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Time to Rise — Description

Horse: Coriolanus / Jumping Jack |Waler Stallion| 8 years

Rider: Mikayla Turner | 34| AUS

Show: Pemberley Park Events

Class: Show Jumping | CSI5* Pemberley Grand Prix

Mikayla took Jumping Jack to the warm up arena. The fading black stallion trotted in place the entire time she'd been saddling him up. She hadn't been showing him lately, not around large crowds if she could avoid them. Jack had always been sensitive to his rider, to the point where even the slightest bit of anxiety exuding from his rider, sent the stallion bolting or fighting the nearest thing- even if that thing was a bush or wooden fence post. Mikayla knew this was probably her fault, she must have messed up in his training somewhere, or hadn't reapplied the desensitizing training back home at the right moment. It was disheartening to see the stallion that she knew could succeed, react poorly to a crowd. He was meant for showjumping, or cross country.
It was odd, he paid so much attention to her in the warm-up ring, even as she tried to work on his ground manners. He was mindful of her, of the flag, uncaring of the crowd that watched them in the warm-up ring as if all was right, but she could tell he was tense. She shouldn't get on his back, should say he's unfit to ride. The vet had already cleared him, and Mikayla swore they would be up for this challenge. She climbed onto the saddle, the stallion being so much taller than she was, his withers over her head. She finished adjusting the girth, making sure the saddle and pad hadn't been shifted too much when she was getting on. He shivered beneath her, trotting when she asked for a walk. Mikayla had to convince the stallion to slow to a walk, Jack snorted and tossed his head but listened to her all the same.

"You sure he's good to ride, he looks a little crazed." Siobhan asked from the side.

"He has to get over his issue with crowds eventually. I think it's the stranger aspect anyways. He's fine being surrounded by all the staff and the students- but he knows all of them. "

"I guess, but he's being ridiculous."

"I know, worst case scenario- I die. Best case scenario I win."

"No, worst case scenario, you live but can't ride anymore. Don't think I don't know how whiny you are when the doctor says you can't ride.

"True, very true." Mikayla urged Jack to a trot, easing him up to the poles on the ground. He didn't fly over them length-wise like he normally did, trotting between them near perfectly despite his nerve. "See, he's not doing too terrible, we just need more work with him in crowded places. "

"Whatever you say, just don't get hurt."

"No promises."

They made their way out into the arena, waiting for the person ahead of them to finish their run. Coriolanus was nodding his head, more than ready to take off as soon as possible. He saw those jumps and it was like a switch flipped in his head, and he was ready to go. Nevermind the yelling of children, the murmurs of all those strangers, that one asshole in the crowd who didn't know to not use their speed light while horses were jumping. Why hadn't anyone bothered to get rid of that person? They trotted around the jumps, Mikayla had already memorized the order, but it was important that the stallion knew what to expect. If there was one thing Mikayla would never tire of, as the amazing intelligence of walers. Her previous show jumping horse had always been quick to memorize the jumps- to the point where even if she faltered he did not. Mikayla no longer needed to rely on her horses like that, like when she was younger and unsure of her own riding abilities. It was a shocker, the changes life took you through. When she was younger, she was insecure in her riding but great with people. Now... she was confident in her riding, her training, her horses, but spending time with strangers or even people she knew, it just.. it didn't flow like it used to. She could still fake it till she made it, but it didn't feel right.

The sound went off and a bright flash blinded her. That motherfu-. Coriolanus took off, Mikayla left to hand on for the ride until she got her vision back. She was thankful her horse jumped the first two correctly, before she veered him towards the third, bringing him to 4a, then over the double 4b. Jumping Jack shortened the strides it took to get to jump five, by slipping past jump one. It put them almost vertical to it, but Mikayla knew to hang on as the stallion corrected their angle half a second before he took the jump. It was risky- but with the black waler over-jumping almost every jump when he was given his head, they made it without grazing the jump. Mikayla thought they might go down in the dirt, but he was faster to keep going towards jump six. By now the black waler's coat was shining from sweat, though he wasn't foaming at the mouth with spittle quite yet. Mikayla swore under her breath and held on as the stallion darted over jump six towards the triple. It was probably the fastest round Mikayla had ever gone through, her roan stallion never having been so brave or risk-taking with the jumps. She supposed this is what she got when she took a wild horse and put him in a discipline that he so obviously was willing to excel in.

Later, when Siobhan was walking with her to cool off the stud, Mikayla shakily held onto the stallion's lowered neck. "I.. have never felt like my heart would fly out of my throat like that before. I'm wondering if I would rather have been knocked off."

"Don't worry, you guys did great. It didn't look too chaotic... I mean, except on jump five- like.. it looked like Jack had lost all form and was going to jump it vertically."

"I couldn't keep his head. That flash..."

"Oh yeah, they kicked the dude out after your round. I saw the police escorting him out. That was ridiculous, it's a good thing Jack was looking the other way before you started or it could've gone worse."

"I... can't even." Mikayla huffed, rubbing the stallion's sweaty neck.

Word Count: 1062

A relatively quick entry, not gonna lie. The show ends soon and I have two days of unlimited drawing left, since I start my new job on the 7th. I tried to get the right side of the arena shown, I believe it's jump #8. Right next to the starting line, and a bush.

Reference: Horse an Rider from personal stock/never published

Est Time: 5 hours

Tools: SAI + Adobe Elements 14