run, I guess we went further than I thought."

"You ran her?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I never opened her up anywhere but down the fence at a show.

"She can really fly! I've never gone that fast.I almost had a stroke,I swear."

"Did she stop for you?" I asked.

"As soon as I said Whoa, she is so good!"

Crystal kept up her rapid fire commentary as she hauled hay down the aisle. I looked over my show horse. My world qualifier. My nut job. She whiffled at my fingers and gently brushed her nose against my shirt. Her muscles were relaxed. I ran my hand down her legs. No heat. No swelling.

"I'll ride her again if you want!" Crystal's voice was muffled as she called from the hay room.
Sonita's eyes were bright. She stood quiet, waiting patiently for her dinner. She was tired from the ride and happy. I ran my hand down her neck and threw the cooler over her back.

"That'll be fine Crystal, anytime you want."