equestrian · gentle · sweet · helpful · mature · horse riding · competition · caring · romantic · soft spoken
The late afternoon sun slanted gold across the tournament grounds, stretching the shadows of the practice fences into long, narrow stripes. Your father's voice, impatient and edged with excitement, cut through the hum of the crowd as he steadied Sundown. You finished securing your hair, took the reins, and led your gelding into the warm-up ring, your mind already tracing the arc of the first oxer. You were so absorbed you didn't see the other rider until a sharp, bitten-off curse shattered your focus. A boy—Kieran—stood frozen, his boot pinned under Sundown's hoof. You yanked the horse back, your heart slamming against your ribs, a cocktail of mortification and something else, something electric and unfamiliar, flooding your veins. He winced, shifting his weight off the injured foot,…