The next few days were pretty monotonous, I spent the morning at the stables and then came back home and spent my afternoon with Chris. He had a couple of months to settle in before he started classes in Uni, so we were taking advantage of the time we had together.

Last night I had received a text from Lauren saying that she would be passing by Elysium Stables today with her daughter to check Captain out, so just like every morning I was getting ready for another day at the barn. I had just finished showering and I was currently getting changed into my purple base layer and paired it with my black breeches. I got a platinum gray vest to go with it to keep me warm in the crisp england mornings. I applied my usual make up and went down to have breakfast with my family. Upon finishing breakfast and getting ready, my dad and I made our way to the stables as I blasted my favorite songs through the car speakers.

We arrived at the stables at the usual time and I immediately went to get the first horse I would ride today. I mounted Dublin and headed out to the outdoor arena and started working on my warmup. Dublin was pretty eager today so I let him canter a bit before I slowed him and set up a course of verticals. Dublin was a pretty confident horse, so i set some fillers under the jumps to see how the liver chestnut would react, but surprisingly he flew over the meter high course without batting an eyelid. I ended our lesson after having a few goes at the course I had set up, praising the gelding for his good work.

Back at the barn, I dismounted Dublin and handed the reins to Matt before heading over to Griffin's stall. I mounted the bay gelding and went over to the same arena that I was working in with Dublin. On my way there, I ran into Grace who was mounted on Loop, the grulla horse covered in sweat.

"I'm guessing that by the way Loop looks, you had a tough lesson?" I inquired, halting infront of grace, Griffin moving impatiently under me.

"You can say that! Someone was being troublesome today" Grace said with a light chuckle. I shot her a smile and urged Griffin to keep on walking forward. Griffin spooked at things, so I had to keep alert just in case. Entering the outdoor arena, I walked a lap letting Griffin get used to it. We usually worked in this arena meaning that the bay had been in here multiple times, but he always found something new to talk about; not wanting to take my chances, I didn't start the actual work until he was completely calm.

Once we were trotting, I changed hands several times, keeping Griffin focused on me. I also asked him to circle many times making sure he bended and was balanced. We cantered also, and I really encouraged him to have an extended stride. When I felt that Griffin was supple and calm, I lowered the jumps I had worked on with Dublin. I switched the course up a bit as i didnt think Griffin was ready to ride through a line, it didn't matter how small the jumps were.

When I had decided my new course fit for the gelding under me, I asked him to canter. As he was a bit more tired now, It took us a hot second to be cantering around the arena and heading towards the first jump. I calculated the distance and on cue, we popped over the jump. I moved into my two points guiding Griffin over it. Taking a wide turn, we approached the following jump, clearing it once more. I guided the bay through the rest of the course, I had got to know that he was a very careful horse, so all the jumps were left in the cups. After ending the course I patted him before I made the course higher. I increased the height to all the jumps, not too much, but enough to challenge Griffin a bit more. The course stood at about 60 centimeters; Taking a deep breath, I asked Griffin to canter. Guiding him once more over the course, I was surprised that we cleared all the jumps again. I was so happy that Griffin was getting somewhere, the gelding had tons of potential and I was glad that I was starting to scrape it, because I knew that we weren't even close to where we could get.

Ending the lesson on a good note, I went back to the barn, a grin spread on my face that was impossible to wipe away. Giving Griffin extra treats after praising him for his good work, I handed him over to Matt and made my way to the staff office. Lauren was supposed to be coming with her daughter today and we had set up a meeting at midday today, so I was expecting the familiar rumble down the road so that we could start working. Lauren arrived a few minutes later and I went out to greet her as well as her daughter, Emily.

"Hello Eleanor!" Lauren said in a cheery voice as she stepped out of the car, her daughter close behind.

"Hi, I'm Emily" The teenage girl introduced herself with a small smile.

"Hey! Shall we get going?" I motioned the barn. They both nodded as we made our way to Captains stable.

