Chasing Dream Read Online Free Page B

eventually he left Hamilton and opened all those department stores, and the farm was sold off to someone else.
    â€œI wish I could all out compete in that race of yours, but I can’t. Bullet and I will be in it but just for fun. When my horse gets in shape, I’ll demand a rematch.”
    â€œYou got it.” I feel bad for Colt. He’s so competitive that he can’t stand losing at anything. I hadn’t thought about Bullet not being able to run. I was too busy thinking about showing off Dream’s speed. “How about I make it up to you?”
    Colt squints down at me. I think he gets taller every day. And tanner—not that I’m noticing. It’s only May, and already Colt has an August suntan. “How are you going to do that?”
    â€œBarrel racing. I know Bullet can’t run barrels at a gallop yet. But he could start at a trot or maybe a canter. I’ve got the barrels from Dad’s Harvey’s Hardware campaign. They’re not the kind you’d have in an official barrel race. But they’d work for practice.”
    â€œThat’s not a bad idea,” Colt says. He leans down and strokes Bullet’s muscled shoulder.
    â€œPlus, I could help you with the rules and everything. I’ve read so many books on barrel racing and cutting horses. What do you say?”
    â€œGreat! Thanks, Ellie.” He urges Bullet into a gentle lope.
    I lean the slightest bit forward, and Dream eases into a canter. We keep pace with Bullet and Colt until we’re past the Penney farm. Dirt crunches under our horses’ hooves. Dust clouds puff up behind us. We make our own breeze on a windless afternoon while geese honk from a crooked V overhead. And everything in me tells God, “Thank You.”
    As soon as we get back, Colt wants to start setting up barrels in my backyard. But I need to practice for the race. So Dream and I head to the fairgrounds by ourselves.
    When I ride up to the fairgrounds, I’m surprised to see Ashley Harper already in the arena. The Harpers have their own stable and their own horse arena. That’s where we usually have horsemanship practice. Mr. Harper owns more prizewinning show horses than one rider can handle. Ashley rides Cindy Lou, a beautiful three-gaited mare, in saddle horse competitions. If she’s entering a jumper division class, she rides a bay gelding called Hancock’s Warrior.
    Today Ashley is riding Galahad, their young quarter horse gelding. I watch her gallop Galahad around the arena. They look pretty fast to me. Then Mr. Harper hollers from the far side of the ring, “Go!”
    Immediately Galahad takes off like he’s on fire. Chunks of dirt fly behind him. I can hear his heaving breath from where Dream and I stand.
    â€œNow! Turn it on!” Mr. Harper shouts. He’s holding a giant stopwatch in one hand. He clicks it, then divides his gaze between the watch and his horse. “Stop!”
    Galahad slides to a stop. Ashley shakes dust from her long blonde curls and walks Galahad over to her dad. They talk for a minute. Then I see Ashley’s shoulders slump. She nods and rides Galahad to a starting position again.
    If I were Ashley, I’d want to ride those horses night and day. I’d love to work with Galahad, time the runs, get Mr. Harper’s instructions all to myself.
    But Ashley’s not me. Sometimes I think she doesn’t even like to ride. Not like I do, anyway.
    Ashley seems to finally see me. “Ellie! Hi!”
    Mr. Harper waves. He says something to Ashley, and she walks Galahad over to meet me.
    Dream and I go through the opening in the arena and stop when Dream and Galahad are nose to nose.
    â€œYou and Galahad looked great out there,” I tell her. “He’s so fast.”
    â€œYou think so?” Ashley asks like I’d know more about it than she would. “Dad says Galahad has a long way to go.”
    I holler, “Hey” to Ashley’s