(A/N: I own all characters in this story, but their names are fictional. The Spanish Riding School of Vienna and Olympia are all real places, so I don't take credit for those names. The Pony Club is also a real organisation in England- I don't know about the rest of the world!- So I don't take credit for that either!)

"I was born here…a normal riding yard in England. My mother is a Lippizaner named Diamond Cut Queen. She's a showjumper who has competed all around the world.

I've never met my father. He is a Lippizaner too, and he performs in one of the most famous equestrian places ever!

The Spanish Riding School in Vienna.

I've often heard my mother talk about him, telling me that he can perform some of the greatest moves ever, like Capriole, Levade and Piaffe for example.

That got me thinking…would I take after him? Or would I take after my mother?

Aged 5 now, I'm old enough now to begin training for both things.

So this is where my journey begins…"

I stamped my hoof impatiently and whickered. Laura came hurrying across the yard carrying a bale of hay in her arms.

"Okay! Be patient boy!" She laughed as she tied the haynet up in my stable.

I munched the hay contentedly as Laura sat down on the edge of the short stone manger where my boots were kept.

She began to talk about something called Olympia.

I pricked my ears up in astonishment. My mother had competed there!

"…wouldn't it be great if I entered you into a class in Olympia? The Pony Club compete at Olympia, so maybe I could enter you too. Are you listening?" Laura said.

I was listening. Olympia sounded great!

Laura stood up and patted my grey (white) coat, then she began to plait my mane as I pulled a strand of hay from my haynet.

After a while, Laura was called in for dinner. She patted me on the shoulder and kissed my muzzle.

I whinnied softly to her as she bolted the stable door.

Laura was fourteen and an exceptionally good rider! She had won lots of prizes on the other ponies and horses.

She was about five foot five, so she could ride anything apart from the small ponies.

Laura was also a dab-hand at handling horses.

I watched as she paced back to the farmhouse and shut the door. Then I began to daydream…

I was at Olympia, clearing the puissance wall and claiming first place! The crowd was cheering, but then I began to see the image ripple and there I stood in black, gleaming tack with glistening gold buckles. I began to stand on my hind legs, then suddenly leap upwards.

A crash snapped me back to my senses.

I'd knocked my feed bucket over!

I'm quite clumsy, so that got me thinking. Did I have any talent? Most of all, would I accomplish either of my targets?

I sighed deeply and lay down on the straw bedding miserably.