I tugged on breeches and a T-shirt and pulled my hair into a messy ponytail before running for the stable. I grabbed Charm’s tack from the tack room and headed for his stall. I smiled when I saw Charm’s head poking over the stall door. “Hey, boy,” I said. “I missed you.” I kissed his muzzle and he nudged my shoulder. He stepped back and I unlatched his stall door. I grabbed his halter and led him out of his stall and to a pair of crossties. I clipped them on and opened his trunk to grab his tack box. “Let’s get you sparkling and then we’ll go to our lesson,” I said. Charm bobbed his head, moving the crossties up and down. His coat wasn’t dirty since he hadn’t been outside, so I picked up a body brush and flicked it over his neck, back, and hindquarters. I took his saddle pad from on top of his trunk and placed it over his back, smoothing out any wrinkles. I hoisted the saddle into the air and put it on top of the saddle pad, then tightened the girth. Charm stood still as I unclipped the crossties and let them drop to the ground.
