pine ridge equestrian academy

chapter 1

I pulled up in front of a beautiful barn, it had large cedar colums and huge red doors. You could see through the windows into the beautiful jumping arena... it was gigantic! As the truck pulled to a stop I opened the door and ran back to the trailer. I was excited to unload my babies and get them settled. My mom helped me unload my horse's and bring them into the barn. I requested pasture board so I was confused as to why we were being lead down the barn hall. But when we came to the stalls all of my worries were brought to a halt. The stalls had doors leading out to a nicely sized pasture where my horse's could roam and graze. I peeled the halter off my amazing thoroughbred gelding Max while my mom did the same to my warmblood Rosie. They were both happy to be out of the trailer after the 6 hours from my house to the school. I turned around and scurried to grab my bags from the truck box.

Lugging my heavy suitcases up the stairs was a job even for me. I opened the door to my dorm and was completely at a loss for breath and words when I saw it. The room was a burgundy color with cedar to match the barn it had a lovely kitchen for the nights we were required to cook for ourselves. It had a big living room decorated like it was the 1950s and I honestly am in love. I can't decide if I should scream or just smile. The only down side is that I would now have to turn around and say good bye to my mom... So that is exactly what I do. Turning around tears begin to well and my breathing gets rapid and I pull my mom into a hug. Her short figure squeezes my slim one and suddenly I am reassured it will all be ok I can do this.

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After finishing a wonderful meal that I cooked in my kitchen, I made my way back down to the barn to ride. As I approached my stalls I heard footsteps coming near. I whipped around and was face to face with a girl who looked around my age. She had shoulder length brown hair and a bounce to her step, she was carrying a butt load of tack and it looked as though she was about to drop her saddle. so I grabbed it from her and followed close behind her to where her gelding was tied. Once we reached him I set the saddle on the rack and stuck my hand out to her she smiled warmly and introduced herself as Shelby. I knew straight off the bat that she was my kind of person but I couldn't stay and chat so I excused myself to get my own chestnut out of her stall. I picked up the leather halter and put it on my mare. She walked close behind me on our way to the tack up area weary of her surroundings. I knew that we would have a choppy ride tonight but I was ok with that. After all we were just excited to be here. Shelby was still tacking up her horse so we made friendly banter as we tacked up. Unfortunately she was headed to the jumping arena leaving me to find me way to the dressage ring. Once we got there I almost fell to my knees in amazement it was so lovely. The green hedges surrounding the berrier I knew they were fake but it still had an almost magical glow. So I excitedly opened the gate and mounted my mare. We worked well but not the best we ever had. We just did simple things like bending and tempi changes. By the end of the ride my girl was tired and had a good sweat on so I jumped off and went to untack. After I finished untacking I brought her into the wash bay to give her a well deserved cold hoas before securing her cooler on and turning her out. After she was in her pasture I prepared dinner for both max and Rosie to eat I put the grain in the bins and started out of the barn to go to bed.

When I got back to my dorm I sat down and put on a movie I didn't really pay attention because I was so amazed to be here and riding for the team....

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My alarm went off. It was the first day of arena orientations we were getting put into groups of eight. The groups went off of discipline and rider horse skill. So I lugged myself out of bed and tossed on breaches and a riding skin. To say I was excited would be a complete understatement I was ecstatic. I hoped I was in a group I could get along with... a group that wasn't full of spoiled rotten riders that have nothing else to learn. I ran down the stairs and to the barn I truged to the stall where Max was. He is who I am going to ride, he is my baby, my best friend and my best horse so I gripped my halter and secured it on his face. I brushed him thoroughly and tacked him up in his jumping gear. Today we are eventers and we will be grouped with our rightfull colleagues. We walked to the arena and warmed up with everyone, we did our course then all horse's and riders were lined up. They called riders upon riders until finally my name was called I squeezed max forward to the group I was put into. We were named "jx eventers" and there were so many of us. Girls upon girls with only 2 boys one of the 2 boys seemed to draw me in almost like I needed to meet him.