Silverstone: Perfection is Not Enough

Chapter 9

a/n: Dedicated to kepet123 for being the first commenter! Thank you soooo much!!!

As it's my turn to mount, I lead Arrow up alongside the mounting block while I climb up the steps to it, but he shys away from it.

"Come on, boy," I whisper soothingly, and this time, he halts squarely alongside the block. I swing a leg over his back and the saddle, and I sit.

Sitting on Arrow feels like sitting on a rocket: like he might bolt off at any single moment, that any move could be the wrong move. But it also feels exhilarating, like the rocket is going at a hundred miles an hour and not stopping. I place my feet in the stirrups, take the reins, and nudge him foward on the way that I would to Blue.

While Blue would walk foward at a stout pace, Arrow does a mini half-stride in canter and leaps foward. Okay, I really need to tone down my aids. I rub his neck, while whispering softly. He calms down slowly, and I walk him foward into the school. 

The indoor school is a twenty by sixty arena, with a sand-and-silicone flooring and large floodlights which are at the moment switched off. Everyone is halted in the middle, making a line which goes over X. I halt next to Rose, who is mounted on top of...

Leapfrog. The spooky, demented buckskin, who really lives up to his name.

Him and Rose? I'd say scared, but that might be an understatement.

"You chose him?" I laugh.

Rose raises her chin indignantly. "Yes. And?"

"Nothing," I shake my head, stifling more laughter. My amusement spooks Arrow, and I walk him round in circles to calm him down.

"Well," arose says, raising an eyebrow, "Leapfrog is less spooky than him. Which one is he?"

"Flying Arrow," I inform her. She nods.

"Oh yeah. Dark bays aren't really my type, to be honest."

Two people approach us on their horses: Tabitha and Bertie. Bertie is mounted on what must be Toblerone: a bright bay KWPN, with a short black mane and tail. Tabitha is on Leona, but what I expected to be an expensive Warmblood-type horse or something is a skewbald horse, about a hand taller than Arrow. Leona looks more like a small plow horse than a dressage one, but she has a graceful walk, and a kind-looking face. Tabitha fits perfectly on her with long, slim legs.

"So, you picked the spook?" Bertie asks me, looking at Arrow. 

"Huh?"

"I heard some girl whose cousin or something works as a stable hand in this barn. Her friend broke her arm when he threw her," Bertie explains. I nod.

"Yeah, Lucy told me. I love your horses," I reach over to pat Leona. "She's so sweet."

"And I love her for it!" Tabitha jokes.

At this point, Lucy follow the last rider into the school and closes the metal door behind her.

"Alright, Valegro! Stop talking and stand still so I can do a tack check!"

I halt Arrow, hoping that he won't bolt off into the sunset. Lucy travels up the line, and when she reaches me, she looks up at me.

"If he starts to spook, scratch his neck, here," she offers, and pints to a spot just below the end of his mane. 

"Thank you," I nod. She smiles and moves up the line. 

When she's finally done, she steps back and says, "Okay, great start, you were all pretty much okay with your tack. Also, you put on the right saddle cloth. Now, all just form the ride, and I'll move some of you around depending on your horse."