Greener Pastures - Alyssa Brugman [30]
At least she was grander in potential. When she trotted her hooves seemed to suspend over the ground before they landed, but Shelby noticed that the filly's stride was uneven. Sometimes she stepped short, making Hayley pitch slightly forward. Other times she would hop up and down instead of covering the ground. She tossed her head a lot, turning her ears this way and that. Her neck was tense. Shelby could see the muscles bulging on the underside.
'There is plenty of forward there, but don't let her run away with you. Keep your rising even, and that will guide her,' Mrs Edel said. 'Use more outside leg around that corner to stop her dropping in.'
The filly reared up. Hayley leaned forward to maintain her balance.
'Ooh. She doesn't like the pressure, does she?' Mrs Edel said.
Once the filly's front feet were on the ground again, Hayley pushed her back into a trot.
'OK. Good recovery there.'
The filly reared again.
'Just try to ignore that.'
Shelby smiled. Just ignore it?
Mrs Edel continued. 'You don't want to make it an event. Keep the pressure on for the forward. Remember, she can only go up if she has her two back feet on the ground at the same time.'
The mare skipped again, trying to rear, but Hayley pushed her off-balance.
'Don't release the pressure on the outside leg. She's trying to find ways to evade your aids. If you let go, she wins and you're rewarding it. Much better! She's listening to you now. OK, let's change sides.'
Lindsey walked up from behind Shelby and leaned on the fence as well. If her mother noticed her there she didn't say anything.
'Why aren't you riding this one?' Shelby asked.
Lindsey shook her head. 'Performance horses. Never really been my thing.'
'Why not?'
'Because you have to do too much performing.'
Lindsey never came to Pony Club or any of the shows. Shelby had always assumed that it was because she was too busy, but now she wondered. 'Have you ever competed?'
'Are you kidding? Mum had me riding when I was two, but she's like a soccer mum. You know?'
'Worse than Mrs Crook?' Shelby said, keeping her voice low.
Lindsey considered for a minute. 'Probably about the same, but the difference is that Hayley wants to win. Hayley doesn't like being yelled at, but she hates losing more. I never cared whether I won or lost as long as my horse went well, and that wasn't good enough for my mum. And besides that, the horses were always hers. She never let me feel like they were mine.'
Shelby guessed that's why Lindsey spent all her time with the riding school ponies. They were a rag-tag bunch, and Lindsey worked on them constantly. That included the normal things like their diet, teeth, feet and worming, but she also trained them. Beginners rode them most of the time, which meant they could develop bad habits quickly, if Lindsey didn't keep on top of it.
She also kept them looking tidy, with neat, brushed tails and even manes. Lindsey could let them be a bit feral, Shelby supposed – the beginners wouldn't notice. But it seemed to Shelby that horses were about working towards particular goals – horses were about dreams, and the riding school horses were Lindsey's dreams, not her mother's.
After a few more uneven circles the filly suddenly dropped her head down.
'There! Look at that!' Mrs Edel said. 'Can you feel her reaching for the connection? She's softer across the back. That's perfect! Whenever you're ready you can walk. That will do for today, I think. Don't you?'
The filly slowed to a walk. Hayley loosened the reins and rode around the arena a few more times. Even after the rearing, and the hopping about the mare had done, Hayley looked calm. She was even smiling.
Shelby turned back to Lindsey. 'Which sort of rider do you think I am?'
'I reckon you would be a performer too, if you had the chance.'
Back in the arena, Brenda was patting the filly on the