Complication

Chapter Fourteen

The past week has gone by slowly. Each day doing the same routine, get up at 5, got to Two Trees to ride Casper and Aspen, drive an hour back to Maggy's barn to ride Harry and take care of Zara. Don't get me wrong, I love what I'm doing and wouldn't trade it for the world!

It's that I'm trying to search for leasers for Harry. I found two that came to try him and surprisingly, they couldn't stay on his back for more than five minutes. Yet after he chucked them I would get on and he would be a saint.

So I changed his ad to an advanced rider needed and hopefully that will do it. But just in case, I'm hacking him right now to make sure he's too tired to do anything stupid. I know, I know. It's kind of cheating, but what else am I supposed to do?

I walk him out and pat him on the neck for an award for being good. I hope that he likes this new leaser coming in because if he doesn't I have no idea what I'm supposed to do next. If he won't let anyone else ride him, how could I possibly even sell him? I should be happy, right? But for some reason I feel like some kid will buy him and quickly get tired of him and throw him in the trailer and off to the sale where half the horses go to the kill pen.

I shiver at that thought. No, he will like this new leaser. He will be good.

I see a car I don't recognize pull into the parking lot and figure that it's the leaser. What was her name, Sarah, Lauren? Anyway, I dismount and lead Harry over to the gate to greet the girl. She has freshly cleaned Parlanti boots on, purple tailored Sportsmans, and a white polo.

"Hi" I smile and stick out my hand for her to shake it.

"Hello" She smiles back, "Are you Gina?"

"Yup, you're here to try Harry, right?

"Yes, This is him? He's gorgeous!"

I see Justin walk over and sit down on the bleachers to watch. The whole barn has gotten the memo to watch the Harry show when ever a new leaser comes in. "Thank you! Do you want to get right on or do you want to watch him go around?"

"I saw the videos on the ad, I'll just get right on." She says as she tucks her firey red hair under her custom Samshield with red lining that matches her hair.

I lead him over to the mounting block and wait for her to walk over. As she mounts I list the things he hates, "He likes a light feel and do not talk while you're on. He hates that for some reason."

"Okay, no problem"

Before she walks off I look Harry straight in the eye, "Be good" I whisper, out of... Shit. I really don't know her name.

"I'm sorry, what's your name again? I'm awful at names."

"Lacey. Lacey Taylor" She answers before walking on.

I semi-stalked her on youtube and watched a couple of her show rounds and she's a strong rider and should be able to handle most of Harry's nonsense.

I walk over the fence and lean my back on it. From behind me Justin asks, "How long do you think she'll last?"

I roll my eyes, "Come on, let's have a little hope in her."

So far Harry's going good, trotting in a high frame. A little too high for my liking, but I'm not going to correct anything right now. Let her get comfortable with him and-

Harry takes off at nothing. Absolutely nothing! But he's flying down the long side of the ring.

Without panicking, Lacey slows him down and circles. Once she gets on the rail again she pushes him forward to make him work a tad harder. I nod in agreement as she starts to figure eight to get him to pay more attention to her.