“Hazel, you can hop on Taz after your done with Rigsby.”
I knew the words weren’t meant for me, but they seemed to enter my senses more then they probably did to Hazel. Reticently, I grinded my teeth aboard Sol as I dug my fingers into my breeches, almost clawing myself in anger. However, I forced myself to look between Sol’s ears, and the faint breeze that blew so inaudibly allowed me to calm down.
I gathered my reins together, and lifted a hand to adjust my speed air before I pressed my leg against Sol’s side and set off at a trot. Sol was bumpy, but I did not complain, for he was a lovely mover, and needed that extra push and bump to flick his toes out so attractively. I loosened my rein a snitch once I got him going, allowing Sol to stretch before we got to work.
I glanced across the ring as I posted to see Hazel on her large, Rigsby. He was a striking blood bay, with a tapering blaze and four white stockings. Rigsby had very fluid gates, especially his canter, where you could just loosen your rein and he’ll come up to you. He had unbelievable scope, and jumped from anywhere- something necessary for Hazel.
Hazel was a nice rider, I’ll give her that, but when it came to what she did, I give her nothing. When you jump, some riders see distances and can ride to every one and get every distance which is called “the eye” and some cant see any and they just tip their shoulder and go with whatever giving them the term of “no eye.” Hazel had no eye. She threw her hands out and leaned with whatever Rigsby did for her, and thank goodness for him she could get away with it. I on the other hand had the eye, only missing my distances if I second-guess myself. I take great pride in it.
Also, Hazel knew she could get away with it because of all Rigsby had done. Her family is stinking rich, and Rigsby is a famous pony that has ribboned at Pony Finals, Devon, and WIHS. He’s one of those ponies when asked to name the first five pony hunters that come to your head, he’s probably one of the first two. And because of this, Hazel thinks she can get away with it. I vividly remember one show where she chipped in to almost every line- she walked out of the ring with a smile and said “Well he still is pretty!”
Frankly, I also think she’s a bit tall. Even on a large. I would say she should get a junior, but I would never trust her over fences that big.
I tightened my reins a bit as I trotted Sol on, and I felt a bit grateful at that moment. Sol was a medium, and I fit perfectly on him. No, I didn’t have the typical lean string-bean pony kid look, but I was short. I was normally put together, the majority of anything on me being abs and muscles. I work for what I have, and when not riding, I’m usually running.
“Schaefer! Sit at the trot in the corner!”
At that moment, my mind clicked on. I glanced to my left as I trotted halfway down the longside to see my trainer, Maggie, now turned towards me as she wrapped up with Hazel’s lesson.
Seeing I was now being watched audaciously, I tried sticking my heel down even farther, bringing my elbows in, and taking a feel and asking for a frame which Sol hated. After all, he was a green, and before we had him he never had to do such adavanced movements. After a few more steps, we had made it to the corner, and I attempted to stick my bottom to my Beval and fare his jackhammer to my bottom.
“Sit deeper, deeper! Massage your reins and make that pony frame!” Maggie called from the center of the ring.
I sat so deep it hurt, and tightened my outside rein as I gave and let go to my inside. Sol put his head down for a few mere seconds causing me to be hopeful, but then he just lifted it up again and stuck his chin out.
“When he does that, jerk your inside rein back and get him down.” Maggie insited. “Don’t let him resist you.”
I did what she said, even though Maggie’s idea would probably make him more pissed, and I jerked my inside rein back. Sol instantly threw his head to the side, and feeling this I softened. Yet once I softened, he seemed to drop it modestly. I prayed Maggie wouldn’t have me work his mouth in the frame anymore, because this was just where I liked Sol and I didn’t want to make it any more complicated.
“Post and go down the long side, get your hack trot.” Maggie yelled to me. “Once he gets going then loosen your reins a tad.”
Thank goodness, I thought to myself as I began to post. Each time I went down I engaged a little more contact, and I dug my heel into Sol’s ribs allowing him to move forwardly off my leg. I loosened my reins a smidge, and went on.
See, when you go in for a hack class, you don’t just walk in and do your gaits when the judge says. When you enter the ring, you have to enter like you mean it. You have to show the judge you are working every second and you want this. Most riders enter and pick up a forward trot, including me, as if to say “look at my pony move! Look at me!”
I also had an advantage with Sol being a striking dapple grey with a light mane and tail, his tail being a near pearly white with a splash of yellow near the bottom. He also had a lovely, large blaze and three stockings on his grey legs. When he entered the ring, the judge usually saw him first.
