Ashleigh's pov

"Oh Flo! Don't be such a grouch" I snicker as I brush the mare.

For the whole morning I've been with Florence, she's been stomping her foot impatiently and side eying me. I knew she could get restless at times, but lately she's been a little melodramatic. Dr Candice was coming out soon to do a checkup on her. I was guessing that she was in season, but with how the girls are acting, it's as if she's pregnant.

Rolling my eyes, I check her over to make sure she doesn't actually have any problems. Her back wasn't hurting, and she's not worried about me touching her girth area. It was more towards her barrel where she started being a sook.

Once I'm positive she's fine, I put on her tack. This morning I was planning on taking her for a gallop. Being an energised, run all day kind of horse, Florence needed to be exercised very often. Morning gallops had become our routine. I couldn't even imagine what she would be like without them. A nightmare probably.

As I begin to walk to the mounting block, the twins and Eve stop me.

"Where are you taking her?" Eve asks worriedly.

"For a run?" I said, feeling like I had to ask for permission.

Jewel shakes her head. "It's probably best you don't, just until we figure out what's going on with her"

"I do this every other day-" I start.

Eve cuts me off. "I agree, you don't know if it'll cause her pain"

I huff in frustration. "She was fine when I tacked her up, and she doesn't seem uncomfortable"

Normally I wouldn't question the girls of their decisions, but I knew that if Flo wasn't taken out soon, then she'll put holes in the barns walls.

The girls glance at each other in doubt before Eve speaks up. "Well maybe just take Beauty, or even Navarre out. Just to be on the safe side..."

I sigh. "But Beauty and Navarre don't need to be exercised, if we just keep her pent up until Dr Candice arrives, she'll jump out of her own stall"

Sky shifts on her foot almost nervously. "Well what if she misbehaved and threw you off?

"Guys! Seriously!? I've dealt with her misbehaving before. Can you just stop?" I grumble.

It irked me that they didn't think I was capable of riding her.

"Give us a second" Sky says.

The girls turn around and mutter something to one another. I don't quite catch their words. Instead of waiting, I turn Florence around and take her to the back exit. Hopefully by the time they turn around, I'll be long gone. Sliding the smaller back door open, Florence charges through eagerly.

"Easy, you nearly ran me over" I scold.

The mares head flies up as she looks around. It was as if she hadn't been outside in years. I felt a little guilty that I went along with the girls plans to keep her stalled. She doesn't mind being stabled when she's at shows or genuinely tired, but all throughout the day is another story. She just gets wound up.

When I get her to stand, I place one foot in the stirrup and swing into the saddle. It was rather difficult since she was so tall. As I settle into the saddle, I could feel how tense Florence was. Although she wanted to go, I had to walk her for a couple minutes. There was no need for an avoidable injury.

As time flickered by, the scenery changed from green rolling hills to pine trees. The woodsy smell that filled my senses relaxed me, and I began to feel Florence relax too. Checking my phone, I had been out for only ten minutes and already had a dozen texts from Eve.

I grin. "Amateurs, they should know to keep eyes on us at all times, hey Flo?"

Florence's ear flickers back and she tosses her head impatiently. "Alright. Alright. Let's go then"

Loosening the reins a notch, Florence goes from a walk to canter. Florence's breaths deepen and I could feel how jittery she was. She knew that at any moment I would let her loose, free to go at her own pace. As trees zip by us, I find a familiar trail and turn her down it.

"Okay, go on" I said, loosening the reins entirely.

Florence takes off at an extremely fast gallop. Even after all this time, I still feel like I'll get thrown back in the saddle if I don't hold a piece of her mane. Dodging many obstructions, aka trees, Florence and I find our way to my favourite JOPS lookout.

...

"Wasn't that fun girl?" I coo, brushing down the sweaty chestnut mare.

