Maggie had spent six months preparing for this dressage show. Six months of early mornings, perfectly ironed breeches, and whispering motivational speeches to Harry that mostly involved carrots and mild bribery. This was their moment. The judges were seated. The crowd was quiet. The arena was pristine. Everything was… suspiciously perfect. The bell rang. Harry stepped forward like a champion - calm, collected, elegant. Maggie smiled, relaxed her shoulders, and thought, Yes. Today we are professionals. Then Harry did ballet. Not metaphorical ballet. Actual, high-kneed, prancing-about-like-a-swan ballet. Then he tossed his head into the air dramatically, tongue flopping out like a loose ribbon on a gift no one asked for. “Oh no,” Maggie whispered, her smile frozen in place. “Absolutely not.” Harry continued. Instead of a smooth shoulder-in, he performed what could only be described as a pirouette with opinions. His tail swished. His ears flicked. His tongue made another guest appearance, now hanging out like it was trying to catch a breeze. Maggie felt the crowd watching. There is a universal law of horses: the worse the behaviour, the larger the audience. Alone in a field, Harry was a perfect angel. In front of three judges, two photographers, and approximately everyone Maggie had ever met? He had chosen chaos. She nudged him gently. “Harry,” she muttered through clenched teeth, “this is not Swan Lake. This is dressage.” Harry responded by throwing his head up again, tongue out, eyes wide. “Focus,” she whispered. “Remember your training. Remember the carrots." Harry snorted, tongue still out, clearly proud of his performance. Additional Products Used: GNBD Storm Creator Brushes, by Giko Jump Your Way, by Daz Originals and ARTCollab Horse Show Jumping Props, by First Bastion Topiaries by RDNA