Rebound *Book Two*

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

"Ali!!" GiGi and April shout to me as we all climb out of the trucks.

"Hey guys!" I wave back. They both busy themselves with getting ready. Matt and I wave to Dee and Mark, who are talking to each other in front of Dee's truck.

"Drew!" I screech, running over to my boyfriend who climbed out of the truck. I haven't seen him in over a week. He laughs and I bury my face in his black Ralph Lauren polo that smells like mint and hay. I close my eyes and lean into him. Drew gives me a kiss on the forehead.

"Are you busy tonight?" Drew asks me.

"No. I plan to ride most of the day." I respond, looking into his perfect ocean blue eyes.

"Want to go out to dinner and then a movie?"

"YES!" I didn't mean to sound so enthusiastic. He grins at me.

"Perfect. Ill pick you up at 5." I have no clue where we are going to dinner or what movie we are going to see, but anything with Drew makes me happy.

"Better go and get my pony ready. See you tonight." I give him a big smile before walking back to my and Matt's trailer.

~

Matt is already on Quebec, walking him around the parking lot. "Ill be on in a minute." I tell him. I unlatch the butt bar and Rebound automatically backs out of the trailer. What a perfect pony. I take off his halter and toss it on the ground next to the trailer. Quickly, I tighten my girth and unwrap my stirrups. Then I grab my jumping bat and walk Rebound over to the mounting block in the grass. I swing my leg over the large 17 hand horse and adjust myself in the saddle.

"Come on kids!" Mark shouts for me and Matt to follow him. We walk with Mark out to the large, open field filled with cross country jumps. The jumps range from foot tall logs to almost twelve foot wide ditches.

"Warm up around the jumps, weave in and out between them. Get your horses familiarized with the area." Mark says. Both Matt and I trot off, weaving between jumps, trotting around trees, and making circles. "Now your horses may have a spook at a scary looking jump or even a herd of deer grazing. Keep that in mind and stay on alert, especially in warm up."

We trot and canter in our warm up for about fifteen minutes. Rebound had a look at a colorful Beginner Novice jump once and then he settled down. I mean seriously, Rebound! A Beginner Novice jump? He can jump fearlessly over jumps bigger than him, but will spook at jumps that he can literally step over. Goofy horse.

"Alison and Matthew take that log as your warm up jump, both directions." Mark points at the simple 3 and a half foot log. We both nod and I decide to take the lead. I slide my leg back behind Rebound's girth and give him a light squeeze. Rebound flies into his famous rocking horse canter. I point my horse towards the jump. I sit deep and keep my legs wrapped around Rebound. I take every jump seriously, even the little ones. I don't want to risk any accidents to me or any of my horses.

Ears perked forward, Rebound takes the jump hungrily. We land and he speeds up after the jump, a bad habit of his. I give a heavy half halt with my reins. Rebound swishes his tail in annoyance and slows his gait down. I can hear Matt jump behind me.

I make a big half circle and change directions. Rebound does a perfect flying lead change and jumps it again with ease.

I slow Rebound down to a walk and give him a pat on the shoulder. Matt trots up next to me before slowing Quebec to a walk.

"This is too easy." I say to Matt. He agrees with me.

~

Boy was I wrong. An hour later Rebound and I are dripping in sweat. we have worked over huge ditches, banks, drops, logs, brushes, cabins, tables, and about every other cross country jump you can think of.

I look at Matt. Quebec's light grey body is now a dark grey from sweat. Matt's navy polo is soaked. We make eye contact. "Oh my god!" I mouth to him. His eyes go wide and nod to me.

"Enough for today." Mark tells us. "See you both Sunday afternoon for your dressage lesson. Make sure you ice your horses legs back at the barn and give them a day off tomorrow. And I can definitely use the day off as well tomorrow. All I have to do tomorrow is ride one of Dee's greenies and teach one of her lessons.

"Thanks, Mark!" Matt and I call out to him, walking back to the trailer. I kick my feet out of the stirrups, walking in unison with Matt.

"What are you up to the rest of the day?" I ask Matt.

He glances at me. " I have to ride Charm and Tango." Charm and Tango are two of Matt's horses. Both are about 20, old, but still need their exercise. "You?" He asks me.

"Showering then sleeping then going out with Drew." I laugh. I am so tired I am about to fall of Rebound.

He laughs. "Sounds like a good plan to me."

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Hope you guys liked this chapter!!