With an abundance of time, coupled with deep-pocketed, indulgent husbands, the latest hobby for our upscale housewives was an interest in equine pursuits. A local entrepreneur had recently constructed and opened an equine center complete with boarding facilities, both indoor and outdoor arenas, and several miles of timbered bridle paths. Catering to both English and Western disciplines, the center had organized competitions for all levels of riders.
Having had a horse as a girl, Barbara Anderson soon convinced her husband, with more than a little pleading and begging, to finance her purchase of an equine partner. Barbara was a Western rider and always had an interest in reining horses. Reining horses are a specialty branch of the Quarter horse breed and are trained to spin in tight circles and come to a sliding stop from a full gallop. With the help of an equine agent, Barbara found the horse of her dreams. A quick footed little palomino gelding with a proven record in reining competitions. With her mount established at the equine center, Barbara was soon working with her steed on a regular basis. She entered a few novice level competitions and achieved some success.
There are no secrets in this community and word soon reached Teresa Scalia about the equine center and Barbara's involvement. Not to be outdone by her blonde nemesis, Teresa initiated a campaign on her husband to bankroll her entry into horse ownership. Teresa had a very snobbish opinion of Western riders. She considered them to be dirty cow punchers and beneath her attention. Teresa set her sights on a more elegant discipline. Dropping some major coin, Teresa purchased a finished dressage mount. Standing over 17 hands and blood bay in color with ebony black points, she had a very impressive Warmblood gelding. Teresa also liked the idea of dressing up in what she called her "Jackie Kennedy" riding clothes. Taking her equitation lessons quite seriously, Teresa achieved a degree of proficiency in handling her mount in the dressage discipline.
Both women had been working with their equine partners for about eight months. Barbara and Teresa rarely crossed paths at the stable but were aware that each kept a horse at the facility. Both women were distinctly aware of one particular employee. Kathy Benson had been hired as a groom at the facility. Words were never exchanged, however, there were more than a few intense looks passed between the three women. Truth be told, Kathy wasn't particularly popular with any of the female clients. She tended to ingratiate herself with the male clientele, which only comprised about 20% of the total. And who could blame them. Kathy enjoyed parading around in tight T-shirts and either tight, skinny jeans or, if the weather was warm, short Daisy Dukes. Besides, she quickly discovered that the male customers were much better tippers.
For the one-year anniversary of the equine center, the owners decided to put on a showcase. All the different riding disciplines would be highlighted in the arena. This would give the customers a chance to display their skills and their fine horses. Barbara was approached about putting on a reining demonstration. She readily agreed and look forward to participating. Teresa got wind of the plans being made and informed the facility owner that she, and no one else, would put on a dressage demonstration. Teresa relished the idea of skillfully putting her horse through its paces in front of her acquaintances, while elegantly costumed in proper English riding attire.
The showcase was to take place on a Saturday afternoon. There was an informal run through the Friday evening previous. All the riders and their mounts gathered in the arena and lined up along the rail. Wanting to make a grand entrance, of course Teresa and her big gelding were the last team to arrive. Seeing an open space next to Barbara, Teresa maneuvered next to her. The 17 hand Warmblood gelding towered over Barbara and her palomino Quarter horse. Stardust was just a touch over 14 hands. Teresa looked down at Barbara and her steed with more than a little condescension.
"Why, Hello Barbara" Teresa said. "I'm a little surprised to see you here. That's a cute little pony you have there. Is it a Shetland?"
"Pleasant as always aren't you Teresa" Barbara countered. "So, sorry to disappoint you but Stardust here is a Quarter horse. Where did you get that Clydesdale you're riding?"
"Wrong again Barbie, this is Baron and he's a Dutch Warmblood. Which just illustrates your extreme lack of equine knowledge."
Putting a quick end to the verbal sparring between our two ladies, Barbara was called to bring her horse out and work it in the arena.
"Ta, ta, Teresa." Barbara said as she left Teresa's side and started began the reining pattern in the center of the arena.
"Clydesdale? We'll show her, won't we, Baron?" Teresa thought and simmered on the slight Barbara had given her and her horse.
Truth be told, the blonde Barbara astride that palomino was a very eye-catching sight. Stardust's long and bright flaxen mane and tail was a nearly perfect match to Barbara's natural blonde hair.
