Bentley takes us to the stables where the horses are bred. Since everyone is still having their lunch, the stable is empty, except for one woman.
She's pretty tall, almost as tall as Bentley, and he's pretty tall, so that says something.
When we walk in, we see the woman brushing the mane of a chestnut horse.
She looks up and smiles. "Well, slap my head and call me silly. The new celebrities of this backwater town grace me with their presence. How fun."
Bentley chuckles. "How's the horses, Denise?"
"Well, little minx here just got her shot a few minutes ago. She'll be down for the day, but tomorrow's another story."
Denise pats Minx's head affectionately.
"When's the buyer coming?"
"The day after the morrow, I gotta clean her up real nice to suit their fancy."
"Are you guys selling her?" I ask curiously, looking at the majestic horse in mild fascination. I always admire the men who'd come into town riding on their backs. It looks fun from afar, I wonder how good it'll be up close?
"We sure are," Denise says. "The race is just around the bend, and people are looking for good horses. The spots are limited, you see."
"Oh."
Is she talking about that race? It's one of the biggest events hosted in this town every year. Many people from all around the world come to visit and bet on the racers.
Although our town is small, that only relates to the population. The land itself is large, and we have an amazing horse track foreigners use to host their races.
I've never been to a race because I wasn't allowed to, but I always see how busy and crowded the town would get around this time.
My ma grumbled about it being annoying all the time because my father would throw bets into the races and always lose. He pours so much into these races, but for everything else, he's so cheap he wouldn't give a nickel to see Jesus ridin' a bicycle.
The horse race spans for a weekend.
Bentley tugs me towards another horse. It's gray and when Bentley approaches, it raises its head to look at us. Bentley drops my hand and goes to pet the horse.
"This here is Stellia. She's a Caspian horse, one of the oldest breeds in the world, dating back to 3000 BC in northern Iran. She's approximately 11.2 hands high. An alert and intelligent little thing, kind too. Reminds me of you." He smiles and beckons me over.
I gaze at the graceful creature as she snorts and tilts her head downwards for Bentley to caress. I cautiously step closer and reach out a hand, eyeing her as if she might suddenly try to bite it off.
She doesn't. She closes her eyes once my hand lands on her forehead.
My body instantly relaxes, and I smile.
Bentley chuckles. "She likes ya. She's an affectionate beauty, and her loyalty shines brighter than all the others we have. If you're ever interested, she'll be the perfect stead to help you learn how to ride."
My eyes snap to him. "Really? I can ride one?"
"Sure, we offer classes to all our workers willing to learn. With the exception of our most prized horses, we let our employees go for a ride when they need it. I know better than anyone just how calming it is."
"When will the classes be held?" I ask, highly interested in attending. I've never imagined I'd be able to ride a horse one day. I want my leg to heal so I can enjoy staying here to its fullest.
YOU ARE READING
Ride It
Storie d'amore"Hold me, comfort me and whatever you do, please don't abandon me." ~Beatrice After a year of living with her abusive fiancé, Beatrice has had enough. Because of her fiancé's influence and wealth, it's impossible for Beatrice to get away from him...
