Chapter 9:

                                    

                                          
Evelyn's POV:
                          
" And your listening to Jewel and Skylar's advice? "
                          
" Yes "
                          
" And you're making sure to practice more than just jumping? "
                          
" Yes! "
                          
" And- "
                          
" Mom! " I laughed. " We're doing all of it! Don't worry! " I could hear mom laughing along with dad on the other side of the call.
                          
" Alright sweetheart. We just want you to be as prepared as possible for the EFA scouts, remember they'll be coming to watch you and Ashleigh ride in two months time... "
                          
As if I needed another reminder. I was already nervous enough without my parents bringing the tryout up for the umpteenth time...
                          
" We love you, Eve! " Dad spoke up. " And we know you'll do great! "
                          
I smiled. " Thanks, dad...love you both too! "
                          
As they hung up, I sighed and laid back down in my bed. Jewel and Skylar had to drive a few hours away for a meeting with team Canada for their Olympic debut, so they had given Ash and I a few days off.
                          
Ash was taking the time to work with Beauty on regaining his confidence, and I had just finished my homework for the week, now I was torn with deciding what I should do.
                          
Hugo and Navarre had both been working hard during our lessons, Hugo especially since he was going to be my mount for the tryouts. Almost every single day we were either jumping to going at some hard-core flatwork routine. Hugo was looking to be in the best shape of his life, but he still wasn't anywhere near Shadow or Onyx level of fit.
                          
Which meant that he wasn't fit enough to wow the scouts for EFA.
                          
So we needed to work harder!
                          
Like Sky and Jewel!
                          
Avoiding the outdoor arena where Ash was working, I made my way into the barn and stepped into Hugo's stall. My grey guy was snoozing in the corner but woke up the second he heard the ruffling of mints in my vest pocket.
                          
I giggled as he nudged my side, gobbling the mints as soon as I held them out to him.
                          
" Hey there greedy guts! " I teased as I rubbed his neck, removing his stable sheet.
                          
Hugo snorted and lowered his head, eyes closing.
                          
" I know you're tired, boy...I am too... " I sighed. " but if we want a real chance to go to EFA...go to the Olympics someday...be like Jewel and Sky, we need to practice as much as them... "
                          
Racing through tacking Hugo up to avoid Ash and the inevitable lecture she would give about overworking and the importance of taking breaks, I led him into the arena, which was bare.
                          
" What'd you think boy? Combinations today? " I asked as I dragged a few jump standards into the center of the arena, followed by a few plain colored poles. I paused, staring at the cups, which were set to the preliminary level of 1.15 meters.
                          
" ..We can go higher than that boy... " I spoke to Hugo, feeling his breath on my back as he stood behind me. " If we want to go to the Olympics one day, we may as well get better at those fence heights now... "
                          
Hugo snorted as I moved the cups up to 1.20, then finally set them to 1.25, the max height for stadium fences in the top level eventing.
                          
" I jumped a meter sixty fence, I know that I can do this! " Hugo nudged me, making me laugh. " I mean we can do this! "
                          
As I warmed up, my eyes kept wandering to the jumps. Hugo felt a bit stiff today, so I let him warm up for longer than usual until he felt more supple and relaxed underneath me.
                          
Maybe I should've stuck to just one fence instead of a double combo?
                          
'Man up Eve!' My brain nagged at me. 'You want to be the best, go to the Olympics one day? This is the first step!'
                          
" Right... " I mumbled to myself as I pushed Hugo into another canter transition, taking him around the arena for a lap before aiming him at the jumps.
                          
A few strides before the jump, Hugo snorted and slide to a stop, shaking his head.
                          
I sighed. " Come on Hugo, it's okay boy... " I circled him again and aimed him at the jump, but ended up getting the same result. I became frustrated. " Hugo, please! We have to be able to do this! "
                          
Hugo snorted and strained against the reins, stomping the ground.
                          
" If you're frustrated, then just go over the jumps! " I told him, harsher than I meant to. " It's that simple! " 
                          
I circled him a third time. We were going to get over these jumps. We were going to wow the scouts, go to EFA and then move on to international competitions before finally, we would go to the Olympics! 
                          
Hugo rocked back on his haunches as I moved into a two-point. he launched over the jump, clearing it by a mile.
                          
" Oh no... " I felt myself instinctively say as I realized our striding was way off for the next jump. Hugo tried to jump over the oxer but fell short between the first and last rail. he crashed through it and I saw the ground rush up to meet me.
                          
Luckily my helmet kept me from faceplanting into the dirt, but I still slid across the ground, my arm pinned underneath my body. I rolled the final few feet before coming to a stop, catching my breath, which had been knocked out of me. I laid there, staring at the ceiling.
                          
Until a loud whinny woke me from my trance.
                          
" Hugo! " I sat up, ignoring the dizzy feeling I felt and ran over to Hugo, who was just getting up from the ground where he had fallen.
                          
I grabbed the reins and rubbed Hugo's face. " Easy boy...are you okay...? " I immediately started checking over his legs, neck, everywhere that could've been hurt in the fall.
                          
I walked Hugo forward, sighing in relief when he didn't limp or favor any legs. Aside from being covered in arena dirt, he seemed okay.
                          
" Good boy... " I soothed him, glancing down at my own dirt covered body. " I say we both need a good bath buddy...come on... " I left the jumps set up in the arena, all my focus on Hugo.
                          
This seemed to just prove how much practice we really needed...