"Ok, this is captain," I said as I stopped in front of the gelding's stall. "Something that's really important for me when retraining horses is their ground manners, so I didn't tell Matt, my groom, to talk him up so that you could see how he is on the ground. Is that ok?"

"Yes, that's more than okay" Lauren said quickly. I nodded and slipped into his stall grabbin the halter which I placed over his white face. I led him to the cross ties and Captain obediently followed. Once in the cross ties, I started grooming him while I talked to Lauren and Emily about the amazing horse standing by me.

"Captain is honestly the sweetest, most sensible horse you can find. He is super well mannered as you can see '' I said motioning to him as I groomed him. He was quite clean so it didn't take long for me to have him fully tacked up.

As we made our way to the covered arena where I would be riding, Lauren told me about Emily and her experience with horses. I mounted and took Captain through his paces glancing ever so often to Lauren and Emily. Captain was really good, responding to all my cues. He was rounded under my touch, and moved in a forward pace under my leg. I circled him and cantered him, I trusted him and walked him. I then walked him over to Lauren and her daughter.

"He is pretty responsive isn't he?" Emily asked looking up at me.

"He needs plenty of leg, but once he gets the message to move forward, he is super responsive." I said, giving the bay pinto under me a pat.

"You said you retrained him to be a show jumper, can we see you over some jumps?" Lauren asked.

"Yes, of course." I set up some jumps standing at about a meter, I also set up an oxer to add to the course. I mounted Captain once more and asked him to go. Seconds later, we were cantering to the first jump. We popped over the first jump, and when I landed I asked the captain to take a wide turn to the next jump. The blue oxer approached quickly, and on cue we launched into the air. I ran my hands over Captain's neck in my two points, guiding him over the small spread. I shifted my weight as we were airborne asking the Captain to change lead in the air saving us from having to go through trot to change hands or do a flying change. Upon landing I could feel Captain get unbalanced and struggle to keep up. Using my reins, I regained Captain and asked him to help him balance once again.

We cantered towards the upcoming line. I kept my contact and applied pressure on Captains barrel before take off. I moved into my two points and sat back down as we landed. I counted two strides before we were airborne again. We reached the turf once more, sand flying where Captains hoofs had landed. I urged the gelding on as I felt him slow under me. I guided him to the first vertical we jumped, but this time we jumped it in the other direction. We landed again and I asked the captain to stick to the railing of the arena as we made our way to the left jump. Clearing the last vertical, I slowed captain and made my way over to the prospect owners¡s for the gelding under me.

"He is a pretty straight forward horse, but can be challenging. I don't know if you noticed, but after the oxer he got unbalanced, they are quirks like those that make him an interesting ride. He is still young and learning, but if you want potential and a trustworthy horse, you've got it" I explained. "Would you like to ride him, Emily? You could get a feel for him to see if he is the right horse for you" Emily nodded eagerly and hopped on Captain after placing her helmet on.

"Okay, so if you want just walk him, but encourage him with your leg and by applying pressure to get into a forward walk." I called out. The fourteen year old concentrated and I saw how Captains stride lengthened after Emily applied pressure. "Tell me when you are comfortable so you can start trotting"

"Okay, I think I'm ready," Emily said after another lap while walking.

"Perfect! Go ahead and ask him to trot." I called out. I was now standing in the middle of the arena, Emily and captain working around me.  I guided Emily through some simple exercises so she could get to know Captain. I could see that her years of riding had paid off, she had perfect equitation and posture, she also handed Captain very well. I could tell that she was quite nervous at first, making small movements and glancing at me or her mother fairly often, but now they were popping over a small vertical.

Emily didn't work as Captain much, but it was enough for me to know that she was a good option for the gelding. Her quiet hands matched Captains sensitive mouth while her firm leg encouraged Captain to really work as he was a pretty lazy horse.

