To Tame the Wild: a Red Dead Redemption fan fiction

Chapter 5 - Horse Thief

For what seemed like the hundredth time that day, Jack fell hard to the ground in a heap of clothes and dirt. It was only two weeks ago that he had started to tame the palomino stallion, and although he had finally gotten the saddle and bridle onto the mustang, he was finding it hard to stay on. Once again, he gathered himself off the ground and dusted himself off.

"C'mon, princess, ya almost had it!" Maddie complained from atop the tobiano filly. She had Féileacán accepting the bit by the fifth day, and the rest of the tack by the seventh. By the eighth, she was riding the filly with confidence. "You were so close! What happened, boy?"

He grunted as he limped up to her. "It's not my fault Sundance isn't takin' too well havin' me on his back. He's a spirited bastard."

She rolled her eyes. Beneath her, Féileacán blew loudly and pawed at the ground, looking bored. Maddie patted her neck and ran her fingers through her black and white mane. "He's just scared. You gotta go at the speed of the horse, Jack. How many times do I gotta tell you?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Get off my back, lady."

She guffawed. "I wouldn't want to be on yours, scumbag."

He shot her an annoyed frown. "Don't play with me, Maddie. I'm not in the mood and today just isn't a good day for your little antics."

"I'll say. You've been bucked off at least seven times, and it's not even ten o'clock yet. Féileacán didn't even buck me off once."

"That's because you picked an easy one out of the herd!" he shouted back, still favoring his left leg as he turned and hobbled over to Sundance, who was trotting about on the other side of the corral. The palomino's ears were pinned back flat against his head, and he snorted and brought up his head as the young man approached. "Oh, stop that, you big bastard," he griped as he grabbed the reins and crisscrossed them atop the horse's withers. "Now you stop bein' a dipshit and let me get on without a fuss, alright?"

"Yeah, sweet-talk him, Jack. That'll help."

"Would you stop bitchin' already?" He jammed his left boot into the stirrup and grabbed the saddle horn and cantle.

"Only if you cowboy up and ride that horse like a real man, Marston."

A frustrated growl rumbled up his throat as he mounted the stallion for the eighth time that day. Steadily, Sundance had gotten used to him getting onto the saddle, but the second he'd nudge his sides with his spurs, the horse would buck wildly. Jack had tried clicking his tongue to get the horse walking forward, but to no avail. The horse was responsive mostly to touch: even the slightest nudge of his spurs would send the horse launching into the air. Readying himself for the rodeo, Jack nudged the mustang's sides with his heels.

Sure enough, the palomino responded with angry bucking. A horrible grunting, growling sound came from the horse as he bucked all about the corral. Jack did his best to move along with the horse's body, leaning back every time the horse's front hooves would land and then leaning forward when he'd launch himself upward. Sundance bucked high and strong, and the power of the horse's launch was quickly tiring Jack out.

"That's it, Jack! Keep on him! Move with him!"

Her encouragements helped him despite her annoying backtalk from most of the morning. He rode the bucking bronco with all the gusto and skill he could muster, and after several minutes, the horse came to a stand-still. Both horse and rider were huffing and puffing, their bodies shaking and glistening with sweat. Jack patted Sundance's lathered neck. "That a boy. See? That wasn't so bad, now, wasn't it?"

Maddie rode up to them with a proud smile. She stopped Féileacán before Sundance. The tobiano nickered to the palomino, her ears pricked forward and her muzzle nudging the other horses' gingerly. Sundance returned the touch.