Born In The Saddle - Quicksilver Stud - Book 1 (#wattys2016)

Chapter 18

Clay's encouragement to ride at the Showcross was like lighting the blue touch paper. I threw myself into training like it was the only thing in the world that mattered - or even existed.

Not that it was all fun and games. After my agreement to train Clay had warned me that he was going to be a hard task master, even more than before. And he wasn't lying. Somehow my uncle had gone from an easy going, horse mad, cowboy to a full on army drill sergeant. He even had Amber and I going for a daily run. Apparently the ponies being fit is pointless if we can't keep up with them.

'I told you this wasn't going to be easy Jenna.' Clay yellled from his position in the lower field.

Amber smiled at me sympathetically as she trotted passed on the opposite rein. I pulled my lips together and bit them from the inside.

'I must not lose my temper....I must not lose my temper....' I repeated over and over. Clay was really pushing me. My tired body....and mind....were weighing heavily on my patience. I had to remind myself he was doing this for my benefit, not his. 'I must not lose my temper....I must not lose my temper....' I repeated again.

Clay had us both training like demons. Every muscle was sore and stiff - my arms, my legs, my back. Even my hair looked tired - all flat and lifeless under my riding hat.

Clay huffed loudly, removing his Stetson and shaking a hand through his hair in frustration. At least it was proof the damn thing wasn't glued on. I never saw him without that hat.

'Right, that's enough.' He called out. 'Let's call it a day.'

In a split second Amber and I sagged in the saddle thankful today's workout was over. The muscles in my arms tingled from the sudden relief. Without instruction both ponies trudged towards Clay for today's notes.

'Right, Amber......' Automatically my brain switched off, almost like sleeping with my eyes open. 'And Jenna...' I dragged my brain back to it's 'on' mode.

'Hmm?'

'You start every lesson well, full of attack and enthusiasm but within half an hour it's like a different girl sat on the back of that pony. I don't know if it's your fitness letting you down or...'

'What? I can do this. Maybe if you didn't just yell at me all the time.....'

'Look,' Clay cut in sternly. 'There may be times when I push you so hard you actually hate me - I know Amber does.' I rolled my eyes to my equally exhausted cousin who just smiled and raised her eyebrows in agreement.

'But this requires absolute dedication. There's no point even bothering if you're not going to try.'

'I am trying.' I snapped back defensively.

'Really? Well, try harder.'

Amber and I rode back to the stables in silence as my temper threatened to boil over. I didn't want to take out my tiredness and frustration on Amber, who seemed to be struggling with her own tired irritation. So, instead I filled my head with all the witty, sarcastic replies I should have thrown back at Clay at the time - if only I hadn't been too tired to come up with them in the moment.

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As quickly as I'd fallen into a yard work routine with Amber I found it even easier to centre my life around training. My body became so used to the same cycle over and over again that I found myself halfway through tasks before realising I'd even finished the last one and moved on.

Every evening finished the same - with a red hot, muscle soothing bath - once I'd dodged the bullet that was my mothers daily phone calls of course.