09/22/2026
Chet, Inspector of the Cross-Country Course
Chet the barn cat had many important jobs at Victory Gallop.
He supervised Patrick.
He inspected boarders’ cars.
He kept an eye on the horses during lessons.
He hunted mice.
He occasionally helped Sophia with the grain.
And, of course, he made sure Julie did everything correctly.
So when Julie and Sophia headed out to the cross-country course one sunny afternoon to move and check some of the jumps, Chet knew immediately that he was needed.
He followed them.
Not because Julie had asked him to.
Julie never asked Chet to do anything.
Chet simply understood that certain jobs required his personal attention.
Julie brought the farm truck down to the course while Sophia helped gather the jumps that needed to be moved. Chet watched from the edge of the barnyard.
Then he saw the truck.
His ears perked up.
Chet loved trucks.
He loved getting into trucks.
He loved inspecting trucks.
And apparently, on this particular day, he decided he would also ride on one.
Before Julie and Sophia could get very far, Chet jumped neatly into the back of the farm truck.
“Chet!” Julie called.
Chet sat down as if he had every right to be there.
Sophia laughed.
“He’s supervising.”
“Of course he is,” Julie said.
Julie drove very slowly onto the cross-country course while Sophia worked beside her, helping move the jumps into position.
The course was not exactly smooth.
The truck bumped gently over the grass and rolled over little dips in the ground.
Chet stood up.
His tail went straight out behind him.
His paws spread slightly as he found his balance.
Bump.
Chet adjusted.
Another bump.
Chet shifted his weight.
A turn.
Chet leaned into it.
Sophia looked back and burst out laughing.
“Look at him!”
Julie glanced in the mirror.
Chet was standing proudly in the back of the truck, riding the bumps as though he had been doing it his entire life.
“Hang on, Chet,” Julie said.
Chet looked at her.
He appeared completely confident.
The truck moved carefully along the course, and Chet balanced with every little movement.
To Chet, this wasn’t merely a ride.
It was a test.
A challenge.
A very important supervisory assignment.
Julie stopped near one of the jumps.
Sophia climbed into the back to help move a standard.
Chet immediately inspected it.
He sniffed the jump.
He walked around it.
He peered underneath.
Then he climbed back into his position in the truck.
“Approved?” Sophia asked.
Chet blinked.
Approved.
They moved on.
The truck bumped along again.
Chet balanced.
Bump.
Balance.
Turn.
Balance.
Stop.
Inspect.
Move.
It was exhausting work.
At one point, Sophia looked over at Chet and shook her head.
“I don’t know how he does it.”
Julie smiled.
“He’s Chet. He thinks everything is his job.”
That was certainly true.
They continued around the course, moving jumps and checking the obstacles. Chet watched every step of the operation from his rolling observation platform.
When they reached another jump, Chet jumped down and inspected the ground.
He sniffed the base.
He examined the rails.
He even walked underneath the obstacle.
Then he returned to the truck.
The inspection was complete.
By the time they finished, the afternoon sun was getting lower and the whole course seemed peaceful.
Julie stopped the truck.
Sophia climbed down.
Chet remained in the back for a moment, looking proudly across the cross-country field.
He had ridden the truck.
He had balanced over the bumps.
He had inspected the jumps.
And he had supervised Julie and Sophia from beginning to end.
Julie looked back at him.
“Well, Chet. What do you think?”
Chet gave a quiet meow.
Sophia nodded seriously.
“I think that’s his official report.”
Julie laughed.
“Another successful day at Victory Gallop.”
Chet jumped down from the truck and started toward the barn.
His work was finished.
The jumps were in place.
The course was inspected.
Julie and Sophia had done everything correctly.
And Chet had once again made absolutely certain of it.
After all, someone had to run Victory Gallop.
And everyone knew who that someone was.
