(AN: Image up the top is how I imagine Rain to look like)
I breathed in the sweet familiar smell of the barn. Filled with the comforting scents of horses, oaten chaff and leather.
Heading down the aisles towards a certain stall I heard a whinny and a familiar face poke out from one of the stalls. Smiling at the chestnut appaloosa's head I started talking to her. Rain had been my horse right from when I started riding at 6, though she technically wasn't mine. We had pretty much grown up around each other, since she was only a very young horse when I started here. She belonged to the stables and equestrian centre, but everyone knew I loved her. My instructor Avery nearly always pairs me with her for lessons, we work so well together. Unless he decides he wants me to try and ride other horses, which can be fun, but Rain is always my girl.
Grabbing the tack box I started working over her broad shoulders and the dappled coat on her rump. It looked as if someone had dusted icing sugar over her rump, or snow had fallen and left a permanent stain.
As I idly picked out Rain's hooves, the twins James and Luke came up to the stall door.
"Hey Ally, guess what we are doing in the lesson today?" Luke said, both grinning like idiots.
"Well, guessing by your ridiculous smiles I'm guessing speed games?" The twins were a bit dare devilish, and were always wanting to go fast. Though they always put their horses first and never put them in any kind of danger.
"Yep!" They replied in unison, then running off. For 15 year olds they can sometimes act like they are 9.
Heading to the tack room I bumped into Emma, one of my closest friends in the class.
"Hey Em, who are you riding today?" I asked
"Well, PJ, and let me guess, we are doing speed games" she replied in a sarcastic manner. PJ was a sweet boy, and Emma did really like him. He wasn't exactly eager to do much though, he needs a bit of encouragement to move.
"Oh boy, you're going to have fun" putting on a grimace.
I had Rain saddled and bridled within ten minutes and I headed out to the arena for gear check. Avery came up to each student and checked their girths were tight enough, no broken parts on the saddle nor bridle. As the remaining few students filed in, Avery began the lesson.
"Alright, we are doing western style games today, though I have modified it slightly to fit with your English saddles and training. There is the weaving poles, barrel races and so on and so forth" he announced to the class.
The twins were grinning like Cheshire cats, and both their horses looked just as excited. Both thoroughbreds stood to attention with ears pricked forward. Bullet, Luke's horse pawed at the ground while Jet, James' horse, snorted in excitement.
PJ as usual looked dozy and half asleep, and Emma sent a 'what am I going to do?' look. I simply smiled back at her and shrugged slightly. My attention was snapped back as Rain started shifting her weight below me, she wanted to move.
As usual we did a lot of warm ups before our lesson really started. Before I knew it, it was our turn to take on the barrel. I feel Rain quiver beneath me, holding her breath as I was, ready to go. The countdown ended and we burst forth with a jump, taking me by surprise a bit. We galloped up to the barrel at the end of the arena. As we approached I slowed her down to a canter, took the turn then galloped back down for the home straight. The class clapped as we crossed the line.
"Best time yet Ally, but watch out at the start, don't let her go too early" Avery turned to the next student in line.
"Awesome Ally!" Emma and I high-fived over our horses.
"Hey you're the one that needs the compliments. You got PJ to canter!" I replied with a laugh.
"Yes well, that was from a bit of encouragement from Avery" she laughed.
An hour later the lesson ended, and both horse and rider were covered in sweat from the class.
Walking back towards the barn together, Emma and I talked about my internet discovery of the summer camp.
"It sounds really good, but how much does it cost?" She asked skeptically
I let out a deep breath and replied, "I actually have no idea, but it looks amazing"
Emma nodded in agreement.
"Hey guys, do you want to come for a trail ride later with us?" Abby and Chelsea came up to us. It made sense, stable rules, you were only allowed to go on a trail ride with a minimum of three people.
I nodded enthusiastically, "Sounds great!"
Chelsea smiled, "Awesome, we are heading up towards the creek, it's about a 1/2 hour ride there and back. All good?"
"We'll be there" Emma agreed.
The two girls walked off, and said over their shoulders "meet at the front of the barn at 2:00pm"
Emma and I parted to take care of our horses, brushing, sponging and watering. Once they had been taken care of we headed to the lounge where everybody was hanging out after their lessons.
We lay side by side on the couch in our jodhpurs that were covered in horse hair and who knows what else. I thought about who I was going to fried on the trail ride. Rain was my obvious choice, but she may be booked for another lesson.
We chatted to each other about horses, gymkhanas, saddles and just about anything horse related until we realised it was time to get ready for the trail ride.
I scanned the list of lessons and horses for Saturday, and was pleased to find that Rain wasn't needed until 5'o clock for a theory lesson. Most likely based around her coat and markings. The creek trail wasn't strenuous, and it was a fairly short ride. Also Rain still had energy to burn even though her lesson this morning was pretty intense.
As I walked to her stall carrying the saddle I was very tempted to ride tackles, like we preferred. Yet I figured it would be best if I adhered to stable rules. They were pretty much the only rules I actually followed, and even then, I occasionally stretched them. Though I would never put a horse in danger.
There was once this girl named Kira, and she was stuck up, rude, and plain cruel to here horse, a beautiful gelding who did not deserve an owner like Kira. I may have swapped her black shoe polish for her thousand dollar riding boots (maybe an exaggeration on price) for a hot pink coloured shoe polish. Frankly the shade that her cheeks were afterwards were about that colour.
I grinned at the memory as I saddled Rain and trotted her out, jumping on while she was moving. I fiddled with the strap of my helmet as the three other girls came out, and we headed off down the trail.
As we reached the creek we ground tied our horses, rolled up our joddies and slipped off our boots. The cool of the water complimented the warm afternoon perfectly, and the sun came through the trees creating distorted shapes of light on the water.
Rain ambled over and lipped the water, then proceeded to swing her head around and splash all four of us. We were in an ecstasy of laughter, and the horses whinnied, joining in on the raucous noise we were making.
With the horses snorting nearby and friends around me, I knew,
'This is what summers are made of'
YOU ARE READING
Rain
General FictionAlly has no clue what she wants to do with her life, all's she knows is that she has a love for horses. When she is accepted into a summer school based around horses she is over the moon, and her adventures and the 'Inkheart Horsemanship Program' ar...
