Equine Strike Hills Academy (A Place in the Saddle) #1

Chapter 7: Trail Riding

I dropped my book bag- which weighed about 200 pounds- on the dorm room floor, and changed for my riding lesson.
I could not believe I had failed my first quiz! When I got back from riding, I would be studying for the rest of the night. Yeah! Not.

••••••••••

At the stables, I unlatched Limitless's stall door.

"Hi boy," I greeted as I led him out of his stall and to a pair of cross ties.
I headed to the tack room to grab his gear. Along the way I spotted Courtney and waved.

"We still on for the trail ride after our lesson?" I asked.

"Yeah." Courtney replied. "And steer clear of Tiffany today. She's in a really nasty mood. It seems like she's out for you."

"Really?" I asked.

"Yeah. I saw her snooping around Limitless's stall today and it looked like she was going to dig through your tack trunk, but I guess Mr. Cooper came up and asked her to do something for him before she could."

"What's her deal? And thanks for telling me."

"I'll tell you about it on the trail. See you in practice."

I thought the buckets of water had been enough payback for Tiffany but I guess not. Shaking it off I continued for the tack room. It's wooden door was ajar and voices came from inside.

"What are we going to do. Mr. Cooper placed her where she is." said a voice that sounded like Danielle's.

"She's way better than I thought." Another voice- sour and clipped. Tiffany. "We can't let her take a spot on the advanced team. Only five riders get on that team from our grade, and one of them has to be me."

"Of course you'll get a spot," Rosalie said. "She's way in over her head. She totally failed her quiz in math today, Danielle and I saw. C'mon, this is ESHA, she'll be packing for Loserville by the end of the first semester."

"Of course, but we can't be so positive. We deserve those seats, definitely not her." Tiffany stated.

I couldn't stand this any longer and pushed open the tack room door. Rosalie and Danielle stared at me from the middle of the room, their mouths pressed into thin lines. But Tiffany took a step towards me and crossed her slender arms over her chest.

"Well look who it is," Tiffany said with an evil glint in her eye. "Have you been eavesdropping, Miss Kiera?"

"Look, Tiffany-"

"Save it, Floyd," Tiffany's voice was bitter. "You think you're sooo great because you made the intermediate team?"

Rosalie and Danielle radiated cold glares from behind Tiffany.

"Listen here. You're wasting your time. If I was you I wouldn't even bother showing up for practice. Seriously, your gonna be in deep water if you make the advanced team or so help me. I'll make sure you're miserable here." Tiffany's words cut me deep.
Tiffany made sure we connected shoulders on her way out with the other Perfs right behind her.
Harsh.
Blinking back tears I grabbed my stuff and headed back to Limitless. After tacking up, I strapped on my helmet and we headed to our first lesson. As I walked into the indoor, I forced myself to walk with my chin up. Courtney was warming up in the ring along with another girl , who I assumed was Whitney. I led Limitless over to the mounting block and mounted. I tried to block out Tiffany's words that kept repeating themselves in my mind. But one thing in my mind was clear, she was definitely going to pay. Once everyone had arrived, Mr. Cooper entered and we all lined up in front of him.

"Alright, let's get started." Mr. Cooper said.

I could feel Tiffany's eyes burning into the side of my head from across the ring, but I didn't lose focus for the entire hour and a half session.

••••••••••••

"This is the best part of the trail." Courtney said as we crested the hill and slowed our horses to a walk.
ESHA's trails were gorgeous. The beautiful green rolling hills boasted a forest with a million leaves. Limitless and Courtney's gray dappled Appaloosa, Ace, walked together at a steady pace. Ace was already Limitless's new best friend after the 15 minutes that we had already spent on the trail.

"So how long have you been at ESHA?" I asked.

"Since I started junior high in sixth grade." Courtney responded. "But if ESHA had an elementary school I would have so been here. It's a great place."

"Wow, you've been here a long time. How long has Tiffany been here?"

"Since seventh grade I think. But Danielle and Rosalie have been here since sixth." Courtney added as she pulled Ace beside Limitless as the trail widened.

"She really wants to get on the advanced team."

"We all do."

"So how does everything work exactly, like with choosing riders for teams and things like that?" I asked as we walked down a trail littered with leaves, pine cones, and broken twigs.

"Well, each grade has their own level of riding. Sixth through eighth graders have single teams for each grade, but freshmens through seniors have beginner, intermediate, and advanced teams for each grade. If you make advanced level by freshmen year, then you have an early shot at joining the Young Riders team."

Woah, the Young Riders team, a Junior-Olympic team, competed nationally and they even went to Europe to compete when they got offered. This could be major for Limitless and I.

"Anyway, only five riders from each grade make it, and sometimes no one makes it. Testing will be in the fall sometime. It changes every year." Courtney added.

"Are you excited to tryout?"

"Most definitely."

"Do you think that Tiffany will make the team?" I asked as I stopped Limitless from taking a bite of grass.

"She's a good rider, but so are a lot of other freshmen, like Danielle and Rosalie."

"What about you? You're an awesome rider!" I exclaimed.

Courtney lengthened her reins so Ace could stretch his neck. "Riding is important. But you have to have the total package if you want to make advanced- team skills, good grades, and solid riding."

"Grades? Do they have a minimum of what you can get before getting kicked off the team?" I squeaked. My mind wandered to the math quiz today.

"Both advanced and Young Riders teams require a B average."

"How are Tiffany's grades?"

"She's smart but all she works hard at is riding. Her parents expect a lot out of her and they push her a lot."

"Wow she must experience a lot of pressure." I said.

"Everyone here at Equine Strike Hills experiences pressure on a daily basis. You have to work through to make it."
Courtney answered.

Gosh, everything here was so different then home.

"But I've seen you in practice. You're one of our more stronger jumpers here at ESHA." Courtney said.

"Thanks! Jumping is one of my favorites but Limitless and I enjoy cross country." I said as I stroked Limitless's neck.

"If you work hard I'll bet you make it and don't listen to Tiffany, you're great at riding."

I smiled, if Courtney said I was good, and she's one of the best riders I have met so far, then Limitless and I had a chance at this whole adventure.

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Hey! Hope you enjoy the longer chapter this week. Sorry if it's kind of crappy because I had major riders block. I promise things will get better. Anyways thanks for 136 reads!!! Keep sharing, commenting, voting, and reading! ~ Skylar