People also will say the hack is probably the easiest class, but here again I disagree. As long as you have an eye and a pony that wont spazz like an idiot, you should get through the over fences fine. But in the hack you have to bring out so much more in your pony than you did over fences. Sometimes in over fences you see a pony that moves nice, but when you enter the hack you may see it moving like theres no tomorrow. That is exactly what you want to get done, and I work for it every second, framing, extending, getting easy transitions, you name it, we do it.
After a fifteen minute session of working Sol at the trot, Maggie told me to pick up the canter. Sol sometimes would flick his ears back, swing his haunches to the inside and not go, but today he got it, bringing a smile to Maggie’s face.
Remember how I said Sol had a bouncy trot? Well, his canter was even worse. His hind was so engaged and he flicked his toes out so hard it felt like you were on a trampoline.
I instinctively went into the half-seat on the longside, bumping him off my inside leg. Sol could be lazy and slow, and wit horses like that you want to set the pace right away before they think they can do whatever and go slow.
“Don’t tip with your shoulder!” Maggie yelled. I responded. “Quiet leg!”
Damn, and I thought my leg was stuck to his side like a rock. I flexed it to his side, focusing all my mind on not letting it swing with the rhythm which was an extremely common problem in riders. I was usually good, but with Sol, you have to work with keeping it there.
“Sit in the corner and circle.” Maggie called. After three strides I got there and once again attempted to stick into my Beval, keeping my shoulders back as a breeze flowed into my speed air. I opened my inside rein and kept my outside leg as I guided Sol through the circle, but halfway through he started to throw his haunches to the inside so I put my leg on, but he playfully bounced to the side and swapped, bullying me to the other direction.
“Schaefer!” Maggie spoke irately. “You cant let him do that! We’ve gone through this before, hold him straight and bend before you finish!”
“I… he…” I stammered bringing him to a walk. But I stopped. Nothing cut it for Maggie. No excuses, even if you had one worth calling home about.
“Pick up your canter and circle again Schaefer.” Maggie instructed. “And don’t let him do that again.”
I gently pulled my inside rein and gave a light kick, sending Sol into a nice medium canter. This time, when I went to turn, I held Sol between both reins and legs, and before I got to the rail, I opened my inside rein and gave inside leg.
“There you go, better.” Maggie nodded. “Now walk.”
I immedietly heard clinking and footsteps, and I didn’t need to look to see she was adjusting jumps for me. However, to humor myself, I looked anyway to see Maggie, her blonde hair flicking to the right from the breeze, adjusting an oxer.
I studied the course, knowing my way around from watching Hazel and Rigsby earlier. It started with an outside line in 5, the out having an oxer, going to a single oxer on the diagonal that Maggie was adjusting, up a bending line in 7, then down a 3 stride to a 2. Knowing how peaky Sol could be, this could be fun.
I strolled around with Sol on a loose rein for a few more minutes until Maggie turned to me. Catching her gaze, I tightened my reins and brought Sol back to my hand. His stocky body seemed to might together as I tightened my leg, giving him the queue we were going to begin.
“You know the course?” Maggie called to me.
“Yeah. Should I do it?” I called back.
“Yeah. Start with the out as your warm-up, its little so Sol should have no problem wile he stretches. Go do it, Schaefer.” Maggie responded giving me the thumbs up.
I gave Sol a bump with my inside leg and he stepped into a bright, forward trot. I pointed him toward the first jump, the in, which was set at 2 feet. Since I was trotting in, the line would be a 6 since when you trot in you add a step. I arched my back a little extra, and three strides out I sat the trot to get Sol in hand. When I jump, I really equitate, so when I arch my back a little extra and just go with naturally the picture just flows. But hey, better start practicing for the Maclay as soon as you can, right?
Sol peaked at the jump, but went over straightforwardly and landed problem free at the canter, reaching onward with his toes he pointed ever so nicely. He had a big step but peaked, and since he was going easily but was bound to look, I just sat and lowered my hand. I kept a feel and sat deep, so when the next jump came up, Sol took it perfectly and landed on the correct lead.
“Perfect, Schaefer!” I heard Maggie exclaim. I smiled. It really felt it.
“Go ahead and trot in and canter out the bending line. It should ride easy today, but knowing Sol, ride off of your eye.” Maggie called with a nod.
