way.”
“Good.”
She sighed, her
eyes averted. “Jean, about last week..”
A shake of a
dark head and a soft pat on her wrist. “No need to explain. I asked
you over so you could forget about it for a while. Sound OK?”
Jo frowned. She
still wasn’t sure about her, it was rare she encountered someone
who wanted nothing from her.
As if reading
her mind. “You’re having a tough time, I just want to help.”
After pulling a
couple of thermal bags out of the fridge, lined with ice,
containing their food, and a few other supplies. They made their
way outside. Jo had wanted an idea of what to expect, she was like
that. Preferred to plan and anticipate. Jean told her that they
would ride until the early evening, find a suitable camp spot,
which were frequent, and then relax. Sounded fine to her.
The horses
responded eagerly to treats, coming over the fence at the sound of
Jean’s voice. Jo watched them with a grin.
“Ridden much
before Jo?” Looping a rope halter around a deep bay neck.
She came closer
to the fence, tentatively reaching out to rub a velvet nose. “Only
a little as a kid. Treat me as a beginner.”
Another smile.
“It’s not difficult, and these two aren’t feisty. Come here, I’ll
show you.” The tanned arm held the gate open enough for the blonde
to get through. Mounting up behind the security of a fence might be
better on her nerves.
Jean pointed to
each horse. “The bay is Mackenzie, she’s older than Georgia here.”
A little rub along the neck. “I’ll saddle them up, then you can
jump on ‘Kenzie, and I’ll adjust the stirrups for those long legs
of yours.”
The Sergeant
smiled. “Anything I can do to help?” She watched the hooves settle
in the dirt, the beasts shifting their weight over the dry grass.
She forgot how big they were.
“No it’s fine,
won’t take long. I’m glad you’re not wearing white Jo, this could
get messy.” Imagining the Officer covered in dust.
The policewoman
smiled. Glancing down at her figure hugging jeans and polo.
With both
animals saddled up, Jo’s tent retrieved from her car, and
saddlebags looped over where space permitted they were ready to
go.
Knowing Jo was
unsure. Jean offered to help calm her nerves. “I’ll hold her if you
want to take it slow?”
A raised brow
over grey eyes. “Probably a good start.”
Her sneakered
foot slid into the stirrup, and a long leg swung over. Jean had a
firm grip on the reins. ‘Kensey was far too pre occupied with
snuffling in her pocket to go anywhere.
“That’s it. OK,
going to adjust your saddle.”
She instructed
Jo to hold onto the reins, moving around past the broad withers to
get to the strapping. Jean patted on the blonde’s calf to ask her
to move. She made the leather belts longer, giving her more length.
Doing the same on the other side. Jo settled her feet and felt more
secure.
“Better?”
“Yes. And now?”
Feeling a growing confidence.
A snicker.
“Pushy thing aren’t you?”
It made Jo
pout, it was pretty cute. Jean cleared her throat. “OK, I’ll stay
down here for a moment till you get your bearings. Just walk her
around a little, get used to the feel of the saddle. There’s the
horn at the front for stability. Squeeze with your thighs to go
faster, tug on the reins to slow down.”
A nod and she
was walking slowly around the paddock. The bay mare wasn’t fazed,
and complied without resistance. After a few minutes, Jo looked
settled enough to begin their ride. Jean smiled as she pulled
herself onto the sandy coloured dun, its black tail swishing away
flies and heat.
***
It appeared as
though Jo was a natural rider. Leather reins sat looped over the
animal’s neck, held in the blonde’s hands. Ever so often Jean would
offer a pointer, but Jo was quick to learn, only needing to be told
once.
“You’re a good
teacher Jean..” She looked out over the hills as they slowly
climbed higher, hooves clopping softly over the grass and
“Good.”
She sighed, her
eyes averted. “Jean, about last week..”
A shake of a
dark head and a soft pat on her wrist. “No need to explain. I asked
you over so you could forget about it for a while. Sound OK?”
Jo frowned. She
still wasn’t sure about her, it was rare she encountered someone
who wanted nothing from her.
As if reading
her mind. “You’re having a tough time, I just want to help.”
After pulling a
couple of thermal bags out of the fridge, lined with ice,
containing their food, and a few other supplies. They made their
way outside. Jo had wanted an idea of what to expect, she was like
that. Preferred to plan and anticipate. Jean told her that they
would ride until the early evening, find a suitable camp spot,
which were frequent, and then relax. Sounded fine to her.
The horses
responded eagerly to treats, coming over the fence at the sound of
Jean’s voice. Jo watched them with a grin.
“Ridden much
before Jo?” Looping a rope halter around a deep bay neck.
She came closer
to the fence, tentatively reaching out to rub a velvet nose. “Only
a little as a kid. Treat me as a beginner.”
Another smile.
“It’s not difficult, and these two aren’t feisty. Come here, I’ll
show you.” The tanned arm held the gate open enough for the blonde
to get through. Mounting up behind the security of a fence might be
better on her nerves.
Jean pointed to
each horse. “The bay is Mackenzie, she’s older than Georgia here.”
A little rub along the neck. “I’ll saddle them up, then you can
jump on ‘Kenzie, and I’ll adjust the stirrups for those long legs
of yours.”
The Sergeant
smiled. “Anything I can do to help?” She watched the hooves settle
in the dirt, the beasts shifting their weight over the dry grass.
She forgot how big they were.
“No it’s fine,
won’t take long. I’m glad you’re not wearing white Jo, this could
get messy.” Imagining the Officer covered in dust.
The policewoman
smiled. Glancing down at her figure hugging jeans and polo.
With both
animals saddled up, Jo’s tent retrieved from her car, and
saddlebags looped over where space permitted they were ready to
go.
Knowing Jo was
unsure. Jean offered to help calm her nerves. “I’ll hold her if you
want to take it slow?”
A raised brow
over grey eyes. “Probably a good start.”
Her sneakered
foot slid into the stirrup, and a long leg swung over. Jean had a
firm grip on the reins. ‘Kensey was far too pre occupied with
snuffling in her pocket to go anywhere.
“That’s it. OK,
going to adjust your saddle.”
She instructed
Jo to hold onto the reins, moving around past the broad withers to
get to the strapping. Jean patted on the blonde’s calf to ask her
to move. She made the leather belts longer, giving her more length.
Doing the same on the other side. Jo settled her feet and felt more
secure.
“Better?”
“Yes. And now?”
Feeling a growing confidence.
A snicker.
“Pushy thing aren’t you?”
It made Jo
pout, it was pretty cute. Jean cleared her throat. “OK, I’ll stay
down here for a moment till you get your bearings. Just walk her
around a little, get used to the feel of the saddle. There’s the
horn at the front for stability. Squeeze with your thighs to go
faster, tug on the reins to slow down.”
A nod and she
was walking slowly around the paddock. The bay mare wasn’t fazed,
and complied without resistance. After a few minutes, Jo looked
settled enough to begin their ride. Jean smiled as she pulled
herself onto the sandy coloured dun, its black tail swishing away
flies and heat.
***
It appeared as
though Jo was a natural rider. Leather reins sat looped over the
animal’s neck, held in the blonde’s hands. Ever so often Jean would
offer a pointer, but Jo was quick to learn, only needing to be told
once.
“You’re a good
teacher Jean..” She looked out over the hills as they slowly
climbed higher, hooves clopping softly over the grass and
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