A Medallion

Chapter 13

Vanessa's POV:

I sighed and looked away.  "I'm sorry Tessa.  I should have seen that from the beginning."  

I began walking towards the edge of the bank that jumped off into the water complex.  "At the end of the visit, I won't ask you what your decision is."  

Tessa followed me, and we jumped off the side of the bank together, right next to the water.  "Thank you for understanding, Vanessa," she said.  "I'm sorry if this is a waste of your time."  

I smirked at her.  "No, it won't be.  I still want to prove to you that I can ride him."  

She smiled painfully.  "We'll see."  Her brow furrowed.  "What time is it?"  

I pulled out my phone and checked the lock screen.  "12:43.  We'd better start heading back, I want to show you some of the paddocks on the way."

As we began the walk back to the barn, Tessa said, "You said you know what it feels like to loose a horse.  I don't mean to pry but..."  

I shrugged, trying to hide my grief with nonchalance.  "It's fine."  

I looked up at the sky.  "When I was twelve, I had this mustang named Tab.  His show name was A Moment in Time.  He was 15hh, quite tall for a mustang, and a beautiful blue roan color.  He was my main competition horse at the time." 

"I loved him to death.  He and I, we were so close."  I cleared my throat.  "My parents and my trainer at the time didn't think that he could take me high enough in the levels.  Specifically, they wanted me to compete at The Metallic Championships in the fall."

"They... they sold Tab without me knowing.  Well, my trainer at the time did.  My parents reluctantly agreed to the sale, because my trainer assured them that I would get over it and achieve my dreams of success."   

"Of course, I was distraught.  My parents immediately fired that trainer and tried to...  To buy Tab back, but it was too late."  

My voice was hoarse as I fought back my tears.  I would not cry in front of a stranger. 

"I guess I'm envious of you in a way Tessa.  You will be able to keep Challenger, because you want to.  I didn't have a choice.  I still don't."

"You don't?"  She asked.

"If I want my competitive dreams I can't.  Horses come, horses go in the competition world.  I must be able to recognize when a horse simply doesn't have what it takes, and I've got to be willing to sell that horse."  

I smiled weakly at her.  "I do try to make sure they go to good homes though, when I do have to sell them."  

She looked intensely thoughtful.  "Would you have sold Challenger if he hadn't met your expectations?"  

"Probably.  But I'm quite sure he would have.  He's got so much muscle and is so bold.  By the way, what breed is he?"  

She chuckled.  "I'm glad you think he's got a lot of muscle, it shows that my exercise regime and training is achieving the results I want.  He's an Appendix."  

I raised my eyebrows.  "Really?  He's not, like, any type of warmblood?"  

"No, as far as I know.  He's just thoroughbred and quarter horse."  

"Oh.  Well.  How interesting."  

She laughed.  "You're not the first one to think he has warmblood in him, you know."  

"Phew, good to know.  That helps my pride a little."  I pointed ahead of us, to the white fences we were coming up on.  "These are the paddocks at Vantage Point, where the stabled horses are turned out."