Comeback *Book One*

Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

*two days later*

It was early in the morning as Dee pulls into AEC for the second competition day. For our team, show jumping starts at nine, or in three hours. Jill has been acting super weird lately ever since I told her the news. She has hardly said a word to me and I'm upset. I miss talking to my best friend.

Dee parks the truck and we all jump out. As I walk over to Beau's stall, I see him sleeping in the corner, hoof cocked. I open the door and step in side. ever since Kelly's little prank, I have been super paranoid, checking all of my tack and Beau before I ride. Everything seems fine, thankfully.

I absentmindedly whisk my body brush over Beau's already shiny coat. Then, I take the soft brush down his legs and pick the shavings out of his shoes with a hoof pick. In twenty minutes, Dee will be taking me, Jill, and GiGi to walk the stadium course. All I know is that the jumping course has eight jumps in total and it is located in the outdoor ring. We are allowed to take a few practice jumps in the warmup ring but that is it. Today will be a long and tiring day. My ride is the earliest out of our team, then it is GiGi at eleven, and finally Jill at three. Why are rides are spread out so far apart, I don't know. Because of this we won't find out our placings until four. I wish it was earlier.

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The course. Eight jumps. Seems simple right. Yeah, not this one. the turns were sharp, and the jumps were high. This had to be the most intense and hard course I have taken at a show.

I check my watch. I had to hurry! Dee wants me in the warmup ring in ten minutes.

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After quickly changing into a pair of fawn colored breeches, black Ariat tall boots, a white blouse, and a black jumping show jacket, I rush out to tack up Beau.

GiGi is already tacking him up, telling me to finish getting ready. I thank her while putting on my spurs and my Charles Owen show helmet. Before leaving the tack room to get Beau, I put on my black leather gloves, grab my black crop, and finally, my charm necklace. GiGi meets me by the tack room door and hands me Beau's reins. He looks handsome in his new chocolate brown Barnsby jump saddle and matching bridle. His saddle pad is a simple white fitted pad that ties the tack together.

"Thanks." I tell GiGi while walking towards Dee.

Dee gives me a leg up and I speed walk next to her towards the warmup ring. I stick my feet in the stirrups and gather up my reins.

I enter the warmup ring and Dee instructs me to guide Beau into working trot and I do as I am told. I easily rise up and down to Beau's quick two beat stride. The arena is crowded with other riders about to do the same jumping course as me. A girl on a buckskin mare is already riding the show jumping course. In the arena over, a younger boy is riding a palomino over the beginner course.

I focus my attention back to Beau as I switch diagonals to the left by doing a half circle. Trust me, not an easy task with an arena flooded with other riders. After I sitf or a beat to go on the correct lead, I ask Beau for a working canter. When he ignores my cues and continues to trot, I gently hit him with my crop. In response, Beau whisks his tail and breaks into a wrong lead choppy canter. "Beau! Work with me here!" I talk to him quietly as I slow back to a trot and ask for the transition again. This time, he listens to me and goes on the correct lead.

There were three practice jumps, all lined up in the arena. There was a small X, a two and a half foot vertical, and a three and a half foot oxer. Dee wanted me to go over just the vertical. I do as Dee pleases and line myself in front of the tiny jump. "Vertical!" I shout, loud enough for every person in the ring to hear me. Sitting deep in the saddle until right in front of the jump, I tap Beau with my crop to get his attention. What is up with him today! Beau takes off a stride to late, knocking the rail. I sigh and slow him to a walk to hear what she says about my practice ride.

"Go wait over there for your turn." She says

What? No critique or even a simple 'you suck'!?

"Oh, and Ali," I turn my head to Dee who is walking next to me, "Don't mess up."

Well no shit.

I hold Beau's reins in my hand and watch Kelly ride the course before me. Again, she makes a fool of her self. She kicks her poor horse in the sides with her spurs before ever jump, making him drop almost every rail. Her horse finally had enough. Right before the last jump, Kelly's horse skids to a stop, propelling her over the jump. After she lands, she stands up and does the most horrid thing I have ever seen. Crop raised, she runs over to her horse and hits him in the shoulder. Hard. The crowd gasps as she raises the crop again. Before she can hit the poor guy, he canters away and gallops over to the arena fence and leaps over it. I gasp and throw my reins into Dee's hands. Kelly's horse has slowed to a speeding trot, which is not easy to do in the crowd. I run over to the scared horse and grab his reins. He is heaving heavily as I quietly sooth him. Kelly's mother and trainer walk over to me and take the horse.

"Thanks, honey. That girl is going to be in a lot of trouble when she gets home tonight!" Tonight? the show doesn't end until Sunday. I think to myself for a second before a light bulb goes off. After a rider is disqualified, they are out of the show. At least I don't have to deal with her anymore. Hopefully, my ride doesn't end like that.

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