Rough Draft Short Story

It was just me, my horse, and the four judges, who were there to critique my every single move. I probably looked like an ant standing alone inside such a large area. My heart was pounding so hard that I could hear it beating in my ears. Thump. Thump. Thump. I tried to block it out in order to concentrate on the task at hand. The announcer calls for 805, which was my show number, and up to the first cone I went. I knew that pattern better than I knew my own name. The arena smelled so fresh and clean. I could see the perfectly straight drag lines from the tractor, since I was the first one to go in my class. This was the moment that I had been waiting my entire life for. While waiting at the first cone, the pattern was soaring through my head. Trot to the first cone and stop, then do a turn to the right. Over and over again I kept repeating it silently to myself. Finally, the judges nodded for me to begin, and I started the best pattern

While I was cutting the grass, I felt hot, with sweat beading off my face. The lawn mower started to feel heavy, and my legs almost died when I went up the final hill in my backyard. Finally, I made my last row with the mower and it felt like I had conquered the grass.

To trot first get a walk going and then you repeat the steps from walk but instead of saying “walk on” you say “trot” and you can click at him. If he does not move continue to squeeze him or tap him with the whip until he goes. You can also get a horse to trot from a halt but I find it easier to start with a walk.

Excited whispers rose from my riding group as we sat outside the arena for our group lesson. A set of cross-rails was set up in our usually empty riding space. My lower level riding group lessons had so far consisted only of trotting posture, called posting, and galloping. “Today, we will be trotting over crossrails and holding jumping position. No jumping.” the instructor stated sternly. As I sat on my horse in the line of horses flush against the wall of the arena, I felt a strange mixture of anticipation and disappointment. Though I had only taken a few lessons before coming to SJ Ranch Riding Camp, I felt I was far more capable than the rest of the group I’d been placed in. What I lacked in ability I made up for in maturity and eagerness to learn and progress.

I reiterated in my mind I’m a failure as I made my way past the arena’s exit. My conscience told me I couldn’t think like this whilst riding a horse, and that it was time to start thinking like a real rider. I had to find a way to control my nerves, or they would control me. I reminisced on what just occurred. First, I was too nervous, past the level of my normal function. Second, I was more in my head than in reality. Third, it was time to think about my actions instead of worrying about the past. I lost the class; did that really show that I was a bad rider? As I began to doubt my talents my thoughts provided me with an epiphany; to succeed I needed to start riding like the talented rider I knew I could be. I needed to try again to prove to myself that I really can ride

“Mom, come on! You can’t deny that we had a pretty good ride today and one last trot around the barn won’t hurt anything. I promise.” Katie begged. I looked up at her and then looked at my hands that were wrapped around Kate’s lead rope a little too tight. I looked up at John and saw that he was smiling slightly and nodded his head yes. I

It was my first horse show. The crowd clapped and cheered as the first competitor entered the course. I felt like the time wasn’t passing, I could only see one competitor entering and never going out, but I knew the time was getting closer. I got on the horse and rode rapidly to the paddock. I was nervous, I could feel butterflies in the stomach, but I knew I could finish that course. So I started trotting, then galloping, and I went to the paddock jump.

Finally it is my time to go down the hill after waiting for what seemed like forever. The hill we were tubing down seemed extremely large. I was only 12 years old and really small. I get up to the edge of the hill where it starts to slope down. I stood there figuring out whether I back up and run and slide or sit and get pushed. The best option for the most amount of speed was to run and slide. As I start to run forward I kept telling myself not to trip over the tube because there was no stopping once I was on. On the way down the hill I could feel the cold brisk wind as I went flying down the hill. Once I reached the bottom of the hill I had the biggest smile on my face because this was the best thing in the world ever at that moment.

As one of South Australia’s most decorated Junior Show Horse Riders, every success is embraced as a stepping stone toward the pinnacle of competing at Nationals. The ability to ride–and ride well–has seen me claim numerous State Championships over the past years.

My coach announced to the team, “You all have come so far, great job, everyone!” As I entered the arena, my mind went into it’s own world. Ever since I was five, I’ve had a love for horses. Riding horses have become a passion for me and I knew I wanted to join my high school's equestrian team when I got older. I remembered the day clearly in 2016 when we won states, it was a once in a lifetime experience that showed me that hard work pays off.

The sight before me blew my mind. His head bobbing up and down and his strands of hair that I desperately wanted to touch in the club, I could now touch was soft just as I had imagined. I gently brushed it out of his eyes and when I had placed my hands on the back of his head and pulled slightly on the back of his hair, the most mind blowing groan came from the back of his throat. I wanted to hear it again. The sound he was making spun my world.

For the next two hours I kept playing. Practice, practice, practice, I thought as I played the final chord. If this piece was to come out perfect I knew I would have to work on it more than ever. Over the next week for two hours I played my heart out with the Vivaldi.

The day when I could ride my bicycle to school finally dawned. I woke up early, polished my bicycle, made sure to add extra grease to the chain, and had breakfast like an obedient child. Soon it was time for me to leave. Our ever helping watchman, helped me sit comfortably on the cycle and adjusted my school bag firmly to my back, my mother combed my hair, and grandfather tightened my tie which I had loosened. Officers' wives waved at me from their balcony, shouting: 'bye... drive safe beta'. Later that day, they featured me prominently in their

The fresh grass tickled his sticky body as he crushed the living daylights out of them. Beneath the sun’s gaze, he laid still while absorbing the beauty of the outside world. It was perfect.

Afterwards, we went over to the zip lining and I couldn’t help but have that stomach drop feeling as we got there. I was standing at the very top and almost ready to go and my fear of heights was almost sickening me out but I knew I had to experience this. My feet lifted off of the platform and I felt pretty comfortable as I felt like I was a superhero for a couple of minutes. I was soaring over the stunning beach and the palm trees just below me and all I could say in my head was, “this view is just outstanding” and I wish I could stay in that moment forever. For the most part, today I took a leap of faith out of my comfort zone as there was a huge adrenaline rush in me as I was about to soar really high, but being able to experience this made me want to go out and try new things that I could eventually overcome my fear of because life begins just beyond your comfort zone. A day to remember, I will never forget these