Silver Hawk Ridge: Taking Flight

{ Chapter 1 }

Smooth rocking....
Just move with the canter, the fence is right there.
Deafening cheers...
They're beneath you Savannah , just focus.....

Earlier this morning...

"Can you pass me the black rubber bands?" I asked as I frantically looked up from my button plaiting, hands covered in conditioner (I know it should be done before arrival, but my horse messed her's up after the first class miserably). Not a hair can be out of place, I do what I must, even if it means my hands covered in goop. "Dangit Rega, this is why you leave your braids IN!"

"Incoming!"

I barely hear the crinkling of the Ziploc bag before it sails towards my head. I duck behind my horse's back before the projectile can hit me.

"You know you're not supposed to throw anything around the horses Delaney!" I mocked in reproach at my barn bestie. She popped up from behind her horse Juicy's back. Her black hair was in a discombobulated top knot, and the mischief was shining in her green eyes.

"It's not like I hit your horse, 'Van." She teased me with the nickname I despise (but I love Delaney, so whatever). Sighing, I herded the errant rubber bands back into the bag, and stepped back up on my stool to re-plait my horse's mane. I got Rega for my 11th birthday. Her original owners had named her "Regalo" which is spanish for gift, but I changed her show name to The Promise of Hope, but we still called her Rega. Since then we'd been inseparable, having one of those partnerships most can only dream of having.

And it had brought us here today, almost six years later, at the Lakeside Opens in Lexington, Kentucky. This is one of the biggest competitions in the region, and riders from all over come to compete. A competitor could seriously make a name for themselves here, but that required major talent amidst the fierce horse and rider teams that show up, determined to win.

This year however, there was a catch. The highest scoring rider in the 14-18 age division would be awarded a full ride scholarship to Silver Hawk Ridge Academy. This school had the potential to make people's dreams, equestrian or otherwise, come true. Which, of course, means EVERYONE was going to want it.
Finishing the final, precise button fix on Rega's mane, I wiped my hands off on my towel behind me and checked my watch. I still had an hour and 45 minutes before my warmup started. I looked around Rega's hindquarters to find Juicy fully untacked and relaxing comfortably in her stall. Delaney had missed the jump off cutoff margin by a hair, so she was out of the running for the scholarship, but she knew she had done a good job and was proud of Juicy. That was all that mattered to both of us. Only 3 riders had tied and qualified for the jump off, and I was one of them.

"Uuuggghh Delaney, what if I completely screw it up?", I whined frantically. I turned around grab my saddle, only to find the rack empty. Where the hell is it? I can't just do a jump off with 1 meter 20 fences BAREBACK (I could, but I'd rather not risk that in a jump off). Oh wait...there it is, staring up at me clear as day, in my tack trunk. Geez Savannah! Get your head on straight!

"You won't mess it up. Even if you did, dare I say it, Debby, me, Rega, and everyone at the barn will still love you anyway." Delaney came around behind me and gave me a reassuring squeeze. "You're here for a reason doll, prove it".

"That's right" I heard my trainer Debby Bristow ring out behind me. She gave me and Rega a pat on each of our shoulders, and looked at me with her aged brown eyes. Behind the wrinkles were years of fire, wisdom, and love. "Just trust your horse, yourself, and the relationship you two have together and let it guide you through. You're not here because you asked to be, you're here because you wanted to be. I'll see you in the warmup". With that, she strolled out of the barn into the sunlight, boot heels striking an echo through the barn.