Florence's eyes were closed and her whole composure is relaxed. Giving the mare a hug, I felt better that she was more content. Even though Florence wasn't mine, I would treat her like my own for as long as I have her. Sure, Flo had her moments but her sassy attitude made things interesting. At the end of the day, she's a straight forward horse. She's good, so long as nothing is bothering her and the rider gives her the correct cues. As I've come to learn, if you're not doing the right thing then she'll definitely let you know. The only thing with her is that she has to get exercised, even if that means putting her in the pasture to expel any pent up energy.

Once I finish grooming Florence, I unhappily put her back in the stall. I've pushed the girls buttons a little to much today, so putting her in a paddock could possibly be the last straw. As soon as I see the Florence shove her face into her hay net, I knew the mare would be fine. For now at least.

I had just been putting my helmet back in its spot when my eyes wonder out the window.

An unfamiliar horse canters around the outdoor ring, without a rider. Reins dangled dangerously close to its legs as it pigroots repeatedly. I blink repeatedly before coming back into reality.

"Oh my gosh" I quickly run out to the arena, concerned for both horse and rider.

When I get there, the dun coloured horse had slowed back to a trot. The dangling reins had been split, obviously from the horse standing on them. I glance around the arena and spot the rider. As the girl sits up with a groan, I realise it's actually Sky.

Horse first Ashleigh!

"Whoa" I call, trying not to drive the horse away.

The horse didn't seemed concerned at all and began to approach me. I didn't miss that mischievous look in its eye, one very similar to Florence's. As I reach the horse, I grab its broken reins and lead it back to Sky.

"Are you okay?" I ask meekly.

Sky huffs and slowly gets to her feet, wincing as she does so. "I've been better... this guy definitely rivals Onyx with his stubbornness"

I didn't mean to giggle but I couldn't help it.

Sky raises a brow at me, looking how my mother does before scolding me. "You think this is funny?"

"Well not the 'horse running wild with dangling reins' part... Who is this anyway?" I ask, patting the gleaming horses neck.

Sky sighs. "This is Dante, otherwise known as Buried in Gold. He's my new eventing prospect, after Onyx retires he'll be my new mount"

"Gelding?" I ask.

Sky shakes her head. "No, he's a stallion... We've been having some trouble with him under saddle. And with that other incident things are a little crazy"

"Other incident?"

"Oh uh, did I say incident? Yeah, there wasn't any incident. That's just me rambling, don't mind that. Anyway, yep he's a stallion... You know how some of them can get..." Sky laughs nervously.

I grin, amused that out of all the people who at JOPS, it was Sky who I could put on the spot.

"What's so funny?" She huffs, finally putting up her tough girl facade.

"Well firstly, I think Eve and I could teach you a thing or two. And secondly, you're a horrible lair" I smirk.

Sky blushes and looks away.

Pulling out my phone, I ring Eve.

It only rings once before Eve picks up hastily.

"Ash, I've been calling you for ages! Haven't you read any of my messages" Eve shouts.

I roll my eyes. "No, but come down to the outdoor arena now. Bring your helmet. I need your help with something"

"Huh? Wait Ash, which arena?!"

I don't respond, hanging up on the girl instead. She should be able to figure it out, hopefully...  Sky stares at me with a questioning look.

"Eve and I went to various horsemanship clinics last summer, you could say we learned a thing or two about this kind of behaviour. If you let us, I think we could definitely help Dante out..." I said.

Sky sighs. "I don't think I even had a choice to begin with... Once you set your mind on something, there's no changing it"

"I guess your right" I grin.

"So what's the plan?" Sky asks.

I sigh. "You can't always excuse Dante's bad behaviour just because he's a stallion"

"Okay..."

"The issue here could be many things... I'm thinking lack of respect... Perhaps his previous owners could have weaned him to early, so he was never taught to respect boundaries. And because of things like that, it could have affected how he was broken in" I explain.

"What are you suggesting then?" Sky asks.

"A join up, and once we got that respect on ground, Eve is going to do her magic and work him under saddle. I'm not saying we'll change him entirely, but there should be some improvement" I explain.

Sky nods, a determined look overtaking her previous frustrated expression. "Lets do it"