Going to Extreme Measures

Chapter 8

Johnny and Mike pulled into the drive to the stables where Johnny's friends let him ride. He spent a lot of time helping with the horses. Johnny had grown up on a ranch and was very familiar with tending the beautiful animals. "So you know these people pretty well Johnny?" Mike looked around the sprawling ranch as they neared the barn and stables.

"Yeah I met them years ago when I used to hang out at the rodeos. They let me work with the horses some and ride whenever I want. Someday I'm going to have a set up like this, well maybe not this big, but definitely a place to raise horses." Johnny led the way over to the stables. After introducing Mike to his friends and saddling up the two horses they would be riding the two friends set out on the trails around the ranch.

"So Johnny when are you going to show me how trick riding relates to surfing?"

"We need to loosen up the horses first. There's a pasture at the end of this trail. I'll show you some stuff once we get there, but remember Mike it's not about how trick riding relates to surfing. It's about balance." Johnny smiled. They rode together enjoying the trail. Mike was an accomplished rider. He had obviously spent time on horses. Before long they had reached their destination. "Okay Mike now I can show you what I mean about balance." Johnny jumped down from his mount and took the reins. He walked the horse out towards the center of the field. Slowly he rechecked the saddle securing the flank cinch making sure the saddle was tight. Mike slid from his saddle and stood on the side of the pasture beside his horse.

Johnny walked around his horse rubbing and patting her and constantly talking quietly to her. Once he was sure she was calm and the saddle secure he moved up on her right side. He reached up and placed his hands on the saddle horn and to Mike's amazement did a complete flip in mid air landing in the saddle. With a huge Gage grin he made a clucking noise and horse and man took off at a fast trot which quickly turned into a gallop. Johnny slid his leg over the saddle and with his body all on one side of the galloping horse he jumped down to the ground while still holding on to the saddle. He lifted himself over the horse and jumped again on the other side. Mike was shocked at the speed at which both the horse and his friend moved. Johnny went easily from one side of the horse to the other while the horse continued across the pasture at a full gallop. Mike could tell that Johnny was really having fun by the constant smile on his face.

Once they had reached the end of the open space Johnny turned the horse around and came back for another pass. This time he jumped down and turned around above the saddle in the air and landed facing the back of the horse. Riding backwards for a few seconds before slipping off and completing a similar jump landing facing forward again, Johnny and the horse worked as one to entertain Mike. "Yee Haw," Johnny yelled as he once again turned backwards in the saddle. Mike was clapping and laughing at his crazy trick riding friend. Johnny slowed the horse to a trot and then a walk as he led her over to Mike. Slipping from the saddle he turned his grinning face to his friend, "Now I'll show you how the Indians do it."

"What do you mean?"

"Watch my friend and you shall see." Johnny removed the saddle and laid it on the ground near Mike's horse. He sat down on the ground and slipped out of his boots and sox and placed them beside the saddle. He patted the horse and rubbed her down where the saddle had been then he nudged her back toward the open field while clucking and speaking to her in his native language. Mike was truly impressed by the ease with which Johnny could control the horse just by his touch and soft spoken words.

The horse took off at a fast walk with Johnny jogging barefooted along beside. As the horse picked up speed so did Johnny. Then without warning Johnny moved up beside the horse and leapt up on her back by grabbing hold of her mane and slipping his leg up and across her back. He raised his arms in the air like wings. In an instant Johnny had slipped out of his shirt and rode in the open air shirtless with his hair whipping in the wind. He was clearly in his own element. Mike chuckled at the sight.

Johnny turned the horse and returned across the pasture one minute he was laying sideways across the running animal and the next he was laying the opposite direction. Nearing the end of the space he once again turned the horse only this time he pulled his knees up in a similar fashion as he did when showing Mike how to stand on the surf board. Johnny moved from his kneeling position fluidly into a complete stand with his arms outstretched. He rode the entire length of the field standing on the bare back of the galloping horse. Mike could visualize his friend on top of a surfboard in the same position with his knees slightly bent and his arms in the air. At the end of the field this time instead of turning the horse as he had before Johnny did a backwards aerial flip and landed on the ground. The horse immediately slowed and trotted back to Johnny nuzzling him as they walked back to Mike.

"Wow Johnny how did you ever learn to do that?" Mike looked at his friend with the greatest respect and admiration. "That was awesome!"

"I told you Mike. That's how we Indians like to ride." Johnny laughed. "I learned that on the reservation, back on my parent's ranch when I was just a kid. Besides like I said before it's all about balance."

"Well Johnny you definitely have balance. I can certainly understand how you're able to keep your steadiness while going out on ledges or walking across cranes and construction beams to save a victim. Now how about we take these horses back to the stable, brush them down, feed and water them, and then I'll take you to lunch. I know a really great hot dog stand on a certain beach where a certain pretty woman likes to surf. We can see if she's there." Mike reached down and picked up Johnny's saddle.

"Okay Mike that sounds good to me. After that ride I think I could use a good lunch and a swim in the ocean would be nice too. Let's get out of here."