Let the Games Begin {Open}

[josephine alesandra rutherford]

You're the part of me that makes me better wherever I go

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-image: url(http://i45.tinypic.com/11spic7.jpg); width: 388px; padding-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 20px;] The early morning sun had just risen as the petite blonde made her way down the barn aisles to greet her two horses. As she approached the side-by-side stalls, she noticed her danish warmblood gelding had his head sticking out, looking for any other sign of movement. He was a good horse, honest and hardworking, but he could be as stubborn as a mule if there were any food to be involved. When he caught sight of the girl, he nickered out, demanding that he be fed promptly and in a large quantity. She laughed quietly at his antics, but then noticed that her people-loving mare Grace wasn't partaking in the greetings. Josephine walked to the mare's stall and looked in to see her facing a corner, positively in a foul mood. Sweet Sorja Siirra had never taken well to leaving the family property for long periods of time. It always takes her a while to become accustomed to new places. Knowing that her plans to ride the PRE mare weren't going to happen today, Josie decided that she was going to work Mozart over a few fences. She had been so focused on working Grace in the Intermediate II levels of dressage, that she hadn't really had much time to work Mozart in the mean time. Having made up her mind, she fed the two horses their morning grain before she walked to the tack room to gather her jumping tack while the horses ate. She pulled out her M. Toulouse jumping saddle, Mozart's bridle with a jointed pull-cheek snaffle, a light blue square pad, martingale, girth, grooming supplies, and her helmet before making her way back to the stalls. She set all of her items down before grabbing Mozart's halter off of his stall door. She clipped the leather headpiece on before leading him to the nearby cross-ties. Quickly, she groomed and tacked the tall chestnut gelding before leading him to the jumping arena. There was a small smile on the quite girls face as she made her way to the center of the arena to appraise the fences. They were all set fairly low to her gelding's standards and decided to leave them at their 3'3" marks, but she also decided that she should raise a couple fences now so that she could work on keeping the gelding focused. She took a look around the arena, deciding which fences to raise. The water bed? Definitely not, that was the one stadium jumping fence that Mozart always disliked. The double oxer? Definitely. She set to raising three more fences before preparing to mount. Today was going to be a great ride, she could feel it, as the gelding pranced in anticipation.

WORD COUNT: 453 FOR: OPEN HORSE: Moonlight Sonata

[caden rose porter]

caden wandered through the tack room, pulling out all the tack she'd owned. jumping saddle, bridle, martingale, wraps, and blanket. she set them by joe's stall, and poured some grain into his bucket, setting it by him. she pulled out the rest of her items necessary; grooming tote, and helmet. without hesitation, caden thoroughly brushed joe, not missing a spot. she placed the pad evenly on his back, and swung the saddle up and over. she tightened up her cinch a little.

caden slipped on her helmet on, and led joe out by the bridle. she mounted up and trotted him to the arena. if anyone told her to quit, they'd pay. caden hated rules. all the time. she'd break them if she didn't think she'd win. one time, she got caught, but got out of it in the end. once she got to the arena, caden slowed to a walk. "oh crap." she whispered. another rider. just what she needed. joe never liked doing courses with other horses. anyways, if the chic didn't want to move, that's her fault.

"gate!" caden shouted. she pushed the gate open and walked in. caden closed it and moved to the mounting block. if caden could mount up on a 16.3 hand horse without that, it would be a happy day. caden clucked to joe. "walk on." she said. caden moved with his gait, her gloves gripping the new reins. after 3 laps, she halted, backed, and moved into the trot. caden trotted about 4 laps until moving to a walk. she went back to the trot, then to the canter.

"easy joe, good boy." caden murmured. joe responded to caden's seat and slowed to a walk. she stroked him. joe knew better than to toss his head, even though he would've preferred to. "do you know riding?" caden asked the fellow rider as she passed. "your postures off, and your horse won't respond. what are you doing?" she broke back into a trot, continuing around the arena.