Canterwood Crest

Chapter 1: Familiar Places

It was the last day of seventh grade and I looked around my campus. I saw what I would see on a usual day but everything looked like it will be the last time I would ever see it. Although eighth grade would come and I would be waking back into this private school. But in my gut, something seemed to tell me I would be attending a different school.

About 3 months ago I filled out a form to get into the most prestigious equestrian riding schools in the world. The pictures of the campus on their website danced in my head. But the thought of leaving the most comfortable place in the world is really scary. From the very first thing I could remember I was at my house in California. Although the school is still located here, it would be weird to leave my friends for a new school. My family seemed fine with the idea because the school was a stay at the place for the school week and on weekends if you live close enough you could go home.

I shook my head, remembering I was still standing in the middle of the campus. "I need to stop thinking about it every 5 minutes," I told myself.

I grabbed out my iPhone opening my messages app. Tapping on the group chat between my best friends, I sent a quick text about meeting for our afternoon usual snack. The "of course" type of responses made me walk the short distance to our Starbucks. I met up with my besties, Brittany and Maddie.

With the end of the school year buzz, we tried for a quieter area and succeed when we placed our heavy loaded backpacks on the ground near a little nook.

I said to my close friends, "I'll go order for us, what do you guys want?" Maddie said, "I will come with you to help you carry everything but Bri what can we get you?" Brittany answers, "thanks! Can you get me a venti mocha frappuccino with an extra pump of mocha and whip cream with extra drizzle of chocolate?" I giggled at my friend who always orders her favorite drink and has gotten it to the point she can basically say it in her sleep. "Noted Bri," I smiled at her.

After Maddie and I waited in the long line, the friendly barista greeted us and asked for our order. Once our drinks and snacks where ready we walked back to our nook.

"Here is your drink Bri, and Mads here is your Carmel macchiato! Oh we also got some cookies and a vanilla and Carmel ice cream to share," I announced. "Yum thanks!" Brittany responded.

As I sipped my Very Berry Hibiscus I asked my friend group, "what time are we thinking to go to the barn today for the first day of summer?" "well do we all have a lesson today?" Brittany asked. "Yeah we do," Maddie responded. And with that we dug into our treats and headed to the barn.

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At home I picked out my tan tailored sportsmans breeches, my thick belt, and my baby blue and white polo. I looked in the mirror and saw the same person I always saw. A pale but tinge of tan girl with dirty blonde curly hair that was long. I had freckles and blue eyes.

I headed down stairs and grabbed my new bag of horse treats while waiting for my parents. Bri and Mads live pretty close to me so it makes it easy to carpool almost every time. My dad walks into the room. He has brownish black hair that's party curly (that's where I got it from) with tan skin and blue eyes also. "Ready bud?" He says. "Yep," I answer.

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In the car we all chatted and waited to get to the barn. As we pulled up my dad said, "have fun! Oh by the way any sleep overs tonight?" I looked at my friends. Our smiles could tell it all. "Okay," dad said with a smirk, "so I guess I will see you all after you text me?" "Yup!" I say, "thank you, love you!" "Love you too," he responded.

We walked together into the barn and once we got there, we all split up to brush and tack up.

I walked to the horse's stall that I always rode, Abba Zabba. He is fairly new to this barn but I was the first to ride him and I have ever sense. He is my most favorite thing in the universe. Words can not describe how much I adore him! He came about 3 months ago and has improved a lot sense he got here. I headed to my locker and grabbed everything; my saddle, saddle pad, polo wraps, and my halter. I took the baby blue lead line and grabbed Abba and put him in cross ties. I went back to my locker and grabbed my brush box.

I did my normal routine. Put coats of hood oil on, curry comb, body brush, hoof pick, mane and tail comb, and face brush. I went into the tack room and grabbed Abba's bridle and martingale. I placed the light blue saddle pad and sheep skin half pad along with my Voltaire saddle on. My bridle went on and his polo wraps matched my saddle pad and I had front galloping boots on him. He looked adorable! I grabbed my helmet and put it on. "Okay boy lets go!" I said to my pony and patted him.