Winter in August

Chapter 3

-Blackberry
-Celestina
-Willow

"Okay so, those are the horses I have to work with, and since you're here, maybe you could try to work with Tucker, since he obviously doesn't like anybody else." I say looking at the stallion who's ears are pinned back a me.

"Yaaa" he says stretching the word while his eyes dart from Tucker to me and back to Tucker.

"First, I'm going to work with Celestina, could you get Blackberry?" I ask already making my way to the Appaloosa's pasture.

"Celestina!" I sing, and she trots over to me. I easily halter her and lead her to the cross ties, where I quickly run a hard brush over her then tack her up English. Bringing her to the arena I mount and warm her up before dismounting her and setting some jumps up. I hop back onto Celestina and do another warm up lap before pointing her toward the coarse.

We soar over the first jump and continue to do so through out the rest of the jumps until Tyler walks in with Blackberry at his side. He mounts the gelding and warms him up by doing a few laps around the arena before trotting up next to Celestina and me.

"Can you jump?" I question him.

He smirks, "Watch me." He kicks Blackberry and they start at the first jump.

"Don't get your ego up to high, the jumps are only 2'9" high!" I yell at him.

"If you doubt me so much, I'll raise them." His smirk only grows.

Jumping off Blackberry he raises them to 3'-2".

"Now that's a bit more competition." He says. I didn't expect him to raise them that high, I think as I watch him canter Blackberry over the coarse. Tyler looks overly confident as he and Blackberry fly over each jump.

When they finish Tyler pats Blackberry's neck and trots over to us. I take this as my cue to start as my heels tap Celestina's flank and she canters towards the first jump. We leave that one with a lot of room and lope towards the next one, flying over that, I pat Celestina's neck and we finish the coarse with an oxer, which she handles perfectly.

We finish and trot back to where Tyler and Blackberry stand watching us.

"That was surprisingly good." Tyler says.

I smack his arm but a small smile forms its way onto my face.

We cool the horses down and put them in their pastures. I then grab Willow while Tyler gets Tucker. I bring Willow into the arena and mount. I warm her up a bit and Tyler joins me on Tucker.

"I wanted to work on dressage with her if you don't mind." I say looking at Tucker.

"That should be fine, I'll see if he cooperates."

I bring Willow into a smooth walk and so goes our training.

Half an hour later, we bring the sweaty horses into a walk, and cool them down before putting them in their designated pastures.

When we walk out a trailer pulls up. Tyler walks home and I go up to the trailer. What I see inside, or more specifically who, will change my life forever.