Vanessa's POV:  

I have always had good emotional self control.  I had to, as rider in the stressful competition world.  

Which is why, outwardly, I gave Tessa a small bitter smile, said, "Guess you were right after all," as I stood up, and brushed off my breeches.  

But inwardly?  

Things were a mess, and I wasn't sure how long I could hold it in.

Lacy, who hadn't even had a chance to get on Win, started to give him back to me, but I held my hand.  "No, you ride him for a bit.  I'm going to go get Medallion."  

I walked quickly out of there, my boots echoing as they switched from the soft sand to the concrete floor of the barn aisle.  I didn't stop until I reached Medallion's stall and went in, closing the door behind me.  

Then I leaned against the stall wall covered my face with my hands.  

One moment I was angry.  How dare a horse humiliate me like that!  And the next, angry at myself for letting myself be humiliated.

I had thought I was a good, nay, great, rider.  I had thought that Tessa had been exaggerating.  But now I could see she was not.  

If I hadn't seen him being ridden before with her, I might have been tempted to say that he was not ridable.  But she was able to ride him.  It made her better than many of the riders here at Vantage Point, including me, and I didn't know how she did it.      

I had never met a horse I couldn't ride before.  Except for Medallion.  And even she had not thrown me the first ride.  I glanced at her.  She was watching me lazily.

Before I'd been sure Tessa wouldn't be able to ride her.  Now I wasn't.  

I took several deep breaths.  I couldn't let my emotions get the best of me.  Now was time to ride.  Later I could be mad, or sad, or whatever I was feeling.  

Untying Medallion, I led her out of the stall and grabbed her bridle hanging at the grooming station she'd been tacked up in.  Unlike Win, she was easy to bridle.  

Tessa's POV:

Vanessa had done an admirable job of not showing her frustration and shock, although I could tell it was there beneath the surface.  It was more mature of her than what I had expected.  

I had half wondered if she was going to throw us out of Vantage Point because of Challenger's misbehavior.  

At the same time, I understood what she was feeling.  Because I had felt that before with Challenger too.  He was a horse who, without trying, could break your knees of pride and know-how to bring you to the ground. 

The ride had gone pretty much as I had expected.  Well, with one exception.  It hadn't been total failure.  There had been those few moments where she'd gotten him to engage his back and go straight.  

If only she hadn't stretched upward, and thus made herself crooked.  Challenger had just thought she was asking for a bad leg yield.  

I flipped the reins over Challenger's head and lined him up to the mounting platform.  I wanted to make sure before I rode Medallion that he was okay.  No, I didn't think Vanessa was that bad a rider.  It was just a protective instinct. 

He started off at a fast walk, but by resisting with my seat and using little half-halts, he calmed down a bit.  He wasn't damaged after the experience.  I dismounted just as Vanessa led Medallion into the arena.  

Vanessa's POV:  

Seeing Tessa on Challenger stirred up the emotions I thought I had rounded up in Medallion's stall.  There were two main ones.  

The first was anger, with a root of jealousy.  What, did she think I'd ruined her precious horse?  I may not have been able to ride him but there was no way I could ruin him in five minutes.  Did she really think I was that bad?  

A second quieter but still strong one was curiosity and awe.  How did she manage such a horse?  Was it hard for her, or easy?

Could she teach me how?  

She turned as I walked up with Medallion.  I thrust the reins forcefully at her.  "Here."  My voice was tight, underlined with a challenge.  

She slowly took the reins while looking into my eyes.  "We'll talk later," she murmured.  

Her gentle and humble manner blew out my anger like a candle in the wind.  She had not really meant to offend me.  And suddenly, a sense of shame gripped me.  

I had insisted on riding Challenger.  She had warned me.  She'd told me it wouldn't go well.  But I'd brushed off her warnings with arrogance.  And honestly, getting bucked off was my due reward.  

I took Challenger's reins from her.  She led Medallion away from me, and said, "So, tell me, what are her problems?"  

