The next morning dawned warm and sunny, calling me out of bed. I jumped out and stretched in the warm sunlight, did some sit-ups, and went outside to the kitchen. I heated up an english muffin and buttered it quickly, tossing the scalding bread between my fingertips. I drank some milk and ate my breakfast quickly, downing a cup of yogurt before running back to my room on tip toes.
In my room, I pulled on a pair of black jodhpurs with light brown leg leathers and tied a ribbon/ belt around my thin waist. Next, I pulled on a denim shirt with no sleeves and tucked it into my pants. I tiptoed out of my room and pulled on some brown paddock boots and laced them up. Tucking my hair strawberry blonde hair into a sloppy bun, I ran out of the room.
I walked down the sidewalk giddily, ready to see my horse. The sun beat down on my back and I wiped a wrist over my brow. I passed the fountain and paused to read the inscription before going back to my brisk pace.
In the morning light the barn seemed peaceful and sleepy. But as soon as I stepped through the doors I realized how wrong that impression was. Riders bustled about, tacking, bathing, grooming, braiding horses. I took a cautious step forward, like sticking your toe in the water before doing a cannonball. Oh, what the heck. I plunged into the chaos, ducking around horses and riders, skidding to a halt when students ran past with tack in their arms. Finally in the safety of Oliver's stall did I dare to come to a stop.
"Hey, baby boy," I crooned to him. He lifted his head and let me slip his halter on before peeing. "At least it was in the stall," I muttered. I grabbed my tack box and began to sweep imaginary dust off of his liver chestnut coat, humming quietly to myself. Thoughts raced through my head as I groomed.
Maybe I would get on the intermediate team this year? Maybe. What would happen if I didn't? You'd get on the beginner team. What happens to riders who aren't good enough for the beginner team? I knew that one. It had been on the website when my parents sent me the link. Riders who couldn't get on the beginner team would be sent home. According to Mr. Conner, they weren't ready for his type of training if they couldn't jump and do their gaits properly. I wanted to scream at myself. You just aren't supposed to think of these things the day before you test!
"Hi, Aiden." I looked up at June and saw Henry behind her. His bay coat gleamed where the sun touched it. I noted he was breathing heavily. They had probably just finished riding.
"Hi." I continued picking out Olly's hooves. "I'll be done in a sec," I called over my shoulder.
"I was bummed that I didn't get to meet your parents yesterday," my roomie said, fiddling with Henry's bridle.
"They didn't come. Apparently the family business is more important than bringing their daughter to boarding school," I said, a hint of bitterness entering my voice. "They were in Zimbabwe. They've been there for the past two months." I dropped the hoofpick into my grooming kit and put it in my wooden trunk.
"Oh." There was a brief silence as I threw a gray saddle pad onto Oliver's back and then hoisted my saddle on top of it. "Will they come for Parent's Day?" I sighed and tightened my girth. Sensing my anger, Oliver lifted his head and kept an eye on me as I went to his other side.
"I don't think so." I grabbed my bridle and unbuckled the leather halter, letting it fall into the shavings. Throwing the reins over Olly's neck, I slipped the bit into his mouth and pushed his ears through the crown piece. I buckled the throat latch and looped his nose piece around and then buckled it in place, making an X on top of his nose. "Can I have my helmet?" I asked quietly. June handed it to me mutely and watched me put it on.
"Rinaldi?" We turned around and looked at Lulu. Her pure black gelding stood behind her patiently, his tail swishing lazily back and forth. Not this brat again. Before June had the chance to say anything I was walking down the aisle. That was their little rivalry. No way was I ending up in that.
I chose the largest outdoor arena and mounted easily, patting Oliver's neck when he stood still. I clucked my tongue on the roof of my mouth and nudged him with my heel. He walked forward eagerly and I sat to his long stride. The sun warmed my skin and I picked up a trot, happy to be riding in nice weather. I looked up when I heard hoofbeats and smiled at a girl who was leading a gorgeous Andulsian gelding towards the arena.
"Is it okay if I ride in here?" she asked.
