I walked down the aisle of the barn which is covered with oak walls and red bricked floors. i looked at all the beautiful and well groomed horses in huge stalls with turnouts in the back. I was here for my first lesson. I stopped at one stall with a gorgeous brown and white paint. I looked at the brass name plate on the side of her stall, Missy. Looking at the pony I say,"Hey there Missy. How are ya girl?".
"I see you found the horse you'll ride," someone said from behind me. I turn around, "Oh! Really? I get to ride her? She's one pretty pony." I say surprised and nervously. "I'm Shannon by the way," she says with a smile,"And welcome to Purple Horse Acres. Come with me and we can go grab Missy's tack.
I walk with Shannon and finally tell her," I'm Katie. I've ridden horses before but only a few times.". We enter a large room with saddle racks and bridle hooks with brass name plates. Each preice of tack cleaned and shining. "Here's Missy's saddle,". She says putting her hand on top of a dark brown jumping saddle with fancy silver stirrups on it, "And her bridle is over there in the corner. So you can grab those and meet me out in the cross ties just to the right.".
I grab the tack and start to walk out, but ran into someone dropping the bridle onto the ground. "Oh my gosh I'm so sorry," I say backing up quickly. "Haha don't worry about it." Says a deep voice. I look up and realize I had run into the cutest boy I had ever seen. I watch him pick up the bridle. He hands it to me, "So, your riding Missy?". I blush not believing that he would acctually talk to me. "Ya I am. And I better go because I need to meet up with Shannon." I quickly walk past him grabbing my bridle with my head down.
I turn right out of the tack room and head towards the crossties thinking to myself," I'm so stupid! I can't believe I just walked away! I don't even know his name!". Shannon is standing with a group of four girls. I place the tack down and walk over to the group. Each girl is dressed in tan riding pants. One girl was a blonde with a light pink buttone up blouse tucked in. There was also a girl with red-brown hair, and two more with dark brown and light brown-blonde hair. Shannon says,"There you are Katie! We were waiting for you! You will be in the group lesson today," she points to the blonde girl," that is Danielle," then the red head," Marrissa" and the last two," And then Sam and Taylor."
"Ok girls so why don't you go grab your horses! Katie, do you need any help to get Missy, or are you ok?" "I'm good, ill go get her." I say as Taylor gives me a disgusted look. I walk to Missy's stall and grab the leather halter with her name on the side of it. After opening the door and putting the halter on, I walk out the calm and steady pony to the crossties. The other girls already had their horses and were brushing them off. That's when I realized the boy I ran I to earlier was using the crossties right next to where I had left my tack. He looks up smiling and says "Why hello again stranger."
I walk Missy and put the crossties on her halter, " Hi," I said shyly trieing not to show how nervouse I was. "So, what is your name, I didnt get to ask you earlier." He says leaning on his black and shining gelding. "I'm... Katie." I look back at him and ask," what is YOUR name?" Trieing to hide my smile. He looks at me surprised. "You mean... No one has told you about me? I'm only the best person around!" He says sarcastically and laughing. I smile back at him and give him a look that says, tell me. " haha I'm Spencer." He winks at me and turns around to continue grooming his horse. I can feel my cheeks start to burn up so I also turn around to brush off Missy thinking " why do I have feelings for him? I don't even know him!" I didn't seem to care. He was nice, funny, and cute! Not to mention he rides horses!
Still in my own little world I see everyone walking past me with horses tacked up. Taylor stops in front if me, " You better hurry up, or else you don't get a lesson. But that old hag of a pony couldn't do anything anyways. Well, have fun trying to get that thing jump today. Toddles!"
I have only known Taylor for 15 minutes, but I really didn't like her an I don't think I ever would. Still feeling angry about what Taylor said I thrown on the tack and drag Missy out to the arena.
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Your turn! Share Your Cool Horse Stories.
Once I got to the freshly dragged arena All the other girls and Spencer were already on and walking or trotting around. I quickly buckled my helmet and checked Missy's girth to make sure it wasn't loose. I put my left foot in the stirrup, counted to 3, then jumped up into the saddle. I put my feet into the stirrups then walked into the arena.
I started Missy off on a long rein letting her stretch and loosen up. I took a lap of walk then started trotting. After the first few steps I realized how smooth and responsive Missy was, how could Taylor call Missy and old hag or anything bad! This horse was amazing! And as if on cue of course Taylor comes up With her big chestnut Thoroughbred trotting next to me.
