Victoria Hardesty and Nancy Perez - LaDuquesa: An Arabian Horse Novel

WONDER HORSE BOOK TWO

LA DUQUESA

AN ARABIAN HORSE NOVEL

THE SECOND IN A SERIES ABOUT ARABIAN
HORSES AND THOSE WHO LOVE THEM

VICTORIA HARDESTY
AND NANCY PEREZ

Authors of Action, Adventure and Suspense with Arabian Horses

PO Box 221974 Anchorage, Alaska 99522-1974

ISBN 978-1-59433-785-7

ebook ISBN 978-1-59433-786-4

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2017933157

Copyright 2018 Victoria Hardesty and Nancy Perez

First Edition

All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in any form, or by any mechanical or electronic means including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, in whole or in part in any form, and in any case not without the written permission of the author and publisher.

Manufactured in the United States of America.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

A s we said in our first book, no writer writes in a vacuum. We write about our own experiences and those of others. Many of the horses in our stories are a compilation of horses weve actually known and loved. Mighty Max, for example, is Spot to his Mom and he really does shake the Richter Scale at 5.5 when he enters a show ring. Weve seen and loved horses who dance and horses that float and horses that would jog along the rail with a perfect headset for a hundred miles if their owner asked them to.

We want to thank our friends and family for their continued support as we write our stories. We couldnt do it without the help and support of Rebecca Gordon and Sharon Zarogoza, our beta readers and editors. We also couldnt make this happen without the support of husbands Michael and Ray.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to all those young ladies whove ever wanted a horse of their own and were willing to work hard just to be able to ride one.

CHAPTER ONE

M ike Hartley and Ginny, his wife of 34 years, sat down to breakfast Sunday morning early. Mike already made the rounds of their seventy acre ranch checking to be sure all horses, cows, dogs and cats were standing upright on four legs as his crew fed, watered and mucked stalls. He generally walked the ranch each morning but this day he took one of the electric carts so hed be done quicker. He wanted to do something special this day.

Ginny had only been home a couple of weeks. She spent several weeks at a friends ranch in San Juan Capistrano while Walter and Caroline Howard stayed with their daughter, Becky, who was in a coma in Mission Hospital. Ginny and her friend, Sharon ONeal, stayed at the Howards place and took care of their herd of Arabian Horses. Once Becky was out of the woods and on her way to recovery, Ginny came home. Since then she played catch up on the things only she did at the ranch. Mike wanted to spend some quiet time alone with her.

What would you say to going for a ride with me today? he asked her after taking a sip of his coffee. Just you and me. I have a couple of horses in training that need to put some trail miles on and you need a break.

We havent done that in a long time, Ginny answered. That sounds wonderful to me.

Brody, their 14- year- old nephew, shuffled into the kitchen for a bowl of cereal in time to hear the conversation. Yeah, Aunt Gin, you two need to get out of here. Uncle Mike, you dont have any clients on your schedule until two oclock this afternoon. Mr. Garcia is coming to see his horse. If youre not back, I can handle that for you.

Then its a done deal! Mike grinned at Ginny. Go get your boots on and Ill start tacking up the horses. Meet you in the barn.

A short while later the two were mounted and headed out the front gate. Mike suggested they take the horses south of the ranch into the hills. Clyde, their seven year old Labrador retriever, wandered along beside them, occasionally checking out interesting smells along the way. They relaxed and talked about many things. They climbed in elevation toward the peaks of the San Gabriel Mountains as they went along.

A quarter of a mile before they reached the last low hill on their route the hair along Clydes spine stood erect. He heard something they didnt and it bothered him. He walked a little faster out in front of them. Just before reaching the summit of the hill, Clyde froze, hackles raised, and his tail stopped wagging. He crouched sniffing the air.

Whats bothering Clyde? Ginny asked. Then they heard what sounded like a horse screaming and thrashing somewhere beyond the rise. They also heard cursing and a sound like a cracking whip. Clyde crouched low, growling deep in his throat. The whip cracked again and Clyde launched himself up the road. His big paws threw dirt and gravel behind him as he flew over the rise.

Mike and Ginny looked at each other in surprise. Thats not like Clyde at all! Mike muttered. Wed better go see what hes up to.

They both cued their horses from a slow walk into a canter. Gravel and dust sprayed behind the horses hooves. At the top of the rise, they halted.

Do you see anything? Ginny asked.

Sounds like its coming from the left and not too far. I hate horse abuse. Lets go check this out! Mike said grimly, his relaxed smile gone.

Ahead of them, Clydes low growl changed to furious barking. Whoever he was barking at began cursing loudly. The whip cracked again and again.

Mike and Ginny picked their way around a rocky outcropping covered with low Juniper trees and scrub. Out in the open again, they were looking down into a small valley theyd never seen before. A narrow dirt track just wide enough for a vehicle led to a tiny cabin. Alongside the cabin was a pipe corral with a two sided shelter. The scene was shocking. The ground inside the corral appeared to be at least a foot deep in mud. The horse inside was throwing itself into the corral panels to escape. The man was cracking the whip to keep Clyde away from him. The normally mild-mannered, hundred-pound black dog continued charging the man barking furiously. The man cursing Clyde appeared intoxicated. All around the cabin the ground was littered with broken whiskey bottles, beer cans and trash. The man didnt notice the riders at first.

Clyde! Come! shouted Mike. Clyde turned and saw Mike and Ginny. He reluctantly walked back and sat down beside Mikes horse. A deep growl resonated in his throat as he stared at the hateful man.

Mike thought before speaking. He and his wife were probably on private property and they were out in the middle of nowhere. The man looked intoxicated and obviously violent. He didnt want to escalate the situation.

Hey! You having trouble with that horse? Mike asked the man when he got close enough to be heard. Ginny was right beside him glaring at the man.

Its none of your business! the man shouted. Youre on private property. Turn around and go.

Well, I just thought I could give you a hand if youre having trouble with the horse. Im a pretty good horse trainer, Mike smiled stiffly.

Ginny stared at the horse. It was a mare. She could tell it was an Arabian. But the rest she could see broke her heart. Somewhere under all that mud was a pretty face. The horse looked nearly dead of starvation. Her backbone protruded. Her hipbones and shoulder bones looked sharp enough to tear the skin. Every rib was exposed along her sides. She was covered in mud and feces. Whip welts showed on her neck, chest, sides, back and hips. Ginny couldnt tell what color she was. During the exchange with Mike, the man stood holding the whip low. The horse was standing in mud above her pasterns shaking like a leaf in a hurricane.

You know, Ive got a soft spot for those Arabian horses, Ginny began. Why dont you let us buy her? You get cash money and you dont have to bother feeding her anymore. Ginny just happened to have five hundred dollars cash in her pocket. She planned a trip to the feed store for supplies later that day and had forgotten to leave the money at home before their ride.