My rider tugs at the reins and I tiptoe forward,

my nerves bouncing off the arena gates.

We walk to the center of the ring

and she whispers something in my ear

“We can do this. I believe in you.”

She mounts and gently rests on my back,

patting my neck

I hear an obscure sound along with a buzzer

and my rider nudges her heels into my sides

I trot around half of the ring and then pick up the canter.

We move towards a series of fences

and my anxiety begins to rise

but my rider coaxes me on

and before I know it,

I am flying over the jumps like an airplane,

one by one

But then I hear a loud crack

The sound of my hoof knocking down a rail

I feel discouraged, but my rider pushes me on

and we finish the course with one fault

I hear a comforting cheer coming from the crowd

I slow down to a walk and my rider dismounts

She gives me a peck on the cheek

and whispers “You did amazing.”

A judge carrying a blue ribbon approaches us

and reaches towards me,

placing the ribbon on my bridle

Almost suddenly, I hear a few blurred sentences over a loud speaker,

I see the crowd applauding

and my rider’s smiling face