Charlie's Try Out

[§•Skyler Flax•§]

Charlotte Gates

I rode Junior out into the outdoor arena, his strong young muscles rippled magesticsally under his gleaming mahogany coat. I had braided his mane the night before into tight, little jumper braids that lined up and down his arched neck line. It was impossible for me to hide my fear. I had to make Advanced to make the YENT. I couldn't put on a smile and pretend this was just another lesson, this was my All or Nothing moment. I was a freshman this year and I had to make the YENT. There was not wiggle room. Junior pranced slighting as the cool breeze picked up and swirled around us rustling the falling leaves in the trees around the arena. I hoped more then anything he would behave and not show his age. Only being six he sometimes had moments of compete psychoticness where he just would through his head down and buck like a crazy horse, I hoped today wasn't one of those days. My dark brown hair was up tightly under my charles owens helmet, I had on a dark blue polo and a white ribbed sweater over the top since the wind was very cool today. My light tan taylor sportsmen breaches fit neatly under my tall custom boots like gleamed ebony. My black gloved hands gripped my reins at a medium length. Junior had a white pad with Levitas embroidered on the side in dark blue and white polos on all fours making his dark coat even richer. His white blaze was blindingly bright after hours of scrubbing him down. I felt confident in myself but I was also scared out of my mind. But whether I was ready or not, it was my time to shine.

[chargergirlz]

Mr. Connor
I walked into the arena for Charlotte's tryout. "Hello, Charlotte. Ready for your test?"

[§•Skyler Flax•§]

Ooc I'm on my phone so please excuse my errors and my lack of template

Charlie

Mr. Conner walked in looking stern as usual. I put on my poker face and nodded politely "yes sir." I halter junior in front of him waiting for instructions. My stomach churned and I felt a little nauseated but I pushed past it. I could do this.

[chargergirlz]

Mr. Connor
I gave her an easy smile. "Dont be nervous. This I's just any other lesson." I said. "Let's start with a few questions. What are you're best and worst disciplines?"

[§•Skyler Flax•§]

Charlie

I nodded I knew that wasn't completely true but I had to keep calm. "My best discipline is easily show jumping I have done it for my entire life, secondly dressage. I took about four years of dressage with a trainer that was about an hour away from where I lived. I would have to say cross country is my worst and juniors. I loose focus sometimes going out over the course since it's so long and spread out this causes me to make mistakes. I have really been trying lately to improve in this area since I would like to make YNET," I explained politely and truthfully to Mr. Conner.

[chargergirlz]

Mr. Connor
I nodded and scribbled down her answers. "Ok... And what does riding mean to you?"

[§•Skyler Flax•§]

Charlie

This was the question I had to scramble to put my emotions into words "well it means everything to me. I play other sports but would drop them in a heart beat for horses. Riding has taught me responsibility, drive, perseverance, and how to learn from my mistakes. Plus so much more. They really are my whole life and I try to push myself everyday to become a better rider and horse women," I explained truthfully

[chargergirlz]

Mr Connor
"Very nicely said." I gave her a nod of approval. "Were going to start with the dressage course I emailed for you to memorize. Start whenever you're ready."

[§•Skyler Flax•§]

Charlie

I nodded "thank you," I said politely. I went over the test in my head. Salute at x trot to judge, twenty meter circle then canter and do a flying lead change across the diagonal. Halt, free walk to the other Corner then haunches in to __ then canter to A and circle then another fluin lead change across the diagonal and tro at __ then up the center lie and halt an salute at X. I went over it and then started. JR moved in a collected trot to X I asked himto halter and he did. I raised my hand to salute when he to a side step. First mistake. I salute and trotted to A then circled in the corner then canters and went for the lead change. JR was good at them but would sometime buck. I kept him collected and he swapped hia lead like a Pro. I didn't let my happiness show a I circled and walked like the test said. Through the walk he kept his head low like he should but in the corner where we were suppose to trot he popped it up a hair. Mistake two. No it wasn't big but I still scolded myself. We finished the test in near perfection. I refused to let my two mistakes frazle me. I saluted for the finish and walked back to mr Conner.

[chargergirlz]

Mr. Connor
Impressive. I wrote down a summary of her performance then looked up at her. "Let's go outside and do some cross country."

[§•Skyler Flax•§]

Charlie

The words cross country swam in my head as a nervous feeling returned. I pushed it away, "okay," I said politely as usual. We walked onto the cross country course that I knew inside and out.

[chargergirlz]

Mr. Connor
I hopped onto the golf cart and turned to charlie. "I'm going to go somewhere on the course to see youre ride. I'll meet you at the end of the course. Leave whenever you're ready." I turned the keys to the cart and drove to my observation spot.

[§•Skyler Flax•§]

Charlie

I picked up an easy canter so JR wouldn't run out of energy so fast and we took the brush then the hogsback easily clearing both. I started into the woods where I collected him a little bit since he had sped up after the hogsback. We took the brick wall then we canteres to the creek. I sat deep in my tack collecting him into a trot so he wouldn't slip. We sloshes through the creek like pros. His belly wet JR felt a bit refreshed as he fought forore rein as we approached the dreaded ditch and bank our two leastdavorite jumps. I pulled him back down sitting deep for support as we canteres o the ditch I made myself focus, one two three four five six and SQUEEZE! JR took it in a flying leap over jumping it. But I reallydidnt care that he over jumped we got over it. Now the worst part the bank. We emerged from the woods into the field where I usuallystarted to loose focus but I forced myself to count my strides so that I wouldn't day dream. The bank got larger and larger and I pushed JR into a hand gallop that he needed. He started to weave but I squeezed him tight. One two three four five! I squeeze but it turned into a kick as I felt him suck back. He leaped onto the bank in surprise. I made my self breath as we easily jumped off of it. I wished we were better at cross country but again I could. Not. Get. Frazzled. We continue to the haybales then a pyramid jump. One two three up over the hay that was adorn with pumpkins in the sprit of fall. I let JR go into a full gaallop a we approached the pyramid. It was a gamble but u knew we could do this. One two thre four five and leap! We flew over the jump like no body's business gallopin over the finish line. I Kant lost focus once an despite the slight baby moments with the ditch and bank JR was fabulous! I tried to hid my grin while I rubbe his neck a let him have a loose rein but it was impossible. I walk JR o mr Conner after he caught his death and calmed down

[chargergirlz]

Mr Connor
I Drove to the finish and hopped out before walking over to Charlie. "Good job. I saw you had some trouble at the bank and ditch, but you recovered nicely." I said. I extended my hand for her to shake. " Well done, Charlotte. Please go cool you're horse and you'll be hearing the results from me soon."

[§•Skyler Flax•§]

Charlie

"Thank you Mr. Conner," I said with a nod and I started to cool off Jr a little disappointed that Mr. Conner hadn't tested me in jumping but I knew he wanted to see my weaker points