A Medallion

Chapter 34

After going over the single pole in walk a couple of more times, I was feeling way more confident.  The voice of anxiety had quieted down in the background, and I was in show mode.  

Medallion seemed to be picking up on it, and she was matching me.  She seemed to be tuned into me, listening to my weight shifts and obeying willingly.  Which was something I thought would never happen.  

Next we tackled the line of three poles.  This time I had to get up into two point, both to practice steering while in it and to make it easier for Medallion.  Because of this, I was allowed to shorten my reins, but they couldn't be short enough to take up a contact with her mouth.  Tessa told me that now I could use some pressure against Medallion's neck using the reins, but to avoid touching the bit.

It felt a little weird to be in two point in walk.  Especially since it was a two point without contact, with my hands pressed into Medallion's neck.  To be honest, it felt like I was a little kid just learning how to ride again. 

But as we came up to the poles, Medallion didn't seem to mind.  I was looking up and above the poles as Medallion picked her way through.  I was careful that she didn't bump herself on the bit like she had when we'd first gone over the single pole.  

I could feel her lift her feet over the poles individually.  There was the first pole, then the second, and finally...  Her hindlegs cleared the last pole without one knock.

"She steps over them so daintily!"  Squealed Lacy.  

I laughed as I slowly lowered myself back in the saddle.  "Really?"

"Yeah, like a kitty cat," called out Hazal.  

I noticed Tessa didn't say anything, so I looked to see where she was.  She was cantering on a circle with Challenger, and one look at her face convinced she hadn't heard one word we'd said.  Intense concentration was scrawled in the lines of her face and squashed down her brow. I didn't know what she was trying to convince Challenger to do, but whatever it was, she was serious about it.  

I decided I'd probably better focus up too if Medallion and I were going to jump today.  

We went over the poles two more times in walk, but I knew I was stalling.  It felt safe in walk, where things were slower and I had more time to correct Medallion.  

But as I was thinking this over, I suddenly felt a wave of indignation.  Since when did I ever give into cautious anxiety?  I was always the risk taker, the stride cutter, the high jumper.  And I knew that Medallion could be too.

I clicked back into show mode as I checked my position, looked up to see where the others were, and then squeezed my heels.  

Medallion was a little surprised at the change, but quickly adjusted, taking only two or three walks steps before leaping into trot.  After making sure I had the right diagonal, I looked up and began turning toward the poles.

Medallion was game and followed my lead.  We were a little late in the turn and thus weren't straight in the middle of the poles, but I was pretty sure she wouldn't try to dodge. 

I leaned forward and pressed my hands into her neck.  Looking up, I 'listened' with my sense of feel for when she'd start stepping over the poles.  

The bobbing rythm of her trot was interrupted by a large bounce, telling me we'd crossed the first pole.  I rode the jarring all the way through the line, and once again Medallion did not knock a pole once.  

I patted her neck as I resumed my posting.  Now, I was certain we would jump today.  

"I told you you could jump today," commented Tessa as we waited for Hazal to finish jumping through the small course.  After that, it would be my turn to jump over the small cross rail.

"Hey, I haven't jumped yet," I protested playfully.

"But you are," she said with conviction.  "Do you want me and Challenger to go over it first?"

I shook my head.  "No, thanks."  

Hazal popped the last vertical flawlessly and came down to the walk, patting Copper as she came over to us.  "That was perfect, I'm going to end on that."  She pulled up beside us and nodded at me.  "Your turn."  

I nodded, adjusted my position, shortened my reins slightly, and squeezed.

Medallion moved off, her ears flicking back to see what I wanted.  I waited until we got to the fence before asking for trot.  This time I made sure she was a little more prepared, so she wasn't surprised when I asked her. 

I switched diagonals.  "Good gal, we can do this," I murmured. 

The turn to the cross rail was wide and sweeping with a long line to it.  I took deep breaths as we began to turn, looking to the jump to get my line right.

Medallion's ears pricked up as she spotted the cross rail.  We were on a straight line to it now, and I didn't even have to correct her with my legs to stay straight.  She was locked on.  

She began to speed up, lengthening her trot, and I was tempted to try to slow her down.  But Tessa had said to not mess with her on the way to the jump, to just let her do her thing.  Besides, I had rode wilder jumps.  

I remembered just in time to not stare down at the jump and lifted my eyes.  

The feeling beneath me was something I'll never forget. 

Perhaps it's silly to put so much significance on a moment like this.  After all, it was just jumping a cross rail in trot.  But somehow it meant, and still does, the world to me.   

She stretched herself out, boldly reaching for the jump.  Instead of merely trying to step over it, which she could have done, she gathered herself and launched upward as if it was a two foot vertical.  

The feeling I got as we leapt was similar to the one I'd had when I'd felt her galloping around the arena.  It was something in me that said, "This is the horse that I want to ride."  

We landed in canter, which I had expected, and turned before reaching the fence.  I patted her neck.  "Good gal!" 

"Well done Vanessa!"  Called out Tessa.  

I looked up, my face lit up from within.  "That was amazing."  

Her eyes twinkled in silent understanding.  

AN:  Well, there you have it, the second to last chapter of this book :)  

That's right, next week's update is going to be the last chapter of A Medallion.  It's finishing is a week later than planned, but it's happening.

Once it's completed, I'm going to be taking a week off till sometime in February, to start in on the 3rd book in the series and see just where it's going to lead before I publish it.  

In the next update I'll also be revealing the 3rd book's title, so stick around for that ;)  

Thank you for reading, and I'll see you next Friday!