Zailey (Sequel) ✔️

Part Twenty Three

The wind blew my hair back.
My heart pounded with adrenaline.
Phoenix's hoofbeats shook the arena ground beneath us as he carried me around the edge of the arena at a canter.
For the third ride in a row, we managed to complete an entire, confident canter lap of the Olympic sized arena!
When we reached the starting mark again, I eased my horse back to a trot.
He stretched out his neck and took advantage of the downshift in pace, his legs swinging in the easy 'one two' diagonal rhythm.
"Oh you're the best!"
I praised him, leaning forward to give his warm neck a well earned hearty pat, while I alternately rose and sat to his trot.
"Well just look at you two go!"
I eased Phoenix into a half circle and aimed for the opposite long side of the arena, to where Jodie was now standing.
"We're getting there!"
I told her, a little breathless from our efforts.
"I'd say you're ready to rejoin our jumping class."
Jodie noted, reaching forward to give the nose that Phoenix offered her a pat.
Jumping?
I sucked in a breath.
The last time I'd jumped was the day I came off Phoenix and busted my collarbone and hurt a few ribs.
"You two trust each other."
Jodie informed me.
"There's no reason why you can't jump."
No reason other than nerves.
Was what I heard her not say.
"Let's try something."
My coach declared and bent to climb through the arena fence rails.
"What are you doing?"
I asked, curious.
"Put your stirrup's up a hole for me."
Jodie instructed.
"Why?"
"I'm going to set up a few trot poles."
She explained.
Trot poles?
Why?
Knowing better than to argue with Jodie, I set my reins down on Phoenix's neck and slipped my boots free from my stirrups.

In just a few minutes my stirrups were a hole shorter and Jodie had set up a line of six trot poles.
Their distance from each other seemed quite large, but I knew that was to accomodate for Phoenix's stride, because he'd even add size to it when he had something to manipulate.
"Head off in a twenty meter circle for me."
Jodie urged.
"Then I want you to come down and go over these poles."
Oh man...
"I know that you know how to ride trot poles, but I want you to keep rising to his trot, but also lean forwards slightly."
Jodie explained.
Gotcha.
I turned Phoenix to the right and asked him after a few steps to pick up a trot.
He flicked an ear back to me curiously, but obeyed, his stride swinging.
I guided him in the circle Jodie had requested and lined up for the trot poles.
My hands got tighter on the reins and I felt Phoenix stiffen and speed up beneath me.
I reminded myself to calm down, taking a deep breath.
These poles were not the jump I'd crashed and burned on.
Phoenix's trot smoothed out just steps before the first trot pole.
I couldn't help but smile at the spring in his step as he encountered the poles, managing to get through without tapping a single one.
"Brilliant!"
Jodie called as we trotted off the end, me guiding Phoenix into a right hand turn after a few strides.
"You got tense as you approached, yeah?"
She asked.
I asked Phoenix to stop a few feet away from where Jodie was standing.
I didn't want to admit weakness, but there was no point lying to my instructor.
Giving in, I nodded.
"But I saw you correct it and for Phoenix to feel the correction."
Jodie stated, a smile slipping into place.
"Well done."
I smiled weakly and leaned down to give Phoenix a pat.
"Now I'm going to add a cavaletti to the end, because you both coped superbly."
Jodie announced and headed to the corner where we stash jumps and things.
Oh no.
Phoenix shifted beneath me.
"Go for a walk."
Jodie told me.
Taking a deep breath, I asked Phoenix to walk.
You have to get over this jumping fear Bailey.
I ordered myself.

Approaching the trot poles again, I could see the slightly raised pole a few strides from the end of the trot poles.
It was nothing big.
If anything, it was only a few centimetres taller than the trot poles.
Easy peasy.
"We can do this Phoenix."
I told him.
He began his prance over the trot poles and I put my focus ahead to the cavaletti.
He read my mind and headed for it after he finished on the poles.
I set my focus beyond the cavaletti, knowing the golden rule in jumping was to not look at what you were planning to jump.
You had to look to where you wanted to go.
I didn't want to end up on the cavaletti.
Phoenix did a high step over the slightly raised pole and I couldn't help but laugh as we trotted off the other side.
"See! Easy peasy!"
Jodie called.
"He couldn't even be bothered to jump it it was that easy!"
I turned Phoenix around to head to Jodie, easing him back to a walk.
"Now let's ditch that cav and add a thirty centimetre."
Jodie declared.
"We're having an impromptu lesson?"
I asked, surprised.
Doesn't she have better things to do?
Or other students to teach on a Saturday?
"I've got a little free time."
Jodie told me with a smile as she headed for the jump poles and wings.
She set up two plastic blocks about two meters away from each other, not too far from the trot poles.
Then she placed a red, white and blue striped pole atop the blocks.
"When you're ready!"
She called.
I eased Phoenix into a trot and curved around to tackle the trot poles once again, putting my eyes on the small jump because that was our next place to go.
Breathe Bailey.
You guys can do this.
Phoenix kept his ears pricked as we approached the small jump.
His trot quickened in the last couple of steps and I leaned slightly forward in preparation for him to hop over the small obstacle.
Phoenix bounced easily over it and hit the ground at an energised canter on the other side.
"Well done!"
Jodie exclaimed.
Adrenaline was pumping through my veins, but I was grinning.
That was good!
"Do you trust me?"
Jodie asked.
"Yeah..."
I stated, unsure where exactly she was going with this.
"Great!"
Jodie chirped and headed for the jumps equipment once again.
"Walk Phoenix off for a minute!"
She called over her shoulder.
What the hell is she up to?