The life of Daisy

The competition

It's Tuesday of the next week the show is tomorrow and our jumping tack has been loaded in the trailer. Lexi is approaching my stall with the padded halter. She unlocks the door and slips it over my head. She swings the blue shipping sheet over my back and leads me to the trailer and slides the trunk with the tack behind me. She puts a little toy hanging from the top of the trailer. It's rubbery and has little hay cubes inside. I work on it for a little while but go back to my hay.
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The big trailer rumbles down the narrow road to a large grassy area where around 200 trailers are already parked. Asia's trailer pulls up next to us Jessie is driving and Amy drove me and Lexi. Lexi comes around and opens the back door to bring me out. It was a long drive but I am super excited for the competition. Amy comes over and helps with the tack and supplies and we walk to a simple (kinda old) stables. I am put into the stall and given some food. Lexi starts unloading while Amy goes and puts our names down. Asia is put in the stall beside me and Jessie follows Amy to the stand. There is a ton going on here riders coming back and forth with their equipment and horses gloating about their previous medals. I see Lexi socializing with some of her friends too bad I don't get all the attention. Lilly's has recovered and only got to practice a few times since then. I hope their routine goes as they planned. This is such a high energy place. The stalls are kinda dirty and it smells like horses ,leather ,and popcorn.
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Lexi comes to my stall and brings me out to tie on the post where a few others are tied up. Lexi comes back with five different brushes two curry combs and a hoof pick with hoof polish. She has some rubber bands for my mane and tail. Lexi begins the long process of grooming for a show. I meet a new horse his name is The Great but Gerry for short. He is a little stuck up talking about his medals perfect riders and how well gated he is. He does have a magnificent coat though. Another stands beside me. Her show name is A Ray of Sunshine and it suits her. She asks for me to call her Sunny she is super perky and she stands strong her defined muscles show up. Her coloration fades from grey to white whereas Gerry's is a deep brown with a black mane. I talk with them as Lexi finishes up. It has probably been close to a half an hour. She grabs my tack leads me to a table that has a kind lady sitting behind. Lexi grabs some papers and Avery her coach pins them on her back. Avery gives Lexi some pointers and then we go line up near arena four. Lilly comes up behind and we wait. Lexi and Lilly are fidgeting as they stand waiting their turn. They trade little comments about what they think their score will be. The announcer calls Cherry Mills and A Ray of Sunshine they are right before us. I wish Sunny good luck and Cherry mounts and they walk to the arena entrance. I spectate their flawless routine even when I see Cherry digging her heels into Sunny. They exit the ring as elegantly as they entered. Then the Announcer says into the microphone next up is Lexi Carter and Flowery Meadows my show name. Lexi comes to pet my face she looks nervous I watch as a tear rolls down her cheek. She kisses me on the forehead like Eliza would do with me. Then she goes and has Lilly give her a leg-up. I start toward the entrance and go over the routine in my head until the buzzer sounds the timer starts and we have come into the show ring. I trot out into the open ring people crowd the rows of benches. I trot towards the other side of the ring and the first jump approaches. I feel Lexi lift into two point taking most of the weight off my back the I easily clear the 2'5 jump. Lexi looks to where we go next I feel her posting up and down in the saddle. Her swift movement matches my stride. She tightens the reins as we grow nearer to the 2'7. Elizabeth folds into two point and I tuck in my long legs I feel Lexi pull on the reins and I turn my attention to her. Then I feel my back hoof knock the pole. Oh great, I don't have much time to think because I fly over the next 2'5 just as we had practiced. The next jump comes into view. I canter down the side of the arena the tall poles look threatening compared to the last jump. Before I know Lexi has lifted and I push off my back legs soaring over the 2'10 making sure to draw all my hooves in. We loop around and I do a sitting working trot over to the judges table. Lexi has mastered how to not bounce on that trot. Then my event is over we go back to where we came in and I give Asia a little whinny and Lexi gives Lilly a hug while the announcer calls them for their event. Lexi hops down from my back and hugs me this is only the second show she has been in and I am so proud of her. We return back to watching Asia and Lilly go through their routine it looks good I just notice that some of the movements were sloppy but with the injury they did not get as much practice in.

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Lexi put me back in the stall along Asia beside me I felt kinda lazy after the show just kinda eat sleep mode. Lexi skipped over to my stall and pinned a bright yellow ribbon on the post outside of it. I walked over and stuck my head out she hugged my neck and rubbed me in my favorite spot. It felt good to know she was happy with our performance.

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We are back at the academy I have two new ribbons next to my old one. There is a bright yellow one (fifth place) and a forest green one (participation). Lily got 4th place because she didn't knock a bar. There is only two more weeks left of the academy before I can go home and see Eliza, Coffee and some of my friends.