Fall Down? Get Back Up!

Chapter 2: Practice Makes Perfect, Right?

Ashley's POV

I looked as the small cross rail approached, I held onto Apollo's reins tightly. Letting out a little whimper, he immediately stopped and caused dirt to fly up. He put his head up and I turned him around, my dad's shook his head, "Put a little more force Ashley! Show him that you wanna jump that fence!" I nodded and kicked him into a canter, Apollo again, refused, neighing angrily and turning around himself. "Come on boy.. It's just a small cross rail." He sighed and I pushed on my outside leg to make him turn around. Smiling and pushing him into a canter, counting the strides but, before I could jump he bucked his legs up and I fell over the jump, landing on my back. I groaned, it hurt, I rubbed my head in anger and let out a groan as Apollo continued to buck and neigh angrily around the arena. Sighing, I stood up and brushed off the sand on my black jodhpurs. Walking over to Apollo and gripping his reins and leading him to the starting point of the jump course, I mounted up and kicked him into a easy trot, then into a canter. Allowing him to head towards the oxer that had been set up. Counting the strides, he stopped and reared up. I shook my head, "He's refusing... I don't think I'm gonna jump Apollo. Probably ever again... He won't jump and I don't think I can train him in time for the Spring Competition." My dad shook his head and let out a low groan, rubbing his eyes with his large hand. "You know what? Ashley, we raised Apollo from a foal, he cost $400 then. With all the competitions and championships he's won, he's now worth $10,000 and if you stop jumping him, he could become unbroken. "I'm not saying I'm gonna stop riding him just stop competing with him, I don't think Apollo will jump anymore. Neither will I.." My dad put his arms up in the air. "Ashley Hilliarie Phillips! Your just gonna give up?! Just like that?!" I sighed and dismounted Apollo and lead him back to the barn, untacking him slower than usual, I looked to see a black Ford F250 pull up and Caleb walked out. I brushed down Apollo, taking him to the wash area to rinse him down, I wet his legs and gradually went to his back, washing his face a little bit and smiling, using the sweat scraper and getting all the water and sweat off of the bay gelding, leading him back to his stall and putting his halter onto his head. "Atta boy.. Easy does it.." I pat his shoulder and smiled, he softly nibbled my hair and I only let out a sigh and handed him a big, red apple from my pocket. Feeding it to him, smiling. "That's good ain't it boy? Well, I better start on these chores.. Stalls ain't gonna clean themselves.." I chuckled and Apollo neighed in reply, I grabbed the pitchfork and wheelbarrow. Mucking out Pegasus's, Star's and Rebel's stalls. Cleaning out the rest of the guest board stalls I smiled and looked to Apollo. "Did I do good boy?" He smiled and nodded his head in agreement, I patted his shoulder and stroked the star marking on his head, "Good boy Apollo.." I praised him with a smile and a sugar cube. Dumping the wheelbarrow and putting all the manure in a pile. Walking out to see a red Mercedes pull up, it was Erica. She smiled and flicked her hair over her shoulder. "Is that hunk Caleb around?" I sighed, "No.. And get off of my property. We don't accept sluts around horses. It's a little inhumane." Her face became red as an apple and I chuckled as she got straight back in her pimped out car and drove off. Waving sarcastically. Jogging to the house and smiling, "Mom! Can I take Rebel out for a ride?" She yelled back, "Sure!" I ran back outside to grab the black gelding who I had used for a trail ride, I braided his mane and saddled him up, tightening the cinch and making the stirrups a bit longer than usual. Making it to where my legs would fit perfectly. Pulling myself up and kicking him into a soft and easy jog, allowing him to head into the woods that I always rode in, I saw Jack, Caleb's horse, tied up and Bow, Erica's horse. I walked on and saw the two of them pushed against each other, making out it seemed, I dropped my mouth open. Kicking Rebel into a hard canter and tears streamed down my cheeks. "Why does everything has to be do damn complicated?!" I yelled to no one in particular. Rebel neighed and headed to the way back home. Kicking him into a full on gallop. Standing in my two-point position, I looked as he threw his head upwards and I sighed, he snorted and abruptly stopped rearing up and letting out a angered whinny, I kicked his sides and he just neighed, I put a little more spur into his side and he neighed, beginning into a walk. "Come on boy! Let's go!" I kicked his sides a bit harder and he finally went into a smooth gallop. My eyes widened as I saw a horse tied to a tree, it's ribs showed slightly and it neighed softly, breathing heavily. I kicked Rebel and he galloped downhill, I looked as he had scars. His chestnut coat was dark and looking worn. I sighed and let out a low groan, running to the stallion's side. Cautiously, he eyes me and looked depressed. I untied him and sighed, "Who in their right mind would do this to a horse?" I began to untie the horse slowly and then, I saw as the ropes were tied around the stallion's ankles bled softly. I sighed and slowly tied the rope to the saddle horn on Rebel. Mounting onto my black gelding, I kicked him into a trot and had the new stallion follow. I quickly pulled out the cell phone and called up the vet. He answered after the fourth dial tone. "Scott! I got a horse and he's bleeding, I found him tied on the trails. Meet me back at the ranch in 15 minutes!" He agreed and I kicked Rebel into a gallop, seeing the stallion barely kept up. Turning my leg to lightly hit the stallion and he responded immediately. The new stallion galloped with a speed like no other. I smiled and clicked Rebel onward to keep up with the new stallion. ''I'm gonna name him Bullet, I thought in my head.'' I smiled and let out a scream of joy, the two horses neighed in joy as well.