Since the bending line was going the other way, I cut Sol across to the other end of the ring across the diagonal, sitting two bounces before continuing. I took an extra feel on my outside rein, since the in was straight and I would need to hold him straight then have a slight bend.
Sol quickened his pace being the peppy pony he was, and even though I had just reached the corner, I sat deep and woahed, remembering what Maggie said about how the line rode. I dug my inside leg into his flank as opposing to my outside rein, and I got him into the corner and straight. Coming out of it, I pointed Sol to the in, another 2 foot vertical. It was our glazed, brown wood standards that were thick and broad, being simple and good for hunters. Sol never had a problem with it, so he sailed over it at ease, not looking at all. Again, to the out, which was set at 2 foot 3, I sat deep and waited with my hand. The line was rather short, so Sol slowly and easily popped over the out but landed on the wrong lead. Knowing he could get playful and miss the change, I opened my outside rein and gave contact with my inside leg. However, Sol had other ideas, and he dived and bulged to the outside. Catching his mistake just in time, I kicked with my outside leg and got the change before Sol got his way and missed it.
“Well that was hard.” I mumbled under my breath, narrowing my eyes.
Maggie said no words, so I fought myself to lift my head and look into her eyes. Not one thing was spoken, but I read everything from her expression. Schaefer, don’t let it happen again! I bit my lip and sighed slightly, looking back into Maggie as if to say no way, it won’t.
“You can go ahead and do the whole course, at this height once. Canter, get the numbers.” Maggie finally spoke.
You don’t speak to Maggie during a lesson unless you’re asked a question, so I nodded and picked up my canter. I liked to talk about what I was feeling, and sometimes let some words slip, but after my circle incident I wouldn’t be talking.
I didn’t circle since Sol had gotten the pace set rather quickly, so within moments I had him pointed to our first jump. Sol was being very forward today during our jumping, so instead of half-seating as I usually did I sat deep with a low hand, bringing his nose in when I could. We got slightly long into the line, so with my outside rein I caught him in the mouth causing him to stall out slightly and get a perfect distance to the out. And of course, Maggie didn’t notice. She would have been barmy after doing that since she likes everything to look as effortless as possible. But frankly, there are many things I’ve done to make my courses look better with Sol. But what else could you do with a green, since they make things complicated?
We landed correct so I continued to the single oxer on the diagonal. Single oxers were my nemesis, since with those you had to get the right distance or you were screwed. I always found the right distance in the end though, and I took a deep breath going to it, trusting myself. I sat even deeper, conserving Sol’s energy in my hand as I waited to see what would come up. This oxer was curious though, since at the normal six strides out when I made a decision it didn’t come up. I stared hard at the jump, hunting for the distance, attempting to allow it to come up, and three strides out of the jump the big once came up. I pressed with my leg, letting Sol reach, and he took the jump very roundly and slightly long, landing on the incorrect lead. It worked, not perfect, but it worked. This time Sol didn’t give me trouble with the lead change and he effortlessly popped into it.
I quickly brought him back into my hand, catching him in the mouth once more. The turn to the in of the bending line came up fast as it was direct, so I used my outside aids coming out of the corner to keep Sol straight. I found the shorter distance as the line was very easy, and kept woahing to the out. Sol jumped up very well and landed correct. As he landed, I put my inside leg on and brought my shoulders back. If I had any sort of habits, it was my stupid left shoulder that tipped every so often. I was a righty, so generally I wasn’t as tight in my left side so I always had to check to make sure it was behind my hip. After fixing that, I pointed Sol to the first jump in the triple combo.
In the first jump, the distance came up perfectly so again I just sat and waited for the out to come up. He got there nicely, peaking slightly, and reached and easily got over the out peaking again but jumping so well with his knees over the oxer. I got him past the corner, then sat deep and let him walk, giving him a few pats with my gloved hand.
“Good.” Maggie slowly nodded. “Very good. I liked that round. You were long to the oxer and could have ridden up to it better but that was the right distance. You rode everything conservatively and waited, which again I liked. Good girl Schaefer, you can be done with that. That’s enough. I don’t think it will get better.” Maggie acknowledged me.
I wanted to tell her what I saw at the oxer, but you never argue with Maggie. I was satisfied. I had a great lesson and was in a good mood, that is, until I saw Hazel coming out on Taz, a 15.3 smutty buckskin horse that showed in modified and brought riders up.
