After Mile took Survivor into surgery I went back to the stables and began training Sprinkles because Rebecca ( who has now adopted her ) is home with the flue. She's very smart. And Rebecca has done a great job so far. I led her into a round pen and cautiously tied the lead rope to each side of the halter as if it was a bridle.

Okay, I am a wee bit nervous about riding her. Well you can't blame me, after all I don't know if she has been broken in, PLUS my little stunt with Survivor!

I grabbed the scruff of her mane and hoisted myself onto her back. Praise God! She didn't even flinch! I gently kicked her sides and sent her trotting around the perimeter of the round pen. "Oh stupid me!" I muttered into Sprinkles ear. I just remembered watching with awe as Rebecca cantered her around the ring and then turn her and jump the wooden fence! "Oh. My. Goss. You jumped the fence! Well ahem! Little missy I think we ought to do it again with me!" I said aloud pointing my chin to the sky in pride. Here. We. Go. I clicked Sprinkles into a canter. Turned her. As the fence loomed closer it grew. It is 1.5 metres high. Before I could calculate the distance one more time, Sprinkles hind legs tensed. Her hackles raised. And. Whoosh!!! Wind screamed past my face, but at that moment, the wind was the only moving thing. Time seemed to stop. Birds in mid flight as I sat bent over Sprinkles withers, saddle-less. And then it was over. As Sprinkles skidded to a halt, grass ripping from the ground and flying about our faces.

Sprinkles snorted in pleasure. She will make a fine show jumper! I dismounted and lead her into the arena and began setting up a course of jumps, all around the hight of the round pen fence, but none higher.

Quivering with excitment, I re-mounted her. Clicking my tongue and digging in my heels, she set of at a swift canter. She flew the fist jump, a small cross bar. The course is made up of four cross bars, two straight poles and the last one is an over. (If you don't know what an over is, it's like two jumps that are so close together that the horse has to jump both of them at once.)

The three other cross bars were a breeze, Sprinkles nickered and flicked her head about in pure joy. The straight poles were slightly bigger but she toke everything in her stride and jumped with plenty room to spare.

Now for the oxer. It's the same size as the round pen fence. 1.5 metres. But it was longer, therefore required much skill.

Sprinkles rounded the corner and fixed her eyes on the oxer. Just before the jump I felt her collecting her hindquarters beneath her, readying herself for the jump. "1 2 3, 1 2 3, 1 2 UP!" I commanded. With huge power, Sprinkles sprung into the air, folding her hind legs under her belly, for a moment I though we were going to clear it, but she had never jump this high and long. Her right hind leg nicked the second pole just enough to role it off the stands.

Despite the knocked bar, I was extremely proud of the horse who was waiting for her bloody death just five weeks ago. Suddenly it struck me like a knife in the chest. She was sent to slaughter. A horse of her talent was sent to be dogs meal. She could go to nationals! I gritted my teeth in disgust. Some people!

I led her towards the wash bay and hosed her down. Once she was back in her stall, I gave her a sugar cube as a reward and whispered into her ear. "You did great today!"

Suddenly Mike ran into the yards shouting my name. Oh. My. Goss. In my triumphant, I had completely forgotten Survivor.

"Is he ok?" I cried. Tugging on Mikes sleeve as we ran towards the stable for the recovering horses. "See for yourself," he muttered under his breath as he opened the stall door.

And this time, I did drop to my knees.