Kaitlin could feel the cold voracious wind pierce her neck as she waited a top of her mount, Theodore Roosevelt, at the in-gate. It had been weeks since she and her trainer had talked about participating in The Winter Equestrian Festival, those past few weeks she had spent day and night at the barn doing flat work and jumping exercises till she got everything down perfectly. Although there had been a dilemma with her original mount Miss Priscilla, Theodore Roosevelt or “Teddy” for short had proved that he was ready for whatever faced him. Kaitlin and Miss Priscilla had been thee pair to beat until the mare refused a jump during a lesson and had a minor fraction in her left front leg, that’s when her other horse Teddy stepped in. Teddy was five years younger then Miss Priscilla who was fifteen. Teddy was also willing and brave but wasn’t as experienced as Priscilla. The two warmbloods stole Kaitlin’s heart when it came to choosing who to buy three years ago, but her parents considered using Teddy as a back up just in case an incident like this would happen.

Kaitlin watched as the current rider attempted to clear the triple bar but knocked the final pole down; Teddy had had a hard time clearing the jump the previous day during their lesson. The rider exited the ring and Kaitlin and Teddy trotted straight in to the middle of the ring. Teddy’s stride was long and graceful as he haughtily flaunted off his shiny dark bay coat in the gleaming sun. Teddy knew when it was show time and when it was show time it was time to look good and show off your skills. It was teddy’s time to go: “Hey look at me! Aren’t I beautiful?” The pair halted in the middle ring, Kaitlin silently counted to five in your head and asked for a canter. Teddy immediately picked up the left lead canter and they headed off for the right corner. They slowly picked up speed as the rounded the corner and on to the diagonal line of three jumps. Teddy’s canter, smooth and graceful, lengthened as the approached the jump. Kaitlin kept her heels down and lifter her chin; she counted in her ahead till liftoff over the jump. “4, 3, 2, 1-“ Teddy lifted off beautifully into the jump, his black mane blowing through the breeze voraciously as Kaitlin looked ahead. Teddy landed the jump and moved toward the next jump, the impossible oxer for him. It took five tries yesterday to get him over it, five tries where he had refused the jump 3 feet away from it. Kaitlin took a deep breath and squeezed, she could see Teddy’s ears prick up and his gait get shorter. Kaitlin squeezed even tighter and kissed. Teddy jumped gracefully and cleared the jump like he had done it perfectly a million times before. Kaitlin looked on ahead at the final jump of the line and let Teddy fly over it like he always did. They finished the line perfectly.

Kaitlin turned around the triple bar off the rail toward the first in and out. It was two strides in between the two jumps which meant Teddy would get excited and speed up right before they lifted off into the combination. Kaitlin straightened out Teddy to the center of the jump and squeezed him forward.

“4, 3, 2, 1-“Kaitlin counted in her head till the liftoff into the in and out.

Teddy fiddled with the bit and yanked his head, Kaitlin spurred him just in time to get him back to together before they lifted off over the jump, Kaitlin counted the strides in her head and Teddy lifted off over the jump as Kaitlin looked over her shoulder toward the next jump. Teddy landed the jump and Kaitlin steered as if this jump and the next jump were in the shape of a dog leg. They made the turn and cleared the 3 foot 3 jump. Again Kaitlin quickly turned Teddy toward the single to the right of the second In and out combination. Teddy lengthened his gait and cleared the jump like a champion. Kaitlin sat still in the saddle as Teddy cantered along the rail. His bell boots rubbing off of each other as Teddy gallantly moved his legs underneath him. His black delicate tail flowing behind him, his gorgeous head held perfectly and his showing was amazing. The pair cantered around the corner and continued down the far end of the ring toward the outside line.

The line was easy with a 3 foot gate and a 3 foot 3 gate for the second jump. There was just one little dilemma, the second jump had big plants on the side of the standards, something that thoroughly distracted Teddy in almost every show they had done. They weren’t there the previous day because of the rain earlier in the day which gave the situation a bigger problem, Teddy hadn’t seen the plants before. Teddy eyed the big plants on the side of the second jump. Kaitlin played with the reins slightly pulling one rein at a time to get Teddy’s attention back on her and the jump ahead of them. Teddy cleared the first jump and nervously eyed the plants. Kaitlin spurred Teddy and used her reins to get his attention back fully. Teddy hesitated a bit but jumped the jump beautifully like nothing bothered him.

Kaitlin looked around the corner toward the second in and out facing the rail. Teddy cantered in it and out of it without a slight hint of imperfection. Teddy picked up speed as the headed toward the final combination which Kaitlin liked to call “The V.” It was two jumps making a V-like shape. It was difficult and not easy to clear considering the last jump was a triple bar. It was almost impossible for any rider in the classto clear, but they also had other faults throughout the course when Kaitlin and 3 other riders had none. Kaitlin considered her options and slowed down Teddy. She could feel his anxious legs wanting to go faster toward the jump, but she kept him under control. Kaitlin cautiously slowed Teddy down to a speed they normally wouldn’t go at, but considering the situation she’d rather take precautions then run right through it and spoil the opportunity of winning it all. Teddy could tell what Kaitlin wanted and slowed down but his anxious long legs ached for speed.

“Whoa” said Kaitlin quietly under her breath. Teddy responded and slowed down even more to a moderate canter.

