Summer & Arizona

Aaron rode his dapple grey Thoroughbred around the race track. They had just been around twice and his stallion was getting throughly tired. He steered Apollo over to the side and dismounted from his high, broad back and took the reins from over his head and bunched them so he could lead his horse. The boy clicked his tongue and started leading Apollo back towards the stables. His eyes caught on a girl and a horse, the horse had just performed a perfect, round 20 m circle. Aaron stopped and his horse halted behind him. The girl was clearly talented with her riding skills and her horse was the same. He walked over to the white, wooden fence and leaned against it, watching her graceful movements carefully.

Adrian tightened the straps of the bridle on his black, Trakehner mare Tashi and smiled, running a hand down her gorgeous, muscular neck. He grinned and smoothed her long mane and opened the stall door, leading her out. The boy walked down the stable, his mare plodding along behind him nosily. Adrian chuckled and walked out, towards the jumping arena. He saw a girl and her horse in the new one, so he went in the old one beside the new. The boy lead his mare in and mounted up onto her back and squeezed her sides with his heels lightly, waiting until she responded.

Summer tightened her reins slightly, moved her legs back slightly and rolled her shoulders back. She squeezed him gently and the stallion moved into a powerfully piaffe. The girl gave a bit of slack to the reins but Moon kept his head tucked to his chest. “Good boy” She whispered praise as they pair moved out of the piaffe and down the long side of the arena. In the corner, Summer half halted and slid her outside leg back, Moon picked up a steady canter on the correct lead. She turned him towards the first jump that stood at 1.1m, she collected the stallion but kept him forward as they approached the fence. Moon lifted his front feet off the ground and pushed off with powerful hind quarters. Summer lifted out of the saddle and lent forward into a two point position as the pair flew over the fence, Moon clearing it easily. Moon landed on the correct canter lead for most of the coarse, only once did Summer have to slid her outside leg back for the stallion to complete a flying change. “Perfect” She huffed, half out of breath from the exhilaration of the ride. She slowed Moon to a trot, his legs stretching far. She gave him his head and the stallion stretched out. Summer glanced around, her eyes catching a figure leaning on the fence, watching, she flushed a deep red and halted her hip, Moon slowing to a walk.

Arizona kept pressure on the stallions sides as he continued to canter towards the next fence, which stood much higher than the last. Undeterred, the pair flew over the fence easily, Arizona laughed quietly. They went over a few move fences with just as much grace as the rest. Once she was happy with the ride she slowed Nightwish to a trot then walk to cool down. The girl looked up at the bright morning sky, the birds had begun to sing and the other people were arriving at the stables. Arizona thought about her sister and decided to head over to the jumping arena, were she knew she would be. She spotted her sister through the open side of the arena and called out to her.

Aaron watched the girl and her stallion. He was thoroughly engrossed by their practice performance. The boy caught her looking up at him and noticed a pink color touch her cheeks. He chuckled and clapped his hands a couple of times, "Wow, you really good," Aaron said, praising her work. He could hear his horse, Apollo whinnying beside him.

Adrian squeezed Tashi's sides gently and the mare responded, smoothly cantering towards a jump the mare thought was suitable. She had chosen a brick wall, it rose to 1m tall. The boy looked throughly pleased with his mare's choice and felt her push off powerfully and soared over the jump, tucking her legs in so her hooves wouldn't skim the top. He grinned as they landed and directed the mare to several other jumps and they cleared them with ease.

Aaron watched the girl with a grin and continued leading his gelding back to the stables. He kept his eyes focused on the ground, humming quietly to himself a song he had recently heard on the radio.
Once at the stables, Aaron walked Apollo into his spacious stall and untacked him, leaving the tack on the stables door. He checked Apollo's shoes and noticed one was loose and needed a change. He would call the farrier tomorrow.

Adrian and Tashi continued one for a quarter of an hour, jumping various sized fences. They were both sweating but enjoying the moment as they soared over the fences. The boy grinned and slowed his mare, directing her towards the gate. Now, they were going on a trail ride. He and Tashi normally went for a relaxing ride after their training.

Aaron sighed, Apollo must of done something to his shoe during their laps today. He shook his head and grabbed the grooming kit and started to brush his dappled coat, flicking away a few bristles that clung to his thin coat. The boy chuckled and swept a hand over his silken coat gently. He smiled wih accomplishment as the gelding no longer was dirty and was bristle-free.

Adrian could see a girl and her stallion galloping towards them, well going to gallop past them. He quickly swerved Tashi through the couple's path and nudged his mare into a slow canter in towards one of ths shortcuts to one of the trails he enjoyed riding in. The boy clicked his tongue and glanced around.

