Ann knew she wouldn't catch-up leaning forward, and crouching low over the mares' neck, she whispered into its ear, begging for more speed.
"Come on Girl!" she urged, breathing in time to the horses thundering hooves.
It was four years since she and Bev had raced like this. Their childish competing, which had often been the cause for them fighting that ended in tears had died down at the age of 19. Now they rode more to exercise their horse's than to prove who was the better rider.
At least this was usually the case.
Ann wasn't sure why they were doing it now. She knew only that there was an edge to Bev today, a desire to return to the excitement of when they were younger, testing each other to their limits. The ride across the hills was a hard one, for both horse and rider. Tractor ruts littered the ground making it treacherous, even when the going was hard, like today. Bev was already a good furlong ahead and Ann's heart beat painfully in her breast, with the effort needed to control Flute's natural tendency to lead.
Crouching low over the horse, she murmured soothingly, urging caution as well as speed as she used ever ounce of strength in her arms and legs to remain in the saddle.
Clouds of steam blew from Flute's flaring nostrils leaving streaks of mist in the still morning air. Spume already stripped the horse's flanks and sweat ran down Ann's face from beneath her helmet stinging her eyes. Her body, slick and clammy, caused the thin silk turtle neck to stick to her back where the muscles bunched tense with exertion. If she hadn't been wearing gloves the reins would have slipped from her fingers way back. A blurred figure was all she could see of Bev in the distance through her sweat filled eyes, and still she urged Flute to go faster. She felt the mare respond and give an extra push "Go on girl, go on, keep it going" Ann said encouragingly as she leaned closer to the mares neck.
So intent was she in driving the speeding horse, controlling the power under her that, at first, she did not notice the heat building between her legs.
It wasn't the first time Ann had become aroused whilst out riding. As a teenager it was secretly part of the thrill. The sensations produced when her crotch slid back and forth over hard smooth leather of saddle. The tightness of the muscles in her thighs as she gripped the heaving flanks of the animal beneath her, heightened her sense, often bringing her to a peak that she was unaware of until, with the force of a tornado it hit her
An insistent throbbing was beginning in her womb, an tickle difficult to ignore. She found herself grinding her pubis against the hot hard leather, to the rhythm of Flute's hooves as they flew across the ground speeding beneath them, the rhythm of the pounding vibrating into her beating heart.
The release her body unconsciously sought spurred her on, and she opened her thighs, building the pressure, increasing her pleasure until she was on the verge of crying out.
Without her realising, Ann had closed down the gap between herself and Bev. Her renewed enthusiasm to win meant that her arousal was momentary forgotten in her determination to catch up. Adrenaline coursed through her veins as woman and horse galloped faster and faster, nearing her friend's position.
Her eyes were focused to the tail of Bev's horse flying in the wind, and how Bev's body moved on her mighty steed, her blonde hair trailing behind, echoing the horse's movements.
When the fall happened, the shock made her stall, bringing Flute up sharp and threatening to send her the same way. She was close enough to see Bev's horse stumble, to shout out a warning. Close enough to gasp and cry out, horrified when Bev flew over the horse's head and still holding the reins, was dragged several yards, bouncing over the hard ground, bringing the horse down beside her, narrowly missing the flailing hooves.
Within a few seconds Ann was off her horse, running to her friend, her breath catching in her throat and her heart beating wildly.
An anguished cry was wrenched from her throat, as Bev lay on the grass inert, the cry startled a pheasant into noisy flight; the stillness that followed made Ann starkly aware of the eerie loneliness of the surrounding countryside. There was no help for miles. Only Flute's breathy snorts and Paddle's fretful stamping broke the deathly silence.
Ann fell to her knees, onto hard ground. The fallen horse continued with its frantic scrambling, until Ann released the reins from Bev's tight grip, sensing that it was free the horse stood-up and shook itself fortunately showing no visible injury. Paddle moved away and instinctively put its head down and began to graze.
Ann knew she might have to leave her friend, where she lay depending on how badly she was hurt. Bev lay still without any sign of movement; she could not touch her as instinct demanded. Ann suddenly gave into her frightened tears of shock that had been threatening since the first moment she saw her friend thrown from the horse.
Anxiously, she wondered how long it would take her to go for help.
"Bev" she sobbed, an agony of fear clutching at her throat. "Oh please Bev, be alright. Please be alright."
A slight cough broke her heavy, desperate breathing, Bev moved, opened her eyes, and then squinted in the glare of the sun.