The Last Second



I had been nervous all day from head to toe, waiting for this moment. Believing as if it would last for eternity. My stomach felt like the door to a cage full of fluttering butterflies had been opened. With pale hands, I released my grip on the reins as I waited for my name be called.

Finally, my name echoed throughout the arena. I squeezed my legs against my horse’s side, asking him to walk forward. We both headed down an alleyway lined with old wooden gates, with only the roar of the crowd to guide us. Another cage had been opened in my stomach, as I felt the excitement in my horse as he reared twice to let me know that he was ready to be let loose.

With the thought of only making a 17 second run, my horse reared up one more time and then I let the reins loose. We flew into the arena like we were a rocket that had just been launched. I could feel the power of my horse as he kept inching faster and faster towards the first barrel. “Sit, look, and turn.” was all I could think to my self as we wrapped ourselves around the first barrel. Exploding from the first barrel, we made our way to the second one with ease. The same words ran through my head, “Sit, look, and turn.” Once again, we wrapped ourselves around the second barrel. With determination in mind, I kicked with my spurs and saw a flash of a camera out of the corner of my eye. We were flying.

The strides of the thundering hooves beneath me, grew farther and farther apart as we neared the last and final barrel. One more kick with my spurs and I knew we would finish with a clean run. I started to pull him around the third barrel and a feeling of doubt hit me as I saw the barrel start to tip over. Quickly, I reached down and saved it from plummeting to a no time. We cleared the third barrel just in time for the hard run back across the finish line. Not thinking twice about the third barrel, I kicked and clicked my way, hoping for a little more speed. And like the rocket that we both were, we, galloped across the finish line.

Sitting deep in my saddle, I said, ”Whoa!” Once I reached to a complete stop, I turned around to see my time on the timer board. 16.7 seconds it said. And I threw my hands in the air from all the excitement. I praised my horse for doing his best, and then I thought to myself, “It’s not who you are that holds you back, its who you think your not.”- author unknown