by J. E. Cluney
“I think we’ll call you Million for short,” Ollie said as he patted the horse’s neck as he pulled open the stall door.
I stepped to the side as he led Million out, and I pursed my lips at the tall horse now fully before me. How he could feel safe getting up on that thing knowing he played up was beyond me.
Ollie thrust the lead rope into my hand and moved off to pick up the saddle.
He was right though. Million stood calmly, for the most part. He did paw at the ground, but remained still as Ollie threw a horse blanket over his back.
“For padding, don’t want the saddle rubbing,” he explained when I raised an eyebrow at it.
I just nodded as he then heaved the saddle over him.
Million didn’t bat an eye at this, and didn’t react when Ollie began doing up the strap under his belly.
“We call this part the girth, it holds the saddle in place,” he explained as he tightened it.
“These are the stirrup leathers and stirrups,” he indicated as he came around to my side of Million to point at the straps holding the footholds in place on the saddle.
He checked the fit on this side for the girth, satisfied with it as he patted Million’s shoulder.
“Now, for the bridle,” Ollie said as he clapped his hands together. Million’s ears flicked back at this, and Ollie went around the front of him to collect the bridle from the ground.
“Walk in front of the horse if you can. If you go behind it, make sure it knows you’re there, either keep a wide berth, or run your hand along him. Depends on the horse and its trust levels,” Ollie said as he came around and stood before Million’s face.
“Here, we’ll pop the lead rope over his neck while we remove his halter to put his bridle on,” Ollie said as his hand reached for mine. Our fingers grazed one another, and warmth flooded through me at his soft touch.
He must have felt it too, because he smiled softly at me, his fingers lingering on mine for a few moments before he caught himself and moved away.
He threw the lead rope over Million’s neck, and removed his halter to allow it to hang freely.
“And he’ll just stay there?” I frowned.
“He still thinks we have a hold of him. Some horses you’d like to actually have someone holding the lead rope around his neck, but he’s been pretty good so far,” Ollie shrugged as he raised the bridle up.
“C’mon, open up,” he asked gently as he nudged Million’s mouth with a metal bar attached to the bridle.
Million sighed and reluctantly opened his mouth to accept it.
“The bit, offers better control. Pops has trained a few horses to ride bit-less, but some ex-racers just don’t respond well,” he said as he did the bridle up and tossed the reins over Million’s neck.
“Well, that’s him all ready to go,” Ollie said proudly as he stepped back to look at his work.
“And here’s Baby,” Penny called out as she began walking up behind us with the gentle clip-clopping of hooves on the concrete.
I turned and smiled at the small mare, who, by all accounts, looked like a pony.
“Baby, I’m glad you’re still around,” Ollie said sweetly as Penny pulled her up beside me.
“She’s a tough old thing, good horse,” Penny stated as she looked to me. “Now, would you like a helmet?”
“Should that really be a question?” I shot back.
“I don’t use one,” Ollie said, and I shot him a shocked look.
“Penny said he rears and bucks!” I gaped.
“Yeah, and it wouldn’t be my first fall. I’m a shifter, I’m stronger than you think,” he winked.
“I’ll get you a helmet, you hold onto her,” Penny chuckled as she offered me Baby’s reins.
Baby was a gentle looking mare, a small white girl with grey speckling.
“Baby is what they call a grey, she’s in her twenties now, but her melanomas are getting bad,” Ollie said sadly.
“She’s got melanomas?” I murmured, feeling sorry for the mare as I scratched her head.
“They’re not as bad as those in people, slow growing, but it’ll be what gets her eventually,” Ollie said as he moved to grab hold of the lead rope around Million’s neck. Million was starting to paw and move, and I was worried he’d take off too.
Penny returned quickly with a white helmet for me, which I clipped on as I followed after her and Ollie with the horses.
I was glad I’d chosen jeans and a grey shirt today with my joggers. No riding if I was in a dress.
