Little White Lies

Chapter 35

Breathe, I remind myself. I close my eyes and breathe in through my nose, out through my mouth. Once. Twice. I open my eyes, overwhelmed by the view.

"You ready?" a voice asks and I nod.

I fix my position in the saddle, looking down at Kenzie's braids, "You've got this," the voice says, I look over and see Ava and Kendall standing next to me at the in gate. "Just ride it like we walked it," Kendall adds.

I know this course like the back of my hand, I can hear Kendall going over every choice with me as we walked the course earlier. Canter forward to the first jump, a big formidable looking dark green and gold oxer. The a forward five strides to the second jump, a matching verticle, to the third jump, white oxer with red and green standards. After that it's around the end of the ring to a black skinny gate, four strides to the in and out which we will need to move on down, then four strides to the ASPCA skinny out. Jump seven is the one that makes me the most nervous, the white triple bar oxer with no standards, just greenery on the sides. Once I have that one behind me I think I'll breathe easier, though I probably shouldn't since jump eight is a three jump combination, a one stride to a two stride. That rolls right into a settled six strides to a natural oxer followed by a series of fun rollbacks. The first to a green and white gate then to the red and white which rolls back to the final jump, the ASPCA mountains.

I walk through the gate and enter the huge indoor with the beautifully built jump course that still makes me nervous. I take a few steps in and ask Kenzie for the canter.

"Entering the ring now we have rider number ninety-eight. This is Sawyer Finch on Newsworthy a thirteen year old Oldenburg mare from Smithfield, Virginia.

The course rides perfectly, just the way I thought it would when we walked it. With each jump my heart soars. I have to remind myself to focus several times when I realize I'm getting excited and starting to congratulate myself too soon. Even the triple bar comes up right and just like Jayne told me all those months ago, Kenzie is a pro she doesn't let my butterflies rattle her one bit. My heart is so full and flying a mile high when we soar over that twelfth jump.

I can't believe we just competed at the Maclay finals, something I thought was absolutely insane in March when Ava and Jayne suggested it. Even if we don't make it to the call backs for the flat phase tomorrow this has been an amazing journey. Just a few months ago I thought being here would be impossible, yet somehow we made it happen.

Something tugs at my memory but I brush it away as I break Kenzie down to a trot. I can see Kendall and Ava beaming at me from the gate. I bring Kenzie to a walk and stroll out of the gate.

If nothing else ever goes right in my life again, I'll always be able to tell people I competed in the Maclay finals. I can't stop smiling.

Ava and Kendall are all smiles as they meet me. "That was truly awesome," Ava gushes.

"You're bias," I laugh.

"I've got to tell you, she's right. If you aren't called back for tomorrow I'll be shocked!" Kendall grins. We go over the course again as we make our way back to the barns to untack Kenzie. "I told you not to worry so much about that triple bar, it was effortless."

Just as we get back to the stalls Autumn comes sprinting through the side door. "You were AMAZING!" she yells as she comes jogging up to me.

"You have to say that. I drove you here," I laugh. "You just want your ride home."

"Whatever I have other ways of getting home," Autumn laughs. "So I got you something for doing suck a kick ass job today."

"You got me something? When? I just finished riding!" I laugh.