GIANNA REINHART(GIA)
show team instructor
contrary to popular belief, gia enjoyed the small of a barn. the mixture of aromas from fresh hay, manure, and everything else made her feel at home. on quiet days, she enjoyed just sitting with her horse sawyer and simply breathing in the air to relax. reinhart riding academy felt more like her home than anywhere else she had ever lived. as she walked in on tryout day with her daughter holding her hand, a rush of adrenaline coursed through her blood, it was finally time to pick her team. she had watched her mother for years, waiting her turn to take over and now everything was finally hers. instructing was not new to her. after the birth of her daughter she had begun being an assistant instructor for the show jumper and dressage teams but being the main show team instructor felt like something new entirely. the barn was busy with new arrivals and their horses, trailers were lined up outside. she soaked in the sounds of nervous chatter and the constant noise from both hooves and boots on the concrete floor. the tryouts would take place in the indoor arena for dressage riders and the outdoor arena for show jumpers. only three spots were available on each team and the competitors were plentiful. the juniors would be picked by gianna at the end of the main team tryouts, basing her choice on potential alone. they would tryout in the academy's small round pen. the tryouts would take place as an actual show would, with each person being judged one by one. the dressage rider tryouts would begin in 20 minutes. each person had been given the freedom to perform whatever pattern they would prefer. she began to make her way to her seat in the spacious indoor arena, maddie by her side, awaiting the first person.
HUNTER VERTES
show jumper
hunter had been waiting for the chance to try out for the reinhart show jumping team for as long as he could remember and he finally felt advanced enough to make it on the team. on the outside he attempted to remain cool and collected but he felt like a stiff bundle of nerves. the butterflies in his stomach were not only fluttering, they felt like they were scratching their way out. he felt extremely nauseous but he knew that this was his chance and he had to make it worth it. he quickly unloaded arson as soon as he arrived at the academy, the gelding often stood out among other horses due to his extremely light grey coat. in the sun, it appeared to be almost pure white. they made their way to their assigned stall, number 13A. as hunter begun to groom him and tack up, his nerves felt like they dissipated and he was once again in his natural habitat. after finishing, he sat down with arson to relax for a moment since they had to wait until after the dressage riders were done trying out.
MADDIE REINHART
junior
maddie's short legs struggled to keep up with her mother's long ones as she headed towards the dressage arena. at 6 years old, she was already an extremely accomplished rider and having been at reinhart for years, she had already acquired a spot on the junior team as soon as her sixth birthday passed. she was only present at tryouts to see the new members of the other teams. her mother, gia, had invited maddie to come watch the judging to learn what shows would be like in the upcoming season. the hustle of the barn felt a bit overwhelming but also exciting to the little girl. she wanted to join the excitement rather than being forced to sit and watch. as they passed her horse bali's stall, she gave him a quick peppermint from her pocket in passing.