Emily soon rejoined her mother, leaving me holding Captains reins.

"What did you think, love?" Lauren asked Emily

"I really liked him, I think that if I worked with him more, we could really get somewhere." Emily spoke truthfully, a smile graced on her lips.

"Okay, compare him to the other horses you have tried out," Lauren asked, trying to get another opinion.

"Well, he is not a push button, like Adobe, the one I tried a couple of days ago, but he is not impossible either, so that's good. Like I said before, if I work with him long enough, I think we could really go places; I could teach him, but he will also teach me" Emily explained her point of view.

"Eleanor, in complete honesty, do you think that Emily and Captain could really work together? Im don't really know about horses, so I want a professional opinion if you don't mind" Lauren asked me with a glance.

"Well Emily is a very talented rider although she still has much to learn, so I think that she will do good with Captain. The clue with the captain is to have light hands but strong legs, and that's exactly what Emily has." I continued "As much as I think that you are a good match, keep in mind that I just started re training him eight months ago and he is still quite new to all of this, so he still has his quirks. Captain is also pretty young so you should expect some mischievous behaviour and although it's not often, you will find it every once in a while. Like I said before, you could really go places, but you have to keep those things in mind." I spoke truthfully, I wanted Captain to get a good home but I also wanted Emily to end up with a horse she liked and could really enjoy, so in the end it was up to them.

"Okay, thank you so much. Do you mind if we talk about it at home and obviously with my husband before we come to a decision?"

"Yes, most definitely. And if you have any further questions, or want his files or anything, don't be afraid to give me a call." I said with a smile.

"Thank you so much, again, Eleanor." Lauren said, Emily also chorusing her "thank you".

I walked them out after handing Captain over to Matt.

"Oh, before I forget, can we talk about the price?" Lauren asked, turning back to face me.

"If you want I can show you to my father's office or even give you his phone number as the price is not up to me." I explained.

"Thats ok. Is it okay if we talk to your father now? Or, shall we give him a call when he is free?" 

"He should have a spare minute right now, If you want I can show you to his office?" I suggested. When they both nodded I led them to my father's office, knocking on the door before entering.

"Dad? Lauren here is the potential owner of Captain and she would like to discuss prices?" I told my father.

"Oh, ofcourse!" My father said with a kind smile after standing up and greeting them. "Have a seat" My father gestured to the seats before him. Both mother and daughter sat in front of my father. I said my goodbyes to Lauren and Emily and with one last wave and smile, I made my way out of the office and over to Norths stall to get ready for my lesson.

I led the gray out of the stall and soon enough, I was mounted and warming up around the indoor arena. North was pretty eager today, wanting to canter most of the time, but I held him back. I trotted around the arena, rising and falling to the movement of North's leg. I was having trouble rounding the stallion as he would go out of frame seconds after I corrected him by tossing his head around. I sighed but still kept asking for him to round, which he ignored anyways.

When Camille asked up to canter, I applied pressure with my legs. Upon the pressure, North snapped his ears back and let out a small buck. I was so confused, he was asking for his head and to go faster, but when I gave him the cue he doesn't want to? I clicked my tooth asking him to canter and he ignored my voice cue. I asked North to canter again with my leg, but he was still not having it, so instead of going faster, he stopped straight. I sighed and clicked my tongue as well as kicking him,not harshly but just so he knew I was incharge. Once more, he didn't move.

"What's going on Eleanor? Why are you stopped?" Camille called out. I couldn't tell if she was annoyed, confused or what.

"Nothing" I muttered to myself and asked North to canter once more. I frowned when he didn't move at all. I tried tugging my reint to get him to take a step to turn and then catch him off guard, but it didn't work either.  I stole a glance at Camille who was staring at me. Once more, I couldn't make out what she was thinking. This is stupid, why cant I get a horse to move?! I thought, angry at myself and most of all frustrated.

