Horsemen Trials, A Fantasy Story about Horses

Chapter 18

When I woke up the first day of the competition, I felt almost physically sick. I curled up in a ball and moaned. "Why, oh why did I think it was good idea to enter the Trials?"

Just then Destiny snorted and I looked up. With the rising sun casting golden rays behind her, she looked amazing.

"That's why," I told myself.

I didn't bother to eat breakfast. I knew it might just come right back up. I tacked Destiny and mounted.

She sensed my tension and started off at a quick walk, which I tried to slow down, only to realize she was never going to slow down unless I relaxed.

That's where Mr. Blair found us. I was making circles in a field we often schooled in by ourselves. I was about to cry because I was tense and I couldn't relax, which made me more tense, and so the cycle continued. Destiny had her head in the air and was walking very fast.

"Iris?"

I looked up to see him sitting quietly on Rejem. He had a slight frown on his face. "Mr. Blair."

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know. I'm tense and I can't relax and I'm mad at myself and I don't think we're ready and we're gonna make fools of ourselves and I'm not doing well by Destiny..." I blubbered.

He dismounted and grabbed Destiny's reins. "Get off."

I slid off and turned to face him. He grabbed me by the shoulders.

"I know the way you feel Iris, but you cannot give into that. If you do, then all those things you fear will come true. Don't let the fear bait you into it. Stand tall. You deserve to be here. You've put in three months of hard work, and you did not do it for nothing."

He handed me Rejem's reins. "Take a ride on Rejem." Then he swung up onto Destiny.

I mounted Rejem and found his stirrups a mite long, so I went without them. This was actually beneficial, as it forced me to keep my weight down.

Rejem mounted Destiny and worked with her, turning circles and doing transitions. Destiny was reassured by his expert touch and transformed under him, becoming more supple and responsive like she usually was.

Meanwhile I worked a bit with Rejem and enjoyed his lightness. As I performed leg yield and quarter turns, I realized this was what I wanted Destiny to feel like.

When I got back on Destiny, I felt better. I wasn't as overwhelmed, although I was still a little jittery. "Thank you, Mr. Blair," I said as I started off for Greenspire.

The big board had papers pinned to it, with the times listed. I caught my breath when I saw Section 10 was listed for the first day of competition. We were going to compete today.

I made my way closer to the board. There was Section 10. I waited until the space in front was clear, the moved up with Destiny trailing behind.

I traced my finger down the list.

Iris Backwood. Destiny. #192. 12.25

I let out the breath was holding. We were going in just a few hours, at the very front of the pack. I patted Destiny's neck. "Well, here goes nothing, eh Destiny?"

I led her away from the board. The town was still crowded, but not nearly as much as it would be when the Trials started.

As I came up to him Mr. Blair asked, "What time?"

"12.25, that's about three hours from now."

He nodded. "Good." He turned to Lillian, who was coming up with Checkmate. "What time?"