The thought of riding was a little scary, but also exciting. I’d never hopped on a horse before.
“We’ll get you up on her in the round-yard, Ollie will just have to wait,” Penny said as she led us down a dirt path to a large metal round-yard.
“Million will need to learn some patience,” Ollie said lightly as he patted Million’s muzzle. He was growing more and more impatient. “Maybe lunge him first too.”
Penny ran me through the basics about getting onto Baby. She was short enough that I didn’t need a step, I just put my foot into the stirrup, grab ahold of her mane and the saddle, and heave myself up.
She talked me through it, showing me quickly how to hop on and dismount, before stepping back to allow me to do it.
Baby stood stock still, her eyes half closed as she waited for me to gather up my nerves to climb on her. My hands shook to my annoyance, but I pushed past the uncertainty and did as Penny had instructed, hoisting myself up and into the saddle and holding the reins.
My heart hammered as I sat atop Baby, who didn’t make any indication of moving as I got myself comfortable.
“All right, now that you’re up, I’ll show you how you want to position yourself, shoulders back, head looking straight, your legs positioned like this,” she said as stepped over to position my legs right. “Heels down, hands like this,” she moved my hands into the correct position.
“Now, if you want her to move forward, you ask her to either ‘walk on’, click your tongue, or give her a gentle squeeze like this,” Penny said as she pushed my lower calf into Baby’s side. “Do it on both sides, and she’ll move. Now, before I get you moving, you need to know how to stop. A simple woah and leaning back a bit, even pulling a little on the reins, will get the halt. If you want her to walk backwards, tug gently on the reins, release the pressure when she obeys. And now, finally, turning. We call this ‘inside leg to outside rein’,” Penny explained as she moved closer to Baby’s side.
Penny guided me through this method of control, which was confusing along with all the other commands.
But eventually, she got me to practice it, and I clicked my tongue as I gently nudged Baby in the sides.
She instantly moved off at a nice, slow walk, but my heart still fluttered at the sudden movement.
“Relax, keep your posture,” Penny said as Baby followed the circle of the round yard without any aid from me.
I glanced over at Ollie, who was grinning at my achievement. I was actually doing this!
We practice halting and moving off, turning and walking backwards, then dismounting and remounting.
By the time I felt comfortable enough to go out of the yard, Million looked like he was going to take off.
I guided Baby out of the now open round-yard gate and off to the side, not yet wanting to get off her. I felt rather at ease now after the initial learning process, and Baby was so calm and laid back, taking everything I did in her stride, not once playing up or making me question her. She stood quietly as I watched Ollie walk with Million, who was now prancing like a frenzied, impatient beast.
Penny handed him a long lead and some kind of whip, and he hooked Million up before fixing the stirrup leathers up so the stirrups wouldn’t hit him in the sides.
I just watched, listening to the voice commands and movements of the whip as Ollie got Million to start walking around the yard.
Million disliked this, kicking up and pushing into a canter, but Ollie used the whip and l
ead to get him back down to a walk which resulted in stomping and head tossing.
This continued for over five minutes, this constant back and forth between the pair.
“He’s like this every time, won’t calm down, even if I let him canter,” Penny called out as Million kicked up once more. It was a troubling sight to see, especially if Ollie was going to climb up on him.
“You look good up there.”
I turned to spy Lucas coming over to watch us.
“Thanks, where’s Skip?” I asked as I turned Baby to the side a bit more.
“He’s helping Bob feed and check over the horses in the back paddocks. They’ll be another hour or so. We need to make sure we get you back for your shift at one-thirty, it’s only eleven now,” Lucas said as he walked right up to Baby and stroked her nose. He was smiling softly as he did this, and Baby seemed quite happy with the touches.
“I might take him out for a proper ride, give him the chance to stretch his legs the way he wants to,” Ollie said as he got Million to come to a stop.
“Are you sure? I’ve never taken him right out before,” Penny said uncertainly as she leaned against the metal rails of the round-yard.