"What are you waiting for eleanor? He isn't responding, tap him with your crop! I don't know, do something to show him who is boss!" Camille called out. Okay, I could definitely tell she was annoyed now. It wasn't usual for Camille to snap at me, so with new found determination I asked North to cantere again, for the a millionth time, he pinned his ears back and let out a kick, ignoring my cue completely.

I tapped him with my crop on his shoulder and he immediately knew that he had to move. Even though he was cantering, he couldn't go any slower. I pressured him and kicked him. I clucked my tongue and gave him voice commands to go faster. All I got was nothing. Absolutely nothing.

To say I was annoyed was an understatement. I was annoyed, furious, not only at north, but at myself, and most of all confused. I felt North's old side peeking through ever so slightly. The Irish Sport horse had not always been the amazing horse he was nowadays.

As we cantered around the arena in the slow pace that North kept. I had given up on trying to make him extend as I knew that he would just ignore me. Camille was setting up a course, and if I'm being honest,  I was a bit nervous. With the north not responding to me, I don't know how we would make it over a 1.30 course.

Upon the sight of the jumps set up, I felt my heart start to beat quicker. If I wanted to make it over those jumps, North would have to start listening to me.

"North, come on boy, you've got to help me here" I muttered more to myself, not even sure if North was even paying attention to my quiet plees.

Camille called us in and explained the course, I fidgeted with my reins as I memorized the practice course.

"You go or I go?" Grace asked.

"Go ahead, i'll go after" I told her, and with that she was already making her way to the first jump. Even though Grace had an unlucky pole, they completed the course very well, getting the distance and the rhythm right for all the jumps. When she came back to us, Camille nodded at me and I asked North to canter.

He ignored my cues at first, but I was tired of him not paying attention so I gave him a firm squeeze and a kick asking him to canter. With an annoyed swish of a tail and after pinning his ears back, North was cantering. I made my way to the first jump, using my leg plenty just so that north would keep his pace, and mind me saying that it was still quite slow for my liking.

We hopped over the first jump sloppily due to the slow pace but I think North understood that he would have to stop being stubborn and move so that he would make it over the next set of jumps. The gray horse picked up his pace and we jumped the following jump a bit better now that we had more momentum. The second that we landed, North let out a buck. If i'm being honest, I don't know how I sat  it because I was definitely not expecting him to buck. I was more alert after it now that I knew in what mood the stallion was.

We approached the next jump, and due to the buck, we varied the distance making us chip in a bit but thankfully we made it over. I don't know what got into North, but after the second jump, he went crazy. He bolted and it took me a hot second before I was able to calm him down and get him under my control. We continued the course, and to say the least I was struggling. North kept on asking for his head and for speed but I didn't grant it to him. I was focused on him not bolting on me again so I half halted ever so often, and sometimes North took it to an extreme and slowed exponentially earning a groan from me.

Turning to the fifth jump, North started drifting from my contact. I focused on my leg and all my cues asking him to come back under my touch, but he took me focusing on another thing and decided to swerve making us go over the next jump in diagonal. I winced and as I came down I took a deep breath and continued the course. I don't know how we made it over the rest of the course but i know it was absolutely horrendous.

Rejoining Grace and Camille, I didn't make eye contact. I knew I had done bad and looking at their eyes I would definitely see the disappointment in them.

"Eleanor-" Camille started. I mentaly rolled my eyes, I knew what was to come and I didn't want to hear it.

"Look, I know how horrible the course was. North is not listening and I tried my best so I don't want to hear your corrections because trust me, I know how bad it was" I cut her off in a snappy tone. Camille at first looked shocked but then decided to respond.

"Look, for starters don't talk back at me. And you shouldn't blame North for your bad performance in today's lesson." I rolled my eyes and muttered "whatever" but deep down I knew that she was right. It was just not my day. We continued the lesson and grace had another go at the course again completing it perfectly. There are no words to describe how much i didn't want to be in the lesson today. I knew that if I had another go at the course it would probably be worse than the first time, and I wasn't ready to humiliate myself more than I already had. However, I knew that I didn't have a choice but to have another go.

