Jumping Gem

Ashley

The first show is coming up in just 1 day, I can not wait to get back to showing. The crowd watching, the judge judging, the ribbon holder giving me a champion ribbon. The smiles on everyone's face.

This morning was different, I don't have a horse to show. I am stuck watching my sister ride her horse, Thunder. The start of the season and there was no one for me to ride. Not a horse like Thunder who won every single show, not even a horse like Snicket who dumped his rider in every single show.

I have a horse but she can't show, she has a wonky leg. Her name is Bella, she's my favourite.

Oh wait, I haven't told you who I am! Well, my name is Ashley, I am 15, I have blond ratty hair that's always in a ponytail, I have ocean blue eyes. In my family, I have an identical twin, a stepsister, a stepfather and my mom. My father passed away from a heart attack when I was 5. At my house every day is Groundhog Day, wake up got to my grandmas, play with horses, come home do chores and school work, and go to bed.

I don't get much free time. I am homeschooled and it's pretty great. I live in a tiny house on top of The Blue Mountains in Ontario. My grandma lives 4 minutes away and has a barn full of horses that she takes care of every day. The barn is my second home!

"Ashley! What are you doing? Can you help me with my saddle?" Hanna, my identical twin, asked.

"Nothing, just writing in my diary," I replied.

"Well you need to help me, my first trip is in 30 minutes."

This is what always happens at shows, I was the groom, she rides and wins ribbons. Last year I did one show with Bella and we found out that her leg is a little wonky but you wouldn't be able to see it. Anyways, my sister's horse is Thunder. He is a beautiful Palomino, Quarter Horse. He and Hanna do Jumpers, speed and height are all that matters in that ring.

"Come on Ash!" Hanna yelled.

"Ya, coming! I called.

I helped Hanna into the saddle and we started walking to the C warmup ring.

As Hanna walked into the ring I told her, "Good luck, you'll do great! I'm just gonna go watch the Hunters in the other ring."

"Thank you, okay."

I started walking towards the A ring. The Hunter division was my favourite, all that mattered in the Hunter ring is how good the horse looks as it jumps, the strides in between jumps and the leads. I watched as number 178 was having their first trip. The horse was beautiful, it was a grey and had a beautiful stride and jump. I could see that the tail is braided and the main, it looked so pretty!

I heard a trailer pull into the show warmup ring across from the one I was watching. As I turn around I see the trailer has the logo, 'Farview Stables' the barn that Analee Pritam goes to. I didn't hate Analee because she gets whatever she wants, not because she always tries to beat my sister, not because she complains about everything, not because she is snotty and will do anything to win. Oh, wait that's exactly why I hate her!

The trailer was a huge 6 horse trailer and only had one horse on it. A man unlatched the horses back bar and he man in the trailer started to walk it off the trailer. Well, that didn't really work because the horse freaked out and started galloping around the ring. The men clearly know nothing about the horse, I start walking over there until on the speakers it's Hanna's first trip.

"Watch out! Watch out!" I hear people yelling. It was the men who were trying to get the horse.

I felt so bad for the horse, it looked so scared. It must have gone through a bad experience I think. The horse finally stops and looks straight at me, as if it was looking into my soul. The horse neighs and the people grab her. After I watch my sisters trip I will go talk to Avery about that horse, I think. I turn and walk to ring C. My sister, again gets a record-breaking round and stands with my coach to get a picture of her ribbons.