“I’ll be fine,” he called back.
“He seems sure of himself,” I remarked as Ollie led the massive horse from the round yard.
“Horse riding is something he loves,” Lucas shrugged as he watched the giant chestnut exit the yard.
“Hey, Allison, I might borrow Baby if you don’t mind, just in case something goes wrong,” Penny said as she jogged over.
I nodded as I slid out of the saddle and Penny mounted up. I was a little saddened to have to get off, but I handed her my helmet. She shook her head and scowled as she did up the strap while Ollie somehow clambered onto Million’s back. He needed to jump up to get into the stirrup, and just the sight made my core muscles and legs groan.
Million pranced and twirled on his feet as Ollie let him dance around before pulling him up firmly.
“Will he be okay?” I turned to Lucas, who was smiling knowingly with a twinkle in his eye.
“Oh, he’ll be fine,” he grinned.
Ollie moved Million off the dirt track and towards the large open paddock to the left of the round-yard. I followed after him with Lucas while Baby and Penny walked along before us.
Ollie hung off Million’s back to undo the gate leading into the paddock, a miraculous feat considering how much Million was teetering and tossing his head.
“I’ll close it!” Penny called out as Ollie moved the giant chestnut through the open gate.
He nodded over his shoulder and then a grin spread across his face.
I gasped as he gave Million a kick and the horse rocketed off like a bullet.
“Jesus!” I cried out as the pair galloped across the paddock. How he stayed on was beyond me.
“That boy loves to ride,” Lucas chuckled.
I just watched, fear surging through me as Million spun around at the far end. Ollie stayed on, and the pair shot around the outside edges of the paddock, disappearing over a crest in the distance.
Penny clicked her tongue and pushed Baby into a canter to cross the paddock to keep an eye on him.
My chest tightened as I waited for him to show up again.
“Relax, he’s been riding since he was a kid. Before his curse, he used to compete,” Lucas said as he stepped up to lean against the gate. I followed suit, resting my arms on the warm metal frame as I spied Ollie and Million reappearing over the crest. They weren’t slowing down though as they continued their mad dash.
“What sort of competing?” I asked softly, amazed at his prowess. Million was doing some mad spins and turns, and Ollie was handling them with ease. It was like they were in perfect sync.
“Showjumping, barrel racing, all sorts,” Lucas grinned as he watched the pair zip across the paddock.
“Why’d he let the curse stop him?” I asked.
“It wasn’t just the curse,” Lucas sighed. “He had this stunning mare, a bay ex-racer. He retrained her from scratch when he was just young, never saw him get thrown so many times from a horse, but when he got her trained, she and him were perfect together. He competed on her only, taught her many disciplines. But her favorite thing to do was race, to run like this,” Lucas waved his hand at the pair as they hurtled back our way.
“What happened to her?” I asked, sensing there was more.
“She died. Random bout of colic got her. She was in a paddock down by the road, and Bob thought someone may have fed her something they shouldn’t have,” he sighed. “He stopped riding pretty much after that, just helped out occasionally with his pop.”
“That’s so sad,” I murmured as Ollie pulled Million up a few strides from us and trotted him over.
Million was panting hard, but he looked like he’d had the most fun ever as his muscles quivered and a new light glinted in his eyes.
“Guess he just wanted to really run,” Ollie laughed as he slapped his neck. “And he sure is fast.”
“He really is,” I agreed.
“Didn’t buck once either, you must have the special touch,” Penny called out as she trotted over to join us with Baby.
“He just needs more time to stretch his legs, get a good ride in,” Ollie said. The look of sheer delight and joy on his face made my heart soar. I hadn’t seen him so confident and giddy before. This was his element. What he truly loved.
“Yeah, well, maybe you can get your butt back here each week and ride him then. If we can’t get him slowing down, Robert will have trouble rehoming him,” Penny sighed as she patted Baby.
“I’m sure he can keep him around here, just like he does with Baby,” Ollie said as he scratched in Million’s mane.
