River shine ranch - express

Rivershine ranch, my new home

"You ready for you first lesson at rivershine ranch" my dad asked as I  opened the door. I nodded and gave him a hug beofre jumping out of the car and slamming the door shut. I pushed the gate open and was met with a small slice of paradise. That paddocks stretched for miles. All the horses looked healthy and ready for a good gallop. A women with messy blonde hair tied up in a bun walked over to me smiling.
"Cally? Im Brit" She asked with a western accent. I nodded and she waved for me to follow her.
"I know you a great rider but just to see what you got have Limitless he's a bit spicy but will be easy for you." I nodded and stroked the dapple greys head. His mane was a long thick black mess. His coat was covered in dirt. The horse looked about fourteen hands high. Maybe a bit more.
"His tack and brushes are here once you finshed tacking him up and everything head to the arena and walk around. I'll meet you there" Brit told me as she hurried away. I turned around in the horses stall and started to nudge me. I grinned and picked up a curry comb and started brushing all the loose hair and dirt of his coat.

I stepped back at limitless and grinned. He looked ready to ride. I admired his thick mane that had been tamed and tied up into braids down his neck to keep him cool. My hands moved over and picked up a light green saddle pad that matched my jumper. He stood still as I grabbed the heavy black saddle and placed it on his back. I swing the girth a round and began to tighten it. He let out a grunt and side stepped and started moving.
"Easy buddy" I said holding him by the halter. When he stopped moving I gave him a pat and moved over to his head. I grabbed the bridle and he put his head down ready to take the bit. I gently slid the bit into into his mouth and pulled the bridle over his ears.
"Good boy" I said giving him a hug. I unclipped the lead rope and flipped the reins ove this head. I clicked and he started following me. The arena was kinda far away so I got to look at all the riders and there horses. Limitless was pretty good on the ground and walked next to me calmly. I yanked the arena gate open and lead the gelding inside. A mounting block over the side of the arena, I eyed it wondering if I should use it. I held the reins tight and swung my right foot in the iron and heaved myself over. Shocked by the weight on his back limitless reared up. I grabbed the reins and yanked them as tight as I could and leaned down on his neck trying to force him down onto the ground.
"Easy buddy I don't wanna die" I mumbled stroking him. I gave him a gentle squeeze and he popped into an active walk. As we lapped the arena limitless grey impatient and start side stepping.
"Okay! You can move into a trot when you ready" Brit said walking into the arena holding a cup of coffee I depspretly needed. Did I mention it is six in the morning? I gave him a light tap with my black boots and he moved into a trot. I rose up and down with his inside shoulder. His trot was very bumpy forcing me out of the saddle. I gripped with my lower leg trying not to get flung out of the saddle cause of his strong strides.

After a few laps I was told to canter. I slid my left leg out and he moved into a stunning canter. My leg hugged the saddle as we swept around the arena. The young horses mane whipped in my face as I turned him around sharply.
"Okay all warmed up. Im going to finish my coffee and you can go over those poles to get him nice and alert and on the bit." Brit told me before taking a long sip of her coffee. I nodded and cantered over to the other side of the arena. I guided him over the poles at a slow walk. The poles had been set up in crazy format leaving the horse fully dependent on the rider to know where to go. I turned him around sharply and we moved into a trot. I got ready to start sitting the trot and he pulled his head down low to look at the poles as he stepped over the brightly covered poles.
"Good boy" I said leaning over his neck and giving him a massive pat.
" okay, you can take that small jump to get a feel on how he jumps" Brit told me. I nodded and moved to the east side of the arena where a jump was set up. As we cantered to it I anylised the size and guessed it to be around forty-five centimetres. Three. Two. One. Jump. I leaned forwards as the horse propelled himself over the jump with his knees tucked under his body. He softly landed on the other side.
"Amazing! Keep you heels down, Kay?" Brit told me and I nodded. She walked over and put it up to about eighty centimetres.
"You have to be on the ball here. Once we get this high he goes crazy" Brit warned me. I didnt really belive her but I slotted the warning into the bin in my brain. I tapped him with my left heel and he turned towards the now biggish jump. I tightened the reins and he lurched forward throwing out a sudden buck. I was slammed into his neck and forced into the back of the saddle. I gave him a tap with my heels and circled him a few times until he calmed down and I was in place. I leaned forward and he dug his heels in the jump coming to a halt. I went to turn him around and he pushed himself up into the air. I sat there getting flung around as he landed witha thump on the other side of then jump.
"Gosh" I said sitting back wiping the waves of sweat coming from my head onto my brand new riding jumper.
"How about you take those jumps" Brit said Pointing over to a couple wide jumps. Nervously I nodded and gave him a squeeze and we moved into a fast canter. As we moved to the first jump I sat deep in the saddle ready for a buck or anything he would dare through at me. I gave him a kick and he took the first jump easily. My legs clung to the saddle as I moved him the second and third jumps only a stride away from eachother.
"Come on boy" I said leaning forward. The gelding lifted his legs up and scored over it beofre landing on the ground and pushing himself over the final jump.
"Good job, cool him down at a walk then leave give him to me, he has a group lesson soon"Brit explained to me. I nodded and kicked my feet out the strippus. Letting him walk on the loose rein.

I handed the reins over to Brit who took him and gave him a pat.
"Im gonna go look around I have about a while till my mum gets here" I told Brit who grinned and nodded.