Flying Change

Chapter 18

I could feel the butterflies bubbling in my stomach as I walked Cabby on a loose rein. It was the first day of Aachen and the atmosphere was bubbling. I had never felt anything like it. There were people swarming, a village of shopping and flowers everywhere. Every big name in every discipline was here. Everywhere you looked there was an Olympian or a world champion. I felt like a little girl again. Nothing could quite have prepared me for this.

"Lexi, pick him up, give him a jump before you walk the course." Stefan nodded at someone to drop the warm up fence and I picked up Cabby and started our warm up routine.

I popped him over two fences and then heard the call for riders to prepare for course walk. I could hear the clicking of cameras as I walked him back to Stefan and Phillip and slipped off of his back.

"Ready?" Phillip asked. His hair slicked back and his eyes shielded by sunglasses.

"Yeah," I took my jacket from Stefan and we set off toward the arena. "The press are out in full force today." I said quietly.

"Yeah I guess since they got wind of the Joe Baines scenario they think we're a good bet for Photo's." I could see his jaw was set in an unhappy line.

"Come on," I took his hand and gave it a squeeze. "We need to focus."

We strode onto the emerald green turf and I focused my mind on the jumps in front of me, I could hear the stands filling up and I heard a bunch of girls giggle as Phillip walked into the arena.

"Okay, remember this arena sucks you into having time faults because it's so big," Stefan said as we walked the track, it was big and technical. "You have to travel, and the water can be daunting so you have to give them a good ride to it. Phillip, don't let Rev have one thought other than his job once he steps in this arena." We both nodded seriously. This was the big leagues and I knew neither of us needed these warnings, we knew how much this meant. "Don't get caught out by being pulled down to that vertical, they'll run towards the gate so you have to keep them off the forehand and make sure they stay up." We both nodded and he gave us both grave looks before he waved us off. I headed back to the warm up and I heard Phillip being called aside by his team Chef D'equipe.

I hopped back onto Cabby and took a deep breath. I heard the bell ring to signal the end of course inspection and picked Cabby up into a rocking canter. He popped easily over a warm up fence, and I heard the steward call me to the gate.

The crowd clapped in respectful applause as the rider ahead of me cantered through the finish with five faults. I took a deep breath and nudged Cabby into the arena. The emerald turf sprung under his feet and I felt the atmosphere prickle my skin as we cantered towards the start poles. Cabby snorted gently at the atmosphere and I took a deep breath and pushed him forward, murmuring sweet nothings under my breath.

The bell rang and I cantered an arc, setting my sights on the first fence, a solid oxer. Cabby flew over it and I felt the adrenaline kick in, we charged down towards the second element, taking the dogs leg on the inside line in six and flying the third fence. We swung around the left turn and I aimed him at the first real question, a solid wall, followed seven strides later by an open water facing into the main grandstand. Just a I half halted him.

"Whoa," I called, holding him off of the wall. He listened and we found our spot, he jumped it easily and I landed and put my foot down. I felt him charge forward into the bridle, I could see the water coming up fast, I sat up and balanced him. I felt him take off and fly over the water. As we landed I slammed my wight back into the saddle, half halting hard, I felt him skip and shorten his body. I could see the double of tall airy verticals looming in front of us. I half halted again just in time, feeling him find a spot, it was close. He screwed his body up throwing his hind legs out of the way of the first element, one stride and he pulled his shoulders up and threw himself over the second element.