“4, 3, 2, 1” Kaitlin counted in her head and Teddy lifted into the combination. Kaitlin thought fast and turned Teddy steadily through the tight turn to the final triple bar. Kaitlin pushed back her legs slightly and squeezed her knees. She held the reins just about where Teddy’s martingale lay on his neck.

“4, 3, 2, 1” Kaitlin again counted down in her head. Teddy lifted off gracefully over the jump. Kaitlin could feel the 17 hand warmblood stretch his long legs and neck over the jump, reaching his knees to his chin. The cold wind piercing their faces and the rush of excitement made it a certain moment no rider could ever explain, it was something you just had to experience. Teddy landed the jump and galloped of to the rail. As Kaitlin did her courtesy circle she looked over at the triple bar, not one bar had fallen.

The crowd erupted in to claps and cheers at the picture perfect round done by Kaitlin and Teddy. Kaitlin’s parents stood proudly in the crowd as they watched their daughter and the backup horse trot glamorously out of the ring. Midnight Stables riders came running up to Kaitlin and Teddy giving their congrats at the great round, Kaitlin’s trainer Sara stood under the tree smiling like it was her own kid who just won The Maclay. Kaitlin dismounted, handed over Teddy to one of the stables grooms and walked over to Sara.

“I could never have been so proud of you kiddo.” Said Sara as she hugged Kaitlin. “I saw you slowing him down at the final combination, just like I showed you yesterday.” Sara’s face was gleaming with pride.

“Kaitlin!” shouted Kaitlin’s Dad as he tried to fight his way through the crowd.

“Well done!” said Kaitlin’s dad, Ben, as he hugged his daughter.

“And you didn’t want to buy him.” Said Kaitlin immediately.

“Well he proved himself today, but I think he couldn’t have done it without such a talented rider on his back today.” Gloated Ben.

Kaitlin blushed. “Where’s mom?”

“Business call.” Said Ben regretfully.

“Again? So she missed the entire thing?” Kaitlin could feel anger boil inside of her.

“No, she just got it.”

Relief replaced the anger inside of Kaitlin.

“Ladies and Gentleman the judge has sent in the results.” Said a voice over the loud speaker. Kaitlin eyed her enemy from Pompano Stables, Taylor White. Pride was written all over her from her round as well, for she, Kaitlin and two other girls were the only ones who had clear rounds.

“In 6th pace we have Lisa Zoo and August Rush. 5th place goes to Kate Hudgens and My Name Is Bud. 4th place goes to Taylor White and Beautiful Me.” Taylor’s prideful smile dropped. Kaitlin giggled under her breath and looked at her trainer’s stern face, Kaitlin composed herself. “In 3rd place, Marie Gold and Strike Me Rich. 2nd place goes to Seth Mitchell and Santiago. And our champion for this evening is Kaitlin Tips and Theodore Roosevelt.” Kaitlin hugged teddy’s big sweaty neck as he stood under the tree with the rest of the Midnight Stables group. Congratulations were shouted left and right toward the winning pair, they were going to the finals. Reporters quickly gathered around Kaitlin, Sara and the groom holding Teddy.

“Kaitlin over here!” shouted several reporters from local and nearby newspapers. But one shot caught Kaitlin’s attention.

“Kaitlin, what was it like out there?” said a reporter from the Sun-Sentinel. Kaitlin smiled like a little kid getting their first dog.

“It’s like a flying dream.” Responded Kaitlin dreamily. “No rider can ever fully explain what kind of dreamy flying feel you get out here, but I can tell you one thing. When you’re flying over a triple bar like that, you think that you’re flying through the sky in a dream that will never end. It’s a never ending dream out there, only a rider can understand that.”

“Flying dream. Good way of putting it.” Said the reporter. “One more thing, do you feel like your dreaming?”

“Oh yes, I most defiantly do.” Responded Kaitlin as she followed the groom and Teddy toward the barn.

“Kaitlin………..Kaitlin………….Kaitlin.” a voice groaned over and over again in Kaitlin’s ear.

“Who is that?”Asked Kaitlin as the voice continued over and over again.

“What are you talking about K?” asked Sara as she caught up.

“Sorry what was that?” asked Kaitlin. Sara said it again, but her voice was too soft. “Say it louder……..” everything around Kaitlin blurred and the voices around here groaned to nothing but a blur in her world.

“Kaitlin!”

Kaitlin immediately woke up. It was all just a dream. Disappointment roared through Kaitlin’s mind till she caught sight of the big tri-colored ribbon hanging over her window which read “Champions” and a picture of Kaitlin and Teddy clearing the impossible triple bar. Kaitlin looked at her dad with a confused face.

“Look, the Sun-Sentinel did an article about your big win last weekend.” Said Ben as he handed her the front page article.

“You mean it wasn’t a dream?” asked Kaitlin tiredly.

“What are you talking about K?”

Kaitlin looked down at the big photo of Kaitlin holding the big champion ribbon next to Teddy on the front page.

“I really won it didn’t I?”

“Sweetie, you won it the moment you and Ted trotted into that ring. With such a beautiful horse and rider, who would not be in aw.” Responded Ben as he kissed his daughter on the forehead. Kaitlin smiled. Flying over those jumps in the ring really did bring her to that long dream that seemed never to end.