Rise to the challenge

Chapter 1- Practice makes perfect

It was a cold winters day. I felt the bitter wind blow in my face, sending a chilling tingle down my spine. I hastily walked down the gravel path and was greeted by a friendly neigh, followed by thuds of  hooves cantering toward the gate. I looked up, squinting, the fog was concealing my vision of the field gate.

I quickened my pace, i could see the shadow of all the horses impatiently pacing at the gate. "Zorro, here boy!" I shouted, expecting a response in return. 'Neigh' he pawed the ground whilst tossing his head. "Ah there you are, at the front as usual, leading the pack are you?" I said whilst opening the gate for him. He jolted forward through the gate, shoving the other horses out the way.

I put his head collar on and walked him over to the fence.  I flung the lead rope over his mane and climbed onto the wooden fence. Taking a quick look at his back and giving it a dusting off, I hopped on his back and without hesitation I kicked him on, he knew what to to. Zorro jolted forward and broke into a gallop, I held onto his mane and closed my eyes, and took a deep breath of air.

I could trust him, it was he could read my mind. It was like all of my worries had just disintegrated into thin air when I rode Zorro.I loved galloping him bareback down the tracks.

We reached the barn I quickly jumped off, expecting a screaming at from Abby (the yard owner) for galloping down the tracks bare back and bridle-less. I looked around. All clear, I thought to myself.

I suddenly spotted Dad marching over,
"You been galloping down those tracks again have you?" He asked me, but we both knew I had.
"Uhh... yeh" I hesitated,
"You know Abbie hates it when you do that, she says that you'll..."
"Yeh yeh, I'll fall, Ill crack my head open, I'll get paralysed, I'll die I've heard it all before dad, she just don't like me to turn up the grass, anyways it's not like their going to turn the horses out on the strip if grass." I moaned whilst interrupting dad. He raised his eyebrows at me as if to say enough.

I got Zorro tacked up and before hopping on I grabbed a pack of polos. I jumped on and adjusted my stirrups , to my jumping length. We both loved jumping, it was on our blood.

I had previously set up the jumping course up and memorised it. The red and white upright, then the purple and green oxer, to the green double and turn back to the pink skinny, I thought to myself. It was fresh in my mind. I warmed Zorro up and worked on our canter leads because we struggle on them.

He felt fresh and fizzy. I looked over to my first fence, the red upright, I felt him pulling me towards the fence. He was so eager, but I sat back just to get him to ease back. 3, 2, 1, we fluently popped over the fence, "good lad," I told him.

I looked over to the next fence, the purple and green oxer, It was a wide fence, I had to extend my stride if I wanted to clear the back rail. I squeezed him on and held my seat. We jumped it, but the front rail rattled, I had to fight  the temptation to look back.

The double was next, I had to shorten his stride a bit now this time. I sat firmly back and half halted, feeling the rhythm of the canter I judged my distance. He jumped it cleanly with air to spare but the 2nd element was just after. I squeezed and he popped it nicely.

Now to my last fence I thought, I thought extra hard about it because I wanted a clear round and we had a habit of knocking the last fence. I saw the skinny, sat back, squeezed and... plonk! The rail fell down. I sighed but gave Zorro a pat, it was always the last element we got down.

Let's just hope you will be ready for our first show tomorrow.