Love, Ryder

Chapter Twenty-One - Making Of A Legend

Ail's POV

I leave Ryder to sleep as I pack the trailer for the first rodeo that I've completed in this year, even though it's May. I get my two barrel saddles and load them in the trailer, along with my Louis Vuitton breastplate and bridle for Token and my Rockin' A Custom Leather dark brown and rose gold breastplate and bridle for the newest addition to the family Lola. I brought her around a month ago, she's a buckskin Quarter Horse, who was professionally trained in barrels and last month I decided to sell Maple to a teenager starting out in barrels. They suited each other and I was somewhat growing out of Maple. I slide my aqua saddle pad and pink saddle pad into a draw in the trail along with matching coloured boots. My clothes get hung up in a small closet along with a few little trinkets. 

∞

Once I arrive in Arlington for today's rodeo, I unload Token and Lola and tie them to the outside of the trailer. I leave the girls rugs on until I've finished cleaning out the horse area of the trailer. Token and I are running second and then Lola and I run in twentieth, which gives me plenty of time to change and clean up in between. 

I brush my hands on my grey leggings and realise that I look completely out of place amongst the girls unloading their horses. Dressed in jeans and tank tops. While I look like I'm ready for the gym. 

Once I close the back of the trailer I take Token's rug off and brush her coat over and braid her mane. In the past six months, she has come along nicely as a barrel mount. Each and every day she just gets better and better. 

∞

I saddle Token up and spray her over with Cowboy Magic before I go into the trailer and get changed into a pair of jeans and a fluro pink rodeo shirt. I pull on my boots, let my hair out of the ponytail and place my white rodeo hat on my head. 

∞

Token and I trot around the warm-up ring, and spin in a few circles before we have to go out in ten minutes. We have moved around to the back of the ally way and stand to wait to be called. After a brunette and paint, horse makes a run Token and I make our way into the ally way. This is the first time that Token has completed at a rodeo so it's really exciting. 

Token jumps sideways with energy and she feels me squeeze her slightly. That is enough to get her galloping into the arena and around that first right barrel. She spins around it and lurches to the second, I hold the horn of the saddle as we spin around and I push her as we gallop up the third barrel. Token takes the third barrel in her stride and gallops home, I give her the rein and lean over her neck. 

When I pull her up in the ally I pat her neck. 

''Good girl, good girl.''

∞

Once I take Token back to the trailer, I saddle Lola up with the aqua saddle pad and my NFR qualification saddle. I adjust the aqua sports medicine boots on her legs and go into the trailer and pull on my aqua rodeo shirt. I lead Lola over to the warm-up ring and mount her before we make our way into the ally way. 

Lola trots into the ally and I kick her, she bursts into a gallop and around the first right barrel, we then run to the second, adrenaline pumping through my veins. Up and around the third and then we gallop home with all the energy we have left.