*~Schooling Holly with a nasty fall~*

[xxfillyfoalxx]

Lottie lead her restless thoroughbred mare into the arena. Holly, her 16.3hh bay mare didn’t like the new place.

“Shhh girl! Calm down.” Lottie stroked her horse’s neck to try and calm her. “I think I will just do some flat work.”

Holly was high-spirited and needed to be schooled. She was an eventer show jumper mare, but she was getting out of hand. It was getting to dangerous to jump her because she was getting into the habit of bolting at jumps and making a huge leap over them and kicking her feet out behind her. It didn’t help the situation that they had just moved.

Holly held her as high as the running martingale would allow. Lottie put her girth up a few holes with difficulty. She pulled down her stirrups and led the jumpy mare to the mounting block.

The mare wouldn’t stand still which made it hard for Lottie to mount. She slipped her foot in the stirrup and swung her leg over her horses back.

[xxfillyfoalxx]

The mare yanked at the Dutch gag bit. Luckily Lottie had gloves on, but even still her hands hurt.

“Wow!” Lottie said, pulling her mare up. “Lets just trot round for a bit and see what happens.”

The mare refused to trot properly. She kept trotting sideways and doing lots of nasty tricks.

“Holly!” Lottie told her mare off. “Behave for once will you!”

She steered the horse back onto the track again. “Ok now for a canter.”

Lottie sat deep in the saddle and nudges the mare on. Holly pulled on the reins, she wanted to go fast and faster, but Lottie refused, holding the mare in all the time.

Holly hated that. She bucked, but her owner sat the buck easily. The mare then started to back up and rear.

“Whoa Holly chill!” Lottie said, leaning forward with the rears.

The mare spun round in a tight circle and reared up. Lottie grabbed onto her mane in an attempted to stay on board. Holly started to buck wildly, creating a war between her rider and her. It was a battle against Lottie staying on or coming off.

She gave two huge bucks then backed up and reared. Lottie lost both her stirrups. Holly twisted round and at a gallop set off into the middle of the arena. She came into some jumps, knocking them down. She hit a jump wing and plunged down in pain, sending her riding flying over her head, into the triple bar triple. Lottie came right threw the 3 4ft jumps. She was left lying lifeless on the arena floor.

[xxfillyfoalxx]

The mare got out of the jump poles she was tangled in. She walked away and stood in the middle of the arena, determined not to allow anybody to touch her.

Her eyes were full of fear. She didn’t lay her eyes off her owner, her friend.

She walked over to her and sniffed Lottie. She stood there, keeping guard over Lottie.