Arriving

Hunter walked behind Olivia out of the room and saw another new girl. He went into the thoroughbreds stall. He would let Savannah ride his quarter horse till the filly calmed down. He led the long legged black filly out as she tried to yank the lead line out of Hunter's hands. He held her as Savannah tacked her up. Hunter waited for everyone else to get ready.

Savannah helped Hunter with the filly before leading the calm and quiet quarter horse out of his stall. He had been a ranch horse a few years back before Hunter put him into training. He was a good jumper but not quiet as good as the thoroughbred. He was a good trail horse though. Savannah tacked the quarter horse up. He cocked his back leg waiting on everyone.

Olivia followed Hunter out of the lounge, slightly annoyed that he had not shared her enthusiasm. She quickly led Melvin out of his stall, brushed him over, and saddled him up. He stood patiently while Olivia prepared him, but he was alert and looked ready to go. She slipped the bridle over his head and buckled the throatlatch and noseband before giving him an appreciative pat on the neck.

"Oh wait guys I have to go talk to the manager about some stuff. Go ahead without me!"
Jess let FireFly sniff her hand before she left and went to go find the manager.

Hunter held the filly in place as he hopped on. She pranced and tossed her head stepping sides ways. Hunter gave her a kick in the side to straighten her up.

Savannah giggled before stepping into the stirrups. The quarter horse was easy going and relaxed waiting for further commands. Savannah nudged him into a walk out of the barn.

Olivia tightened her helmet like she always did before a ride as she led Melvin out of the barn. She easily slipped her foot in the stirrup and swung up onto the little black pony's back. Sure, her feet hung down past his belly. And yeah, maybe she did look a bit silly on him. But when it was time to jump, she hiked her stirrups up so her boots wouldn't hit his legs, and then he could jump the moon.

Hunter held the filly back as the group heading off onto the trail. She tossed her head and tried snatching the reins wanting to run. He sighed

Savannah nudged the quarter horse up beside Olivia's horse. "She's just doing what she was bred to do" She said "She doesn't have many manners yet"

Olivia laughed lightly as Melvin walked along quietly. "Mel loves the trails," she said. "You guys want to trot? Hunter, are you sure you're going to be okay? She looks pretty jazzed up..." Olivia remembered trails on her old horse. She fell off him a lot on the trails. He had spooked at everything. One minute he was right there under her, then he'd leaps sideways, shying at some rustling leaves, and she'd be on the ground, still hanging onto the reins.

Hunter nodded. He had handled other thoroughbreds on the track worse than her. She would make his life miserable through the whole trail but he wouldn't let her win. She had to learn manners. Hunter held the reins firm and didn't let the filly have the bit. She trotted sideways as he held her back. She tried rearing but it didn't work.

Savannah sighed as she let the quarter horse keep in pace with Olivia's horse. "She was something else, She has awesome bloodlines, and I saved her from being slaughtered, You'd figured she'd be halfway decent." She said.

Olivia pushed Melvin into his choppy pony trot. He tossed his head and tried to get in front of the others. His thick, bushy mane engulfed Olivia's hands completely. She grinned. She hoped there would be an open field or something where she could let Melvin gallop...

Hunter couldn't relax a moment the filly would try to overtake him. He followed the path in front of the others so the filly wouldn't tackle them in case she got away from him. He saw an opening ahead. "Savannah, I'm letting her go" He said raising up in the best jockey position he could in an english saddle. Her stride immediately lengthed into an all out gallop as she sprinted there the opening and into the field. her hooves just gracing the ground when she came down. His arms had a chance to relax for he didn't have to hold her back. When he reached the start of the trails again at the end of the meadow. He pulled her up and stopped her for a second letting her catch her breath. He nudged her into a walk back towards the group.

Savannah watched as the filly took off like a rocket. She looked over at Olivia "Why was she ever taken off the track?" She said somewhat to herself.

Olivia replied, "That filly sure can run. And Hunter looks great up there. I'm going to let Melvin gallop a bit." All she had to do was lean forward and Melvin was off, eating up the ground with his little pony strides. His mane whipped back into her face as she hunched over his withers. She loved this pony. Wouldn't have him any other way.

Hunter stopped the filly. She blew out a big puff of breath as she finally settled. The gallop had let her blow off some of the steam. He let the reins slack a little as the filly just watched the other pony gallop. She snorted but moved her head from the pony to Savannah.

Savannah let Silent into a canter loosening his muscles and little. The horse would do whatever you wanted but she didn't push him not today. He just needed a nice gallop later. She slowed him by Snazzy. "Well she seems relaxed now" She said

Olivia grinned as she pulled Melvin up beside Hunter. Melvin snorted indignantly, wanting to keep going. He was hardly panting-- Olivia knew he'd be ready to jump tomorrow. "So, what do you think?" she asked Hunter. Quickly she added, "About Melvin. About me... about dinner tonight?" It came out before she realized what she was saying.

Hunter held the filly so she wouldn't get any funny ideas but he felt her relax and he loosened the reins. The filly keeping her head high and her ear perked. "Um.. Sure" He said kinda shocked.

Savannah looked over at them two. "Well, I'm gonna let Silent gallop out back to the stable, I'll leave you two along" She said turning the horse on his hindquarters and sending him into a gallop.

"Great!" Olivia said. "You're a pretty cool guy." She watched Savannah go and then guided Melvin back onto the trails through the woods. She let him lower his head and amble along at his own pace, hoping Hunter's horse would see how Melvin was relaxed and cool down herself, too. "I'm going to be jumping Melvin in the ring tomorrow. You should come, too... I'd love to see you guys over some fences!"

Jess came back from talking with the manager. She told him how much food FireFly got every night. Jess walked to the stables. Well I guess I will go jump FireFly Jess told herself. As Jess went to the stables she saw Savannah coming back from the trail ride, alone. Jess headed towards FireFly's stall and saw that he was sleeping. Jess did a little kissing noise and FireFly woke right up. He was so excited to see Jess. Jess smiled as her horse went to the stable door to see her. "You wanna go jump boy or just ride?" FireFly shook his head up and down twice. "Ok riding it is then."