With the preshow run-through completed, Teresa returned home and contemplated on how to somehow sabotage Barbara's demonstration and possibly inflict some embarrassment upon her. After some thought, a plan occurred to her. Teresa's husband and son were not in the house. This gave her an opportunity to rummage through her son's room for an item she suspected he had. A search through dresser drawers turned up nothing. Teresa then went to his closet and the uppermost shelf. At the back of the shelf tucked underneath a couple of old sweatshirts she found a slingshot. Supposedly this had been confiscated months ago when Dominic Junior accidentally took out some of the neighbor's windows with misplaced shots at neighborhood squirrels. His punishment was payment for the windows and confiscation of the weapon. His father took the slingshot, stored it in a cupboard in the garage and soon forgot about it. Dominic Junior found it about a week after the incident and hid it in his closet. Being an intuitive mother, Teresa was quite sure he still had possession of the weapon. Now let's be clear about said slingshot. This was not a "wrist rocket" type sling made of tubular aluminum with surgical quality rubber bands. Dominic Junior fabricated this all on his own using some very stiff steel wire, two large red rubber bands, and a scrap piece of leather for a pouch. Concealed with the slingshot was a small plastic container that held half a dozen steel ball bearings. Teresa was now fully equipped to create some mischief for Barbara.
Teresa arrived at the arena well before the starting time to reconnoiter the scene and form a plan. A large curtain, spanning floor nearly to ceiling, separated approximately one third of the arena floor space, leaving the participants to the front two thirds. The purpose of the curtain was to concentrate the spectators into a smaller area.
"This is perfect," thought Teresa. "I could hide behind that curtain while Barbie's doing her cowboy thing."
With her weapon safely stashed in the inside pocket of her jacket, Teresa surreptitiously found a strategic spot where two panels of the curtain overlapped. She was sure she could get a clean line of fire from that position. Teresa settled in to await her target.
The stadium seating surrounding the arena floor filled quickly with spectators eager to see the horses perform. Promptly at 1 PM, the demonstration began with the usual announcements and acknowledgments. The PA announcer then gave a brief rundown of the order of demonstrations. Barbara was first with six different riders following her. Of course, Teresa had the last slot in the show.
"All right, ladies and gentlemen, to start our show we have Barbara Anderson and her palomino Quarter horse Stardust to give us a demonstration of Western reining." The MC announced.
To whoops and cheers from the crowd, Barbara entered the arena at a gallop. Her blonde hair flowing behind her, Barbara made quite the impression. She wore a dark wine-colored western shirt, that fit her perfectly. Her Wrangler jeans, complete with wide belt and Western buckle completed the outfit. Covering her legs were a dark brown pair of shotgun chaps.
Teresa was concealed, behind the curtain, at the opposite end of the arena entry point. Barbara slid Stardust to a stop in the arena center. She then put him through a series of spins. Teresa kept a close eye on the pair waiting for a chance to take a shot. Unbeknownst to her, an entry door opened behind her and in stepped Kathy Benson. Spying Teresa in a somewhat stealthy posture, Kathy took a moment to try and ascertain what her Italian arch enemy was up to. Kathy took note of the slingshot in Teresa's hand.
Barbara loped her horse to the end of the arena opposite Teresa and turned him 180°. Barbara was setting up for the final maneuver, a sliding stop from a full gallop. She gathered her mount and with a slight touch of the spurs, queued Stardust. The palomino responded immediately and broke into a sprint. Teresa's eyes grew large as she saw the pair bearing down on her. Just short of the curtain, Barbara reigned in the gelding to a sliding stop. She then had him spin 1/2 turn and face the arena exit. Of course, this put the pair within 5 feet of the curtain and directly in front of Teresa. Already loaded with a ball bearing, Teresa drew back on the slingshot and let fly.
Thwack!!! The steel sphere struck the palomino's rump. Stardust reared and plunged forward. Barbara maintained her seat and struggled to collect her mount. The gelding then put his head down and began to buck. With some difficulty. Barbara stayed in the saddle and after a couple of hops Stardust settled down. Shocked at first by the gelding's misbehavior, the crowd gave Barbara and appreciative round of applause as she exited the arena. Once through the barrier, Barbara dismounted. Stardust was still greatly agitated and breathing heavily. Her trainer quickly came to her side.
"I don't understand what happened." A breathless and somewhat flustered Barbara said. "He has never acted up like that before. It's like somebody touched him with a cattle prod or something. I don't know."
