Love, Lies & Blood Ties - Whitby Shadows Series Book 2

Chapter Two

After using the back of the truck as a mounting block, we were finally on our way. I could feel the muscles in my inner thighs stretching already from Missy's broad width. I knew without a doubt I would ache in the morning.

"I wasn't trying to lecture you," Luke said, as we ambled across the field.

"No, I know. You've just given me a whole other perspective to think on, it's a lot to take in."

"The way I am with horses isn't what everyone agrees with. It doesn't suit all people and I don't force it on people. What works for your stud works for them, that doesn't mean it's wrong, it just means it's different."

"I guess it depends on an individual's point of view as to whether they judge it as wrong or not."

He nodded. "Exactly."

"I'm definitely intrigued on your ideas, even after just a few minutes."

"That's good to hear."

I smiled. "Where are we going for breakfast exactly?"

"Straight down to Sneaton. There's a gorgeous little farm café there that serves the best food I've ever tasted."

"How long does it take?"

He grinned. "Depends how fast we ride."

I patted Missy's neck and giggled. "Well these guys aren't exactly built for speed."

"They can still move when they need to," he said. "Which reminds me."

I frowned. "Of what?"

"Your claim I'm jealous I can't ride a 'proper' dressage horse as you put it."

Uh-oh. I'd been hoping he'd forgotten that. I knew this would come back and bite me in the ass. "What are you going to teach me now?" I asked, smirking.

"Just remind me of the core principles of dressage."

"Ah-ha," I replied, showing him my own grin. "This I know. Dressage is a French term which means training. The idea of it is to have a calm attentive horse that is strong and supple."

"Very good. Obedience is key. Would you agree? If you're in a dressage test and have to perform a certain move at E, for example, but your horse doesn't respond until several steps later, you will be marked down, correct?"

"Yes..." I couldn't help but wonder where this was going.

"So if, for example, I asked for an instantaneous walk to canter—" right on cue, Silva sprung into a slow, collected canter "—and the horse responded immediately, I'd have good marks. Yes?"

My jaw dropped as I watched him slowly canter away from me, the motion of him and Silva making me think of a rocking horse. He turned right, cantering a slow circle around me and Missy, who hadn't even batted an eyelid.

"And if my horse extended and collected at my instruction, I'd also receive good marks?"

He pushed Silva out into a long stride, his chunky long legs swallowing the ground. After half a dozen extended paces, he collected him back into a short, choppy canter and eased him back into a trot.

"And if my horse could perform a simple leg yield—" he moved Silva sideways in front of me, his front and back legs crossing in perfect synchronisation "—or a more complicated shoulder in—" he switched sides and curved Silva's shoulders around into an impressive move "—then I'd still receive good marks despite the fact I didn't have a flashy warmblood. Is that correct?"

Trying my hardest to hide my grin, I rolled my eyes. "Alright, show off. Point made."

He laughed and slowed back to a walk, falling in at my side again. "I'm just saying, don't judge a book by its cover. Just because they were built to pull ploughs, it doesn't mean they can't do other stuff."