The Boy Who Loves Horses (Pegasus Equestrian Center Series)

by Diana Vincent

  “Of course I want to help!” Sierra believed she enjoyed the rehabilitative training of Cory as much as River.

  They started out with the big black in his usual work on the lunge line. Cory seemed relaxed and moved willingly into a trot and canter when River gave the signals. River lunged the horse in both directions and then nodded to Sierra, watching from the rail.

  “What do you want me to do?” she asked as she came up.

  “I’m going to just stand in the stirrup at first. I want you to stand on the other side and talk to him while you hold the bridle.”

  Sierra complied, holding onto the right hand rein, close to the bit, and stroking Cory’s neck while she murmured soothing words.

  River also talked to his horse, patting his shoulder, and then started weighting the stirrup with his hand while he watched Cory’s reaction. The black flicked his ears, curious as to what was expected of him. “Okay, here goes,” River said. Holding onto the pommel of the saddle, he reached his left leg into the stirrup.

  Cory threw up his head with his ears back and shifted his weight into Sierra, almost knocking her over. But she moved with him, keeping a firm hold on his bridle. The abrupt movement unbalanced River, and he fell backwards.

  “River!” Sierra called out in alarm.

  “I’m okay,” he assured her. The black turned his head to look at River, and seemed startled to see him on the ground. He watched warily as River slowly stood up and brushed himself off. Cory snorted and stretched his nose toward River as if to ask, ‘what were you doing down there?’

  “Calma,” River soothed in Spanish as he quietly stroked the nervous horse until his tense muscles relaxed. “I think he’s been ridden before and it was not a good experience,” River surmised.

  “I think you’re right.”

  River petted and murmured to his horse so that Cory paid attention as he tried again to put his foot in the stirrup. Cory once again stepped away, but not as violently. Sierra stayed by with a reassuring hand on his shoulder, and this time, River was able to keep his weight in the stirrup, holding onto the pommel and cantle of the saddle. He balanced there a few moments, praising the nervous gelding, and then dropped back to the ground. Both River and Sierra lavished praise and ended the lesson.

  Every day for the rest of the week, River lunged Cory and then while Sierra held the bridle, balanced his weight in the stirrup. Cory no longer jumped, but stood quietly.

  “I’m going to sit in the saddle today,” River said at the end of the week.

  Sierra steeled herself for the big horse to jump into her again. River balanced for a few moments in the stirrup before he swung his right leg over and settled gently into the saddle. Cory jerked his head up, his eyes wide; but otherwise he only flicked his ears and didn’t move from where he stood. River immediately dismounted and both he and Sierra petted and praised Cory for his very good behavior.

  From that time forward, River made rapid progress. After the first few times of only sitting in the saddle, he asked Sierra to lead Cory around. The next day, he asked Sierra to lunge Cory with him on his back. Then River gradually picked up the reins and gently began to use seat, leg, and hand aids. After another week and a half, River rode Cory independently around the arena.

  *****

  “Are you riding Fiel out on the trail?” River asked Sierra as he brought Corazón into the crossties.

  “Yeah, it’s way too nice to ride inside,” Sierra answered. It was Sunday in early April, and the promise of spring around the corner was evident in the clear blue sky, temperature in the mid-sixties, and birds singing their spring songs. She stepped back from buckling the saddle girth and looked over at River in the next bay. “You want to take Cory on the trail?”

  He nodded. “Fiel is level-headed and should be a good influence for our first time out of the arena…if you’re up for us coming with you.”

  “Of course, that’s great!” Sierra helped River brush Cory and tack him up, and then they led their horses out of the stable toward the field.

  Both horses held their heads high and stepped out energetically, enjoying the feel of spring as much as the humans. River whistled, and Storm trotted up with her nose quivering, looking forward to a squirrel chase.

  “No hay problema, easy does it,” River soothed his excited horse as he quickly mounted from the mounting block and moved him a few steps away while Sierra mounted Fiel. The black snorted and jigged and pranced in place, finding it difficult to stand still. River had his hands full as he played with the reins to keep Cory focused and sat deep in the saddle with his legs providing reassurance against Cory’s sides. “You lead out,” he asked Sierra, “do you mind keeping to a walk?”

  “Not at all,” she answered and moved Fiel down the incline across the field and onto the trail.

  Fiel truly was the perfect horse to set an example for his excited and green companion. He walked with energy but calm manners, looking around happily with his ears flicking. When Cory jumped or shied at objects, Fiel laid his ears back and snorted, as if to say, ‘don’t be silly’. Sierra could feel how much Fiel wanted to jump forward into a trot or gallop, but he obediently responded to Sierra’s half-halts whenever he bunched his muscles to increase the pace. Before they were even a third of the way around the trail, it seemed both horses had settled into a relaxed walk.

