“YOU ARE KIDDING ME?!” Kurt was practically jumping for joy.

It was the next day. Julie had requested that Kurt, Burt, Blaine and Carole join her at the yard.

“No Kurt, I’m not kidding. I want you to represent our yard in the regional competitions. If you win, you will go on to the Nationals and you will win a hell of a lot of money which could damn well save the yard!” Julie answered him, laughing.

“But why me? I’m nowhere near the best rider here!”

“Kurt. Calm down” Julie smiled, placing her hands on his shoulders and looking him directly in the eye. “I asked you because you are a brilliant rider, you understand the horses, Socks understands you. You can win this. I believe in you.”

“I believe in you too” piped up Burt from the back of the room.

“Me too” Blaine said. Kurt flashed him a quick smile. He took a deep breath and said “I would be honoured too Julie, thank you!” he hugged the woman quickly.

Kurt couldn’t believe it. He was 17. And competing in the most prestigious horse competition in the whole of the US! He would be one of the youngest ever competitors!

That evening, Kurt was sat on the hay bale outside Socks’ stable talking to him softly. “When you’re better, we are going to win this competition. I have faith in you.”

Blaine walked into the barn silently, Muffin the cat had decided Blaine was her personal transport and was curled up in his arms as he walked. Kurt hadn’t seen him yet.

“You know Socks, all my life; I had this small dream of competing in the US Horse Championships. I never told anyone. Of course, Broadway is my first dream but I always had this idea, that if that failed, I would ride and never stop. I could go off into the sunset with my cowboy lover” Kurt laughed at himself.

Blaine smiled and stayed in the shadows for a little while longer.

Kurt sighed. “What if I’m not good enough Socks? I’m not the strongest rider. The yard needs this money and if I lose it…I’d never forgive myself.”

Blaine took this moment to step forward “I wouldn’t worry Kurt, I’ve seen you ride, you are amazing” he said, scratching the cat in his arms under the chin.

“How long were you listening to me talk to my horse?” Kurt said with an embarrassed tone, his eyes rolling slightly.

“Long enough” Blaine replied. Muffin started to squirm in Blaine’s grip and he placed her on the ground quickly. She scampered after a mouse that was running away just as fast. Blaine laughed softly at them.

Blaine moved to sit on the floor in front of Kurt. “You need to remember how good a rider you are. I’ve seen you with the horses. You move with them. Some riders just ride. You…You believe in your horse and you ride with him.”

Kurt smiled in return. “Will you be my training partner?” Kurt asked him, looking him the eye.

“Me? I…I would be honoured. Of course!” Blaine replied excitedly.

“Good because we will have to spend a lot of time together”

Somehow, neither of them had a problem with this.

Sock’s ribs had healed properly now so the training for the competition could begin.

There was something both of them learned the first day of training – Socks hated jumping.

It had been going successfully at first, Socks moved from gait to gait with effortless grace and Kurt was beginning to think they actually had a shot at getting somewhere in the competition.

“Shall we try a jump?” Blaine suggested from the side. Kurt had agreed.

Blaine put two traffic cones in the middle of the school and placed a pole between them.

However, when Kurt lined the horse up to go over the jump, Socks pulled back and attempted to buck Kurt off a few times. “Woaaaah boy” Kurt cried, trying his best to keep on the agitated horse. Eventually, Kurt gave up and half fell, half leapt of the horse. Blaine rushed forward to help him up. “Kurt are you okay?!” he asked urgently.

“Fine, I’m fine, get the horse” Kurt replied. Socks had ran to the far corner, cowering and shivering. Blaine stepped back to let Kurt walk in front of him. “Shush boy. It’s okay. It’s okay” Kurt whispered soothingly, stopping a metre away from the horse, holding his hand out. Socks eyed it warily before nudging his muzzle against Kurt’s palm. Kurt took this opportunity to grab the reins and sigh with relief as that had been a lot easier than expected.

“Think training is done for the day” Kurt smiled sadly and pulled gently on the rein to get Socks to move. Blaine leant on the fence of the school, watching Kurt and his horse as they walked back towards the stables. This is going to take some time, he thought to himself, chewing on his bottom lip like he always does when he was nervous.

Back in Sock’s stable, Kurt was untacking the horse quickly and not saying anything. “Let me take that” Blaine said, holding out his arms for the saddle in Kurt’s. Kurt passed it over with a small smile of thanks and followed Blaine out of the stable.

Once they had put the tack away, Blaine turned to Kurt, a look of concern in his hazel eyes “Are you okay?” he asked.

“I’m fine” Kurt mumbled. Blaine raised an eyebrow and placed his hand on Kurt’s forearm, Kurt gasped slightly at the contact. “I’m just thinking we are not gonna be ready. The first preliminary competition is in four weeks. The horse won’t even jump with attempting to throw me on the floor. He still is getting through his trust issues. He is still thin as a rake. I am not a good enough rider to be competition, I’m far too inexperienced and oh.” Kurt stopped his sentence because Blaine had wrapped his arms around him in a tight hug. Kurt gingerly returned the hug before sighing and hugging Blaine back properly.

“You can do this. I believe in you Kurt. I will always be there to support you and help you. We can do this. Okay?” Blaine whispered in Kurt’s ear.

“Thank you” came the small reply. Kurt pulled away from the hug and squeezed Blaine’s hand softly before walking away.

Huh, maybe we can do this, Kurt thought to himself as he left Blaine staring after him.