Timber Creek Academy

~11~

After a day of hard classes, all I wanted to do was ride Leo.  I hadn't ridden him since last Thursday before the long weekend!

I dumped my stuff off in my dorm, then quickly changed into light gray breeches and a light purple ice-fil riding shirt.  Then I dashed off to the barn.

I made my way to Leo's pasture, then snagged his halter, and tromped out into the field.  "Leo!!" I called, and I saw my bay trot up from his group of pals.  His ears were pricked forward and he was filled with energy. He snorted as I slid the halter over his nose and pulled it over his delicate ears.

I led him to the stable, and to our usual pair of cross ties.  In a couple minutes, he was already brushed clean and I was putting on a white saddle pad, a fluffy half pad, and my black Wintec saddle.  I replaced the halter with the bridle, snapped my helmet on, and took off to the outdoor ring.

It was the perfect day for riding.  A slight breeze, but not windy enough to rile up the horses.  Sunny, but not too bright.  Warm, but not grossly hot.  A few puffy white clouds dotted the sky, and I grinned when I saw a course being set up by Mrs. Banks and one of the grooms.  Jumping!!

I warmed Leo up as the other advanced riders came into the ring.  At 4:30 sharp, we were beginning the lesson.

We went through some basic flatwork, then Mrs. Banks got to the meat of the lesson.

"We will be working over this course.  I want to let you all know that our next show will be in December.  We were signed up for another one between then, but unfortunately, it got canceled.  Although we will be starting the show season quite late this year, I have signed us up for a few extra shows in the spring.  So, there's no better time than the present to start getting ready, so I want you all to treat this like a real jumper course.  Find out where you can make shortcuts, and places you can let your horse out a bit, and bring them in."  Everyone grinned excitedly and looked at each other giddily.

"Although we will be looking for speed in this course, I want safe rides.  If you're not sure you can make a turn safely, don't do it.  I want fast rides, not wreckless," Mrs. Banks warned us.  "If I see any riders risking their horses, they will be excused from the lesson and tomorrow's lesson."

All of us nodded.  Mrs. Banks was right; it's not worth risking your horse for the win.

"The course is simple,  Outside line, around to the swirl, bending line, turn to yellow, then black, and back around to the maroon," Mrs. Banks said.  There were 8 jumps, and it was definitely designed to be tricky with all the turns.

"Carly, you're up," Mrs. Banks called, and Carly got Fontaine into a bouncy canter, then headed for the first jump.

They made the line within 5 strides, then made a swift turn around to the swirl.  There was a jump standard that was right in the way, so you had to decide if you would go around the outside, or cut it on the inside.  My plan was to try to cut it short, but if I didn't think I'd make it, play it safe and go around it.

The 2 made it around the course with little turns and quick time.  It was a really great ride, and Fontaine stepped over the 2'9" fences like they were small cross rails.

"Great ride Carly," Mrs. Banks said.  "When you go around the turns, try to balance him a little more so he's not rushing as much," she instructed, and Carly nodded.

"Sabrina, let's go," then she called, and I shortened the grippy reins, and squeezed Leo into an energetic trot, then a canter.

We approached the first fence, and when Leo took off, I released big and went into 2 point.  We landed, and I adjusted his stride to fit in 5 strides.  We made the correct distance, and made it over the second fence.  Off to the swirl jump!

I had angled him slightly over the second jump so we wouldn't have to make as sharp of a turn, and it had definitely paid off.  We cut to the inside of the white wooden standard, and in a few strides were over the swirl fence. 

"Yes," I whispered, then headed off to the first part of the bending line.  I let him out a little since we had a bit of space, and his long legs ate up the ground and we were only strides away from the white poles.

"One, two, one, two, one, two, up!" I whispered, and Leo and I were propelled into the air, soaring over the fence.  I could feel the adrenaline kicking in, and we scrambled off to the second white fence once we had landed.  We curved ever so slightly, lining up perfectly to the fence, and I counted down the strides.

"5....4....3...." I trailed on, and only 2 strides before the jump, someone cried, "LOOSE HORSE!!" and Leo slammed on the brakes, sending me flying over the jump alone, with quite good equitation I might add, and Leo sliding into the wooden poles.

An audible gasp came from the whole team, and gravity pulled me back to the ground with a big umph, and the world turned off like someone pulled the plug.

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A/N: dun dun DUUUUN!!!!! Will Sabrina be okay? Will Leo be okay? The suspense is killin me!!! (not really since I already knows what happens😉) Mwah hahahahahaaaaaa!!!

So, I'm potentially looking at another horse on Sunday, a bay appendix mare:) The Arabian mare didn't work out:(( I'm also hopefully going to look at that Thoroughbred on my way back from the beach next week!!

Comment and vote!! --kate