Kacie and Sterlings tryouts!!

[kacie]

I ran into the stable in www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=31191181 I opened Sterling's stall door, it was 7:00 A.M. on Saturday, of course he was sleeping in his super warm stall. "LITTLE BLUE BOY!" I said, I had called him that when I first started riding him and he always responded quickly, although he was just gray instead of DAPPLE gray, I'm not sure he cared. I snapped out of the memory and saw his head turn around. He was the outfit and stood still as I clipped the lead line to his halter and led him to the nearest cross tie. I groomed him until I was sure that that was my reflection in his coat. I entered the tack room and grabbed him show saddle. ( www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=31191504 ) and led him into the indoor arena to warm up. I had been in the arena 20 minutes before Mr.Conner entered with his clip board. I trotted Sterling over to him and halted. "We will start with Dressage. then jumping, and last cross country." He said. I nodded and he backed up to start the test. I saluted - already at X- and Mr.Conner wrote something on the clipboard and I turned Sterling and asked for a working trot. He listened and had one ear to me and the other forward. His head was coming up so I quickly squeezed my legs and played with my fingers and released, (read: he was trained to ask for his head then stop, then he drops it) he did and I smiled, my lip gloss was Dr. Pepper flavored and it tingled on my lips. I brought Sterling to a collected canter. I circled him at a 20 meter circle and asked for a collected trot. He did what I asked and soon was at a fast canter (almost slow gallop) I did a half halt and he slowed to a SLOW canter. another 20 meter circle brought us to a gallop and Sterling almost sprinted. I did yet another half halt to warn him. I was ready to use the crop but he slowed to a canter and I halted him at X. Once again I saluted. The black tack was shimmering on Sterling's white coat from the sun streaming in from the hight windows. Mr. Conner came over.

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[kacie]

I waited as he set up the jumps, I determined them as they were being set up. Sterling-I could tell- was doing so too. soon Mr.Conner was walking to me again. I let Sterling take a forward. "So, I have set up an advanced course, you should be var familiar with it." he said "yes, sir" I replied eying the course, a few tall jumps and one sharp corner, but it looked beginner to Sterling, with his ears pricked forward. I patted his neck, "go when your read," said Mr.Conner backing up. I took a deep breath and circled Sterling at a trot. I let him for the course at a steady trot. I rose over his neck and he tucked in his legs at the lower oxer, he landed on the other side at a canter, and we headed for the triple combo. At a canter he neared the jumps with his head held a little to high. I asked for a head set and he did so quickly. I rose into tow point position and he tucked in his knee's at the higher jump. we landed with a soft thud on the other side and two strides later he was in the air again over a vertical. Now an oxer stood about four foot tall just two strides away. Sterling wasn't fazed as he boosted himself in the air and my hands slid up his neck. we had a foot to spare and he went to the next jump six strides away. I let him into a trot, the jump wasn't that high, but it wasn't to low ether. I posted and he wanted to jog, I gave him a heavy tap with my crop and he fast trotted. I smiled when he lurched over the vertical. landing on the other side I turned him onto the sharp corner. The next jump was high and he cantered a little too fast. I did a half halt and e was at a collected canter. "Come on boy we have this" I whispered and kicked him with my heels. I slid up his neck and he jumped into the air. when he softly landed on the other side I gave him his head and he was onto the next jump, it stood at at LEAST four foot five. Hogs back. I smiled at the eight strides that was in between us, and the jump. But soon I was in the air again and Sterling under me. he landed safely on the other side and I let him on the turn. Just one more jump, and this turn was big. I let him fast canter, the oxer didn't faze ether of us. It stood-at my sight- almost five feet. Sterling could jump six feet. He was in the air and me over his neck. I closed my eyes. We were air born. It felt like we were there for minutes, nit just the few three seconds that I new that we were there for. I leaned back for a second and heard that thud that meant Sterling and I where done with the course. I let Sterling canter for a few strides and then I made with trot, and finally a walk. I halted him in front of Mr.Conner

[kacie]

As Mr.Conner headed for one of the cross country course on Lexington I trotted Sterling a few strides behind. Finally hidden in the woods, he stopped. And so did Sterling. Mr.Conner turned Lexington around and spoke: "I am going to do the course, count to one hundred, and then go ahead." He nodded and then turned Lexington back around and coaxed him into a canter and started the course. He jumped a SUPER small log pile and then around the bend, and he was gone. I started counting right away, 1,2,3,4,5....... at 90 I started sterling in a walk. 100, I coaxed a canter and Sterling jumped the low log pile. I turned him and we disappeared in the trees. Soon we were in the air again and over a stone wall. After that jump was out of the way, I got Sterling into a gallop and he happily was into the beat. I lifted into a two point position taking weight off of Sterling's back. I saw a pond come into view and slowed to a fast canter. He flung his head, but slowed. He ran right into the water and the liquid splashed my legs. I let him a notch and he went into a medium gallop. When we were out of the pond I did a half halt and slowed Sterling into collected Canter. A high log pile. A fallen tree. A BIG stone wall. That is what separated me and Sterling for the finish line. I went into two point position and in the same movement Sterling leaped into the air over the log pile (LARGE) We landed on the other side and cantered to the oak tree (HUGE) and then, again, we were in the air and he was over the jump. I felt like superman over the tree. The next jump were strides away. 3, We can do this. 2, So far so good. 1, OH CRAP, I CAN'T DO THIS! We were in the air now. and now on the ground. WE DID IT!

[kacie]

After I had cooled and took off Sterling's tack the next day after a paddock ride I waited at the bulletin board for the reasults of yesterdays ride. Mr.Conner came out f his office......