Well didn’t that ruin my mood! See, I normally wouldn’t mind at all when another rider got to ride another horse, but when Hazel got them, I got mad. Why? She got everything she wanted and wasn’t even the greatest rider. Every horse that needed riding was given to her even though me and some of the other riders at the barn could give the horse a better ride. I bet her parents paid for all of her options otherwise I would never think a trainer would give Hazel so many horses to ride.
“You can flat him, Hazel, and maybe jump him if I find time.” Maggie told her with a smile.
“Sure, no problem.” Hazel replied to Maggie as if she were doing her a favor. Hah! It almost made me exultant and amused thinking of how she thought she was all that.
In order to keep myself from exploding, I steered Sol into the indoor arena where it was slightly cooler and we could relax without a problem.
“Door!” I yelled as I entered to show everyone I was coming in. People say that you should say that to tell your coming in, but truly I thought it was more of a way to say “I’m coming in, don’t run me over and kill me!”
When I entered, my vision got a little darker since I had come from the light. I blinked once and noticed Taylor, a little kid fro our barn was getting on her small Max who was a cute little black pony with a star. He was bombproof and was an adorable mover, and was such a god fit for Taylor who was just starting to get into ponies. She was tiny, 7, and had the cutest face anyone couldn’t resist. Together, Taylor and Max might as well win every class for being too freaking adorable for words.
“Hey Taylor!” I called to her as I entered with a sweaty Sol.
“Hi!” She called back as she mounted up, Max swiveling his ears back as he listened to me as well.
“Are you lessoning today?” I asked her, trying to be as friendly as I could. ‘Sweetie Schaefer’ the moms called me. But I mean, it was common sense. Be nice and people will be back to you, right? Yeah, no chance, but I was anyway.
“Yes, with Max.” Taylor nodded excitedly.
“Fun! Have a good lesson girlie.” I replied to her back.
“Thank you!” Taylor called back before vanishing into the light.
Today was prep today, since we had a show over the weekend. It was Thursday, and we rode all the horses over a realistic show course before being shipped out early Friday and showing Saturday and Sunday as long as it was a smaller scale, local A show like the one this weekend. It was an hour and a half drive into Wisconsin from my family’s northern Illinois home, and really was nothing out of the blue next to some Kentucky shows we go to.
More than anything, I wanted to show in Florida and become something there, but we simply didn't have the money to send me out there, nor would anyone from our barn spend the money to go. And no people going means to clients and money to make off Florida shows for Maggie, so Florida showing was simply out of the question.
Also, I knew I could do it. If someone brought me to Florida to show or to catchride or something of that sort, I had confidence I would do well. But again, I was never given the chance. I would to down to Kentucky and do well but it just wasn’t the same as Florida. Champing at WEF or something of that kind just gave you some sort of finesse and notoriety that few other shows could produce. More than anything, I wanted to ride there and go for gold.
“Schaefer!” I heard a familiar voice call to me from the door to the indoor ring. It had to be Jess, one of my greatest friends from our barn.
I turned around in my saddle, dropping my edgewood bridle reins as I made eye contact with Jess. Her wavy blonde hair was tied back in a ponytail and she wore a blue polo that matched her horse Logan’s blue baby pad. The blue looked nice on Logan, who was a lean and lanky dapple grey appendix. Jess’s family didn’t have a lot of money, just enough to send her to all the shows and board a horse, so she ended up with Logan who was a rather cheap buy that would be right for doing the 2’6 to 3 foot. Jess herself didn’t have too much experience and that great of an eye, but she was decent and with Logan who matched her perfectly she was competitive and she enjoyed herself on him immensely. Jess however was incredibly friendly and pleasant to be around and wasn’t full of herself like many riders, so of course I had befriended her and she became the person I could tell most anything to.
“Jess!” I called back. “Are you hacking?”
“Yeah, I’m just going to work Logan outside a bit and Maggie is going to school me over some jumps.” Jess said with a nod. “How was Sol?”
“He was…” I paused to think. “Just like Sol.”
Jess began to laugh, and I did a little as well. She then gathered her reins and gave the eager Logan a squeeze and they made way for the door to the outdoor. I flexed my feet in my stirrups, then called back a few last words for Jess.
“Have a good ride!” was what came out.
Yeah, I suppose I could see why the moms called me 'Sweetie Schaefer' after all.
NOTE This is just a preview! The Equestrian will soon be available to purchase in iBooks. A link will be provided soon.