  “He’s doing great!” Sierra commented over her shoulder at how well Cory was now behaving.

  “Yeah, he’s smart and he figures things out pretty quick,” River replied. “Trail riding is going to be the best thing for him; both for his mind as well as building up his muscles. I think it’s all I’m going to do with him this summer.”

  “Sounds like a good plan,” Sierra agreed. “He certainly seems happy now.”

  “Yeah, he does. I’ll just keep him to a walk for a few weeks and then start adding some trot work. I bet by the end of summer we should be galloping around this trail!”

  Sierra laughed as she agreed, “I bet you will.” She enjoyed hearing River make plans for his horse.

  By the time they arrived back at the field, Cory acted as if he had been out on trails for years. He stood calmly as River dismounted, and then immediately dropped his head to graze, a contented and relaxed horse.

  Sierra studied the black gelding from a fresh perspective as they led their horses back to the stable. Out in the open air she appreciated how his body had filled out with weight and muscle tone, and how his coat gleamed with health. He no longer had a wary, suspicious look in his eye, but looked on the world with interest and curiosity. She studied the points River had been trying to teach her about a horse’s conformation; the straightness of his legs with even hocks as she watched him from the back, and the slope of his pasterns. She moved up closer alongside and admired the ample slope of his shoulder and deep chest. He had wide-set, intelligent eyes, fine ears, and a handsome tapered muzzle. He held his head in a natural arch with a wide open throatlatch. River had seen all these features in spite of his emaciated appearance. Now she too could recognize his exceptional breeding. An uncomfortable feeling settled in her stomach as she reasoned the horse must have been stolen. She didn’t want to think of the possibility of his previous owner showing up to claim him.

  After taking care of Fiel and Corazón, Sierra and River again rode out on Minstrel and Moose; but this time trotting and galloping at the prescribed intervals for their conditioning program. Then while Sierra rode Fala on the trail, River rode Pendragon in the arena, working on exercises to prepare the horse for moving up to fourth level. After that he rode Felicity, and then lunged a horse in training.

  With their riding assignments completed, Sierra and River cleaned tack together, and then helped Manuel bring in horses for the night. With chores done, Sierra joined River in front of Diva’s stall. They watched the mare bury her nose in her hay without once looking up at them.

  “She’s more interested in her hay now than you,” Sierra commented.

  “I th
ink she finally feels at home. I left her last night while she was eating and she didn’t even raise her head to say goodbye. And her hay was all gone this morning. She doesn’t need me anymore.”

  “She still needs you,” Sierra laughed. “Think about who owns her.”

  He just shook his head as they turned and walked out of the stable. He whistled for Storm.

  “So, if you aren’t staying with Diva, do you want to come over for dinner tonight?”

  “Where is Storm?” River asked, as he scanned the stable yard, distracted by the absence of his dog in her usual places.

  Sierra thought back to when she had last seen her. “You know, I don’t think she came back from the trail when we rode Minstrel and Moose.” She furrowed her brow, trying to picture if Storm had trailed after them in the field. She clearly remembered seeing her as they started out on their second trail ride, but honestly did not think she had seen here since.

  River whistled again, and then called her name.

  “Do you think she’s still in the woods chasing squirrels?” Sierra asked.

  “Not usually…but it is spring time,” he said in a worried tone. “I’m going to look there.”

  “I’ll come with you,” Sierra offered.

  They walked down the lane past the paddocks, with River whistling every few minutes and both of them calling her name. When they reached the slope of hill down to the field, River cried out, “There she is!”

  Storm walked slowly toward them, her tail tucked in tightly and shaking her nose side to side every few minutes.

  “Oh no,” River groaned, watching her behavior.

  “What’s the matter with her?” Sierra asked, but it became evident a few minutes later as Storm came within a few yards. “Oh, yuk, oh,” Sierra groaned, putting a hand up to cover her mouth and nose.

  “Storm,” River said in dismay, pushing her away as she tried to come up against his legs. “Were you chasing a black and white squirrel?”

  “Skunk!” Sierra stated the obvious. They both burst out laughing uncontrollably, covering their noses, for Storm looked so dejected and even embarrassed with her head low and tail tucked.

  “What are you going to do?” Sierra asked, as they turned back to the stable with Storm following.

  “I’ll have to give her a bath. I think there might be some special shampoo left over from the last time she chased a skunk.”

