a/n I wrote this while watching Horse Power. I am having a lot fo fun with it!
Disclaimer: I don't own this. Duh.
Amy smooched the brawny bay gelding and flicked the lunge whip. Maximus moved into a smooch canter, putting his head down and chewing. Amy smiled about how quickly Max responded, he was so respectful and responsive. After two more circles at the canter, Amy asked him to walk. "Good boy." Amy praised, rubbing him behind his ears. She unclipped the line off his halter and then took the leather halter off. Amy made smooching sound sand waved her arms but Max just nuzzled into her. "Go roll silly." Amy laughed and left the ring. The graceful Warmblood gelding suddenly broke out in a series of bucks, and farts. Amy giggled and hung his halter on the hook attached to the ring. She walked back to the main barn, where she passed her boyfriend Ty
"How was Max?" Ty asked Amy with a grin. He was leading a new arrival; a dapple-gray Connemara named Dixie Chick who was afraid of jumping Cross Country jumps.
"Perfect, as usual." Amy sighed. Max had come to heartland two weeks ago. His owner, Christina Markus had called Heartland and frantically asked them to cure her Maclay-winning horse Maximus. Heartland had taken in Max, even though they weren't sure what he needed to be cured with. They hadn't been able to contact Christina, but just a few days ago a large package came holding all Max's blankets, wraps, tack, and a note that held four months of boarding fee money for Heartland. The note had said
Dear Amy
Take care of my boy. Enclosed is four months of boarding money and all of Max's stuff. Please keep him conditioned in jumps, dressage, and cross-country. I'll try and call to explain everything in a week or two. If someone asks why he is here, just say for boarding. Thank you.
Christina.
"Don't stress over it Amy, it's just the beginning of summer. " Ty warned. Dixie Chick threw her head up and danced around.
"What are doing with her?" Amy asked, just noticing a saddle on Dixie's back. Ty gave Amy an uncomfortable look, like Amy had said that accusingly.
"I thought I would do some walk trot work in the ring for half an hour before it gets dark. She's been antsy all afternoon even though we lunge her this morning." Ty answered, looking Amy in the eye. Amy looked back at him, surprised by his anxiety.
"Ty," Amy said firmly," I really don't think you should ride her. The chiropractor hasn't been out to see her yet, and I think that she isn't jumping cross-country jumps anymore is because it's hurting her back. I just don't-" Ty cut her off.
"You're wrong Amy. How could she jump stadium jumps and not cross country?" Ty's tone clearly implied he thought Amy was being stubborn.
"Ty, you weren't there at the Clinley Horse Show! She was in pain the whole time she jumped and her dressage was horrible!" Amy shouted. Ty glared at her and shoved Dixie's rein's into her hands.
"Fine! You take her!" Ty snapped. He stomped away, leaving a speechless Amy.
"Fine." Amy muttered. She rubbed Dixie's neck. "Let's get you back in your stall Dixie." Amy told the mare. Amy walked the excited mare around before stripping her of her tack. Dixie was slightly sweaty, so Amy brought her to the wash bay and rinsed the light sheen of sweat off the mare's gleaming coat.
Amy hand grazed her untill she was dry, then out her in her stall. Ty had already fed and gone home. Amy looked in Max's stall to see if Ty had brought him in. Ty had, and had groomed him as well. Amy glanced at her watch. It was only quarter to six. She could squeeze in a quick ride, but whom would she ride?
Amy glanced at Max. She hadn't ridden him yet and he had almost finished dinner. Amy quickly tacked him up and led him to the ring. "Maybe your problem is that you're not a good ride?" Amy asked, but she was unconvinced. The former Maclay horse wouldn't be bad behaved, would he?
Amy tightened his girth and repositioned his saddle. She tightened the breast collar made sure the bridle fit snugly and comfortably on his face. She put the stirrups down and mounted up. She asked the gelding to walk and Max responded by walking smoothly forward. The gelding's stride was long, which wasn't surprising with his 16.2hh frame. Amy walked the gelding for several circuits, letting the gelding stretch. "Trot." Amy said. She made her signs clear even though Max didn't need them. He broke into a fluid trot.
Amy posted smoothly to his trot a few circuits before asking him to do a sitting trot. He collected himself up, his neck arched and his body round, soft, and supple. Amy barely moved to the gelding's trot.
Amy sat down and asked for a canter. The gelding transitioned effortlessly into a smooth canter. Amy cantered him towards a small vertical, roughly two feet high. Amy went into her jump position and grabbed a chunk of the gelding's black mane. Max hesitated, and clumsily lifted his legs over the jump. The pole fell heavily to the ground. Max threw up his head and Amy rubbed his neck comfortingly. She glanced at the jump. Maybe he wasn't used to jumping so low, or maybe she had messed up the striding.
Amy sat down and asked for a canter. She cantered Max towards a slightly higher jump. She squeezed her legs and gave him very clear signals. Max sailed over it and snorted. Amy grinned and cantered Max over several other jumps.
Heartland's other stable hand Joni walked past. "Hey Amy. How's he going?" Amy grinned and halted Max.
"Brilliantly." Amy answered rubbing the gelding's slightly sweaty neck.
"Do you want me to set some jumps?" Joni asked. Amy thanked her and walked Max to give him a break. Joni set up a course and also set higher, more difficult jumps. Amy pushed Max into a canter and began the course. Max jumped the first jump, a 2'8 vertical easily, and then searched eagerly for the next jump. Her jumped the 3' oxer and then the 2'9 Oxer that followed like a rabbit. Amy cantered him without hesitation to a four feet bounce jump. Amy leaned in and grabbed Max's mane. She pushed her hands toward his ears to release. She stared at the next jump.
Max jumped hugely over the jump and Amy could her his labored breath as he stretched over the jump. Amy barely kept her seat when he landed. The gelding landed strongly, but then stumbled badly. Amy fought to keep her seat, as she was jolted forward onto the gelding's neck. The next part was a blur as Max tried to lift himself forward to jump. He started to clear it, but then crashed heavily to the ground. Amy felt her self the ground, she heard her skull crack. She was jolted back even more when she felt something fall on her. It didn't seem heavy, but large and well…there.
Amt felt strangely, like she was there and her body wasn't. A kick from Max in her knee brought her back. She screamed loudly. A sudden lash to her head made Amy breathless, and then everything went black.