"Sure!" She swung the gate open and led her horse in, turned around, and closed it. I posted to Oliver's huge gait and rounded him. The girl mounted her horse smoothly and walked him along the wall, stretching her arms above her head. As I worked Oliver, I couldn't help but notice how good a rider the other girl was. All of her cues were invisible, and her hose seemed to read her mind. The were in perfect sync the whole warm up and I had to tear my gaze from them so I could do a proper work out. I sat deep in the saddle and pushed my heels down, enabling me to sit the trot. Eventually I moved my outside leg slightly and transitioned into a rocking canter. I began to feel beads of sweat gathering in my helmet but I ignored it, taking Olly over a cross rail. I noticed my legs were slipping too far back, so I took off my stirrups and hung them on the gate.
"Excuse me," a voice said. I turned around in the saddle and smiled at the girl.
"Hey." She fiddled with the reins a bit. She was shy, like me. I knew how she felt, so I decided to be friendlier than I had been at my old school. "Would you like to jump with me?"
"Sure! I'm Mandi, by the way," she said.
"Aiden. I'm new this year," I explained.
"Same. I was going to come last year but I decided to finish junior high at my old school, in Vermont," Mandi explained. I nodded.
"Makes total sense. I found out about Canterwood from my old trainer in Colorado and decided to attend." I reached down and smoothed some of Oliver's mane.
"I like your horse. Thoroughbred?" I smiled at Mandi's question.
"Yeah. Thoroughbred and a bit of Irish draught. Is your's an Andulsian?"
"Yup. Me and Alchemy have been waiting practically our whole lives for this moment. My mom attended when she was growing up and was part of the equine program. What about you?"
"My mom's a doctor and my dad's a lawyer. I actually just got Oliver about three months ago, when my trainer first told me about Canterwood. We started practicing more and finally got in. Those months seemed to drag."
"I totally get you. When I got my acceptance letter I ran into the house screaming. My mom started jumping up and down and spilled coffee down my dad's new shirt." We giggled and I leaned back in the saddle.
"So what do you like the best?" I asked.
"Probably cross country. You?"
"Show jumping. A while back I fell off on a jumping course and got scared, but that drove me to practice more. Oliver was in training with my trainer and she got me started on him again." I was surprised at myself for being so open about my accident. But, the way I told it, it seemed like a harmless fall.
"Was he a jumper for professional shows? He's certainly built for it."
"Yeah, a grand prix. He was too young, though, so they sold him to my trainer for practically nothing. Then she sold him to me." I pet Olly's shoulder and he arched his neck.
"Cool. We should probably get started before they get lazy." I nodded and walked Oliver away from Mandi. We trotted them away and I posted without stirrups. I could feel the muscles in my legs beginning to ache and I pointed Oliver towards the first jump. At the right moment, I leaned forward and gripped the saddle with my knees so I could get off his back. We landed and I sat back, asking for a lead change. He executed it perfectly and I leaned down to pat his neck. We cantered halfway around the arena before I aimed him at a small vertical, probably two and a half feet high. We landed flawlessly and I smiled.
After about an hour, Mandi and I dismounted and walked the horses around the ring to cool them down. Oliver was sweating at the girth, and my shirt was sticking to my back from all the sweat. Mandi and I were walking the horses side by side and chatting. I learned that she was from a large town in Vermont, called Burlington. Her barn was almost an hour away, but she had been determined to get into Canterwood. She was out there everyday practicing with Alchemy. Then, she had gotten in.
"Here's my number," she said. We swapped phones and I typed my number in.
"Thanks. Maybe we can meet up for lunch or something," I said. Mandi smiled.
"That'd be great, thanks!" We split up and I walked down the aisle with Oliver in tow, smiling to myself. I took off his saddle and hung it on the wooden arm by his stall and slipped his halter back on. Then, I went and took him to the wash stall, hosed down his back and legs, wiped off the sweaty water, and walked him to his stall again. I threw a black sheet with dark red trim on him and set him loose in his stall. I filled his water bucket and haynet before walking back to Orchard. Maybe June would want to talk about her encounter with Lulu.