At The Ranch.....

Ashley's POV

I looked as Scott skillfully checked the horse over. I liked the new stallion he was a Quarter Horse. A very skilled barrel racer, he was originally named Spartan but, I decided to name him Bullet. "So Scott, he's so loved and wanted, why would someone tie him up?" Scott shrugged and spoke, "I don't know.. Maybe someone trying to hide him?" I patted the horses neck. "It's sickening to think someone would do this to a horse..." Scott nodded. "Now that I can't disagree on.. Is your little boyfriend around?" I cleared my throat to refrain from crying. "No.. He uh... He isn't my boyfriend and hasn't been around in a while.. Why?" Scott patted Bullet's neck, "You know, there's a rodeo coming up and well, maybe you can enter this boy. He's got the muscle and I think if we take him for a test run maybe we could see his speed." I sighed, "I haven't barrel raced since my brother died a few years ago. His horses legs slipped and he was trampled.." I let out a long, drawn out sigh and spoke, "I'm gonna go get my dad to help me with jumping Apollo some..." I ran out of the barn. "Dad, can you help with Apollo?" He nodded and I ran back outside, grabbing the black, sleek English saddle. Smiling and grabbing my pink saddle pad, grabbing my bridle and walking to Apollo's stall, leading him out and grooming him down. Placing the pink saddle pad onto his back, I went and put the English saddle onto his back, Apollo snorted and moved abruptly, knocking the saddle off of his back. I sighed and grabbed the saddle, bringing it up and placing it onto his back, "Let me saddle you up!" He snorted and moved away, causing me to almost drop the saddle. I groaned and angrily put the saddle onto his back and smacked his nose lightly, tightening up the cinch and placing the bridle onto his head. I mounted up and lead him out. He stopped and his ears flew backwards, he snorted and jumped up a little bit. I kicked him hard and he went into a trot. Leading him to the arena and heading to the vertical. "Alright, come on boy..." I kicked him into a easy canter to get to the obstacle. I saw as he refused, turning him around and again trying. Only to see him refuse again. He then refused and again, and again. I angrily kicked him harder and he whinnied out in a bit of anger, "Apollo! Jump the fence damnit!" My dad shook his head, "Watch that mouth!" I threw my hands up in defeat. "I'm done! I'm not gonna show jump anymore.." I dismounted and looked to see Lilly and Igneous. "Lilly! Your not mad?" I smiled and she shook her head, "Nope. I'm good. You trying to jump Apollo?" I looked away. "No.. I'm never show jumping again.."