“Yeah, but Baby is special, she’s been here since before you were born,” Penny shot back.
“Yeah, even us and the other two had a go on her, remember?” Lucas chimed in. “Taught us the basics of riding.”
“Maybe Ally can come out too if she enjoys it, give you another reason to come out here,” Penny suggested.
“I wouldn’t mind learning more,” I said, trying to keep the hopefulness out of my voice. Riding Baby sure had been fun, but I would not be up for galloping around like Ollie any time soon.
“Great, you both better come visit more then,” Penny said, her voice resounding with anticipation. Looks like we were hooked in now.
“Well, I might take him for a few more laps now that he’s got his race out, see if he likes to just do some normal riding, maybe see if he can jump,” Ollie said suggestively as he leaned forward to scratch between Million’s ears. He looked ready to go again already, those eyes bright and lively.
“I’ll pop Baby back, I have to get on with my other jobs, there’s a few other horses who need their work today and some paddock changes I have to do. It was nice meeting you Allison,” Penny gave me a nod as Lucas opened the gate to allow her through.
“You too, and it was nice meeting you, Baby,” I smiled as I stroked Baby’s neck on the way past.
“Baby would probably enjoy some more use, she likes riding,” Penny said as she passed me.
They continued off to the stable, and I watched as they went.
“Ollie sure was lucky having such a good grandfather,” Lucas sighed as he closed the gate again.
Ollie was already off with Million, trotting along nicely. He was no longer kicking out or tossing his head.
“You must miss yours,” I said softly as I turned to him.
“Yeah, he accepted me for who I was, never cared that I wasn’t normal,” Lucas pursed his lips as he looked out after Ollie with a soft frown.
“Are any of us normal?” I rolled my eyes.
“You know what I mean,” he chuckled.
“Why did your family care so much?” I asked gently.
“Because they’re so high class, same reason Ollie’s family turned their noses up at him. We didn’t belong anymore,” Lucas growle
d.
“Well, that’s their loss,” I shrugged.
He turned to me, those dark green eyes glittering as he gave me that gorgeous lopsided smile that made my legs nearly give way.
“Maybe your gain,” he winked, and a smile spread across my face as I thought back to when he’d kissed me. I hadn’t gotten enough of it, it was just a tease, a temptation. How I wanted to taste those lips now.
A glance out into the paddock revealed Ollie and Million were nowhere to be seen.
I stepped closer, Lucas’s curious eyes unwavering as he stared at me. All I had to do was stand on tiptoes to reach up.
“You are quite the tease for us, aren’t you,” he said, his voice lower than normal as his eyes dropped to my lips for a moment.
He wanted this too. I could feel it.
“Tell me, what’s up with Skip and you?” I breathed, leaning up so our faces were only a few centimeters apart.
“There’s more to this merry little band than you realize,” he chuckled.
I didn’t get a chance to ask what he meant as those lips caught mine, so soft and warm, but the sweetness was tinged with a hunger now.
I moaned as his hand reached up to fist in my hair, holding me in place as he sucked on my lower lip. The sensation made warmth wash through me, and I moaned as I ran my tongue across his lip, begging for him to deepen it.
He allowed me in, and I melted against him, the kiss sending butterflies fluttering in my stomach. The taboo of this, with Marcus and the others, made it so much more thrilling.
But it was over too soon as Lucas pulled back.
“Ollie might see us,” he rumbled softly, his hand sliding out from my hair to cup my cheek.
I pouted at the loss of his lips, but guilt gnawed at me. He was right. Ollie would be crushed. He was so innocent.
“If only…” Lucas started, but then bit his lip. The way it pouted out, I wanted to catch it in my mouth and suck on it. Hell, I wanted more than to kiss him. I wanted so much more.
I wanted them all.
A part of me knew that was wrong, but I didn’t care.
“If what?” I raised an eyebrow.
“Nothing,” he said as his eyes flicked back out to the paddock.
