surprising how, at the ripe old age of twenty-seven, she finally experienced the starry-eyed little girl wonderment of being on a horse.
No, being on this horse. Dante was the one, like Sadie had promised.
“I’ll be damned,” she mumbled and concentrated on the movement of the animal beneath her. And this was just a walk. She’d seen Sadie working Dante and had been impressed with the horse’s fluid gait. Now she looked forward to putting him through his paces.
She’d have to wait for Sadie’s okay before she could try it. For now, she’d take her time getting to know him. She kept him at a walk at the rail, becoming used to the feel of his mouth on the bit, his gentle tugging on the reins and the way he stepped out energetically.
“All right, my dear, let’s get down to business,” Sadie declared as she entered the ring and pulled the gate shut behind her. “You’ve had enough time with him, so tell me, do you love him?”
Rio glanced at Sadie with a grin. “So far so good. Of course I feel like I’m a mile away from the ground. You sure I’m not too small for him?”
“You may be small, but you’re tough. And strong enough for this powerhouse, and even better, you have a gentle touch when you need it. Dante knows that. Ready to work?”
That I am. It surprised her how much she enjoyed the hour-long session with both Dante and her boss. They started off slowly. For all intents and purposes she was a beginner and she had a lot to learn. Luckily both horse and instructor were patient with her. Although they were taking baby steps, Rio still felt a great sense of accomplishment when the hour ended and she’d mastered the posting trot. Well, in her own mind she did. She wouldn’t declare victory yet.
Only one problem hit her as she dismounted. Before her toes tapped the dirt, Rio realized she was now hooked on this riding thing. She’d finally discovered something she’d been searching for, long and hard.
In an attempt to put things in perspective, she argued with herself and her uncertainty. It’s your first real riding lesson, not the missing puzzle piece in your life. She had to cut out the dramatics. This was it. She might have suspected it before, with the other two horses, but with Dante she knew .
“Damn.” She only whispered the word. Inside her head, the word reverberated like an enormous gong. Now what? How could she walk away from such an opportunity? This horse Sadie offered on a silver platter?
“Walk him out,” Sadie called, breaking into Rio’s musings. “Then bring him inside for a brush down. I want to see how Jessa is doing. Then you and she can start feeding.”
“Okay.” Rio led Dante around the ring until he was relaxed and the few perspiration-damp areas on his coat had dried. Then she brought him into the barn.
Jessa pushed a wheelbarrow down the aisle, stopping at every stall to deliver two flakes of hay to each hayrack. She worked in silence, her face void of expression.
Once again the girl reminded Rio of herself, and despite the fact instinct told her to leave Jessa alone, to stay out of her troubles, a sense of fellowship steered her into wanting to help. Knowing Jessa’s father, however, kept her from taking any action.
“You had a really good workout.” Sadie came into the barn leading two Shetland Ponies, Amos and Andy. “You up for more of the same tomorrow?”
Rio pulled a comb through Dante’s short black mane. “I actually would like another go.”
Sadie beamed. “Oh, you don’t know how pleased I am. You and Dante will be spectacular together. You wait and see.”
According to Sadie it was a done deal. Rio still had too much to worry about. Like her living arrangements, if she decided to stay. She hadn’t yet hiked down to the cabin to find her things.
Another night in the barn. Another day wearing the same old clothes. Not exactly an ideal situation. She had no choice. She’d have to sneak down to the cabin at night. Grab her stuff
No, being on this horse. Dante was the one, like Sadie had promised.
“I’ll be damned,” she mumbled and concentrated on the movement of the animal beneath her. And this was just a walk. She’d seen Sadie working Dante and had been impressed with the horse’s fluid gait. Now she looked forward to putting him through his paces.
She’d have to wait for Sadie’s okay before she could try it. For now, she’d take her time getting to know him. She kept him at a walk at the rail, becoming used to the feel of his mouth on the bit, his gentle tugging on the reins and the way he stepped out energetically.
“All right, my dear, let’s get down to business,” Sadie declared as she entered the ring and pulled the gate shut behind her. “You’ve had enough time with him, so tell me, do you love him?”
Rio glanced at Sadie with a grin. “So far so good. Of course I feel like I’m a mile away from the ground. You sure I’m not too small for him?”
“You may be small, but you’re tough. And strong enough for this powerhouse, and even better, you have a gentle touch when you need it. Dante knows that. Ready to work?”
That I am. It surprised her how much she enjoyed the hour-long session with both Dante and her boss. They started off slowly. For all intents and purposes she was a beginner and she had a lot to learn. Luckily both horse and instructor were patient with her. Although they were taking baby steps, Rio still felt a great sense of accomplishment when the hour ended and she’d mastered the posting trot. Well, in her own mind she did. She wouldn’t declare victory yet.
Only one problem hit her as she dismounted. Before her toes tapped the dirt, Rio realized she was now hooked on this riding thing. She’d finally discovered something she’d been searching for, long and hard.
In an attempt to put things in perspective, she argued with herself and her uncertainty. It’s your first real riding lesson, not the missing puzzle piece in your life. She had to cut out the dramatics. This was it. She might have suspected it before, with the other two horses, but with Dante she knew .
“Damn.” She only whispered the word. Inside her head, the word reverberated like an enormous gong. Now what? How could she walk away from such an opportunity? This horse Sadie offered on a silver platter?
“Walk him out,” Sadie called, breaking into Rio’s musings. “Then bring him inside for a brush down. I want to see how Jessa is doing. Then you and she can start feeding.”
“Okay.” Rio led Dante around the ring until he was relaxed and the few perspiration-damp areas on his coat had dried. Then she brought him into the barn.
Jessa pushed a wheelbarrow down the aisle, stopping at every stall to deliver two flakes of hay to each hayrack. She worked in silence, her face void of expression.
Once again the girl reminded Rio of herself, and despite the fact instinct told her to leave Jessa alone, to stay out of her troubles, a sense of fellowship steered her into wanting to help. Knowing Jessa’s father, however, kept her from taking any action.
“You had a really good workout.” Sadie came into the barn leading two Shetland Ponies, Amos and Andy. “You up for more of the same tomorrow?”
Rio pulled a comb through Dante’s short black mane. “I actually would like another go.”
Sadie beamed. “Oh, you don’t know how pleased I am. You and Dante will be spectacular together. You wait and see.”
According to Sadie it was a done deal. Rio still had too much to worry about. Like her living arrangements, if she decided to stay. She hadn’t yet hiked down to the cabin to find her things.
Another night in the barn. Another day wearing the same old clothes. Not exactly an ideal situation. She had no choice. She’d have to sneak down to the cabin at night. Grab her stuff
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