Storm Cloud grew up quickly, and was just as strong and fast as his father, Spirit. Storm Cloud's older sister, Summer always liked to challenge him to races, and Summer always won them, because she was a champion racehorse. Luckily for Storm Cloud, he was only a little slower than his sister, but still really fast at the same time, and he loved to jump the hedges and logs on the woods nearby.
One day, the herd were galloping a long way to a new homeland after a different and stronger herd had taken over the previous land.
Spirit led them to a new land with a beautiful stream running through it, and it had a tall hill and lots of extra space around it for the horses to gallop around. Storm Cloud stood on the hill with Lightning, Summer's stallion. Even though Stormy was younger than Summer and Lightning, they all liked spending time together as a family. Summer had had a foal just a few months ago, and she was teaching him all she knew about racing. Lightning whinnied with laughter as the foal overtook Summer at a full gallop.
"Lightning," Storm Cloud began, "I was wondering… I've been looking at that long path with all those logs and hedges and other things in it. What is it?"
Lightning shook his mane.
"That's a cross-country course, Stormy." He answered.
"Oh. What does it do?" Storm Cloud asked,
"Nothing. The horses have to jump over the fences, that's the logs and hedges, oh, and those other things are an assortment of different jumps. The horse needs to be really fast around the course, and clear all those jumps. Clearing them means you have to jump over them without the rider falling off or you knocking anything off the jump!" Lightning replied.
Storm Cloud nodded and stared at some large boxes on wheels that had just arrived there. Humans began to get out of the cars that were driving them, and unloading the horses. Of course, Storm Cloud didn't know what they were or what the humans were doing.
He moved closer for a better look, and stood by the fence next to the cross country course.
"The horses seemed to have funny leather things on their heads, and weird seats on their backs with a cloth underneath them. Summer told me that the things on their heads were called bridles, and the things on their backs are saddles.Humans began to sit on the saddles and ride the horses around some enclosed ring, jumping over one jump. Summer told me that they were practising in a practise ring. From the moment I saw them begin the cross-country, I was hooked…"
"I want to be a cross-country horse!" Storm Cloud said.
"Even if it means wearing these strange saddles and bridles, and having humans riding me. I'll do it! I'll find a human and ask them to ride me in a cross country competition!"
Summer stepped forward.
"There's more to it than that," she said, "You need to go through months, maybe even years of rigorous training. It's not easy."
Storm Cloud looked downcast for a moment, but then he snorted,
"I'm going to try anyway. I want this, and I'm not giving up!"
To be continued…