With strong encouragement from Allison, and with final papers and exams over with; Sierra and River did attend the senior prom, the last event of her high school years.
With a diploma in hand, and proud of graduating with high honors, Sierra could now look forward to a summer full of horses and eventing. Then in September, she would begin her pre-veterinary studies with a major in biology at the University of California, Davis, in Sacramento. With her top grades and high SAT score, she had earned a full academic scholarship.
As excited as she was about beginning the fulfillment of her life-long dream to become a veterinarian, it was hard for her to imagine living away from home, and not to have Allison as her study partner, for her best friend had been accepted into the pre-med program at Duke University on the east coast. But hardest of all, she would have to leave River, Fiel, and the other horses during the school year. She hoped she might at least be able to bring Fiel with her, once she was settled at school and could scope out a suitable boarding facility.
*****
But it was everything happening outside of school that Sierra thought made her senior year wonderful. She noticed changes in River over the year, ever since Cory returned home. He was the happiest she had ever seen him, and by the time they graduated, she could not remember the last time she had been around him in a despondent or sullen mood. River still had to attend counseling sessions his senior year, but he no longer complained about them. In fact, he often told Sierra what he and Mrs. Montoya talked about, or advice she had given him.
At least once a week, River and Sierra visited Laila and Megan. Laila had moved in with the Marshalls, and Mrs. Marshall happily babysat Megan while Laila attended classes or worked.
“I pay rent, but it’s really only a token of my appreciation, for there is no way I could ever repay them for their support and help with Megan,” Laila praised the Marshalls. “Someday, I hope to be able to help some kid in trouble the way they have helped me.”
Occasionally Sierra and River babysat for Laila when she worked weekend evenings, to give the Marshalls a chance to go out or even have an evening together without responsibility. Sierra delighted in the newborn infant, but her fascination only increased as she watched the little girl grow; the first smile, sitting up unsupported, watching her start reaching for objects, and then starting to crawl and pull herself up. River enjoyed the baby as much as Sierra did, and nobody doubted little Megan’s preference for River, for her face would always break into her sunniest smile at sight of him. River loved holding Megan and playing with her, but he also spent a lot of time with Todd, taking the time to play a game with him or hang out with the boy and his dog, Brownie.
River still struggled with his studies, but he passed all his courses so that he managed to graduate. He gave in to both Sierra and Laila, who pretty much refused to let him say no, to go to college. His grades and the high school level courses he had taken weren’t good enough for him to get into a university, so he enrolled in the community college to catch up on college level general education courses. He planned to eventually transfer to the local university and try to get into a program offered by the school of business on property management, since it included rural properties and farms.
“Laila, I’m counting on you to keep River on track in school since I won’t be here,” Sierra said one evening when River was outside playing with Todd.
“Don’t you worry your pretty little brainy head,” Laila assured her. “I won’t let him see Megan if he doesn’t keep his grades up,” she threatened.
“That should motivate him!”
*****
And then there were the wonderful, magnificent, incredible horses!
Sierra took jumping lessons from Tess through the winter months on Felicity and dressage lessons from River on Fiel, as well as riding out on the trails on her assigned horses.
“You’re taking her training level this season,” Tess decided. “Forget novice; last year the two of you really settled into a good partnership and I see no reason for you to spend any more time at novice level. Just think of last year as preparation for riding her training level now.”
That thrilled Sierra. When the competition season began, she was ready to ride Fiel at fourth level dressage, and Felicity at training level eventing.
River now had three horses of his own plus all the horses in training to work with. Corazón was as enthusiastic as ever about jumping, and River looked forward to competing him at preliminary level. He also worked with Meridian preparing him for intermediate level eventing. Pendragon would move up to intermediate II in dressage, and Tess also wanted him to start two other horses in training at dressage shows.