Putting the brush back into the grooming kit box, Aaron grabbed the hoof pick and placed his hand on the top of Apollo's leg and let it drift down, asking him to pick up his hoof once his hand was low enough. Obediently, Apollo lifted and Aaron began picking. He flicked out all the stones and thick mud in the horses hoof.

Adrian yawned and bounced in the saddle as they cantered along. He looked around, searching for the trail. His eyes rested on a visible, dirt path and he served Tashi towards it. The boy started following the path to the meadow.

Aaron finished with the gelding's hooves and grabbed his tack, walking down the aisle to return it to the tack room. He walked out of the tack room after putting the tack away and headed towards the office. The boy walked inside with a gentle tap on the glass door and walked towards the phone. He glanced at the sheet of paper on the bulletin board and found the farrier and dialled his number.

Adrian let his gelding slow to his own smooth pace as they neared their desired destination. He halted him and dismounted, hearing some muted splashs' through the trees. Peering through the trees, he brushed a branch back with his hand and saw a girl and her horse plodding through the water quietly. He stood and watched them for a moment, Tashi walking up beside him.

Aaron heard the dialling stop, replaced by a tough male voice. It was the farrier who normally shod his horses. A smile spread across the boy's face, "Hey Victor! Its Aaron, are you available for tomorrow because Apollo needs a new shoe?" He asked. They talked on the phone for about half an hour.

Adrian let the branch moved back into place as he took his hand away and stepped back, taking off Tashi's saddle and blanket. He was going to go down to the river but since the girl and her horse were there he didn't want to disturb them. The boy pulled the reins over Tashi's head so he could steer her. He walked her down a steep grassy hill towards the river where Arizona and Nightwish were but lead Tashi along the river a little further.

Aaron grinned, "Bye," He said and hit 'End' on the phone. The boy walked out of the office and looked around boredly. He walked over to Apollo's stall and leaned against the door, watching the gelding pace in his stall as the grains of horse feed clung to his muzzle. Aaron chuckled quietly and watched him with a grin.

Adrian could hear Arizona's muffled voice behind him. They weren't that far away and would be easy to see if they looked along the treeline near the river. He glanced behing him and saw the horse's protective stance. Adrian chuckled and lead Tashi into the water, walking over smooth rocks. He looked around and admired the bright scenery.

Aaron glanced around and his eyes rested on Summer's horse as he whinnied. He recalled her saying 'Trail ride'. The boy chuckled and twisted his head to the side as he watched her approach her horse. His eyes followed her fluent movements. Since he had watched her do some dressage today, he could see her everywhere. Aaron had to laugh, it came naturally. He watched the girl with a smile.

Adrian looked up and saw Arizona and Nightwish up ahead. He had tried to steer clear of them so he wasn't disturbing him, but Arizona obviously lead Nightwish here to see what had been disturbing him or the horse wandered here freely. The boy smirked and stared at her for a second before shattering his gaze, "Uh.. sorry, I tried not to disturb you.. I guess Tashi here was a little loud.." He said apologetically.

Aaron could see Summer's cheeks turn pink with embarrasment under the dim light. He shook his head with a playful smile and walked over to the feed room and filled up Apollo's food bucket. The boy walked back with a rather heavy bucket full of grain and emptied it out into the food trough in the gelding's stall.

Adrian shrugged whilst listening, "I normally come down here after training Tashi if I'm not hanging around Aaron," He told her and lightly leaned against his horse as he stood beside her, "What about you?"

Aaron yawned and walked into the stables kitchen and grabbed a granola bar and walked out to the paddocks. He yawned as the sun blazed down onto him and climbed up to sit on the top rail of the fence. The boy looked over all the grazing horses and frolicking foals with a smile.

Adrian nodded and mounted on his dark mare, "Its really nice down here, well, I think anyway. I found this really neat place a while ago. I can show you if you have any spare time?" He asked and clicked his tongue, nudging his mare forward a couple of steps and waited for her reply.

Aaron gazed over the paddock, feeling a wave of serenity wash over him. He grinned and shut his eyes, letting the wind blow gently in his face. The boy jumped off the fence he was sitting on and walked the borders of the paddock.

Adrian grinned and squeezed Tashi's sides and she responded with a smooth trot. He directed the mare towards the area he had discovered a little while back. The boy looked around and saw a small opening between the trees and made Tashi turn into it. He ducked under a thick, strong branch as they walked through and inside this area was a large lake, crystal clear with soft grains of sand. There was no one present but himself, Arizona, Tashi and Nightwish. It was quite beautiful really.