Burning Desire

Chapter Twenty-Eight

{ A/N – Got a bit confused with the eventing levels in this chapter, so sorry if any of this is factually incorrect haha oops. Still, hope y'all vote, comment and enjoy! }  

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Our first win came from a training show a few weeks later; plenty of bonding time and conditioning had improved both Brenna's stamina and her trust in me, and the rest came naturally to her. She delivered an elegant and compliant dressage test - her stunning paces earning her top marks – as well as a smooth and calculated round across country and in the show jumping ring. There was room for improvement in all three disciplines, but no room in my heart for any more hope and pride. In just a few months, the mare and I had come so far and this small victory marked the start of a brighter future. The liver chestnut mare I'd first encountered had harboured a hurricane inside her, but I was finally pushing apart the charcoal clouds to reveal an empyrean sky within the spirited horse.

The days counting down to Kentucky Horse Trials had been fading away like autumn leaves. We'd been attending outings almost every week in preparation for the biggest event of our lives, progressing up the rankings with every show. By the time Spring painted Belmont Equestrian Centre in a balmy glow of vibrant flowers and gangly foals and bottomless hope, Brenna and I were snatching frequent victories at intermediate level where the competition was much fiercer and the courses more demanding than the training level competitions we'd been delving in.

Tom had been right; the more time Brenna and I spent together, the more she trusted me. She still had her moments – some days she was as moody and had as much attitude as an adolescent stereotype, other days she was downright unpredictable – but with each passing day she blossomed into a classy, promising event horse. The dressage tests grew more demanding as we progressed up the levels, but if anything Brenna improved as the more complicated manoeuvres earned more of her attention and focus, and she was always capable of delivering them with grace and skill. Her jumping form was as flawless as ever, although she was hardly the kind of horse that you could simply direct her around the ring and sit quiet to let her do the rest. Her stamina and fitness increased with each conditioning session which made her almost enjoyable to ride across country (despite the haunting fear that she might take off at a reckless pace). And she was beginning to evidently enjoy her job; stepping out of her stall with a spring in her stride and the enthusiasm of a freshly-backed youngster.

So far, I'd managed to master the art of maintaining a calm aura around Brenna which helped keep her settled. But as we drove to our first CIC2* event together, nerves fluttered around in my stomach for the first time since our very first show together. My knees were weak and my palms were clammy – something I acknowledged when Callum dropped my hand almost immediately after lacing our fingers together before wiping his palm on his jodhpurs.

"What comes after the extended trot from M to K? I keep forgetting," I asked as Holly pulled the trailer through the gates of Kentucky Horse Park.

"A half-pass, starting at A," Annabel responded with a syrupy smile. She was competing in the same event as me, this time on her main horse Storm instead of one of Belmont's youngsters. It sparked a sense of accomplishment in me to know that Brenna and I were competing against a calibre of horses destined for top level eventing instead of amateurs, but it also filled me with nerves.

"Thanks," I said meekly. I wiped my sweaty palms on my jodhpurs before reaching for Callum's hand again.

"It's no problem. I've got the test memorised pretty well; Callum helped me learn it."

This information registered within me like a mouthful of saltwater; I wrinkled my nose as the words fell from Annabel's lips, biting back a scowl.

Callum frowned. "I printed a copy of the test off for you, I don't think that counts as helping you memorise it."