Horses In My Heart

Show Time

It took at least two hours to get to the show grounds. Horses of all breeds and sizes were hooked up to trailers everywhere. To my right was a tiny 12hh Welsh cob with a girl about 6 grooming him. To my left was a gorgeous pure grey Andalusian standing beside it was a women wearing full dressage attire. I smiled noticing up ahead was an area full of show jumpers like me. My dad parked and I raced out to check on Teagan. I threw open the trailer door and put down the ramp. I hurriedly ran in and stroked Tee's soft muzzle. She whickered and sniffed me searching my pockets for a treat. "Sorry babes not right now" I whispered and untied her lead rope, and lead her down the ramp. I brought her around to the side and tied her then I began to take off her travel boots and blanket.

"Daddy, could you go get my number pleeeaaaassseeee?" I begged hopefully.

He gave me a tired smile "you're lucky you have a father as loving as me" he said and strolled off.

I grinned and put Teagan's boots, blanket and tail wrap back into the trailer and retrieved my grooming kit. Tee's braids luckily were unharmed but her coat could use a dusting off I noticed and got out a dandy brush and began using a sweeping motion to get the dirt off of her.

"Hello!" said a cheerful voice from the neighbouring trailer. "I'm Del!" said a shoulder length brunette standing next to a leggy paint.

"Hi" I said and smiled "I'm Arianna, but everyone calls me Arrie" I said "and this is Teagan, her show name's Touch Of Class though" I added liking this girl.

"Cool this guy's show name is Colour Me Crazy but I just call him Crayola" said Del giving Crayola a loving pat. "You're horse looks pretty young, is it her first show?" Del asked.

"Ya, I trained Tee myself she's only 5. She's a purebred Thoroughbred" I said proudly.

Del smiled, "Crayola's 12, he's a paint" Del said "I better get to work now" she added and smiled, indicating the braids she was in the middle of.

"Cool, see you around!" I said smiling as I turned back to grooming Tee. God, I love horse shows I thought and smiled dreamily.

"Give her a minute to canter first before you jump her" said my dad from the center of the warmup arena. I nodded and trotted into the corner then sat the trot, slipping my outside leg back and smooching quietly. Teagan immediatly responded to my aids and moved forward in a smooth springy canter. I practiced my full seat asking for more speed, as if we were approaching a larger jump and Tee moved forward willingly. I then went back to half-seating and let Teagan go around twice more before stopping.

"Okay dad, she feels warmed up, which jump should I take her over first?" I asked.

"Go for the 2'6 he said" he responded

I nodded and cantered her around once then pointed Tee at the vertical. I counted my strides in my head 1,2,1,2,1,2 I repeated and then looking straight ahead I felt Tee's muscles bunch and I rose into a perfect jump position. I was positioned squarely over her neck giving her a good release and preparing to catch her when we landed. Teagan jumped beautifully with almost no effort and we did a 20 metre circle to finish off the relatively easy but beautiful jump.

"Do the 2'3 oxer next Arianna" said my dad pointing at a red and white striped oxer to my left.

I nodded and cantered around in the opposite direction happily noticing that Teagan had picked up the correct lead, I aimed her at the oxer, and rose out of the saddle then caught Teagan when she landed, we were in perfect sync today! It was going to be an amazing Hunter class I thought happily.

"Number 56 Arianna Caytalie riding Touch Of Class" said a loud speaker calling me to the ring. I glanced at my dad nervously. This was my first hunter over fences class riding Teagan and I anxiously trotted Tee over to the entrance. I had the course memorized to the point where I could probably do it in my sleep. I could feel Teagan bellow me, eager to go. "You can do this" I whispered to myself and cantered into the ring. Knowing that this class was Hunter and simply based on making Tee look good I gave her a moment to survey the course before approaching the first jump a simple 2'6 vertical line. I counted strides and at the perfect second I gave Teagan a nudge and she lifted off, we flew over the jump, my position perfect, heels down and eyes ahead and her knees square! head forward and engaged. As we landed I kept her pointed at the next jump in the line almost the same as the first. 2 more strides, 1 and 0 again we lifted in perfect sync touching down and cantering off on the right lead toward a tall evil looking oxer, Teagan became a bit uncertain as we approached so I full seated asking her for more, and she gave it to me again we were the perfect team. We completed the remaining jumps with ease and finished off with a cantered circle. We trotted out of the arena.

"Teagan, you were amazing!" I said so happily I had tears. My parents congratulated me as did a couple of strangers on the great course. When we were called back in and given the blue first place ribbon, my heart sang with joy. Beside me was my new friend Del who had the red.

"Congrats!" she whispered to me as we left.

"You too!" I said and sighed stroking Tee's neck happily.

As I left the arena I noticed a lady in her fifties speaking to my parents and who I assumed were Del's parents. When I walked over the lady left and my parents were exchanging grins.

"Who was that?" I asked as I dismounted giving Teagan a carrot and clipping the ribbon onto her bridle.

"Oh nobody" my mom said sneakily.

"Who?!?" I asked feeling that this was important.

"That was Catherine Bluefront. The owner and principal of Bluefront Equestrian Academy. She wants to offer you and Teagan a scholarship" my dad said smiling.

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god! You're kidding! THE Catherine Bluefront wants ME at her academy! Yes, yes, yes, yes!" I screamed jumping up and down. Teagan threw her head, wondering what was going on.

"I thought you'd say that" my mom said and enveloped me in a hug which my dad joined in to as well.

I turned around and hugged Teagans head. "You hear that Tee?!? We're going to Bluefront, BLUEFRONT!!!" I screamed happily.

"Arianna?" said a voice from my left, I turned expecting my mom or dad.

"Ya?" I said, it was Del.

"I heard you screaming and I was wondering if you got into someplace special" Del said resisting a grin.

"Oh my gosh, you didn't get in too did you?!?!?" I said about to burst with happiness.

Del smiled and gave me a friendly hug, I hugged her back. "By the way call me Arrie, only my dad calls me Arianna!" I said giggling.

"Okay" said Del, "I'll see you around then!" she said and handed me a piece of paper with her address and cell number on it.

"Cool see you!" I said and happily lead Teagan back to our trailer and car thinking dreamily of what was about to come.