A Leap For The Sky by Kc Wheeler (find a book to read .TXT) 📖

gate, leading him down towards the arena. Coby walked excitedly beside me, a spring in his steps. Luckily, unlike Bugs, he had the training and respect to stay at my shoulder despite his eagerness. I stopped at the tack shed, and holding the rope by its end I stepped in, reaching for my lunge line. To my surprise, Coby decided to walk in after me, his head nearly hitting the top of the doorway. I smiled and backed him out. “Well at least you’re brave!” It was proving impossible not to like Coby’s full-on personality.

Once in the arena, I hooked the lunge line to Coby, and using my arm, I sent him off around me. He strode out, gazing with interest around the arena. I gave a gentle tug on the lunge lead, encouraging him to bend to the inside. Without a bit in his mouth, Coby ignored the cue and continued to walk quickly around me, distracted by his surroundings. I took a different approach and asked him to trot. He rushed in his gait at first, circling around me in an uncontrolled manner. I calmly asked him to slow down, and after a few attempts, he obliged. It was then I could see that he had an impressive, elastic trot; balanced for his five years of age. His canter was large with round and bouncy, ground-covering strides. He’d obviously inherited his movement from his father.

After I’d lunged him on both reins, I was quite impressed. I kept glancing over at the jumps, my curiosity begging me to see how he jumps. The previous owners had claimed he had a big jump, but after the secrets they held about Gypsy, who could know if their words were true. Beyond the curiosity I was a little worried that Coby might not be a jumper at all. I’d finally decided that I couldn’t live a life without horses; I couldn’t live a life out of the saddle, and with that, my heart was in showjumping.

I wasn’t ready to be disappointed.

I pulled Coby in. He lowered his head and I scratched him beneath his forelock. “Can you jump?” I whispered. I slowly lead him towards the jumps. I decided I’d simply see how he reacted. The first step was to see if he’d even seen a pole before, let alone been jumped for real. As we neared, he quickened his pace, ears forward with interest. Beneath his pricked ears, his eyes bulged in excitement, or perhaps uncertainty. He snorted softly, blowing warm air against my arm.

“Have you seen poles before, boy?” I asked softly. Coby cautiously lowered his head, sniffing at the first pole. Then he lifted his feet and followed me over it. I petted his neck, then stood back, allowing him to lunge at walk over the pole. He did this happily without another glance. When he broke into a trot, I let him. He trotted over the pole, lifting his feet carefully, then veered sideways, rudely tugging against me. “Hey!” I cried. I gave the lunge-line a quick jab, and he gave in to the pressure, coming around to the pole once again. This time he started to canter after the pole, and again, he pulled hard against my arm. Annoyed, I tugged back, glancing over to the direction he was persistent to go to. There were no horses in that direction, nor was the gate we’d came in; there was no reason for him to be acting like this. All that stood in the direction he wanted to go was a couple of jumps.

When he did it a third time, I considered grabbing a bridle from the tack shed. With a bit in, I’d have more control of him. I knew if I let him away with this behavior, he’d continue to do it.

I decided first to change what we were doing to give him a chance to think, rather than predict exactly what was expected of him. With a bit of extra force than preferred, I managed to bring him to a halt. Leading him, I carried another pole and set it in front of the first one so that Coby would have two in a row to trot over. I then lunged him in the opposite direction to before.

Coby willingly trotted over the poles. Ears forward, eyes bright, he appeared to be enjoying himself, which was a positive sign. He was very careful with his feet and was yet to touch a pole. However, as before, he proceeded to tug sideways towards the other jumps.

I thought for a moment. Pushing him on, I was prepared for the next round. As he cleared the poles, I loosened the lunge line and stepped towards him, this time encouraging him towards the other jumps. It was my choice now, and he more than willingly obliged. He eyed up the little cross bar, and appearing keen with not an ounce of uncertainty, I allowed him to line up to the jump. Coby broke into a slow, but impulsive canter. He was ready.

Taking off at exactly the right moment, Coby tucked his knees tightly to his chest and sailed into the air, much, much higher than was necessary to clear the small cross-bar. Stretching out his neck, he showed a relaxed, easy technique in behind, and landed smoothly on the other side. He cantered around me and over the jump once again.

I stood, gob-smacked for this horse could fly, and over that little fence he could have easily been mistaken for Gypsy. Again, he showed the jump of a true athlete, continuing on to jump the fence again. He needed no encouragement from me. Coby was jumping from free will, and appeared to be having the time of his life while doing so.

“Wow!” a familiar voice said from behind me. I jumped slightly in surprise and spun around to see Lucy, her eyes wide in amazement. “Is he impressive or what?!” she added.

I spoke softly to Coby, and reluctantly he came back to a walk. I gradually shortened the lunge-line, allowing him to walk in a small circle around me to cool off.

I was so happy with Coby that I temporarily forgot Lucy and I hadn’t been talking. “He’s amazing!” I exclaimed. “He has what it takes.”

“He has what it takes for what?” Lucy wondered.

“I think he may have what it takes to take me to the top! He can help me achieve my dream.” I was mesmerized in the moment.

Lucy raised an eyebrow, then a big grin broke out on her face. “You’re back!” she cried.

I shifted uncomfortably, suddenly lost for words. Lucy too, shoved her hands in her pockets and stared at the ground. She peeked up at me. “I’m sorry Adele. I’ve been really unfair to you. I guess I just wasn’t sure how to handle Gypsy’s death or your grief.” Lucy’s eyes filled with tears and she wiped them away with a sleeve, fixating her gaze on the ground once again. “I should have tried to be more understanding; I should have been there for you… I’ve been selfish, and a really horrible friend. I’m so sorry.”

Lucy’s words were true. She had been a little selfish, and she hadn’t been a very good friend; but I knew it must have been hard for her too, and the apology was sincere, so I forgave her immediately. “I’ve really missed you,” I admitted.

“I’ve missed you too. So much.” Lucy replied.

“Thank you for looking after Coby,” I told her. And I meant it. I was glad now that my parents had gotten him for me. In a way, I felt like a part of Gypsy lived on in him.

“It’s fine! Your parents knew you’d come around. And so did I,” Lucy smiled at me. “Also, I didn’t have to do much. I basically just had to put his cover on when the weather was bad.”

I realized in my distraction that Coby had stopped. He stood, staring at us as though waiting for his next command. I giggled. “Sorry boy.” I asked him to come in and rubbed his blaze, mixing stray white hairs into his chestnut coat.

“I’m so happy that we’re friends again,” Lucy murmured.

“Who said we’re friends again?” I joked. Then I added seriously, “I’m glad too. We have lots of adventures to live. You, Bugs, me, and Coby.”

Lucy nodded vigorously. “We sure do! In fact, we should ride together tomorrow. You can have your first ride on Coby!”

I stared into Coby’s big, brown eyes. “How does that sound Coby? We’d better do some dressage,” I said slowly. “It’s important for you to learn… But after that, maybe we could try a jump because I know you’ll love that! Your mother loved to jump too. She was very good at it just like you. The last time I rode her, she jumped so high. She took a leap for the sky.” My eyes filled with tears, but this time it didn’t hurt so much. I’d found my silver lining. I stroked Coby’s neck softly, and gazed above at the blue and cloudless sky. “And she made it.”

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Publication Date: 08-15-2016

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