Sarah McMahon Goodheart English Composition Story: third draft 3/8/12 I lie on the ground, my face flat in the

soft dirt. My teacher hovers over me asking, are you ok? I hear soft thumps my mother walks hurriedly over to my still body. I am rolled over; I see the two concerned faces. My back seizes with pain when I try to move my head. Stop moving Hon. Ugh, this is why I never wanted you doing this in the first place, my mother mutters. I hear pounding of hooves. Another face joins the worried looks of my mother and my teacher. The long black face looks down. What happened? his eyes seem to ask. Moments before I was on top of that horse, his mane whipping through the air. The only thoughts in my head were keep your feet low and stay upright! You dont want to make Phoenix mad by hitting his neck do you? I had been riding around the large horse ring at a fast canter. The canter is a three beat pattern, as opposed to the four beat pattern of a walk and the two beat pattern of a trot. The canter was going well, I prepared for my second of three jumps. Knowing that the first was good, I thought the last two were going to be the same. The preparation for the second jump was a bit shaky because of my nervousness about the final one. I clear my second jump and move to my third. A small daydream popped into my head.

I am at a national competition, and I feel no worry even as my horse moves at top speed. My form is perfect as he sails over the last and biggest jump. A crowd cheers, and I receive first place for my time on the hardest equestrian course of this century. I dismount. My white steed looks at me and rubs his face on my shoulder. I accept my medal. Dillon was my white horse, the horse I had had all of my training on. He was sweet and lazy, but his stubborn side would catch me off guard. He would never allow the bit to slide into his mouth. Nor would he agree to anyone picking out his hooves; even though it was beneficial to him. But I loved the old horse. When Im the small red horse barn, I was getting Dillons saddle when my teacher came up to me. Youre going to ride Phoenix today, she said and handed my white steeds saddle to another girl. I was shocked. My new horses jet-black hair and reared head told me all I needed to know about him at that moment. Dont mess with me, his eyes screamed. I wished this horse would disappear, and my noble white steed would replace him. I remembered training on Dillon earlier that year. Keep your heels down! You dont want to fall off do you? teacher yelled to me across the ring, I felt the low pull in my heels when I stood up to let Dillon jump over the small training jump. As his back hooves lifted off of the ground I held my breath. My heart raced, my hands were clammy as we landed. My heart jumped as I glanced back. My first lift-off, while small, was an enormous accomplishment for me. This put me one step closer to my goal. My dream faded, I felt my neck pain again, and I understood why I was on the ground.

I tried to concentrate on the jumps that were ahead of Phoenix, but I was more distracted than usual. I stood low in my jumping stance, my hands hovered over the black speed demons neck. I kept the phrase keep your heels low! in my head. We rounded the corner for my biggest jump yet. The horses front hooves lifted off the ground, my heels popped up from being low, and I touched Phoenixs neck. When his nostrils flared in the air, I knew something went wrong. His front feet came back down to earth, and he dropped his right shoulder. I slid forward, and hit the ground with a sickening thud. Roll away from the feet I remembered, my body rolled over my stationary head, and I crashed onto my back. Ouch I mumbled softly, my mother and teacher let out a small sigh of relief. I stood up and place my hands on the sore spots on my neck and back. I laughed off the injuries, but a few tears welled up in my eyes from shock. The speed demon black horse walked over to me and placed his head on my shoulder. I smiled and I looked down into his big brown eyes. Lets try that again, I whisper to him as I patted his soft nose. I look at my teacher, and I hopped back onto my black steed, and cantered off. I round the corner I had dreaded, I feel a wave of confidence flow through me when I see the jump. My body connects with the black steeds, his front hooves lift off. We sail over the jump. His back feet hit the ground behind us, everyone claps and cheers for me. I smile widely, trot off to the holding area to see our time. We place second in our division, I take the podium for my medal. As I stand there, I see the three faces that looked over me hoping, that I could stand. I smile brightly, a final cheer erupts.