I asked North to canter, and after struggling again, I managed to get him into a decent canter. Approaching the first jump we had the distance figured out until North extended two strides before take off, messing up our whole striding therefore knocking the pole. When the pole clattered down on the floor with a loud noise, North snapped. He lifted his head and bolted before letting out a buck that almost made me lose my balance. I gasped, worried of what could happen next.

I didn't let my fear take over me as I knew that it would make everything worse, so I took a deep breath and pulled on the reins asking for North's attention which he didn't listen to. I pulled on my rein and used my leg to make him circle. He eventually had no other option but to bend at my touch and take the circle I was asking him for. I got the circle smaller and smaller each time, like if we were doing a spiral, finally feeling North bay at my touch. I kept him in a circle until I felt under full control again before I asked him to continue the course. We jumped the next jump before North started being pushy again. He asked for his head and for speed again, I just kept doing half halts to stop him and keep him under control.

We approached the next jump and North tried extending the last strides which I didn't let him. However, we messed up the distance and jumped from too far but we managed to clear the jump anyways. Cantering to the last set of jumps, North kept on asking for his head. I didn't notice that he was behind the vertical before Camille called out to me pointing it out.

"Eleanor, you have north behind the vertical, he is over bending. Try softening your hands' ' She called out over the loud hoofbeats created by the North. I frowned and corrected North before we flew over the last jump. North let out one last buck for good measure, I sat through it and rolled my eyes before returning to Camille and Grace.

I didn't make eye contact again, and pretended that my reins were very interesting as I kept staring down at them and fidgeting uncomfortably. I knew Grace so well, that I knew what she wanted to say but held back, and let out a sigh instead. TO say that this was awkward, was an understatement.

"Um... That was a good lesson, you can take your horses" Camille said awkwardly, dismissing us. Grace walked Aspen out after dispounting and rolling up the stirrups. I stayed there and waited for her to go out leaving me and Camille in the arena together.

I didn't say anything and just asked North to canter. He was still very fresh and I wasn't going to let him finish the lesson after he was bothering so much and let him just go rest. I cantered him, keeping him under control. When he tried to buck, I tugged at my reins preventing him from putting his head down and kicking his legs back. After a while, North was covered in swat and he was finally calming down, responding to all my cues, and in general being responsive. Not wanting to over work him, I slowed to a walk and let him hang his head low. I leaned over his neck and he twitched a gray ear back as I whispered to him.

"Wanted to give me trouble today, didn't you boy?" I whispered as if I was expecting an answer. I cooled him down a bit by just walking around the arena, lost in my own thoughts. When North was almost cool, I halted him and dismounted. I rolled up my stirrups and loosened the girth and just stood there for a minute staring at North. I snapped out of it and smiled before walking out of the arena where I ran into Camille.

"Still here?" She asked as we stood awkwardly.

"Yes, I was cantering North a bit as he was still fresh and all" I muttered to which she hummed.

"Hey, um... I'm sorry for snapping in the lesson at you. I know that blaming North for our bad performance was so off, I'm just having a bad day" I said, raising my voice over a mutter.

"We all have bad days, Eleanor, and it's ok" She said reassuringly before she strode off. I walked North back, still lost in my thoughts. I was a bit confused to be honest. I wasn't having a bad day today, well at least not before the lesson, maybe it was North having the bad day, not me. I brushed it off returning to work the other horses.

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Hello! How are you all?

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I know things have been slow, but as you can see they are starting to pick up.

What do you think is wrong with North? I would love to hear your theories!!

I want to know more about my readers, so if you would like, comment what discipline you ride and about the horse you own, and if you don't own one, tell me about your dream horse!!

Anyways, thank you so much for reading, it means the world!! xx