Rebound *Book Two*

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

"What time is the jog?" Matt asks me the next day as he picks out Rebound's stall. I have Rebound tied to one of the stall bars in the aisle and I am grooming his as we talk.

After Matt handwalked Rebound yesterday the rest of the day consisted of more handwalking and signing autographs. We then fed Rebound his dinner, went out for dinner ourselves at this yummy Italian restaurant downtown, went back to the park for night check, and finally checked into the hotel to sleep.

"3:15." I say to him, brushing the shavings out of Rebound's mane. I think of the perfect outfit for the jog that Dee and my mom picked out for me. I couldn't wait to wear it later in the day. But it was only a quarter to noon and we had hours left until the jog.

"Ok. I think you should start walking there at 3. I will have Rebound braided and shined and ready by 2:45." Matt finishes picking the stall and steps outside. He puts the rake back in the tack room and walks back over to the nearly full muck bucket. "I am going to go and dump the bucket. Be right back." Matt walks away and I finish brushing Rebound.

Once I am done grooming I decide to let Rebound graze for a few minutes. I untie the slip knot on the lead rope and walk him towards the huge field that is also used for part of the cross country course.

When I am walking Rebound towards the field Matt comes around the corner, carrying an empty muck bucket.

"Going to graze?" He asks, setting the bucket in the tack room. I nod to him as he walks back over to me. "Mind if I come?"

"Of course!" I exclaim, with Mark's comment about him still floating in the back of my mind. "Where is Mark and Dee?" I ask him as we lead Rebound over to the grass. About five other horses are being grazed by their grooms as well. We walk about ten feet into the field before I loosen the grip on the lead rope. Rebound dips his head and munches on grass greedily.

Matt plays with the lanyard cord around his neck. "I know that Dee is at the horse museum and Mark is out walking the cross country course."

I groan. "Can't wait to walk over four miles of cross country tomorrow!"

Matt grins at me. "You won't suffer alone. Mark is going to walk it again. I will go and so will Dee as well. Don't forget about your mom, April, GiGi, and Drew. They will probably walk it too."

I nod to him. "We have credentials for them I hope? I want them to be able to come to the stables to see Rebound."

"Yeah Matt pulled some strings to get credentials for them." I cheer silently in my head.

~

"Is Rebound braided?" I shout to Matt from the tack room. I am changing into my jog out outfit as I talk with Matt. It is about 2:30 now. After we grazed Rebound Matt handwalked him for about twenty minutes. Back at the barn I cleaned the tack and field boots that I took Rebound out for a hack in.

"Yup he is. I am using Showsheen and a towel to touch up his coat." Matt responds a few seconds later.

Once changed into my jog outfit I walk outside the tack room. "How does it look?" I ask Dee, who is sitting in the chair. I eye Mark who is intensley watching everything Matt does to Rebound.

"Beautiful!" She says. I smile at her widely. On my feet I have a simple pair of pastel pink ballet flats. I know that there will be some people jogging in heels and I know that personally I don't feel like breaking my ankle before the competition even starts. For pants I have a pair of grey bootcut trousers that fit my body just right. My shirt is a pastel pink cable knit lurex sweater that goes perfectly with my flats. My favorite clothing item has to be my hair piece. It is a grey beret that pulls the outfit together. Simple yet stylish describes my outfit perfectly.

Matt leads Rebound out of the stall. Once he is standing in the aisle, Mark paints his hooves with polish. I have to say, Rebound looks perfect. His mane and forelock are neatly braided. His coat sparkles like a penny and his hooves are shining. The bridle he has on is a beautiful black leather that looks great on him.

"Matt I am going to drive Ali and Dee up to the jog lane. You can walk Rebound. Make sure he stays spotless." Mark adds, climbing into the golf cart. I sit in shotgun and Dee sits in the back. You can say that at big events Mark tends to get over protective of me and Rebound.

"Will do, sir." Matt says. He clucks and Rebound walks his stunning body forward. Smiling to myself, people stare at Rebound.

"Beautiful horse." A person that I recognize as Will Faudree says to me.

"Thank you!" I internally hyperventilate. I cannot believe that Will Faudree gave me a compliment. He smiles at me as Mark pulls the golf cart out.

"Ali you have to learn to breath when professional riders talk to you." Mark chuckles to himself as he manuevers the golf cart through the flow of people. I noticed earlier today that more and more spectators are showing up as the days go on.

"I don't know if I can." I say to Mark. "When I first rode for you I almost threw up." I admit to Mark. I don't think I have ever told him that.

He laughs. "Really?" I nod to him, slightly embarassed.

Mark parks the golf cart near the jog lane and we all climb out. I watch other competitors jog their horses until Matt shows up with rebound. Matt hands me Rebound's reins and I take them, patting my horse on the shoulder.

"Ready?" Mark asks me. He has me jog Rebound for practice a few strides before we are called in to jog in the lane. The jogs at big events like this are a time to confirm your horse's soundness and wellness before a tremendous trial of the horse and rider's athletic ability.

"Our next horse, number 16, Back In Action, owned and ridden by Allison Michels." The announcer says over the loud speaker. A large crowd has gathered to watch all of the jogs. I walk Rebound forward and halt him in front of the three people inspecting him. I stand in front of Rebound, facing his head, and I hold the reins with both hands. One man scribbles notes down on a clip board.

"Proceed." A woman says.

I stand on Rebound's left side and cluck to him once. He trots forward and I jog with him, holding the reins in my right hand. I slow him to a walk as we approach a flower pot in the middle of the jog lane. I quietly lead him around the flower pot before continuing his flowing trot. It was a beautiful day for the jogs. The sky is cloudless, with temperatures hovering at around seventy-five degrees. I trot him all the way to a white fence where the next competitor is waiting before walking him.

Patting Rebound on the shoulder, I hand Matt the reins.

"Lets go back to the barn." Mark says. "We should know if you passed the jog in an hour or so."

~

"Hey, Ali." Matt says to me, walking into Rebound's stall. I have been sitting in his stall watching him munch on hay ever since we got back from the jog. His braids are now out, leaving him with wavy hair.

"Hi." I say to him. Matt sits down next to me.

"Want to hear some news?" He asks me.

"Depends. Is it good or bad?" I look into Matt's blue eyes.

"Good." He says smiling."

"Then sure." I say smiling back.

"You passed the jog!" The words pass out of his mouth with excitement.

"That's good!" I tell him with excitement. That means one less thing to worry about for the upcoming competition.