One Bay Later

Chapter 2

“See?  That isn’t that hard!” Dad said.

I didn’t say anything and rolled my eyes silently. I was just mounting.  Besides, anything could happen, even while the horse was standing still.

Dad just shrugged.  I clicked and squeezed, guiding him into the arena.  I felt a constant awareness of the lack of a helmet.  I tried to push those thoughts away but my head kept screaming that I wasn’t wearing a helmet.

My hands fiddled with the reins as I guided him to the arena that Lydia led me to.  “Don’t worry,” she said, “You’ll do fine.”

I shrugged and rode him around the arena.  My right hand tentatively reached up and touched my helmet-less head.

“It feels so...weird,” I said.

“Don’t worry, you’re doing fine.  Just lower your right hand a bit.  That’s great!” Lydia crowed.

This was kind of stupid.  What happened if a bunny jumped out and Click, who could be scared, would rear up and I could fall right off-head first.  That wouldn’t be good.

“Dad, this isn’t safe.  Didn’t you always tell me about those stories?”

“I don’t ride with a helmet,” he reminded me, smiling teasingly.

I groaned, sending him a glare.

Click was a perfect angel though.  He walked along the rail quietly, listening to my cues.  It was the problem that I had no helmet that ticked me off.  I needed a helmet.

“You are doing fine!  Just relaaaaax,” Lydia reminded me.  She grinned at me, trying to reassure me.

I sighed.  I changed directions on my own account and pushed him into a working walk.  Which he did so.  Click would be the perfect horse since he was so gentle and willing.

“Click is such a nice horse,” I commented, giving him a bit more rein from when I started.

Lydia nodded, “He is.”

I passed Lydia and Click raised his head and his ears perking straight up.

I tickled the reins and pressed my legs on and he moved forward, lowering his head again.

“Click is quite trained.  He is a bit unused to new riders, but I think he should be fine with you.  You seem to know just what to do.”

I nodded a bit and circled him to make sure he was listening to me.

“He is a very smart horse, he knows exactly what his rider wants,” Lydia kept crowing.

I circled him again and he followed his head exactly.  “I can tell,” I said slowly.  I reach down and scratch his shoulder, “You are such a good boy,” I murmured.  We pass Lydia again and his ears flicker towards her again, his head raised.  I push him forward pass her.

“Good boy,” I say.

I squeeze with my legs until he is walking a bit faster and work him on a larger circle around the arena. Surrounding the gentle, grayish footing was a tall white fence.  The top of the fence was flat so people could sit on it as Lydia did.  The middle of the arena had a few jumps set up

Dad just leaned against the railing.  He smiled at me and I knew I was doing pretty well.  Focus on the horse!

The sky was a beautiful color, but was also a little fake looking.  It was a bright blue.  An, unnatural blue.  Probably because it was so scorching hot.

We passed Lydia again, and I saw his head barely raise and I wiggled the reins, to remind him that he was here with me, not his owner.

“That’s great!  Just make sure you do that!” It seemed as if each sentence that she said had an exclamation mark after it.