1st day (Layla Livaland & Peace Keeper)

[Maggie]

Weather: Cold with few snow flakes falling.

Indoor/outdoor: Indoor

Limit: You have two days to complete your post, if you do not make the limit you will be disqualified from the event.

Course: Dressage Test

Tips: You may add in flying lead changes pirrowets and so forth to earn judges attention. Make post longer than 150 words.

[Maggie]

x

Number 5, Layla Livaland and Peace Keeper. Called the announcer over the speakers. Layla gulped down anxious butterflies as she mounted up on the pretty bay quarter horse mare Lacey. She was supposed to be training the mare to be a better eventer and since Layla needed a new horse since she was growing out of her buckskin pony Monte Annie her older cousin had said she could try out with Lacey. Lacey was her cousins adopted mare, she had come from an ambadnon farm and luckily had been taught the ropes with western riding. Over the summer Layla had been training her over jumps and getting her bolder with life. So far the mare was gettins somewhere it was just when it came down to her being nervous she was too.

Quit it, its just novice you've competed at higher stakes than this. Layla cauxed herself before urging the mare into a walk down the line to X where she halted her infront of the judges. She lifted her hand to salute the judges then tilted her head down as she dropped her hand back. Lacey was polished to perfection, her long mane and tail had been braided so she looked georgous. Layla spotted Annie in the crowds, she and Apollo had already gone and did amazing in intermediate. Apollo was a young horse and Annie didn't like to push his strengths even though he could go further.

Annie gave her a thumbs up and that gave Layla the encouragement she needed. She looked forward towards her destination and cued Lacey into a walk towards M where she rounded the corner towards C and picked up a fluent trot. Layla was used to the higher levels and forgot to post until she realized and began to post along with the beat of Lacey's short strides. Maybe they'll think I was just waiting for the right lead? She thought then kept her mind on the test ahead. From all her years of riding the one thing all her instructors would say would be don't look back, look ahead. Lacey kept at the trot as they rounded H and went at an angle towards F. Towards the middle Layla through in a flying change to make up for other points.

Lacey kept up with the fluent trot but when they came to F in the corner and was about to round she spooked at a bag flying outside and skidded away from the corner. Layla was caught off guard but quickly gained control and pushed her with her inside leg to keep on the track until they came to A and she brought her back down to a walk. Lacey was recovered now but still a little prancy in her walk but that didn't matter to Layla right now. They rounded the corner to K then went straight towards E where she cued the mare into a trot again and turned towards M diagnal from E. She didn't change lead as they went towards B on the right of M where she cued Lacey into a easy going canter. The mare hesitated before moving into a nice and easy canter down towards F to K and up towards H. They rounded the corner at H to C and finally came down to the last few transitions. Layla sat deep in the saddle pulling lightly on the reins while Lacey obeyed and settled down to a trot where Layla sat the last couple of strides until bring her to a walk and three strides away to a halt infront of the judges.

Layla released one hand from the reins and the other grabbed the other side while she saluted to the judges then let the reins go slack as she let Lacey walk out of the ring. Layla smiled as the crowd cheered but felt a little disapointed knowing she probally didn't get first like she intended. As they made it out of the indoor into the cold trailer area Annie met them with a hug and Layla dismounted giving Lacey a big hug around her neck before sighing contently. "Good girl." She said as she looked up at the bay who had turned her head around to snuffle at Layla's brown bun.[/size][/font]