Dance to the Thunder

Music: Native American Rain Dance

Story:
   Savannah rode the stallion back and forth near the entrance of the dressage arena. The stallion was extremely focused and was minding her signals. Savannah had a very strong feeling that the stallion was going to perform extraordinarily well. The competitor before Savannah saluted and exited the arena. Savannah pushed the stallion into a trot and circled around the outside of the dressage arena waiting for the bell to ring. After about two circulations the judge rang the bell and Savannah trotted to the entrance of the dressage arena. She trotted to the center of the arena and saluted. She signaled the music and asked Solo for a working trot. 
    Savannah had chosen a North American Rain Dance as their song and as it started she felt the music guiding her through the movements. The spotlight followed the pair around the arena. Outside the rain was coming down hard. As Savannah asked for the canter a loud rumble of thunder echoed from the distance and the stallion's ears flicked back. Savannah encouraged that it would be alright and that the horse should keep going. Solo understood and kept working. Another rumble of thunder came and Savannah felt the stallion tremble. Hopefully he would be okay when the storm moved right over the arena. He had been in many rainstorms since Wales was an extremely rainy country, but they hadn't had a thunderstorm for a while. 
    Another rumble of thunder came, this time closer, and the stallion jumped a bit. Savannah was so close to finishing the dressage performance. She stayed calm but focused and decided to brave it out. The pair was rounding the last turn before halting in the center when a very visible streak of lightening shot from the sky followed by the loudest rumble of thunder . The stallion jerked his head above the bit and then dropped back into frame again. Savannah rode the horse the best she could to the center of the arena, halted at x right on mark, saluted and exited the arena. She hoped the judges wouldn't mark her down for the second of lost contact. 

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This horse is so much fun to draw. Seriously. I am really glad I ended up taking him. He is so much fun to shade and draw and his markings are fantastic. Hopefully he does well at his first show. This picture takes place at the beginning of the ride before the thunder became an issue. 

All art and story by me
Horse Reference
No reference for background