July 2009 Story Contest

Just One More Jump By TecLove & Tecumseh age 15

Meredith walked into the barn, she had shoulder length blonde hair pulled back inot a low ponytail. She wore light blue breeches and a blue and white stripped shirt and her knee high boots. She strode down the aisle, greeting her friends as she went. Finally she stopped at her horse's stall. A sorrel Quater Horse stallion with four white stockings and a wide blaze. "You ready for the show today?" She asked. Dollar perked his ears and tossed his head, seemingly answering yes. Meredith laughed and clipped a lead onto his halter. She led him out of his stall and into the crossties. She groomed him and started to tack up. Throwing her white saddle pad over his back and then her saddle, she sdjusted the breast collar and then put the girth around his belly.

"Hey Mare!" A voice shouted from behind her. She looked up and saw her best friend, Michelle mounted on her horse. A light bay Thoroughbred/Wrmblood mix called Mandolin, or Manny. "You almost ready?" She asked.

"Yeah let me put on his bridle." Meredith shouted back. "Ok." Michelle said. Meredith slid the Pelham bit inot Dollar's mouth and then buckled the Flash Drop bridle. She grabbed her helmat that was sitting on the tack box next to her. Meredith led Dollar out of the barn and mounted. Michelle rode next to her.

"How is Squishy?" Michelle asked. Dollar was also called Squishy by the people who loved him most. "Good, and I think that we're ready for the class." Meredith said.

"You better be ready, its too late to back out." Michelle said. Meredith nodded and started to warm Dollar up.   Twenty minutes later she was about to enter the ring. She watched the girl in front of her go and she was scared. The girl had almost fallen off when her horse refused a jump.

"Now entering the ring, Meredith Johnson and I'm A Saint." Meredith urged Dollar forward and they trotted into the arena. Mereidth looked around as she waited for the bell that started her round. The crowd watched the new comer to the class and she was nervous. She was entered in a three foot nine inch jumper class. The belle rang and she urged Dollar forward. They cantered up to the first jump, a red and white single. Dollar perked his ears and soared over the jump, they headed for the second jump, a wide blue oxer. Again they soared over the jump.   After finishing most of the course, they headed for the last three jumps. The first of he three was an pink oxer followed by a green vertical. They soared over the oxer but Dollar refused the vertical, Meredith lost her balance and flipped over his shoulder. She sat on the ground and grabbed Dollar's reins, she mounted and headed for the two again.

"Just one more jump." She told herself. Dollar tucked his forlegs and soared over the jump and then the vertical. They headed for the last jump and Dollar soared over, not even getting close the the bar. Meredith waited until they exited the ring to release her excitment.

"You did it." Said Michelle.

"Yeah." Meredith said.

"When you fell, I thought that you weren't going to get back up but then you came and you might get second." Michelle said. "Really!" Meredith said astonished.

"Yeah you were the last one to go."   After a few mintues the class results were being announced. "In third place, Amber Loteen and Midnight's Passion, in second place Meredith Johnson and I'm A Saint." Meredith didn't hear the rest of the scores because she was jumping up and down screaming. She couldn't believe that even thought she fell that she came back and got second.

She turned to Dollar and kissed him. "That just proves that the underdog can win." Michelle said. "And you've got another show next weekend, I bet you'll get first in that one."