“Darling, you shouldn’t wear a skirt to ride a horse.” As he helped her down, he casually glanced at the endless view beneath her pink skirt.
“I don’t have any other clothes!” She pouted, grateful that her legs finally touched the ground.
“Alright, tomorrow I’ll take you shopping for some clothes.” He laughed heartily, took off his coat, and laid it on the ground for her to sit on. He walked a few steps forward, looking for a patch of green grass to tie the horse to a big tree so it could munch on the tender grass shoots.
Khanyi sat on his thick trench coat, and since the ground was already sprouting green grass tips, she didn’t feel too cold. She hugged her knees, slightly turned to the side, silently gazing at him. His golden hair was so dazzling, a light shade of gold with naturally curly waves, and his eyebrows and eyelashes were also golden. No prince from any country could be more charming than him, including those from fairy tales. The warm afternoon sun by the River illuminated everything on the earth so softly.
Khanyi squinted against the slightly glaring sunlight and asked, “Back in the day, you won the equestrian championship riding this horse, right?”
He replied, “No, I should say she was once an excellent racehorse, but she injured her leg during a training session.” He gently patted the horse’s hindquarters. “She can no longer perform the required jumping obstacles.”
“Ah… how pitiful. Did she break her leg?”
“No, the veterinarian said the injury has healed, but every time she approaches an obstacle, she becomes too scared to jump,” he said, gazing at the horse, which was nibbling on the grass, blinking his ice-blue eyes. “In fact, a horse like this should be put down because she has lost her value. For a thoroughbred racehorse, aside from winning championships in competitions, her life has no meaning…”
“She’s just scared; why should she be killed?!”
“You are right. To stand up again after falling, to conquer one’s inner fears, and to face obstacles without retreating requires immense willpower. Humans may not even be able to do it, let alone a horse. Let her live; perhaps she can give birth to a purebred foal.” He gently stroked the horse’s mane, and it raised its head, affectionately blowing air through its nostrils at him.
Khanyi nodded with a smile. “What events are there at the Olympics?” She was clearly very curious about his athlete experience and intended to dig deeper.
“Dressage, show jumping, and eventing—three events in total.”
“How do they compete?”
“Dressage involves completing a series of required and optional movements within a specified time, including walking, trotting, and cantering. As for show jumping…” He chuckled, “That year, the competition was about jumping over a mud pit, and it was quite a spectacle.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that only three competitors didn’t fall into the mud, if I remember correctly.” After a slight pause, he continued, “And then there’s eventing, which is the most grueling, requiring three consecutive days of competition. This tests both the athletes’ and horses’ physical endurance and willpower…” He patiently explained to her, watching her big black eyes blink continuously, and her somewhat puzzled expression. He knew she couldn’t possibly understand everything immediately, so he refrained from delving into further details.
“Now, can you perform for me?” Her black eyes suddenly sparkled with anticipation as she looked at him. “I really want to see… dressage.”
He did not immediately respond to her request but gazed at her for a moment. He didn’t particularly enjoy the fixed steps of a choreographed performance dancing to music. In that competition segment, he wasn’t at an advantage; rather, it was in show jumping and eventing that he stood out. He reveled in the thrill of galloping and jumping, the fierce competition, and the brutal rivalry. Yet, he never understood why women were always interested in that. However, her request was hard to refuse, and in fact, he didn’t want to refuse.
“Alright, it would be my honor to perform for you, beautiful lady,” he said, slightly bowing to her in greeting. He untied the reins from the tree, nimbly mounted the horse again, and said to her, “But I haven’t practiced in a long time, so I’ll show you a few basic movements.” After saying that, he quietly gave the horse a command, and his mount immediately got into position, first trotting in place at his command, then changing direction to walk back and forth, and performing a few lateral steps. She watched, somewhat mesmerized, especially when the horse’s hooves danced in a fancy step. Her mouth fell open in surprise at how he could control such a powerful animal with body movements and a few simple commands. The horse seemed to be dancing ballet, its steps precise and dazzling, elegant yet spirited. She thought only humans could dance ballet; the best dancers she had seen at her church school were no better than this.
He leaped down from the horse, holding the reins with both hands, standing still and smiling at her. “This requires regular practice; I’ve forgotten many of the steps. Both humans and horses are the same, but she performs better than I do.” The horse seemed to understand his praise, kicking its front hoof and blowing air through its nostrils.
She stared at the horse under the tree, dazed, unable to speak for a long time.
