Back in the Saddle by Catherine Hapka

back. “Wings and I have been working really hard all week, especially on dressage. I’m starting to see dressage letters whenever I close my eyes to go to sleep.”
    Andrew chuckled. “I’m not quite that bad. Turbo gets burned out on dressage pretty easily, so we’ve mostly been hacking out. It’s easier to work on stuff like bending and adjusting our stride if he doesn’t know it’s dressage, you know?” He winked and gave his horse a pat.
    â€œWow.” Kyle shook his head and grinned. “Guess I’m just a slacker compared to you two. Augie and I took the week off from schooling, pretty much. Just went onthe trails a couple of times, and did some barrel racing with my neighbor on Friday afternoon.” He shrugged. “Well, folding-chair racing, technically. We didn’t have any barrels.”
    Andrew laughed as he handed Kyle the bridle hanging near Augie’s head. “Sounds fun. Come on, let’s get out there.”
    Jan was already in the ring when they arrived. She was in the saddle, walking Cancun on a loose rein while talking on the phone. When she saw the students coming, she hung up and stuck the phone back into her pocket.
    â€œLet’s get them warmed up with some basic flatwork,” she called. “Loose rein, ride off your seats and legs, and let’s play follow the leader.”
    She led the way through their warm-up, starting off on the rail and then switching to circles and figure eights around the jumps set up in the ring. Wings felt lively and alert, pricking his ears at each jump as they passed it.
    â€œI know, buddy,” Haley whispered, giving him a quick rub on the withers as they followed Turbo around another turn. “I can’t wait to start jumping either.”
    When all the horses were loose and listening, Jan halted her horse in the center of the ring. She pointed to a line of two jumps—a vertical to a panel.
    â€œWe’ll start here,” she said. “Treat it as a gymnastic—trot in, canter out. Haley, you’re up first.”
    Haley nodded, turning Wings away from the others to begin her approach to the line Jan had indicated. The jumps were small, maybe two foot three or so. Wings tried to break into a canter as soon as he realized they were heading for a jump, but Haley held him back.
    â€œTrot, boy,” she said firmly. “Trrrrot.”
    She could feel his energy building beneath her as he surged toward the vertical. He leaped over it and landed at a forward canter, kicking up his heels after the first stride.
    Haley laughed. “Focus, Wingsie!” she cried as the pony charged ahead, ears pricked. “There’s another jump coming.”
    The pony leaped over the second fence easily, and Haley had to circle him several times before he broke back to a choppy trot and then a walk.
    Jan was smiling as Haley and Wings returned to thegroup. “Well, he certainly seems enthusiastic today,” she quipped. “Andrew? You’re next.”
    Turbo completed the simple exercise easily, and then it was Kyle’s turn. He had no trouble keeping his horse at a trot; in fact, a few strides out Jan called, “Leg! Keep him moving forward!”
    Kyle glanced over at her, then kicked, but Augie barely responded. The buckskin gelding lurched over the first jump, barely lifting his feet, and the top rail clanked to the ground.
    â€œKeep going!” Jan called.
    Kyle nodded, kicking harder. Augie finally lumbered into a canter, and the next jump went much better.
    Jan had already dismounted and was leading Cancun over to reset the first fence. “Okay, let’s try that again, Kyle,” she said. “Start at a canter this time. I think we need to make sure Mr. Augie’s awake before we move on.”
    Andrew and Kyle chuckled, but Haley’s smile felt forced and she opened and closed her hands on the reins impatiently. It had been a while since