Heartlines

Chapter 1

 Chapter 1

“Now Krista, watch that combination, too. It’s a one stride, but it’s super forward. Don’t get behind it though, ‘cause if you try to fit two in there, you’re screwed.” I nodded, understanding what Trina meant. This was the top circuit, and if the judge caught you riding the wrong distances, you weren’t just out of the ribbons – you were out of the top 15. I gazed down to my grand dapple gray. Ghost wasn’t mine, but I loved him as if he were so. I’d been riding him for about 3 years now, bringing him up from a 3 year old, with Trina’s help. He was her horse – a project she bought with spare change. He turned out to be filled with promise, and became ‘my’ show horse.

In that time, we’d grown an amazing bond. I practically lived at Trina’s barn, considering I worked there as a stable hand, and also took lessons 3 times a week. So whenever I had free time, I always found myself playing around with Ghost. He had a spectacular personality, and was the type to follow you around the ring if you unclipped his lead, keeping your exact pace, but very careful to never run you over or go too far ahead. I patted him now, and scratched the spot on his neck where he likes. He stretched his nose out as usual, happy to be itched in his special-spot. “One-twenty-three, you’re on deck!” Words from the ring steward popped me out of my daydream. We were up next. This was the big time – if we came out in first in this Derby, our options were wide open. International teams, top colleges, everything. This was important, considering I was a senior this year, and was hoping for a scholarship on riding in order to get anywhere … because careers weren’t exactly something I had ever really thought about.

“Thank you, Ashlee,” came over the announcer. A rider on a smaller chestnut walked energetically out of the ring on a loose rein. His rider patted him, with a wide smile. Must have been a good run – good for them, not so good for me. I was nervous. Trina grabbed Ghost’s reins, and walked me up to the gate, as if though I could be trusted with her horse over 5 foot obstacles, but not to walk over to the in gate. “Listen, don’t get tense. Just breathe, and relax, and he’ll do the same. You ready?” She looked up to me confidently. I knew ‘no’ wasn’t an answer – Trina would rip my stirrups off my saddle and force me into the ring as is if I did. After a deep breath, I went with “As I’ll ever be! Come on Ghostly, let’s go.” I gathered my reins, so that I had a decent contact with his mouth. I gave him a gentle nudge, and we were off into a canter.   

The course was actually a pretty easy ride, so I wasn’t much worried about it. I turned him down the long side toward our first jumps, a single leading to a diagonal line. I held him back at first, easing him off the bridle. He liked to jump strong, though it messed up his form at times. Only during the lines could he really push on, since they usually set them long. He flew over the single with ease, paying no mind to the hay and tree branches used to decorate the jump.

I pushed him into the corners before turning him into the diagonal line. I asked for more of him, and he soared over the first of the two. I counted the strides between, “One, two, three, four, five!” A perfect spot, with the exact distance required between – so far, so good.

I passed the in-gate, where Trina stood. Per normal, she gave me direction quietly, “Keep him moving, that combo is up after the gate. Don’t let him slow!” She was clearly worried … She’d been watching the previous riders – it must have been giving them trouble. If we could perfect it, we could be in the top 3 for sure. I squeezed him on, though careful not to get him leaning on the bit. The gate was a simple, open distance. But it was teasing for what lay ahead  

It was a regular pole jump, then one with barrels set up behind it. It looked like a two stride – in fact, it wouldn’t be impossible to fit three. Now I was starting to think that Trina didn’t just mean I’d be out of the ribbons if I didn’t make the distance – The jumps were big enough, that it was possible Ghost could get caught with his legs in the jumps if something went wrong. Huh. That made things a little more nerve racking. “Come on bub, you’ve really got to get this…” I gave him a very quick pat, and pushed him on even further. I could feel him asking for more of his head, but I didn’t want him taking it and running with it after the combination – the judges would frown upon us greatly if he were too strung out. Ghost took what he could, and sized the first jump up as normal. With a kick, we were in the air. I gave him a decent release, and prepared him for the landing. As he needed to, he tried to stretch out to make the one.

But he yanked me forward with the rein in the process.

 He brought his head back to a collected spot, as I accidentally cued. I tried to throw away my reins, put him back in a stretch, but it was too late. He’d already taken his first stride. And was now trying to take another half of one. But his feet were tangled. He was unsure. He didn’t want to make the jump. He didn’t think he could. He tried anyway. Oh god.

He threw his head in the air, almost as if he hoped his nose could carry his body over the large jump. He pulled his legs up in front of him, and I could feel his back legs level with them as he tried to do an almost deer-like jump. Feeling so uncomfortable and wrong, he kicked out with his back legs then, throwing his entire body mass to the side. He landed on his right foot first, then tumbled to his left knee. I tried to break the fall with my hands, before smashing into the ground with him. I fell to my side, then quickly looked up to find his side coming straight at me. Then everything stopped, and went black.