Meon Brook Academy - Part one

Chapter 5

My alarm blasts in my ear. I smash the snooze button and roll out of bed. Yesterday was my first competition at Meon Brook academy and today my new eventing prospect is being delivered. I'm being excused from period two, so I can go settle 'Mad Hatter' in to her new home. I pull back my covers and walk over to the bathroom. I lock the door and have a warm shower, then brush my teeth. I walk back into my room, and over to my wardrobe where I pull out a pair of white skinny jeans, a black, cropped tank stop and my Adidas Superstars. I sit down in front of my dressing table and apply a thin layer of foundation, mascara and concealer, then pull out my Rose Gold GHD's. I straighten my mousy brown hair and grab my bag from beside my bed. I walk out of the dorm, not caring about slamming the door and waking my room mate, Amber up. I walk down to the cafeteria to meet Jake, Ruby and Amelia to get breakfast, then head to period one. Ruby and I share all the same lessons - Science, Maths, English, Drama then geography on a Monday. I was missing Maths, which was good seeing as I hated it. science flew by, which was good as we were learning about chemical reactions - not horse related whatsoever. 10 minutes before science ended I was excused to go get changed into more horse appropriate clothing. I jogged up to my dorm and picked out my black and red 'Forever Oak' breeches, with a black Toggi polo top with 'May Flower' written on the pocket. I pulled on my tall brogini boots and set off towards the stables. Once down there, I found the stall Mad Hatter had been assigned (Block B stall 20) I ripped open a bag of shavings and started on Mad Hatters stall. I flattened out the shavings in a rectangle shape at the back of the stable, tied up a black haynet filled with hay, filled a black bucket with fresh water then gently shut the door, just as a large blue lorry rolled into sight. A tall, middle aged lady got out of the driver door and held her hand out. 

"Imogen? Hi, I'm Mary,"

"That's me. Are you here with Mad Hatter?"

"Thats the one." Mary smiled, before walking round to the jockey door on the lorry. She opened up the ramp of the trailer and every ounce of my body was shell shocked. Walking now out of the trailer, was the most stunning, athletic dapple grey I had ever laid eyes on. She stood at around 17.2, towering over May. She had an ashy toned mane and tail, gently billowing down her neck and she held her head high and proud.

"That, is Mad Hatter?"

"Sure is,"

"She's amazing," I said as Mary handed me the lead rope. 

"Have fun with her, your mum has sorted out all of the paper work." Mary smiles, and with that she hops back in the blue lorry and drives off.

I lead Mad Hatter into her new stall, and decide then and there that her nickname is going to be 'Maddy'. I pat her and unload her tack trunk into my little tack cupboard. Mary left 2 saddles - a black dressage saddle and a black showjumping one. She left two bridles, one with a grackle nose band - for cross country and another, with a simple noseband - for dressage. Then, she had two pairs of open front boots - a white pair, and a black patent pair. She had a matching saddle pad for each pairs of boots and then an extra red saddle pad for training. There was two ear bonnets to match the saddle pads and boots and then finally a sky blue travel set, complete with 4 sky blue shipping boots, a sky blue tail wrap and a little hood to keep her braids in place. I lift the black bridle with the grackle and then the jumping saddle, along with Maddy's black set and bring it out to her stall. I place them on the door and walk in. I run over Maddy's coat with a soft body brush then plop her saddle pad onto her dappled back. I gently place the saddle on top, then put on her boots. Then I pull on her little black ear bonnet then fasten her bridle over the top. I lead her out, and loop her reins as i reach into the tack room and grab my leather look Charles Owen helmet. I bring Maddy round to the mounting block and spring up onto her back. I gently nudge her sides and she responds instantly, moving forward into a silky, flowing walk. I walk her along the rail for about 5 minutes, marvelling at how loose and relaxed she is, then ask her for a trot. She responds beautifully, moving into a graceful and elegant trot, which seems to swallow up the sand arena. Between K and A I ask her to move into canter, and with a flick of her tail, she glides into her canter transition smoothly, swallowing even more of the ground up. I take her down the centreline and ask her for a flying change, which she obliges without fault, then I face her towards a red and white cross rail in the centre of the sand ring. She pricks her dainty little ears and shortens her stride, to an elastic step. She leaps over the cross with miles to spare, and this is when  i realise just how good this horse actually is. I dismount and put the cross up to a vertical, about 3 foot 3 in hight, then lead Maddy back over to the mounting block, seeing as she is far too tall for me to be able to mount her from the floor.  I spring on her back, and ask her for a walk to canter transition, which she responds amazingly. She glides round the ring, then i turn her to face the vertical. Once again, she shortens her silky strides and soars over the fence. I dismount once more and set the jump this time to 4 foot. I've never even attempted this hight on May, but i already feel an incredibly strong bond with Maddy. She shortens her strides and collects herself before the huge vertical, then with a small grunt leaps over it. Time stands still as she floats through the air, and I gasp as she hits the ground again. I pat her neck and walk around for 10 minutes, before returning to the stables to untack her.