The alarm clock screamed at Amelia Grace to wake up and start her day. Glowing red numbers informed Amelia the time; 5:00 a.m. Today was her Jumper competition. Amelia, and her horse Cricket, had worked months and months training to compete at the prestigious Upperville Jumper Show. Despite the early hour, Amelia sprang out of bed. She was ready for this day to begin. After performing her daily routine, Amelia exchanged her pajamas for her riding clothes. Wearing her slick nylon boot socks, Amelia slid across the kitchen floor while grabbing a quick breakfast, because she couldn’t hide her excitement. As soon as she got all of what she needed at the house, she climbed into her hunter green Ford, F-250 truck, appropriately nick named Tank for the truck’s size, and drove off to her second home; the barn.

Immediately upon arriving she hustled through the massive metal barn, that housed her four-legged best friend, and what she hoped today would be her champion. Cricket glistened in his stall. The night before Amelia had given him a bath, so he would look his best for the competition. Upon Amelia’s entrance Cricket began his bad habit of showing her his impatience to get fed with a repeated thrashing nod of his head. Amelia stood back for awhile cooing to him like a mother would a child. As she stood there, she admired his graceful yet powerful beauty, and wondered how she was lucky enough to be the proud owner of this animal. Cricket truly was a beautiful horse. He had a tall up-hill build, and was perfectly in shape, with solid muscle. His dark bay coat shined, and dappled, along with his cleanly groomed, black legs. Caring after Cricket was Amelia’s life, and she loved him more than anything in the world. Cricket had a great ability to sense feelings, and events that may occur, even though he wouldn’t exactly understand why or what. He was anticipating this day, just as much as Amelia was.

After Cricket finished up his grain, Amelia began getting him prepared to get loaded on the trailer. She took great care in making sure he would be safely transported to Upperville, and meticulously put on his shipping boots that would protect his legs from any harm. Amelia slipped on Crickets leather halter, and led him out to the trailer. When Amelia first got Cricket he was afraid of trailers, and incredibly difficult to load. It had taken a lot of time and training to persuade him to get on a trailer, however Cricket was a changed horse since the day Amelia brought him home, and he walked on to the trailer like an old pro. He practically was. Once loaded, and safely closed up in the trailer Cricket munched on the hay that was set out for him. Amelia climbed into her truck and set off for Upperville.
The drive was about 45 minutes, but because her one love was hitched on the back of her truck she drove especially careful, so her expedition turned out to be an hour long. Pulling up to the competition grounds, Amelia’s nerves began to turn. She took sight on the other competitors and their horses, and immediately became anxious. She wasn’t like the other riders. She didn’t have a private trainer to coach her at every show, or the latest technology in riding gear. Amelia didn’t come from money, and it is common knowledge that horseback riding is expensive. All of what Amelia had, and where she had gotten in her riding, she did on her own. She tried to calm herself before she unloaded Cricket. She didn’t want him to sense her lack of confidence, because she knew in turn that he would end up feeling the same way. Amelia took a deep breath, and got out of her truck. This was their time, her opportunity to show what her and Cricket could do, and there was no backing down.