And I’d heard about online conversations going on in the equestrian world about me as well, and I purposely stayed away from all that.
From what I’d been told, it was just a lot of talk about the accident and if it was going to be my downfall. And if my elderly horse was going to drop to the ground feebly during the competition.
They had no idea that Wrax was in top shape. He’d aged well, as he’d been well cared for, which showed with each passing year. But right now, the way we’d been training, he was more than ready.
Today was day one of a three-day event, with dressage on the first day, cross-country on the second day, and show jumping on the final day. Dressage was always where Wrax and I stood out. The phase took place in a large rectangular arena, where the judges watched for precision, harmony, and obedience. It was the moment of the event to showcase your horse’s training, and the way said horse responded to its rider, who was giving subtle cues. The simplest way to describe dressage was that it was a sport where one was judged on how well the horse and rider appeared as a single moving entity.
And Wrax and I—we were one.
We moved with ease and grace and were able to communicate without words. With a simple touch, or the way I shifted or leaned, he just knew what to do. That was why you didn’t trade out your horse years into your career, because the kind of relationship that I shared with Wrax couldn’t be bought. It came from years of trust and friendship.
Today we would be judged at the highest level, on advanced movements like piaffe, an on-the-spot trot, and passage, a slow, elevated trot with suspension. The goal was to make it look easy.
And that was exactly what we did.
Loud cheers erupted as I saluted the judges, and I leaned down and wrapped my arms around Wrax’s neck as we trotted out of the dressage ring. Coach Sharky clapped his hands together where he stood off to the side, but my eyes were already on Axel, who was standing beside him with a big grin on his face. I moved toward him, sliding off Wrax as Axel wrapped his arms around me.
“That was amazing, baby,” he whispered against my ear.
My score was announced, and Coach Sharky pulled me in for a hug. “No one is going to touch that score. She’s back!”
“Wrax is back, too,” I said. “I’m going to go take him out of the sun and let him rest. We’ll be back to watch in a bit.”
I liked to watch the other athletes perform, but I also knew it would be a long three days and it was important to rest a little each day as well.
Axel and I took Wrax to his stall and then watched a few of my friends perform before grabbing some food and calling it a day.
Having Axel with me settled me in a way that I appreciated.
The next two days were grueling. The cross-country portion was the most challenging, although we sailed through without issue, which felt great. That was where we’d had our fall at our last competition, so it felt good to put all those concerns that people had about me and about Wrax to rest. And the final day was my favorite—show jumping.
We crushed it—and my score remained untouchable over the three-day event, which felt damn good.
I’d proven that I wasn’t afraid to compete.
Wrax proved that he wasn’t washed up.
It was important to me that whatever I decided to do moving forward—I felt proud of it.
The morning after a long three-day event was always my favorite. I could finally relax.
My body could finally relax.
My mind could finally relax.
I glanced beside me to see Axel sleeping. The sheet lay just over his hips, and I couldn’t help but take him in. Chiseled abs, golden skin, a deep V leading to a patch of dark hair. I ran my fingers over his stomach and down lower, beneath the sheet.
He was leaving today, and I wanted to savor every last second we had together.
I found him hard as a rock. My hand wrapped around his morning erection, and he groaned. I pushed the sheet down and moved to my knees, stroking him a few times before leaning down and wrapping my lips around him.
His fingers tangled in my hair, and a moan escaped his lips.
“Morning, baby,” he said, his voice gruff and breathy.
I just took him deeper, wanting to make him feel as good as he’d made me feel last night. My body had been fatigued, and he’d known exactly what I needed. He’d buried his head between my thighs and then buried himself there afterward.
I’d fallen asleep sated and relaxed, which wasn’t the norm after a competition.
