Memories

Chapter 2

It was Christmas Eve and I was dropped off at the barn early. I had a bunch of gifts to slide in the tack room.

I placed a gift by Amy and Jessie's belongings first and moved to the rest of the regular students trunks.

Soon I was on Joey in the ring for a quick ride. I trotted along the arena's hard footing trying to get a better pace. After a few circles, serpentines, and leg yields, I picked up a smooth collected canter.

Joey's a five year old warmblood standing sixteen hands, which is sometimes a pain for a short girl like me. With the help of an amazing Amy, I had trained him a long ways in the past year and a half.

Within a second, I snapped back to reality. Finding myself in a flying lead change. I also appreciated what I had learned from flatwork and dressage.

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I undid my geldings flash as we walked noisily into the barn and turned into the third stall. I removed my tack and returned from the tack room with a warm bucket of grain and brushed him down.

I was in the middle of bring up the last five horses when Amy pulled up. She stepped up and met me in the barn, shivering and taking a couple lead ropes from my hands. "Good morning Sarah, I see you're the early bird." She walked out of a stall shooting me a grin and motioning me to follow her.

We both sat down in the lounge and I handed my instructor a mug of coffee. "Thanks," Amy said, still smiling. " I have a surprise. I'd like to take you to a James Moore Eventing Clinic next Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. As for you, it's on me, you deserve it."

My jaw dropped, and if the air wasn't so cold I would've squealed. I hugged her tightly. "Amy! Oh my gosh, Thank you! Thank you!" I said almost crying. I knew it would be a great experience for both Joey and I. I'd already been trying to enter several different hunter shows and Events, but I was stoked for this great chance. Only a few young people of the state were admitted to have a lesson from him.

After a thousand thank-you's, mucking and feeding, hugs from barn friends, I was heading home to write the format.