His filly Ysbryd, had a sweet nature and loved attention from humans. Sierra thought her personality was a lot like that of the mare Diva. River spent time with the filly grooming her and sometimes leading her around to get her accustomed to new sights and sounds; but other than that, he wanted her to be allowed to have a ‘childhood’ and grow up with her lovely disposition intact. He kept her turned out in the daytime in a pasture with two other yearlings he had convinced Tess to board from a nearby breeding farm. Prospector, the two-year-old, also was turned out daily in a pasture with other geldings. He wanted both youngsters to have time to play and grow as freely and naturally as possible. Tess pushed him to at least start lunge lessons with Prospector, but River insisted they wait until he was at least three years old. The gray gelding had a rambunctious and curious personality, and River believed if he was not pushed, that he would develop into a bold and courageous eventing horse.
Much to everyone’s amazement, except maybe Ben’s, Oberon changed the most. Since the day River had sat on his back, he slowly began to ask a little more each time under saddle. He started out walking him around the perimeter of the round pen, and then a few sessions later, began to ask for trot. When those lessons all went well, Ben suggested he try Oberon in the indoor arena. Before long, River no longer worked Oberon in the round pen at all, but worked with him in short lessons under saddle in either the indoor or outdoor arena. When the big bay obediently walked, trotted, and cantered without resistance in both directions, River began taking him out on the trail.
“River really doesn’t need my help anymore,” Ben said one Sunday to Sierra when he had come out to watch River ride the horse. They stood together at the rail watching the beautiful bay moving in a powerful, rhythmical trot with his back and neck rounded and working off his hind end muscles – dancing with his rider. “You know, it often isn’t until you start riding a horse that you can really develop that true partnership and a trusting relationship,” he explained when Sierra commented on how much Oberon’s manners had improved. “It’s sort of like the horse is willing to share his strength and speed with you, and in turn, under your protection you give your horse the chance to experience the world without feeling threatened. The horse receives courage and a sense of safety from his rider.”
“That is so awesome,” Sierra replied as she thought about the truth of his statement.
*****
The season after senior year, Sierra qualified to compete in the regional championship on Felicity at junior training level. River, at age nineteen, moved up to young rider status, and qualified on Corazón at preliminary, and Meridian at intermediate level. Candace and Moonshadow also qualified this year at adult beginner novice. Kate Ramsey and her horse Jubilee, qualified at adult preliminary. Tess considered it a successful season for Pegasus, even though she did not have enough riders in any division for a team.
Two weeks before she would leave for Sacramento, Sierra and River loaded up the Pegasus horses to trailer them to the championship show grounds.
Pam had taken vacation time to spend this last weekend with her daughter, and drove behind the kids with João’s truck and camper. Even though River had long since moved up from his stable boy status, he still preferred to sleep in a stall that had been converted into a dressing room next to where the Peg
asus horses were stabled. “I’ll feel much more relaxed if I’m close to the horses,” he insisted when Tess tried to get him to stay in a nearby hotel room.
The partnership between Sierra and Felicity, now a six-year-old, had developed into a solid, trusting relationship over the winter months and throughout the show season. The mare still had a tendency to shy at spooky objects, for her timid nature did not change. But Sierra now consistently responded reflexively with a deep seat and supporting legs. Her reflexive responses also served when riding other horses; whenever her mount spooked in the arena or on the trail.
Now, as Sierra entered the arena for the dressage test, and could feel Felicity tensing her muscles, she mentally as well as physically transmitted messages of ‘relax, young lady, nothing to fear’, as she sat deep and used her breathing to help convince the mare to trot forward out of her mincing steps. By the time the judge rang the forty-five second bell, Felicity had lowered her neck and head into the bit, and responded to Sierra’s aids. They finished the dressage test with only one obvious mistake. My fault, Sierra believed, for when she gave the reins wanting Felicity to lengthen her stride on a canter circle, she didn’t support her enough with her legs, so that the mare transitioned down to trot for a stride before Sierra pressed with her legs back up to canter. Other than that, Felicity had stayed in contact with the bit with a round frame, and forward moving in all her gaits.
