Chapter 6: Hamilton- Showjumping AU

JOHN LAURENS

John finished giving Star (or, her show name: Shooting Star) her water and feed, locking up the stall. He did prefer to put the horses in paddocks- but at a show like this, that wasn't an option. Everyone else on the team had geldings anyway so it wasn't like he could paddock Star with his teammates' horses. As a dark bay off-the-track Thoroughbred mare, jumping wasn't Star's strong suit. But she and John had worked hard, and more often than not they pulled through with an amazing score. 

He went to where the team was planning on eating, finding them quickly. "Hi!" He slid in next to Lafayette. At his table, there were four people including him, Lafayette (Who rode a chestnut Selle Français named Copper), Hercules (who rode a grey dutch warmblood named Titan), and Peggy (who rode a red roan Arabian named Shadowfax). 

"How's Star doing?" Peggy asked, munching on a vegetable sub. Star had had some trouble on the trailer, squealing non-stop at Copper who was trailering next to her. 

John laughed at this, "She's okay now, probably stomping around in her stall whinnying.  But she has hay and her grain for today- so..." 

Lafayette interrupted them, "We have to tack up soon- we have today's practice in about an hour and a half. Yet our division is not until tomorrow." 

"Are we all in the same division?" Hercules asked, "I thought we were split up?"

John pulled out his paper, "Well no, since this is actually a pretty open competition, I'm doing 1 for and 2 feet before tomorrow's oxers. I want to ensure Star won't kill me on the larger jumps." 

This- for some reason- made Peggy burst out laughing. "And here I thought Shadowfax was difficult! Shadowfax and I are also doing a flat division. Anyone else?" 

Hercules nodded, "I'm only doing one flat class. As a sort of warm-up. You know how Titan gets when he doesn't do flat before jumping."

"What about the rest of the team?" John was the first to ask. Everyone else shrugged. 

"Well, there were only two other people who came, the rest of the team stayed," Peggy supplied 'helpfully'

John rolled his eyes, "I know that much. But does anyone know where Francis and Theo went?" 

Hercules picked at his salad a bit more. "Well, I saw Falcon and King in their stalls. Theo and King are only doing flat I think- since King's left fetlock isn't at its best right now. Francis is also doing open oxers with us- and maybe the 2 for verticals."

After finishing the quick sandwich he had grabbed off the table, John nodded and stood up, "I need to make sure I have everything together. Then hit the ring. I'll see you guys at warm-up. And- if you see Madeline tell her I'm warming up." Madeline was their trainer. 

 

He decided not to use the show bridle just yet, as Star disliked it and preferred her home bridle. He changed into his grey/black full-seat riding pants and his hunter-green show shirt (which he rarely used out of show warm-ups). He gave her a hunter-green ear bonnet, saddle pad, and boots. Lastly, he put on his helmet and tall boots. 

"C'mon," he murmured,d leading her out of the stalls and towards the ring. The ring was massive, just a little bit larger than what he was used to- but a little bit was all it took. Once in the ring, he made sure the girth was tight, pulled down the stirrups, and mounted Star. He could feel her tense up underneath him as he asked her to walk, he knew that if he didn't let her run right now- she would do it during the competition. 

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Trot

He was on the wrong diagonal. Embarrassing. 

Canter

One the wrong lead. Star did hate him. Didn't she?

His suspicion was confirmed when he started to jump. 

#1

Star jumped it, landing a bit shakily and putting her head down as she stopped. He gritted his teeth, clicked his young, and pulled her head back up looking to the next jump.

#2

She jumped it, skimming the top row of poles as she stumbled again on the leading, throwing her balance off to one side and throwing her head down again. He hadn't fallen off yet- one more oxer-

#3

Star jumped it, throwing her head down mid-jump, and bucking as soon as she hit the ground. John tumbled off the side of her neck- rolling away to narrowly avoid her stomping agitated feet. Star neighed, starting to canter through the jumps and around the ring, as John slowly stood, wincing as a sharp pain shot through the arm he had fallen on.

"Hey!" A man yelled to Star. John looked up there was a man- holding a lunge whip, tapping Star on both of her shoulders- a technique John had never seen before- but it appeared it had worked- as the man had grabbed her reigns and was now leading Star over to John, a smirk on his face. 

"A Thoroughbred mare? Tough. I have an Andalusian mare," He pointed over to a beautiful golden horse- probably something like a buckskin pearl. 

John stared, "Gorgeous," He admitted, "Buckskin pearl?"

"Close," the stranger grinned, "Buckskin pearl dun. The Andalusian has so many coat dilutions- it's fascinating, really."

He handed the reigns over, "Alexander Hamilton. You?"

John grinned, "John Laurens. What classes are you doing?"

"2-foot verticals today- which is numbers 53,54, and55. Then open oxer's tomorrow." 

John laughed, "Same. But I'm also doing one footer today." 

"Great," They both grinned, "see you then." 

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