Silverstone: Perfection is Not Enough

Chapter 12

As I look over Arrow's stable door, he eyes me warily, and sniffs my hand again. But this time, he lets me stroke him more quickly then before. He recognises my scent.

"Hey boy," I whisper, gently stroking his nose. "You're not going to throw me again, are you?"

He nickers softly, as if saying, I don't think so. 

I grab his stuff from the tack room, and slide the saddlecloth on, then the saddle, adjust the girth, andthen quickly buckle up the bridle. Then I lead him out into the barn corridor and mount, and wait. My timetable said that show jumping was in the outdoor arena, but where is that?

"Hey Jess," Rose halts next to me. "Do you know where we're supposed to go?"

"No idea," I half half Arrow gently, as he's pawing the ground impatiently. "But I think it's going to be outside. You know, clue in the name?"

She rolls her eyes. "Come on, then."

Just as we turn to exit the barn, Lucy walks in, and announces, "Everyone in showjumping now, please follow me!"

We walk briskly to catch up, and finally see where the outdoor arena is. It's a 20x60 school, set a little bit away from the stables and surrounded with a wooden post-and-rail fence. 

As we halt in a line, I look around at my classmates. There's a lot less in here than yesterday, about seven or eight. That doesn't sound like a lot, but in a horse riding lesson, it's probably the maximum you can have. My heart sinks when I see Kennedy mounted on her palomino further up the line.

Lucy stops at me, looking at Arrow, who's walking in little circles. 

"Jess, Arrow probably is the hardest horse to ride in this lesson," she says quietly, "are you sure you want him?"

I look down at Arrow, and he bends his neck to look back at me. "Yeah, I'm fine with him."

"Okay, just keep a cool head," she checks my girth and moves on. Leona stands still next to Arrow, Tabitha smiling.

"What?"

"It's just, you seem to really like him," she says, and reaches down to hug Leona. "Just like I love Leona."

"Alright, class," Lucy's finished with checking people. "Let's form a line and track right, please. Jess, at the back."

Tabitha winks at me, and goes second-to-last. I feel grateful, as I know Leona won't freak out, but I also feel guilty. Tabitha could be first if she wanted to. 

We do some walk-trot-halt transitions, which Arrow miraculously does (some of the time). Then, we go on to cantering.

Bertie and Toblerone complete a measured circle, in a controlled but fast canter. Rose urges Leapfrog into a fast canter, and they wildly race around a large circle. Lucy raises her eyebrows.

"Maybe we could have some control, Rose?"

"Sure," Rose grins, patting Leapfrog wildly. Lucy shakes her head.

Tabitha and Leona's circle is close to perfection. Then, Lucy looks at me. "Ready, Jess?"

Nope.

I smile as well as I can, and gently press my legs to Arrow's sides, and he sets off in a fast trot, leaving me behind. Quickly, I gather my reins and rise to the brisk beat, collecting him with smaller half halts. In the corner, he picks up a bouncy canter. I start to relax; this is actually going far better than I expected. 

Well, until we circle back around, going on an inner track by the rest of the ride. 

Because no one except me sees Kennedy flick her whip up quickly at Arrow's side.