“Well done,” Tess greeted her with a smile as they exited the arena. “You know what happened when she broke her canter gait?”
“I do, my fault,” Sierra replied and explained what she did wrong, as she stroked Felicity’s neck and smiled over at River.
*****
The next day, cross country, Sierra rode Felicity into the warm-up area with Tess at the perimeter to coach her. River had just finished his course on Corazón and cooling him out, so could not be here, but she hoped he would be done in time to at least catch part of her ride on course.
“She’s a little wary, so trot her around the perimeter to get her to relax,” Tess advised.
Sierra nodded, exactly what she had planned to do, and with soft hands and supporting legs, she convinced Felicity there was nothing to fear in this new warm-up area, and within a few strides, the mare lowered her head to trot forward energetically. Sierra completed a full circuit around the open field in each direction, and then worked through a few figure eights. Satisfied she had Felicity’s attention, she then asked for canter, pleased with the mare’s obedient response.
“She looks relaxed but energetic,” Tess said as Sierra brought Felicity back down to walk as she neared her coach. “I think if you take that low vertical, once on each lead; that should be sufficient warm-up. You have ten minutes before your ride time.”
Sierra nodded and guided Felicity into a circle at a trot, and then asked for canter on the right lead, just before turning off the circle to take the jump. Felicity willingly approached and sailed over. Sierra repeated to the left, and then praising her horse, brought her back to walk, just as the ring steward signaled she could ride up to the starting box.
“Good luck,” Tess said with a smile.
Felicity stretched her neck and snorted as they walked up to the starting box. She flicked her ears and raised her head when the steward allowed Sierra to enter the enclosure, but showed no other indications of wanting to shy; just her muscles bunching with normal excitement. “Good girl,” Sierra whispered to her, gathering her reins as the starter began the countdown. When he dropped his arm with the flag, Sierra simply moved her hands forward, and the excited mare jumped into a gallop.
Before falling asleep last night, Sierra had imagined riding this course in her mind, using the advice given to her by River and Tess as they walked the course yesterday, as well as her own ideas. There were twenty-four jumps, up to three-foot-three inches in height, and included two combinations, a ditch, a bank, and a water jump.
“You have to know your horse as you plan your ride,” Tess said as they walked the course. “You decide how you’re going to approach each obstacle based on Felicity’s timid nature, jumping ability, the types of obstacles she likes and does not like, and her stamina.”
Now Sierra rode as she had planned last night, but aware that conditions could change and may require last minute changes. The first two obstacles were the types of jumps Felicity took easily; a wide, round log, then a sturdy ramp, both on level ground. Then they had a long galloping stretch leading up a hill. Sierra leaned forward over Felicity’s neck for the uphill gallop, enjoying the feel of her powerful muscles covering the ascent without any faltering of her stride. With the Pegasus conditioning program, Sierra knew her mount was in top shape. They reached the crest of the hill and had one stride before a brush jump which the mare sailed over without hesitation. Sierra listened to Felicity’s breathing, pleased that the mare snorted in rhythm with her galloping stride and showed no signs of being overly winded after the uphill gallop. She sat deep and shifted her weight back to slow the mare for the four strides at the top of the hill, knowing they faced a steep descent with a log pile at the bottom. She let the reins slip to give Felicity her head as she negotiated the downhill, but knew she would only have one stride to reorganize before the jump. This was where keeping her legs on firmly to communicate ‘go forward’, was essential. Tess had also recommended using more right rein to turn the mare’s head to where the road angled to the right beyond the jump, to help prevent a run-out. Still seems the best plan, Sierra quickly decided as she pressed the mare’s sides with her legs. Two strides before the logs, she applied a bit more pressure to the right rein, and as Felicity cleared the jump, she already was pointed to the next obstacle. They cleared two more jumps on the level, the coop and flower boxes, and then Sierra turned the mare into a short lane through a wooded section.
