My Equestrian Life

"Hazel, please eat something before you go to school!" Dad shouted from the other room, "Already on it." I said with a smirk as I was chopping up a banana and some strawberries for a fresh fruit smoothie, I glugged down the creamy morning drink before cramming dirty dishes into the dishwasher, "Okay I better go, bye!" I shouted while getting my 'A Circuit Novel' out of my faded yellow shoulder bag, I trudged out onto the gravel driveway, reading as I went 'Tommi is so into Alex, but Tommi needs to focus on her riding and her new horse legs...' I read to myself as I stumble to the end of the driveway, I stopped to scratch the neighbor's sheep behind her ear before I set off reading my book, drinking my drink and walking through the grass to the start of the road where the bus should pick me up in fifteen minutes.

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"Great!" I said with sarcasm I was half way through the page when I see the bus in the distance, when it approached a huge gust of wind wildly whipped my school uniform to the left side of my body as the bulky bus doors opened, I always hated this school and especially this uniform, I take a seat next to the nice girl and by nice I mean she's the only one that talks to me, the only problem with her is that she is snobby, rich and takes up half of my seat.

Today she isn't talking to me but I don't mind I'm happy just sitting here, I love looking outside, watching all of the horses along the edge of the country side, my eye is locked on a beautiful skew bald palomino that we go past every week day on this bus, but sadly we pass him and his crew of three other horses and before I know it where trapped in traffic, hardly any grass or trees in sight so I grab my book for a quick read...'Legs is doing great with his private lesson, he is not as pretty as Tommi's other horses, Kate says to the rich girl...' Kate reminds me of me, she loves all horses but she can't afford one of her own, she's working off her lessons, me on the other hand, I've always loved horses since before I can remember, when I was about seven I remember doing a three day holiday program at the equestrian centre, we got our own pony for three days to work with, I had to stop because it was really expensive I tried to stay involved with horses, like last year 2012 at my primary school we had our gala day that we have every two years, I stumbled upon the pony rides and I just had to ask if I could help, they even gave me a free ride at the end and a week later I got a gift basket with lollies, a drink and some other nice things, but I never expected this year to come, 2013 I was enrolled in an expensive high school that we could barely afford, it is nice and all but I just don't really fit in here, but because mum started her own business from home and she was earning enough we could afford it I was especially surprise when we bought the uniform and we didn't have to buy anything second hand!

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The bus came to a sudden stop and I'm the first one out, I walk over to the horrid High School to find a place to sit, "hi guys!" I say to two girls in my main classes but all I hear is quiet snarky comments and devilish laughter as I turn my back on them to continue my way to the main eating area, it's Friday today so I have the weekend to look forward to plus school goes quickly so I'll be fine for today, I have tutor class first thing this morning so I'm happy about that for a start...reading time I guess 'Kate decides to take the injured horse for a walk to relieve him of his boredom...'

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In 2013 my mum said that I could start horse riding lessons at the local equestrian centre where I used to do the 'Adopt a Pony' three day camp, I was so happy that I almost cried, I had my lessons on Saturdays but I had netball games so I changed them to Tuesdays, I had no idea at the time but this was about to be my very last year of netball, I had found my sport, equestrian instead of watching equestrian on tv I could go ride I felt as if I was in a never ending dream, it got even better, a couple of months ago was my birthday for my birthday I got, a crop, a helmet, riding gloves and new Jodhpurs free from a professional equestrian who had outgrown them, in October the month after my 14th birthday I got to go to Equidays which is an all horse event where you can buy more than anyone could even imagine I got polo wraps for $12, half chaps for $7 a tail cover for $5 and so much more it was great fun!

"Ah" I said as the bell rang in my ears I hate this school, the time went by really quickly and before I knew it I was waiting for the bus out front just like every other day, I didn't even get to read much today, and Abby is being nasty again, she's saying things like "chill out" and "don't have a mental" she also makes fun of my equestrian exercises I have to admit that my exercises are strange, everyday I get one of my saddles and put it on the fence so I can practice my seating in the saddle and my posting trot and I told her that it was weird but it really does help but she still told everyone and made fun of me saying things like "well at least I don't ride the fence in my spare time!" she doesn't realize that her words hurt!

Oh we'll at least I have books to read 'Tommi was at the party... "Just stay half an hour Tommi" "no I've got a lesson early tomorrow"...'

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Ah Saturday morning, I love to wake up and have a practice ride or stay in and have a read but I'm taking my equestrian seriously so I'll have a practice ride, Dylan across the road has some horses, he lets me ride them so I go down there almost everyday, "Damn!" I say as I realize its almost 7:00am I rush down to the bathroom, I clean my pale face and pull a brush through my long hay colored hair before I go, I don't see why my friends take forever to get ready, it takes me about five minutes before I'm out the door!

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I tack up Bell his big black Thoroughbred mare and jump right on, I ride for about an hour before my phone vibrates in my pocket, oh it's Abby calling, well I might as well answer it, "Hello?" I say annoyed "Hi Hazel what's up, I'm just trying to get the three way calling thing to work so I can get Vicki and you on the phone at the same time, okay?" She says obviously not picking up my annoyance "Yip okay then." I sigh as I dismount and get to work un tacking the beautiful Bell mare Vicki is Abby's new friend, she's also snobby, rich and bad tempered but hey everyone here is so I just let it slide, I'm relieved when my phone slowly dies and I shove it back in my pocket and continue brushing Bell, in the corner of my eye I notice Dylan come out and grab a brush to help me with Bell, he and his wife Maggie want me to stay for dinner so I pull out my phone to ask mum, of course it's dead so he offers to charge it for me, no sooner am I off the phone, Abby rings again, "why did I ever give this girl my number!" I scream looking up at the sky for answers.

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Okay, nothing to worry about I'll ask her today for sure...Anyways I have to go to Equestrian early today so I'll have about an hour to ask Toni if I can help out everyday after school, that was my goal for this year, "hey Hazel, your here early..." Toni says with the warm friendly smile I always see, "Yeah my mum had a work meeting, I hope it's okay, I can help tack up Rocky and Olly and I can go and get Penny from the grazing fields if you want...." I say enthusiastically "Yip sure and Ally isn't riding Chestnut today so could you go and get Milo from the tie up stalls around the back for me...? Thanks"  She says as she runs off to get Rocky's Tack. I grasp at the leather halter and go to the rope hooks to grab a lead rope, a fancy purple plaited one catches my eye so I grab that and head down the gravel path to the second block of tie up stalls to take the small light grey pony to the front ready for his lesson. "Um hey...Toni, do you think, I could work after school?" "Yup that would be great, thanks Hazel, we really need the help!" I walked into the tack shed with a broad smile painted across my face...I did it, I've accomplished my goal for this year, I got to work, brushing the knots out of the horses and ponies manes and tails and within ten minutes they looked presentable enough for a good productive lesson...

Before I knew it I was adjusting my stirrups on Rocky and mounting the tall bay horse, Kim had a high jump course set up in the middle of the arena, the jumps were really close together but when Kim called my name and told me to jump them I did as I was told, going into a smooth canter around the dusty arena, sharp left turn over the 1.2 metre high red and black, sharp right turn, to strides then over the pink and green 1 metre jump and then a final lap of the arena to finish okay so I was ready for the last jump the Pink and green jump, but just as I made the sharp turn Rocky skids to a halt and drops me to the ground on top of the pole, I reach out to steady myself with my left hand, I hear a horrible cracking noise and I feel sharp pains in my wrist and lower back then everything turns black.

.................Is this the end of Hazel's riding?...............