Author:
Zoe and The Incredible Ella
|
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
Date Posted: 17:31:44 01/02/03 Thu
The slim blonde, inspecting the current set-up with a critical eye, tied Ella to a sturdy-looking pole with a quick release knot and popped over to alter the course as she saw fit.
She wanted a grid, of course, and nothing was to exceed two feet six inches. She adjusted a few things -- a particular line turned into a broken, and a triple turned into an oxer and, subsequently, a double-bar. She cleared the arena of ground poles and, returning to the tethered chestnut, mounted with ease.
It took three revolutions of the ring at a working trot before the skeptical blonde felt her mount was ready was for the tricky course she had just birthed. Was including a roll-back turn really such a good idea? Zoe shrugged. It was now or never.
At the girl's gentle command, Ella picked up a smooth, left-lead canter and exeuted an uneventful twenty meter circle with uncharacteristic ease. Her rider, wanting to make sure the mare was flexing, pushed her deep through the turns and supported her well with her lower leg until Ella's death-grip on the bit loosened and her tapered muzzle obediently traveled towards her chest. Contact between mouth and hand was kept light; Zoe was altogether cognizant of the chestnut minx's overt inclination to turn a brisk warm-up into a brutal tug-of-war.
And so they went. The first fence was a brush-jump which barely skimmed 2'3". Zoe had kept it low for a reason. She jammed her heels to the ground as the two bridged the gap between summit and in-gate through a purposely-long approach and...three -- two -- grabbing mane now -- one...! Up and over. Ella landed smoothly and accelerated down the long-side of the arena until Zoe fingered the laced reins with business-like hands. She was learning, Zoe realizing happily; had Paula been right?
The approaching element was a quick line that Ella would, hopefully, take in five strides. Six was pushing it pace-wise, and four or less was unacceptably speedy. Bad-habit-provoking speedy. Zoe knew this, and sat deep in her hunt-seat saddle as they drew closer.
She looped the reins and grabbed a clump of Ella's thick mane -- an automatic release was really too much to ask for -- and rose with the chestnut neatly over the first fence of the combination.
Ella lifted her head upon landing and gave a frisky buck as the two progressed. Miraculously, the approach was unmarked and the following jump thus taken without inhibition.
They rounded the next corner easily enough and the girl decided not to push her luck. There were another five fences to go before the course was technically completed, but her little mare had performed so spectacularly, even better than she had expected....
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
|
Feedback: 