Wildwood Book 3 Christmas Break

Intense Practice

I was dressed in my new grey vintage breeches and my new light pink polo. Mia looked nice in a red jacket and black breeches. I ate some Greek yogurt and tried to not freak out that I was going to ride at Mia's old stable.  

" Stop eating so slow, I don't want the ring to be packed." With Mia I knew that she was serious. I put my empty yogurt cup in the trash and went out the door. Mia's hair was in a french braid, I put mine in a pony tail and watched as we pulled into the drive way of a stunning stable. Cherryfield Stables.

I thanked Mia's mom and walked out of the car. A small pasture had ponies and miniature horses, the huge pasture had big tall horse in them. A speedy race horse eyed me as I walked the cobble stone to the door that said OFFICE OF STABLE OWNER. Mia knocked on the door.

" Yes?" Mia opened the door and gave the owner a smile.

" Hi Poppy." Mia said.

" Mia! Hi, you must be Ashley." Poppy shook my hand and welcomed me and Mia.

" You have Watson and Lark here right?" Mia asked.

" They just arrived. Mrs. Kale told me to tell you that your going to have to give them one day to settle in at a new stable. So I have two of my best horses reserved both go you today." Poppy handed me and Mia two keys.

" The stall numbers 23 and 24 are your horses. You can pick which ones you want." Poppy gave Mia one last hug before going back to her desk and working on paper work. 

" Why do we have keys?" I asked.

" Chill, these are show horses. Like special show jumpers from championships and horses that won dressage titles. She needs to have a lock on their stall doors." I swallowed and followed Mia. A cute mare had her head over the stall door. The stable was a dark pine wood and the floors had special coating so the horses wouldn't slip from water or snow. 

The grey horse's stall was 23 and a dark chestnut gelding. 

" Do you want the Thunder or Sandy?" I asked Mia.

" Is the mare okay for you? I want to ride Thunder, they are both new horses." I nodded and started to groom the grey mare Sandy, it says on her template she is a show jumper. Thunder is a race horse that stopped racing two years ago. 

" Hi girly. Your so pretty. I have a mare, her name is Blue Rose. I bet you would like her. I am going to ride you only for today. My other horse Watson is here." I whispered softly to Sandy as I groomed her. She flicked a ear back and listened to her as I talked to her.

I glanced over at Mia who was grooming her horse with a curry. After picking her hoof I started to get the tangles out of her tail.

" Sandy, your a new horse and a show jumper. I hope that you and I will be a great team. I really need to work hard." I rubbed the sweet mare's nose and went with Mia into the tack room. 

Gleaming brown and black leather tack filled all the hangers. I took a white English saddle pad and took a light brown jumping saddle, I took Sandy's girth and bridle off the wall. The snaffle bit was clean and shined brightly. Mia got her dressage saddle and her other tack. She handed me my helmet and ridng gloves. 

I put the saddle on the door, along with the other tack. I put the white saddle pad on Sandy's back she didn't even blink as she felt the weight of the saddle. I buckled the girth and put the black bridle on her. She looked at me with her brown eyes. She was ready, I was still nervous but as soon as I saw the rings that feeling went away.

It was just like a regular practice, but with a different horse. I got on Sandy and started to trot. Mia followed right behind me, Thunder had bigger strides. After posing around for a while, I rang the stirrups up and did a sitting trot. Sandy wanted to go faster, she tried to yank the reins out of my hand. I slowed her to a walk and made her calm as I let her back into the trot.

Thunder flew to a canter. He raised his head high in the air and snorted. Mia circled him and made him behave better. Thunder started to get hyper and wanted to jump. 

" I think we have flatwork down, lets start jumping." Mia said. Thunder didn't need her to tell him to canter, he jumped over the flower box and then the pole. Mia slowed him down to make sure he didn't mess up on the triple combo. Thunder took off a high stride and knocked the rail down. Mia collected him and got him over the last jump.

" That was good, but he stopped paying attention." I said.

" Yeah, I will make note of that next time." Mia nodded for me to go. I healed my horse into a canter and quickly collected her. Not wanting to make the same mistake Mia made, I slowed Sandy right before the triple combo. She flicked an ear back and jumped right over the fence. I smiled as she bounced over the last jump. She was perfect.

" Nice. She is a different horse and you did really well on her." Mia said. I couldn't stop smiling.

" Thanks. She is a good horse, but I miss riding Watson." I patted Sandy's neck.

" Same. I can't wait till tomorrow and we get to ride them." Mia and I let our horses walk around the ring freely and we just chatted. 

" We should go on a trial. Just walking and trotting." I said.

" I would agree, but we are all out of time. Lets go put them back into their stalls." I followed Mia's lead and untacked Sandy, letting her back into her stall. Her food bucket and water buckets were already filled by the time we came back.

She almost jogged into her stall to settle down. I let her eat while I put her tack away. I waited for Mia. She was talking to these two girls, one had light brown hair and the other had black hair.

" See both of you tomorrow." Mia hugged both of the girls and walked to the car with me. 

I glanced at the two girls. Their eyes were narrowed at me, the girl with black hair snarled at me and the other girl gave me a death look.

. Yay... I just couldn't wait for tomorrow, I was going to have to ride with them... This should be fun!

(not!)

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~Countrygirl1055 <3

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