“Toes up!”  Ms. Susan reminded me, for the fifth time this hour.  I adjusted my foot so that the ball was right above the stirrup, and my heels pointed down.  I knew I had things to work on, but I was still the first place winner in jumping at the NCEL (National Capital Equitation League) meet last week.  If I could out jump every other competitor in the state (and also Maryland), then how was I making such silly mistakes?  I was riding Arthur both while competing and now, but I just didn’t have my game on today. 
I leaned down and gave Arthur a big hug around his neck, and thought about all the wonderful memories of him being such a silly horse that my sister even calls him ‘Puppy’.   Once, going over a four foot jump, he swung his head down and looked at the jump as we flew over it- I’ve been told many times that the rider must keep her eyes up and forward while jumping, but I’ve never been told whether or not the horse must!     
Another time, we were waiting in line for a jump course, when he brought his head back by my leg and began chewing on my boot!  I’ve seen dogs do this many times, but a horse?  He really does deserve the name Puppy… that little goofus!

Roughly half and hour later, we were going through a jump course for the second, and final, time.  I watched the riders before me look through the roll backs, (wrongly) curve their backs while elevating over the final jump in the broken lines, and loop around deep in the corners.  When my turn arrived, Ms. Susan asked me to please wait just a moment, as she began to take down the four foot jump.  I immediately assumed that I hadn’t performed well enough on my first time through the course, so she was lowering the jump- lowering it below what even the worst riders in the class had done- or maybe not.  Maybe I was the worst rider in the class…
As my thoughts continued to spiral way past negativity, I realized that she wasn’t lowering the jump, she was rolling three barrels to the space in between the jump standards.  Two of the barrels were one in front of the other, and the other rested on top, in between them, so they appeared as a pyramid-type shape.
“You want me to jump that?”  I questioned, and she replied with a “Of course!  You’re a great rider and you’re ready for this!” 
With that, Arthur and I took off.  As I kept my back straight whenever I elevated, keeping Arthur from puppy diving, I also looked exactly where I wanted to go, and turned deep within the corners.  I approached the triple barrels and gave Arthur one last nudge, and we flew over the mountainous jump. 

The lesson wasn’t going so well for Emma.  Maybe if I chewed on her shoe, that will cheer her up!  I reach my head back to nibble on her boot, and she giggles and pats my neck.  I love it when she rides me!  She never relies too much on the reins, so my mouth isn’t sore after the lesson.  She is gentle, and whenever we complete and exercise, she reaches down and gives me a hug around my neck.  Sometimes, when she hugs me when she’s not on my back, I hug her back by lowering my head until it’s squeezing her back, but not too tightly. 
    We are up next!  Oh would you look at that?  There is a huge jump, composed of three barrels!  Oh how fun!  I let her boot slip out of my teeth, and depart into a canter.  We round the first corner, and she doesn’t let me puppy dive over the jump, but that’s okay, because the size of the final jump will be so fun, it doesn’t matter, I don’t have to puppy dive over other jumps to get my fun!  After what seems like a lifetime of boring twists and turns, we arrive at the line approaching the triple barrels.  I burst into a full-fledged canter, running with all my strength.  She gives me a final nudge before we clear the jump, and it provides me with the energy to bound over it.  We are in the air, it seems as though we are flying.  I hear ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs,’ and I feel all bubbly inside.  I glance up and see Emma grinning from ear to ear.  This has been the best lesson in a long, long time.  She reaches down and gives me the biggest hug I’ve ever had, and I wish I could hug her back.  Unfortunately, I can’t, so let’s just hope she gives her favorite white horse with brown spots a bear hug later, because I will be so happy to find a way to thank her for making me so happy.