Post by clairebryants on Dec 2, 2010 1:44:50 GMT -5
Claire woke up with a jolt and looked over at her phone on the nightstand. When she saw the time, she cursed and threw back the covers, getting up from her bed and rushing to her drawers, throwing them open and getting out her casual riding stuff. She pulled on her tan breeches and a long-sleeved black striped shirt. She yanked on her long black English boots and quickly brushed through her dark chocolate-colored hair. Seeing her grooming kit and helmet, she grabbed those up quickly with another curse. She pretty much stuffed a banana in her mouth before putting her key into her pocket and running out the door. Sometimes she slept at school to get away from her foster father and for convenience purposes so she didn't have to drive there.
She pushed past anyone in her way, yelling that she was sorry, before throwing open the doors to outside. She took off towards the barn, her heart pounding in her chest. She had promised Jack the night before that she'd ride him early and practice their jumping. As soon as her brown eyes fell on her beautiful boy's stall, her face was glowing with happiness. Out of breath, she stopped in front of the stall and kissed Jack's muzzle softly, looking up into her stallion's intelligent eyes.
"Hey, my Jackie boy. Ready to go riding for awhile?" she crooned to the calm horse in front of her, setting down her grooming kit and helmet. She headed over to the tack room, grabbed the tack she needed, and walked back over to Jack. Opening the stall door, she walked in with her grooming kit and wrapped her arms around the dappled grey, inhaling his scent for a long moment. Claire pulled back and started to groom Jack, making sure she did everything almost perfect until she was sure her stallion was shining and content.
Jack snorted and shook out his detangled mane as if he enjoyed it and was testing it out. Claire smiled at the horse and left her grooming kit in the stall as she grabbed up her saddle pad, tossing it gently on his back and straightening it. After that, she put on the saddle and tightened it, grateful that Jack wasn't one of those horses that sucked in its chest when the saddle went on. As soon as she tightened the saddle, she put the bit in Jack's mouth and put the bridle on.
"Okay, that's it...let's go to the indoor arena..." Claire hugged him again, put her hair into her ponytail from her wrist, and stuck her helmet onto her head. She led Jack down the aisle and smiled to herself, happy that she was doing something that was normal around this place. When she got into the indoor arena, she threw the reins over Jack's neck and put her foot in the stirrup. Her hands grabbed the mane and pommel, and she swung herself easily into her jumping saddle, nodding as she squeezed her horse immediately into a fast walk. She silently praised whoever had left out the jumps in the arena since she wanted to jump today. After a few minutes of walking, her eyes fixed ahead of her, she lightly squeezed Jack's side and clucked her tongue, asking for a trot. He happily complied, glad to be out of a stall and riding again. Claire started to post, using her leg muscles to lift herself out of the saddle.
Just a short bit later, Jack was prancing and slightly yanking on the bit to jump. Claire smirked, only too happy to agree and automatically reined him to the first jump in the pattern she was making up in her mind. Jack took three strides, and Claire leaned forward in her two-point position, bringing her hands forward and leaning them somewhat on the stallion's neck as he lifted off and jumped the 3 foot jump with ease. Jack landed into a canter and Claire rocked along with the rhythm of his hoofbeats. The young woman laughed and then was looking forward towards their next jump, which was a double. They cleared those and Claire's smile was growing by the second. Riding Jack was everything Claire lived for nowadays besides her music.
She pushed past anyone in her way, yelling that she was sorry, before throwing open the doors to outside. She took off towards the barn, her heart pounding in her chest. She had promised Jack the night before that she'd ride him early and practice their jumping. As soon as her brown eyes fell on her beautiful boy's stall, her face was glowing with happiness. Out of breath, she stopped in front of the stall and kissed Jack's muzzle softly, looking up into her stallion's intelligent eyes.
"Hey, my Jackie boy. Ready to go riding for awhile?" she crooned to the calm horse in front of her, setting down her grooming kit and helmet. She headed over to the tack room, grabbed the tack she needed, and walked back over to Jack. Opening the stall door, she walked in with her grooming kit and wrapped her arms around the dappled grey, inhaling his scent for a long moment. Claire pulled back and started to groom Jack, making sure she did everything almost perfect until she was sure her stallion was shining and content.
Jack snorted and shook out his detangled mane as if he enjoyed it and was testing it out. Claire smiled at the horse and left her grooming kit in the stall as she grabbed up her saddle pad, tossing it gently on his back and straightening it. After that, she put on the saddle and tightened it, grateful that Jack wasn't one of those horses that sucked in its chest when the saddle went on. As soon as she tightened the saddle, she put the bit in Jack's mouth and put the bridle on.
"Okay, that's it...let's go to the indoor arena..." Claire hugged him again, put her hair into her ponytail from her wrist, and stuck her helmet onto her head. She led Jack down the aisle and smiled to herself, happy that she was doing something that was normal around this place. When she got into the indoor arena, she threw the reins over Jack's neck and put her foot in the stirrup. Her hands grabbed the mane and pommel, and she swung herself easily into her jumping saddle, nodding as she squeezed her horse immediately into a fast walk. She silently praised whoever had left out the jumps in the arena since she wanted to jump today. After a few minutes of walking, her eyes fixed ahead of her, she lightly squeezed Jack's side and clucked her tongue, asking for a trot. He happily complied, glad to be out of a stall and riding again. Claire started to post, using her leg muscles to lift herself out of the saddle.
Just a short bit later, Jack was prancing and slightly yanking on the bit to jump. Claire smirked, only too happy to agree and automatically reined him to the first jump in the pattern she was making up in her mind. Jack took three strides, and Claire leaned forward in her two-point position, bringing her hands forward and leaning them somewhat on the stallion's neck as he lifted off and jumped the 3 foot jump with ease. Jack landed into a canter and Claire rocked along with the rhythm of his hoofbeats. The young woman laughed and then was looking forward towards their next jump, which was a double. They cleared those and Claire's smile was growing by the second. Riding Jack was everything Claire lived for nowadays besides her music.