"Told you that horse was an old hag! She can barely trot properly. HA!" How dare she! "What do you mean?! This mare is amazing! She's better than any horse I've ever ridden!" Luckily before Taylor could reply Shannon walked in and said, "Alright girls, and boy," she gave a small laugh," We will work on some small grid work."
"Alright so lets go ahead and have you go first Spencer." Spencer gave a nod in response, and gave his gelding a quick squeeze with his legs. He quoted his horse do the grid that consisted of a small cross-rail, to a 2 foot vertical and another cross-rail. He kept his hands quiet, heels down, and his shoulders tall.
He got to the crops rail and lifted out of the saddle slightly and his horse went over easily. The vertical and last cross rail were no more difficult for the pair. "Great job Spencer, very nicely done." Shannon said. Spencer rubbed his horse and walked over to stand by me and Missy. "Great job! That was I awesome." I told him.
He laughed,"That was nothing compared to what I have done with Magnum." "So that's what his name is," I said smiling at him. "Oh I never told you? My bad," he gave me that white smile and I couldn't help it, I blushed and had to look away.
"Katie, your turn." I looked up and realized the other three girls had already gone. I looked at Shannon and said,"ok." I gathered my reins and put my weight deep into my heels. I trotted Missy posting to her smooth gait and took a straight line to the three low jumps. I looked up past the three jumps staying focused between Missy's black tipped ears.
She got to the cross rail and I raised out of the saddle just enough to take weight of Missy's back. She took two canter strides to the vertical and lifted in the air. I ran my hands up her neck making sure I didn't catch her in the mouth, them took one stride the the last cross rail. "Good girl," I said giving Missy a pat on the neck.
"Great job Katie! That was really for only having ridden more than a few times. I'm quiet impressed. Alright everyone we will just end the lesson with that for now. Go untack and cool your horses."
(Sorry not very good. I'll try to make the next one better:D what should happen next?)
Your turn! Share Your Cool Horse Stories.
by Becky
I hopped off Missy and started walking back to the barn. I couldn't help but wonder if Spencer was going to talk to me again or pretend like i didnt exist. I kept watching the ground while i was thinking and my thoughts got interrupted when i ran into someone. i was so surprised i scared myself and tripped over my own two feet and nearly fell on the ground if i hadn't been caught by the one and only Spencer.
"Close save there huh?" he said smiling. My worries that he would ignore me totally disappeared. "Ya, thanks. but that was still kinda embarrassing," I said with my head tilted down, but i couldnt help look back into his icy blue eyes and smile back at him. i felt a tug on my arm and realized i still had to take care of Missy, and she was trying to pull me back to the barn. i laughed. "alright silly girl lets go."
i went to the cross ties and took off the tack when Marrissa came up to Missy and pet her face. "So... how many times have you ridden?" she asked looking at me. "Not a lot really. Like six or seven times i think." i told her. i felt kinda wierd telling her because when i watched her in the lesson, she was so good that i was jealous. "No way, you have to have been riding for way longer than that to have ridden like you did in the lesson! you rode like someone who has been riding for at least a year or two!" I finshed brushing Missy and asked her,"You really think so? i didnt think i was an amazing rider. compared to you i feel like im horrible! its actually kinda embarrassing." I said with a slight smile.
I liked her. she was waaay nicer than Taylor. i felt my phone buz in the pocket of my riding pants and pulled it out. i had a text from my mom saying,"I'm in the parking lot honey. when your done with the horses come out to the parking lot."
"I gotta go Marrissa, but ill definitely talk to you later." "Ok, bye Katie, oh! before you go. let me give you my phone number." i gave her my phone and while she punched in her number i took Missy to her stall and gave her a quick kiss on the nose and latched her door shut. i walked back to where Marrisa was standing and she handed my phone back to me.
"I'll text you soon ok?" "ok, thanks" i said as i walked out towards the parking lot and found my mom's red Ford truck taking up two spots in the parking lot. i hopped in and buckled my seat belt. "So, how was your first day at Purple Horse Acres?"
Well, i thought, it was amazing because i met the sweetest (and cutest) guy who loves horses just like me, but then it was bad because i know i will have to put up with the little snobby brat named Taylor. but, all i told my mom was,"it was good."