The seventh jump was a water jump; over a log into a pond, and a short gallop through the water to jump up over a wood-fortified bank. Sierra was not worried about the water itself, for the Pegasus horses were all introduced to water very early in their training. Not only did they have a patch of water to gallop through in the field, but every time they encountered natural puddles, the rider asked the horse to walk, trot, or canter through. One section of trail had a seasonal creek that riders walked or trotted the horses across. Sierra worried that leaving the shaded lane to approach the water in full sunlight might cause the mare to shy. “Keep on straight ahead, little lady,” Sierra encouraged, with her legs pushing her forward as they exited the woods. Felicity approached the water with her ears pricked, and in spite of the sunlight glinting off the surface, jumped down into the water, galloped through the pond, and jumped up the bank, as bold as any seasoned eventer.
The next five obstacles they cleared with no problems. Felicity maintained her energetic gallop, her stamina holding. Whenever Sierra asked her to slow her pace by sitting deep and shifting her weight back, the mare obediently shortened her stride, and then eagerly jumped forward whenever her rider shifted her weight forward with legs on.
Then they approached the bank, the twelfth jump. Sierra forced down the trepidation starting to creep up her spine, for the last thing she wanted was to communicate her own fear of the bank to Felicity. Banks were scary at this level! Many times she had lost her balance jumping down banks and ended up over her horse’s neck this past summer. Now, she must depend on her body to respond reflexively to all she had practiced during lessons with Tess in the back field. She kept her eyes on the top of the bank as they approached, and sat back with a quick squeeze of the reins as she felt Felicity begin to rush. “Good girl,” she called out as the mare shortened her stride, but still galloped forward. She looked from the corner of her eye to find the short twisted tree that Tess had said to use as a marker to begin counting her strides. She counted out loud, “One…two…three.” Just before the fourth stride, she moved into two-point jumping position, and with her eyes still on the top of the bank, moved her hands forward with the motio
n of Felicity’s neck as the mare jumped up. “Let go,” she told herself, and let the reins slip through her fingers as Felicity took one stride, and then jumped down. Sierra pushed her hips backwards, thrust her feet forward, and engaged her stomach muscles to stay upright over the middle of Felicity’s back. They did it! “Good girl!” Sierra whooped out loud as she gathered her reins to re-organize and gallop on.
The next challenge came at the sixteenth obstacle, an in-and-out combination of two log fences, the second a half-foot higher than the first. This was the type of combination Tess had drilled her over both in the field and in the outdoor arena. The problem was she needed to make a fairly sharp turn soon after the second element. Also, in line with the second element was a novice level brush jump that would certainly catch Felicity’s eye, luring her straight on. Tess had advised Sierra to approach the combination at a slight angle so hopefully the mare would already have her head in the direction Sierra needed to turn; but also to use a direct rein a stride after landing from the second element. It was a good plan, but as Felicity landed from jump fifteen, Sierra found they were on a slight downhill slope. Somehow, they had overlooked that in walking the course. Sierra, not expecting it, lost her balance and rode precariously over Felicity’s neck for two strides before she was able to shift back into a secure seat in the saddle. There was no time to approach at an angle for Felicity had kept the straight line from obstacle fifteen to the combination and was galloping too fast. Sierra quickly sat deep and squeezed gently a few times in succession on the reins to ask Felicity to shorten her stride, and it seemed in the nick of time, the mare adjusted her pace to approach the first element and take off at the correct distance to land and thrust off again over the second element. The mare’s ears pricked toward the brush jump in front of her. “Not that one,” Sierra spoke to her as she pulled hard on the right rein, weighting the right stirrup, to turn the mare and stay on course. She had pulled harder on the rein than she meant to, and Felicity threw her nose up, but nevertheless, shifted her balance and made the turn. “Sorry…good girl,” Sierra praised her, for Felicity, forgiving the jab at her mouth, galloped on to clear jump seventeen, a ditch.
For The Love of Horses (Pegasus Equestrian Center) Page 37