[River Song]

Day 17


Today I’m working on jumping with Moment, a skill she seems to have considerable talent in. The mere thought of anything touching her legs terrifies her enough that she leaps over whatever is put in her way. Today, we can’t work with to high jumps, as Moment may re-injure her leg if strained. The course is set up in a manner where Moment can gain enough momentum to jump the course easily, and everyday the jumps will get a bit higher, and a bit closer. I head to the other side of the course, and call to Moment. The first jump gets closer, and she sails over it. The second is the same. On the third however, she skids to a stop, I call again, and she walks around the jump, then breaks into a run, clearing the others. It is hard to train her right now, as I can’t ride her without possibly hurting her. I lead her back to the third jump, stand behind it, and urge her over. Yet again she veers left, then walks to me. I try lowering the jump. She still turns away. Changing the order of the jumps doesn't work, she still turns away from the jump that was the third before. Only when I replace that jump does she go over. This is interesting, she seems to just fear that jump. It is the same as all the others, a simple cavaletti. I sigh. Only one thing to do. I remove all the other jumps, and call Moment. She runs towards me, hooves thundering. I see a split second of hesitation before she leaps as high as she can, clearing the jump.

[River Song]

Day 25

Marco stands at the end of the pasture, wearing a cheesy cowboy hat and chewing a piece of straw. I am astride Moment, the jumps in front of us higher than normal. This is practice for the competition in five days, yet I think we are almost ready. A slight tap of my heels and we're off. Once round the ring, with Marco screaming and flailing his arms, trying to imitate a large crowd. He makes a comical sight, his hat slipping over one eye as he jumps around. Moment takes no heed of the orange haired human looking like a one man circus. We near the first jump, and fly over without a problem. Moment thunders around until Marco picks up his homemade “noise maker”, also known as tin cans tied to a pole so that they rattle and clank with the slightest movement. The grey mare stalls, spinning right. I yelp as I almost slip off, yet Moment soon regains her senses. She glares at Marco before continuing on with the course. Run. Jump. Turn right. Jump. Run. Jump. Turn left. Run. Turn left. Slow to a trot. Jump. She does this easily, even with marco screaming like a banshee at the mare. As her hooves beat a steady rhythm, I bury my face into her mane. It smells like pine and hay, a scent that comforts me. My darling is here. With me. Together we are a perfect team.

[River Song]

Day 30


We ride into the ring, moments mane gleaming in the light. The jumps ahead of us are easy enough, Moment would never allow something like that to touch her leg. I urge her on, enjoying the feeling of her hooves pounding the ground, the wind in my hair as she runs once around the ring. The announcer's voice booms out,

“And now we have Twelve Valley Ranch’s Up in the Air!” The crowd roars, a sound that fills me with adrenaline. I turn her towards the first jump, and we charge onwards, dust rising under her hooves as they pound the earth. And then we are soaring. Lyrics rush through my head as moment clears the first jump.


I've been up in the air, lost in the night.

I wouldn't trade an eye for your lies.

Your lust for my life.

Is this the end, hey?


You were the love of my life, the darkness, the light.

This is a portrait of a tortured you and I.

Is this the, is this the, is this the end?


I think of what the audience must see, a gorgeous mulberry grey mare, mane flowing as she leaps the jump. And if they look closely enough, they may see a small scar around her back leg, holding memories of darker days.


I been up in the air.

Is the end I feel?

Up in the air, chasing a dream so real.

I been up in the air.

Image from http://www.flaticon.com

[River Song]

Credits---

Images go to their respective owners
All characters excluding Quetzal (Owned by lichenfeather) are owned by me
Show name inspired by tstm's up in the air
Lyrics belong to tstm
Thanks to lichenfeather for helping with getting this typed