Aiming High Part 1

The sun rise was beautiful for this time of year, the colour of deep red scarlet filled the clear sky as the sun rose. Although the sun was high above the sky shining down on the earth it was somewhat cold and frosty. The mist was just about clearing ready for the day ahead. People up early to scrape the frost of their cars before they go to work. As you would expect there were those who were getting fed up of this freezing winter, they preferred warmer weather. You would think if people preferred warmer weather they should move to a different country, but it wasn't also that simple, like Stephanie Parker's father used to say, "Even if we moved to a different country it would probably be the same" Her father used to moan. Stephanie however didn't seem to mind, after all she was an horse rider had was used to riding in all weathers and she was lucky enough to share a horse called Valentine Bliss with another girl who actually owns the horse

Stephanie Parker lives deep in the Worcestershire countryside with her mum, dad, sister and brother. Her brother is a Judge and she hardly see's him now, the only time she see's him is if its the weekend or holidays. He seems to be doing very well so far. Her sister is in training to become a police officer and Stephanie is in her finally year of High School and has a lot of studying to do. Stephanie doesn't really follow after her brother and sister who took jobs in the law. Stephanie loves horses and has a dream to work with horses one day, even though her parents disapprove of her choose of job, they would rather have like to see their daughter become a doctor or a police officer. Stephanie knows that her parents can't take control of her life, she wants to live it her own way.

Stephanie's house is positioned on a lonely private road, opposite a beautiful view of the countryside and fields. A golden glittering gate is followed by a sweeping drive to the front of Parker's house. The front door sparkling white with a golden handle. Stephanie parker was in her bedroom. She had a beautiful view of countryside and fields. She had pictures of horses all over her walls. Horse books, magazines and models on shelves, bed duvet of a horse and a wardrobe full of stuff. She sat at her desk opposite her window, looking out at the morning sun rise and beautiful countryside view. Pencils, crayons, pastels paints and a big sheet of paper was out on the desk. Stephanie looked down at the empty white sheet of paper and sighed. She had been set homework to draw a picture of something special or beautiful to you as art homework. Stephanie had no idea what to draw, she only had two weeks to complete it. She glanced at her watch and gave a mischievous grin. Even though her parents had ordered her to spend her first Monday morning on the first week of the half term holiday doing homework, Stephanie had other plan's. Stephanie quickly got into her yard gear, grabbing her helmet, gloves and coat and quietly opened her door peeking out making sure no one was around before quickly going to the stairs and creped down stairs and quickly to the front door before quickly sneaking out and began to run to Green Manner Stables, where her beloved share horse Valentine Bliss lived.

The country lanes seemed quieter than normal as Stephanie walked along the road, only being past by the occasional car. There were fields on either side of the road which seemed to go on endlessly. A road sign soon came up saying 'Green Manner Stables, turn right.' Stephanie turned down an countryside road seeing a house on the left coming into view. A chestnut medium sided wall had a name plate on it say "Welcome to Green Manner Stables" and a black gate connected to the wall saying the same thing but in bigger writing a drive followed behind it, to the left was the front garden and a house and to the right of the drive were tall, strong trees. Stephanie walks through the open gates and carried on down the drive, there was a left and right turning. Right was to the livery yard and left was to the riding school. Stephanie turned right heading up the drive to livery yard, a large field on her left and trees on her right. She came to the entrance gate of then livery yard which automatically opened and a sped sign of 15mph came up as she reached the car park and onto the yard. The smell of horses and sweet hay lifted Stephanie's spirits. The yard was busy, as there were preparation underway for the eventing and showing yet to come which would start in the Spring. Stephanie walked toward the indoor stable block A to see Valentine Bliss, the other girl Stephanie shared Valentine Bliss was also here. It was difficult having to share Valentine Bliss, Stephanie didn't that often get to ride her as the other girl was Valentine Bliss's actually owner. Stephanie smiled walking up to Valentine Bliss's stable, but as she reached the stable she frowned, Valentine Bliss's stable rug was on the stable door and when she looked in there was no horse in there and stable not yet mucked out. She sighed the owner had got here before her, leaving her having to muck out the stable, refill the water buckets, clean and wash the rug, make the lunch time feed and do the hay. Sometimes she felt she was treated like a groom. By the time the owner brought Valentine Bliss back from her ride, she would be too tired to work again. Never the less Stephanie unbolted the stable door pulling out the water buckets, taking them to a hose to refill. She tipped out the old water down a drain and put them under a hose turning on the tap as cold, fresh water began to fill the buckets.

A while later Stephanie was busy mucking out the stable, as she was busy working she heard the sound of familiar horse shoes clattering of the concrete coming up the indoor block. She looked up leaning on the shavings fork looking over the stable door and gave a huge smile as she saw Valentine Bliss being ridden towards her stable. Stephanie quickly finished mucking out the dirty bedding, leaving the clean bedding in she layered out the bedding putting some new wood shavings in with the bedding, before pushing the wheelbarrow out of the stable, as the owner jumped off Valentine bliss. Stephanie glanced at Valentine Bliss, she looked worn out. She shook her head as she pushed the wheelbarrow out of the block heading for the muck heap. As she walked down the path to the muck heap she saw Jessica her friend coming the other way with an empty wheelbarrow. Stephanie stopped to talk to her. Jessica leaned against her wheelbarrow, "Holly got you doing all the chores again?" Asked Jessica, Holly was Valentine Bliss's owner. Jessica had known Holly longer than Stephanie had and she knew, Holly liked other people to do the chores. Stephanie sighed "Yeah, she worn poor Val out again!" Groaned Stephanie, Jessica shook her head and sighed too "Poor Val, I thought Holly was meant to be sharing her with you not doing what she pleased" said Jessica feeling saddened by how Holly was treating Valentine Bliss and Stephanie. Stephanie shrugged "Dad says he doesn't see the point of him having paying monthly to keep Val's share when I hardly get to ride her" Said Stephanie looking down at the handles of the wheelbarrow. Jessica just shook her head, “You deserve Val more than Holly does. But Holly is her owner and seems to think she can do what see likes. Anyway I need to get back to my horse” Said Jessica smiling as she heard Jake her horse whinnying for her, “See you later Stephanie” Said Jessica jogging up the path pushing the wheelbarrow back to the yard. Stephanie slowly pushed the wheelbarrow down the path looking at the view before she stop at the muck heap, she climbed up the path and onto the muck heap and started shaking the muck and dirty bedding out. Soon the wheelbarrow was empty and pushed it back to the yard, into the indoor block seeing Valentine Bliss tied up outside her stable door, her black coat sweaty after hard work, her two sock dirty, black mane and tail needing detangling, her interrupted stripe and snip on her face were the only markings clean. Stephanie sighed placing the wheelbarrow by the stable wall and walked up to Valentine, she pulled out a polo "Hey girl" whispered Stephanie softly holding her hand out flat with a polo as Val took the treat, munching quickly on it. Stephanie stroked her sweaty neck, "The things you have to go through ah girl" Said Stephanie giving her a pat and headed for the tack room for a grooming kit.