Tessa's POV:  

I chuckled as I slowly slid Challenger's bridle off and watched him shake his head in relief.  I patted his neck and reached into the trailer tack room to hang the bridle.  "That's going back on in thirty minutes, but for now you get a break."  

I slipped his halter on and then hopped up into the trailer tack room.  I reached out and grabbed the bag of Manna Pro apple treats.  To say I was pleased with Challenger was an understatement.  

Lacy popped her head in.  "I knew it.  I knew you were getting treats.  You should have seen them perk up when they heard that bag rustle."  

I grinned as I reach in the bag and pulled out a handful.  "Oh, I'm sure they did.  Here."  I shoved the bag toward Lacy, knowing she'd want to give Russo treats too.  

She took it and stuck her hand in it.  "You know me too well."  

I giggled.  "Yep, I do."  I stepped down beside her and held out my hand to Challenger.  

He gently nuzzled the treats from my hand and I listened to him crunch them as I stroked his neck.  "You did good today boy.  Real good."

In our first show of the season, Challenger had won.  I still couldn't believe it.  Things like that just didn't happen with Challenger.  After two show season starts,  I'd grown to expect we'd just botch our first show, as we both tried to remember how to act at one.  

But today... Something had been different about today.  

I thought about the girl who'd gone before me, who'd I'd complimented on a good round.  She'd struck me as the competitive type.  I was pretty sure we weren't going to beat her score.  But Challenger had pulled through for me.  

It was so different from when I first started working with him, like night and day in difference. 

"There's my girl!"  I turned around at my father's deep voice.  

Before I knew what was happening, he'd swept me up in a bear hug.  Challenger side-stepped in surprise.  

"Proud of you, sweetheart," he murmured into my neck.  

"Thanks, dad," I replied. 

Mother joined us in the bear hug.  "Good job, honey," she whispered.  

"Thanks, mom."  I enjoyed all the love and support being showed, but between her and dad, I felt a little smothered.  "Mind letting me go?  I appreciate the support, but I think you've squished all the air out of me."  

Slightly sheepishly they let me go. "Ice cream?"  Suggested dad.

"Sure, but after the awards," I replied.

Vanessa's POV:  

I sat on the tack trunk for the next fifteen minutes, scrolling through old texts.  Am I the only person that does this?  I like reading old text conversations.  It's weird, I know.  

Finally I turned my phone off and turned to Win.  Ms. Festor had left for some reason or another.  "Guess it's time to get you bridled," I mumbled. 

I grabbed his bridle off the hook.  Win eyed me as I came closer.  "Now don't give me that."  

I put his halter around his neck and lifted the bridle up to him.  Immediately he threw his head up.  I tried to follow, standing on tip toe, but he was having none of it. 

I grunted in frustration and tried again.  "Win!  Come here!"  

Again he threw his head up. I backed off and glared at him.  

"He won't let you put it on?"  

I turned at the sound of my trainer's voice.  "No.  And it doesn't help I'm short."  Being 5'4 isn't easy sometimes.  

Ms. Festor took the bridle from me and grabbed Win's halter.  "Hold this to keep his head down," she said.

I wrapped my hand around it.  Ms. Festor lifted the bridle up and Win tried to pull away, but I wouldn't let him.  "Not this time," I growled.  

After that he refused to open his teeth.  Ms. Festor stuck her thumb in and wiggled it around, causing him to reluctantly open up.  She shoved the bit in before he could close it.  "There we go."  

I let go of the halter as she slid it over his ears.  "It keeps getting worse, I don't know why he does it," I said.  

"He's just being naughty and trying to get out of work," she said as she tightened up the girth.  "We'll work on it when we get home."  

I nodded and clipped on my helmet.  "I guess so."

She gave me a leg up and with that I was off to the arena to accept what should have been my first place award, but was my second. 

Tessa's POV:  

"Time to go get your first place rosette," I said to Challenger as I grabbed his bridle.  He gave me an unimpressed look.  

"Ah ah, be a good boy," I cautioned.  

I buckled his halter to his neck and sorted out the leather straps before placing my hand on top of his poll.  He immediately lowered his head for me.  "Good lad."  

I slowly lifted the bridle up and grabbed the head band before offering the bit to him.  He slowly opened his mouth and took it.  I patted him and pulled the headband over his ears.  "What a good boy you are."  

Lacy had already bridled Russo and was buckling up his throatlatch.  "He's always a good boy for you," she commented.  

I grabbed his noseband and pulled it tight.  "He could have been a good boy for you," I replied, referring back to the time Lacy had ridden Challenger.  "But you asked with too much leg and then when he responded like he thought you wanted him to you-" 

"I know, I know," she cut me off.  "I then asked him to slam on the brakes and now he hates me for it.  As evidenced by the fact he bucked me off.  Face it, Tessa, you're the only one he likes on his back."  

I half wondered if that was true.  Since owning Challenger I'd only found one other rider who actually worked well with him besides me. A man who's clinic I'd taken him to that was a classical dressage rider.  

Course, maybe there were more people out there, but, if I was honest, I was scared to let them on him.  Not because I was worried that they're was more people out there who could ride him, but rather that there was too many who couldn't.  Too many who might hurt him, not intentionally, but just because they weren't used to a horse like him.

 I'm very protective of my boy.  

"Hey dad, how about giving us a leg up?" I said as I finished sticking Challenger's throat latch through its keeper.  

"Alright, but it'll be a dollar for each of you."  

I rolled my eyes.  "Oh whatever."  

Lacy brought Russo around and held out her leg for dad to grab.  "One, two, three," he counted down and hoisted her up.  "Thank you sir," she said, holding out her hand.  "Here's your dollar."   

I tightened my girth and led Challenger around, then gathered my reins and held my leg out. 

"One, two, three!"  And with that I was aboard a fresh Challenger.  He was not  tired in the least.  I was proud of him for that.  

"Here's your dollar dad," I held out my hand as Challenger skittered to the side.  Dad eyed Challenger and stepped back.  

"You can keep that dollar."  

I laughed and shortened my reins as I began my walk to the arena, being careful that I didn't catch Challenger in the mouth.  I raised my hands to match his high head, and was suddenly swept away in a tidal wave of giddiness.  We'd won!  We'd actually won!  

Suddenly Challenger bunched up and bolted.  From from what I don't know.  Automatically I pulled him into a one-rein stop.  I was used to this, although he bolted or spooked a lot less these days.  

That's the thing about Challenger:  he always keeps you humble.

It didn't completely crush my giddiness though.  

AN:  Maybe a bit of a boring chapter here.  You'll notice that it flips between Tessa's and Vanessa's POV.  Part of the reason for that is I want to contrast the lives and methods of Tessa and Vanessa.  As the book progresses Tessa's viewpoint will be seen less and less often.  

What do you guys think of it so far :)