This chapter is dedicated to Katniss_Rue_Mellark for being the most faithful supporter!

Vanessa's POV:

"Thanks," I mumbled as I took Via's reins from the groom while reading the text from my mom.  

Mom:  Has the seller responded back yet?  

I looped Via's reins around my arm and texted back.  

Vanessa:  No.

I sighed with frustration and set my phone down on my tack trunk.  No, Tessa hadn't responded back yet, and I didn't want to seem needy by sending another text.

I led Via through the wide barn aisle of Vantage Point.  Several curious head peeked out, but none of them could reach far enough to bother Via.  

I lead Via up to the mounting platform.  It was a wood platform with steps leading up each other side.  I walked up those as I lead Via alongside.  

I stuck my foot in the stirrup and mounted.  Via set off before I was fully in the saddle and I chucked her for that.  I hated it when a horse did that, and I would not stand for it.  

She threw up her head and backed up dramatically.  I spurred her on as Ms. Festor entered.  

"Good morning Vanessa," she called.  

"Morning."  

Via was walking fast, the way that I liked it.  I also couldn't stand slow horses.  And a horse with it's head in the air annoyed me.  Like what Via was doing right now.  

"You've got the Pelham on her?" Called Ms. Festor.  

"Yeah, I switched her."  

"Good.  Let's see if we can get her head into a nice frame."  

I shortened my reins and started insistently half halting with both hands.  Via tossed her head and slowed down.  I kicked her on.  

We fought that way around the ring for the next ten minutes.  Eventually we got her into an uneasy headset.  But if something happened, there was no guarantee that we could keep her there.  

Ms. Festor crossed her arms.  "We'll keep her in this bit for awhile, if she doesn't start giving in, we'll put her in a tie down."  

I nodded.  We never rollkured horses.  We knew enough not to go that far.  But we weren't against using mechanical devices within reason.

I asked for a trot and as soon as I did, her head popped back up.  I growled and tugged insistently at the reins.  She slowed down but I kicked her on.  

"You will put your head down and you will keep trotting while doing it," I ground out.

She shook her head from side to side and slowed down to a walk, then shot forward when I hit her with the crop.  "Quit it."  

We battled like that for a good fifteen minutes.  A few times she bucked, but I kicked her onward and let her know we were not doing that.

Once again I forced her into an unrelenting head set.  Her trot was still jerky and she still fought me at intervals, but in my mind, it was better.  

I led Via to the cross ties.  I untacked her and cooled her off, then stuck her in her stall.  Most of the time I had a groom do that, but I felt like doing it today.

I picked up my phone and saw I'd gotten a text.  I clicked on it, feeling excitement when I saw it was from Tessa.  

Tessa: Hello Vanessa, sorry for being long in getting back to you. Thank you for your generous offer, it's the best I've heard yet, but the answer is no. Hope you have a good day. 

My fist clenched around the phone as I stared at in disbelief.  She had turned me down.  And she hadn't even given me a good reason why.  

There was only one reason I could think of.  

She had to have another offer for him.  

Now, I couldn't think of any offer better than mine.  I mean, the greatest stabling, the best training, and the highest price, who could beat that?  No one.  Right?  

Another reason arose in my mind.  A reason that had been mine a long time ago, but was overruled.   

She loved him to much to sell.  

I grit my teeth and brushed that memory aside.  No.  If she really loved her horse, she'd see what a great chance I was giving him.  He'd have the best life here at Vantage Point, and I knew Star Run stables was nice, but there was no way it was as nice as Vantage Point.  

I tapped out my reply.  

Vanessa:  You have another offer for him.  Why sell him to someone else instead of me?  What makes their offer better?

I stuck my phone in my pocket and walked through the stables.  My riding was done for the day, if I wanted it to be.  I could take Big Boy out on a hack if I wanted to, but I didn't feel like it.

As I walked past a stall, a black head came out of it's stall.  

I stopped and looked at her.  

Medallion.  The dutch warmblood/ thoroughbred cross that before had enamored me.  For good reason, she had amazing potential for eventing, much like Challenger did.  

Now her name rubbed me wrong.  She was the one horse that I hadn't been able to work with.  She was too stubborn.  We'd tried stronger bits, tie downs, martingales, spurs, whips, clicker training, patience, gentleness, everything.  We'd done it all.  And still she refused to cooperate. 

On a spur of the moment decision I grabbed her halter and walked into her stall.  

She pinned her ears when I entered.  I glared right back at her.  "I'm going to ride you.  And you'd better cooperate."

She snorted. 

This was a bad idea.  

I should have known that.  I'd told everyone I was going to sell her.  I should have just left her alone.  

Instead, I was on Medallion's back.  And she was not cooperating.

I'd took her out to outdoor arena, because no one was there and I didn't really want anyone to see me.  As soon as I'd mounted and asked her to walk on, we'd had problems.  

Never stopping, she chewed on the bit incessantly.  She'd jig, then when I slowed her down, she'd plod along in the slowest gait known to mankind.  I'd spur her onward, she'd start jigging again.  

I grunted with frustration and drew my reins uncomfortably short. She immediately stopped.  I curbed my anger, then asked her to go forward insistently.  

She reluctantly took two steps forward, then stopped again.  

My patience was quickly wearing thin.  I kicked her.

She took three more steps, then side stepped in uncertainty.  I sighed and let the reins go just a touch.  

She shot off at a fast walk, throwing in a jig for good measure.  

I threw my head back and let out a loud "Ugh."  

I pulled her back into the short rein and whammed her with kicks to keep her from stopping.  

We went on like this for five minutes, before I finally had enough.  I slapped her with my crop and tugged on the reins to catch her rush of energy forward.  

Instead of stopping, she went straight up into a half rear.  I gripped mane and leaned forward, fear surging through me.  What if she went all the way up and tipped over?  

She didn't, and instead landed.  She bolted, long strides surging forward.  I yelped and gripped her mane tighter.  Her first turn through the corner nearly threw me off, but I hung on out of sheer determination.  

By some miracle I still had both my stirrups.  I survived another turn through a corner.  Then I tugged on the mane to right myself and rose in my stirrups. 

Instead of immediately circling her or using a one rein stop, I let her gallop.  I was drawn in by her long soothing strides which covered ground.  I could feel the power surging through her, and I loved it.  

We motor-biked through two more corners and I came to my senses.  I was on an out of control horse, and no matter how much I enjoyed it, it wasn't safe.  

I sat down and took up contact on the reins.  I reached down the left rein to do a one rein stop, but she spun to the right.  

I hit our sand arena with a heavy thump.  

For a moment I couldn't breathe, but then air came rushing in.  I sat up and searched for Medallion.  She was trotting along the arena with the reins dangling from her neck.  I growled.

It took me forever to catch her, she made it quite clear that she wanted nothing to do with me.  I eventually snagged her reins as she tried to whirl away again.  "Gotcha."  

The ride had been a nightmare, as had all of the rides since I'd gotten her.  As I stomped back to the stable, I told myself I'd tried.  I really had.  For five months. 

And we were still right back at a square one.  I didn't have time to work with a problem horse.  She had to go.  

But as I ripped the saddle off her back, I couldn't help but remember her long flowing strides, those few moments of galloping.  And I couldn't help but imagine what that would feel like on a cross country course.  

AN:  So, this is where you guys finally get to meet Medallion!  What'd you guys think?

Also, as I said before, I plan on using all the photos submitted in the apply fic, and here's one of them, submitted by ConeJumper originally for Russo.  

Link to photo -->

This is Big Boy.  Remember him?  Let's see who does...