I shrugged.  "She...  She kinda does what Challenger did with me.  I mean, she'll go forward really fast, but if you touch her mouth she slows down dramatically.  She just...  responds so much more than what you ask for.  And it's all on purpose, or at least seems that way."  

A light was beginning to dawn.  Maybe she was like Challenger?  

Tessa lined up Medallion to the mounting block, having already checked her stirrups and girth.  "Interesting...  And she's done it ever since she arrived here?"  

"Yeah.  I know she was ridable before, her sale video included tons of clips of her jumping and doing flatwork."  

Tessa nodded.  "Alright..."  

She stuck her foot in the stirrup and swung up.  Medallion waited for her to get her other stirrup.

"I'm going to talk through this, if you don't mind.  It can help me process," said Tessa as she started to shorten her reins.  

I was surprised, and also didn't quite know what she meant, but said, "Okay."

"Alright.  Come on Medallion, let's try this."  And with that, they were off.

Medallion was in that jiggy walk, and was chewing the bit incessantly. The sound could be heard all the way from where I was standing. Plus I noticed something I hadn't when riding her, she tucked her head back way further than what was necessary. 

 Tessa kept the rein slack.  "I'm not going to pick up the contact just yet.  A fast walk is better than a slow walk," she said.  "Instead, I'm going to see just how responsive she is to my seat."  

Subtly she deepened her inside leg while turning her body back towards me.  Medallion slowed a bit, then began to turn with her.  

"That was good.  Let's try the other way,"  said Tessa as she straightened out.  She let Medallion walk a bit before turning the opposite way she had before.  

"Again, good.  What if I want to halt?"  Tessa let her weight down and stopped moving so fluidly with Medallion.  Medallion started to slow considerably, flicking an ear back, but she did not halt.  

"Kay, she didn't listen to my seat, maybe she'll listen to my rein."  Tessa lifted her hands slightly and closed her fingers.  

Immediately Medallion jerked to stop. 

"Hmm.  Interesting.  She doesn't seem too happy about me taking contact with her mouth,"  Tessa mused.  

She nudged Medallion forward again.  "I'm going to shorten my rein a little and we'll see how she responds.  While I do it, I'm going to let her know she must keep moving forward."  

I fiddled with the buckle on Challenger's reins.  This could be interesting.  Medallion had never liked it when I shortened the reins.

Tessa kissed to Medallion as she gathered up the rein.  Medallion started to surge forward, only to find that the rein was now tighter.  

The mare immediately slowed down to that poky walk that I detested, and started doing that chewing on the  bit.  I also noticed something I hadn't while riding her, her head started to duck behind the vertical.    

"Hmm.  She seems really sensitive in the mouth," commented Tessa.  "Her walk is now barely a walk."  

She turned the mare.  "I'm softening my fingers to see if that'll help..."  

Medallion stopped chewing so unceasingly, pausing before resuming slower than before.  

"That seemed to work-"  Tessa was cut off when Medallion started tossing her head.  It was pulling the rein through Tessa's softened hands.  

"Oh no you don't."  Tessa's hands visibly hardened into fists.  When Medallion jerked, she ran into a solid wall of resistance.  This surprised her and she slammed on the breaks.  

"She will not pull the rein through my hand,"  Tessa's voice held firmness.  "I will soften for her, I will try to make my hands as nice and comfortable as I can, but she is not going to take rein from me."  

Medallion snorted, the sound echoed in the arena.  

Tessa cracked a half smile.  "Now, let's try this again.  When I ask her for walk this time, and she meets my rein, I'm going to make sure my hands are soft and forward, to see if that will stop her from slowing down so much.  

Tessa nudged Medallion forward in that fast walk.  Sure enough, when Medallion hit the rein she slowed down, but not as dramatically as before.

AN:  Well, what do you guys think of Tessa's ride so far? 

No double update this week, as I just couldn't handle it.  But, the chapter is pretty long, so maybe that makes up for it a little :)  

See you next Sunday!

Oh, nearly forgot!  If you want to watch all the replays of the equestrian part of the Olympics 'cause you weren't able to watch the live streams like me, they're now available for free, here's a link to them --->