MSRA ⇢ Starting New

⇢ 14 ; trouble

Day one of exams was arguably the worst day of my life. They started on a Wednesday and we had exams for our first period class, our elective, and our riding major. Each test lasted two hours, but once they were done, we had the rest of the day free.

Day two we had period two and three, and one of our minor riding class, and day three we had period four and our last major. The exams started at eight, and on day three, we got out of school at twelve thirty, so we could spend the rest of the day doing whatever.

"How were your exams?" Noah asked, and I just glared back at him.

"Awful," I said. "I feel like my soul has been forcibly removed from my body."

"Geez," Bridget said. "Even I don't feel that crappy."

"Okay, well I suck at test taking," I groaned from my spot on the couch. "They're miserable. At least I have a show this weekend."

"Ooh, lucky," Megan said. "We haven't gone to a show all year."

"This is our first one against other schools," I said. "Sometimes we have mini shows against the other cross country teams here."

"After the show we learn if we moved teams," Abby said. "I'm super nervous."

"Me too," I frowned. "But whatever happens, happens, right?"

"Yeah," she said. "So tomorrow will be a show prep day, huh?"

"Yep. Speaking of which," I looked over at Noah, "you're helping me."

"Okay," he shrugged.

-

The next morning, I took Hope out and worked her a bit, bringing her over jumps and fine tuning our flat work. At about noon, I met Noah in the barn where he held me out a sandwich.

"Eat," he said. "I know you skipped breakfast, eat up."

I took the sandwich from him and he started untacking Hope for me. Once she was untacked, I brought her outside and Noah and I tied her to a fence to give her a bath.

"Hey!" Noah said as I hosed her down. There was water all over his clothes. "Oh, you are so on!"

He ran over to me and tried getting the hose from me, but I just kept spraying him. Soon I dropped the hose and he held me tightly right underneath the spray of water the hose was releasing.

"Noah, let me go!" I laughed as I got soaked.

"I think that's good," he said, letting me go. As he turned away from me, I picked up the horse and got him square in the back. He just replied by dumping clean-but-soapy water on me. I squeezed my hair out onto Hope, then started scrubbing her with more soap, making sure to flick foam onto Noah every chance I got.

"Wow, you guys have more soap and water on you than the horse," Bridget said as she and Ethan walked by. I took one of my sponges and threw it at her, landing it in her hair.

-

A few hours later, Hope was happily show sheened, mane braided, and in her sleazy and blanket.

"Noah, can you walk her around a bit?" I asked. "She needs to stretch."

"Sure," he said as he unclipped her from the cross ties. As he left, I dug through my tack trunk and got out all my stuff, jumping boots, bonnet, and saddle pad included. Right before I started cleaning my saddle, I heard Noah calling my name.

"Kat!" he called, and I came running out of the barn over to him.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"She's lame," he said. "She took a few steps fine, but she's off."

"Let me see, walk her," I said, stepping back. Sure enough, she was a little off on her front right. "Trot?"

Her trot was horrendous, sloppy and all over the place. "Okay, bring her over."

"What are you doing?" Noah asked as I pulled out my phone.

"Finding a horse to ride in this show," I said, calling Cami's phone.

'Hey Kat, what's up?' she answered.

"Hope's lame," I said, cutting right to the chase. "She's off on her front right, and I don't think she'll be good for tomorrow."

'Oh, Kat, I'm so sorry,' Cami said. 'I would let you use one of my horses but they're not in shape. Let me make a few calls okay? I'll be at your barn in twenty minutes.'

"Okay, thanks Cami," I said. "See you then."

Fifteen minutes later, Cami walks into the barn leading a familiar dun paint gelding.

"Apollo?" I asked. "I'm using Mason's horse for the show?"

"Yes," she sighed. "We just had a huge argument over it, but I won. I'd hurry up and get his bath done, it's getting dark."

"What happened?" I asked as the three of us got to work bathing him.

"I had to tell him I lied about riding cross country," she explained. "He's mad that I let you ride Apollo, but he's letting you ride him for the show. Just, take care of him, okay?"

"I will," I smiled. "Thanks Cami. Is he in shape?"

"Yes, I've been working on conditioning him for weeks. He won't be as fit as Hope, but he will definitely get the job done well," she said.

Once we finished the bath, all three of us got to work grooming, braiding manes, polishing hoofs, and cleaning tack. In the end, he looked stunning. Luckily, my tack fit him, and the brown accentuated his coat.

"You'll do great, Kat," Noah said, putting an arm around me. "I'm not allowed to go to your show, but I'll definitely keep Hope company and make sure she's doing okay. Deal?"

"Deal," I said, giving him a kiss. I put Hope's sleazy and blanket on Apollo, and threw him in an extra stall for the night. After giving him the food Cami made up for him, I tossed him some hay, filled his water, and headed back to the dorm, hand in hand with Noah.

"That was a crazy afternoon," he said. "Go take a long, hot shower, and when you're done, I'll have food for you, okay?"

"You are the best boyfriend ever," I said, giving him another kiss before we walked in the dorm. I headed straight upstairs and took a shower, then changed into athletic leggings and a long-sleeved t-shirt. I cleaned and polished my show boots, made sure I had clean tan breeches, got my fitted maroon long sleeve with thumb holes, got my clean black show gloves, made sure my safety vest was clean, and got my socks in order. I found my number bib and medical band and my maroon helmet cover and tucked them inside my show helmet. I put all that on my desk chair and headed downstairs where Noah had a plate of spaghetti and meatballs for me.

"The trailer load up is at five," Noah explained. "I'd get up at four-thirty to feed Apollo."

"You are on top of this," I said, taking a plate of food. I picked at it, not really having much of an appetite.

"You okay?" he asked. "You seem off."

"I'm so nervous," I anxiously laughed. "I've ridden this horse once. Once!"

"Kat, you'll do great," he said, pulling me into his side. "Keep me updated all day, okay?"

"Okay," I agreed. Once I finished eating, I headed upstairs and fell right asleep.