Book 2: Taking The Reins

Chapter 8

Isobel's P. O. V:

I wear a ruffle trim pink sleeveless blouse with my pink jodhpurs and Ariel jewellery set with my hair in a French braid as I go into the tack room to get Pegasus's tack.

I was to share my training session with Alex today, and Zoe had hers already. I give Pegasus a quick grooming before placing the saddle cloth and saddle on his back, doing your the girth securely.

I then put on his pink bridle before I grab my helmet and tug on my gloves, leading Pegasus out to the training field.

When I get there, my mum was waiting with James and Alex has already started his session. I clip on my helmet before mounting my horse and urging him into a trot before the first jump.

James says as I notice Alex knock a fence over completely, "Failure is not an option! It's win or go home! Alex, shorten your reins and do it again!"

I urge Pegasus into a strong canter and we head for our first jump, a wooden plank fence. We clear it with ease and I look between his ears to the next jump.

"Nicely done, dear! Your hands are nice and steady. Just give Pegasus the reins and flow with the rest of the course," Mum calls.

"Oh, yes, I'm sure you would know, Mrs. Lund, considering you're the Senior Australian Champion," James taunts.

"If I didn't know any better, Mr. Foresythe, I'd say you were jealous," Mum says and I resist the urge to chuckle as I canter over the next fence.

"Why would in be jealous? Please, do enlighten me!"

"Well, for starters, I'm a Senior Australian Champion trading the Bright Fields' team, as well as my husband, and my daughter is the former Australian Junior Champion. I think we've got you beat," Mum retorts.

I look back between Pegasus's ears as we head for the next jump. We sail over it with ease.

I take Pegasus over the course a couple more times before Mum decides to call it a day. I canter up to her before halting Pegasus and dismounting.

Mum strokes his cheek as she says, "You're doing better than before. It's almost as if that accident had never happened."

"I know. It's all thanks to this training we've been getting," I say, patting Pegasus's neck. "Come on, boy."

I tug the reins and lead Pegasus back to the courtyard where Zoe was just taking Raven inside. I smile at Pin when he turns to me.

"Morning!" I greet as he comes over. Pin's smile doesn't reach his eyes and he has an unreadable look on his features as he strokes Pegasus's forelock. "Pin, is everything okay?"

"Sorry, Izzy. It's just... my mum's back," He tells me.

"Wow. That's intense," I mutter. I know all about his mum from what Pin had told me when we were kids.

"How was practice?" Pin asks.

"It was great. I think mum knocked James' ego down a notch. You should've heard her," I say, snickering at the memory. Pin gives me a strained smile and my own grin fades. I gently take his free hand and give it a reassuring squeeze. "Pin, if you ever need to talk, you know you can always come to me, right? I don't want you to shut me out."

Pin nods as he murmurs, "Yeah. Thanks, Izzy." Looping my right arm through the reins, I pull Pin into a tight hug which he returns. We pull back and Pin asks me, "Would you like to have dinner at my house tonight? You could meet my mum."

I reply, smiling, "Sure. I'd love to."

Pin comes and helps me rub down Pegasus and take my tack to the tack room. He even offers to help me clean it when I was going to do that.