We finish the last jump without problems.
“Good girl,” I say as I lean forward and pat her on the neck, telling her she’s done a good job.
“Not bad. Few kinks to work out, but you’ll get there.”
I let her cool off for a bit while I watch Dakota and Savannah run the course. I’m happy to see the two of them working in sync and trusting one another. It doesn’t take long for her to run the course without a drop. Her smile is beaming, clearly happy.
We don’t usually run a full course like this in training, but it’s good to see where we stand occasionally and what we have to work on.
“Great,” Bob’s voice booms through the arena. “Not bad for the first time, Mon. But remember, Silver’s stride is shorter. You will need to adjust so she doesn’t end up too deep and drops a rail.”
“Yeah, I’m too used to Whisky. I know it’ll take me a couple of sessions to get used to her,” I say.
Maybe competing with another horse once or twice isn’t such a bad idea. I never realized how used to Whisky I am. For pleasure riding this isn’t much of a problem, but it definitely is for competing when he’s incapacitated.
“Let me try the combination once more.”
“Fine, but don’t overdo it.”
I don’t answer, instead I move Silver into a lope around the arena and lead her toward the combination. I’m paying more attention to her strides, picking up on the subtle movements. And this time, despite the short distances, we’re able to communicate and jump without too many issues. She’s still slightly too close to the jump, but she clears the rails. Though, if the jumps were higher, she probably would have dropped a rail or two.
“Better. Few more training sessions, and I think you’ll be able to jump these without issue.”
I don’t answer, instead I keep riding her around the arena, getting some exercise in. At the end of the day, there’s trust that needs to be established between us. People might disagree, and not everyone operates the same as me, but I firmly believe that trust between the horse and the rider is essential to run the course fast and clean.
Both Dakota and I do our own thing for the next twenty minutes. Sometimes the best we can do is to just exercise and get some time in with our horses. And by the end of the practice, I have a good feel for Silver, getting to know her little idiosyncrasies and the way she thinks.
All of us are sweating despite the cold temperatures outside.
We leave the arena after cooling down and getting the horses ready for their stalls. It’s been a good first session with a horse I’m not familiar with.
***
“How long do you think you’ll be staying?” I ask Dakota and Bob after our training session while we sit at the dining room table having coffee and breakfast.
“Well, we already made the trek here with two horses in tow, we figure we’ll stay the next three weeks before we travel to Las Vegas for the finals. Your father’s facilities are as good as the ones in Seattle,” Bob says. “I also looked into Kade before we came here. He graduated top of his class at Colorado State. One of the best veterinary programs in the country. After graduating, he worked with Dr. Olson, who was part of the veterinary staff for the Olympic Games in 2000.”
“Didn’t he also teach in London?” I ask.
“Yes, at the Royal Veterinary College.”
“Damn, I didn’t know Kade worked with him.” Dr. Olson is one of the best in the field, having invented some new therapies for multiple types of injury over the years.
“I guess you two didn’t do a whole lot of talking.” Dakota snickers, a cheeky sparkle in her eyes.
“Well—” We didn’t unless it was insults, but in the beginning, I also didn’t want to know, feeling instinctively that the more I knew the more I’d be drawn to Kade.
“Please, wait for that kind of talk until I’m gone. I really don’t want to know this about you two,” Bob interrupts, clearly uncomfortable.
“I second that,” Dad’s voice precedes him walking into the kitchen with Mav in tow. “I don’t need to hear the details about my daughter and my wife’s nephew. I might have to maim him otherwise.”
I shouldn’t find happiness in his words, after all they threaten harm to the person I’m falling in love with, but they also show the deep love Dad has for me, in a weirdly twisted way. That’s something I never expected to experience.
“Okay, okay.” I lift my hands in a calming gesture, the beaming smile still tilting the corners of my lips.
“Thanks,” he replies drily. “How was practice?”
“It was good. Not perfect, but we have three weeks to work out the kinks. We should be ready for Vegas.”
“That’s awesome, kiddo. I’m sure you’ll do great.”
“Thanks.”
The conversation moves on around me, but I drift off, my mind focusing on all the feelings currently filling my body. I can’t remember a time I was as happy as I am right now. I move my eyes around the table at all the people who have become important to me over time. At Kota sitting on Mav’s lap giggling at something he’s said, looking in love and happy. I move my eyes to Bob and my father, one man who has been my rock over the years and has put up with all my crazy shit, and the other who’s been forced to leave me for too many years. And yet, both of them have given me more than I ever could ask for—love, guidance, understanding, and patience.
It’s in this moment I