  “She’s done this before?”

  “A few years ago; I thought she learned her lesson, but I guess she forgot.”

  In a supply cabinet, River found what he was looking for; a half-full bottle of commercial skunk odor removal shampoo. “You don’t have to help,” River said, but felt very grateful when Sierra insisted that she would. They donned rubber coveralls that were used for bathing and clipping horses and then took Storm into the wash stall.

  Amid laughing struggles with Storm (who did not think a bath was the answer to her distress), and getting almost as soaked as the dog, they worked the shampoo into her fur, rinsed, and then again and again until they emptied the bottle.

  “Still stinks,” River said, tossing the empty bottle into the trash.

  “Let’s try some of that really fragrant horse shampoo,” Sierra suggested.

  “I think the smell is coating the inside of my nose. I can’t tell if she is less stinky or not,” River said after they used the horse shampoo.

  “I know what you mean,” Sierra groaned. She leaned back on her heels and released her hold on the wet dog. Storm shook herself vigorously, spraying water all around and soaking their already wet coveralls, and they both jumped up, laughing.

  “Well,” River glanced over at Sierra, and suddenly he found himself very aware of how she looked just then, standing in her splashed coveralls with soapy water dripping off the ends of her braids. She had smudges of dirt on her cheek and bits of wet dog hair clung to her clothes. Her brown eyes shown in the bright light of the wash stall, and her cheeks were flushed a warm, pink color. She is very pretty! Sierra met his eyes, laughing, and he suddenly felt his own face flush with heat. To hide his embarrassment, he scooped a clump of soap suds from Sierra’s sleeve and playfully set them on the tip of her nose.

  “Hey,” she protested, laughing harder, and she scooped up a handful of suds and retaliated by putting them on his chin. Soon they were in a full-fledged soap bubble fight, laughing at each other and at Storm, who wagged her tail happily, feeling reprieved by their antics.

  “Very cute,” a derisive voice announced.

  Sierra and River both turned in surprise, their hands full of soap suds. Laila stood in the stall entryway with arms folded and wearing a bemused expression. She was dressed in her usual assortment of pierced jewelry and a long-sleeved black jersey tucked into a short black leather skirt, black tights, and chunky heeled black shoes.

  “Laila!” River greeted, and he felt his face heat up again. “Hi.”

  She cocked her head to the side, “Hi, River.”

  He smiled and stepped toward her, feeling somehow embarrassed in front of Sierra.

  “Where have you been?” Laila asked.

  “Here,” he replied lamely.

  “Your aunt thinks you ran away again.”

  “No, um…I’ve been horse-sitting,” he explained. He glanced at Sierra from the corner of his eye. He could think of nothing to say.

  “Uh, River, I better get home,” Sierra said quickly, and she stepped past Laila. “See you tomorrow.”

  “Bye, thanks for your help,” he said to her retreating back. He turned his attention back to Laila. “Um…”

  She laughed. “So you’d rather spend time with a horse than with me.” She sounded amused, not angry.

  “No! No, I wouldn’t. It’s just…” he fumbled for an explanation.

  Laila stepped up to him and lifted his chin with a forefinger so he would have to meet her eyes. She smiled. “I’m not your girlfriend, remember? It’s okay. You didn’t return any of my calls, and I was a little worried that you might have run away.”

  “No, um, I’m glad to see you.”

  “Are you coming home tonight?”

  “Yeah, I was just getting ready to leave.”

  “Shall I take you home?”

  “Okay, yeah…good. I just need to shut out the lights and lock up.”

  “I’ll wait for you in the car.” She turned to go but said over her shoulder, “You stink!”

  *****

  Sierra pedaled her bicycle home, her thoughts in a whirl. It had been so much fun helping River bathe Storm; and it had really surprised her when he started the soap suds fight. That had been fun too. In fact, her best times were at the stable working with River. Allison was her best friend at school, but she really thought of River as an equal best friend, and even more, as her big brother.

  So why does it bother me that he left with that weird gothic girl? He had said ‘just a friend’ when she had asked about her the first time she showed up at the stable. But he kissed her! She wasn’t sure if what bothered her was that he might have a girlfriend, or that he kept it a secret. “I don’t care if he has a girlfriend,” she said out loud. Just not that girl! She doesn’t like horses, she smokes, and she’s just plain creepy.

  The cottage came into view and Sierra sighed, trying to shrug off her confused feelings. As she wheeled her bicycle into the garage, she noted a strange car in the driveway. Who could that be? Sierra and her mother rarely had visitors other than River, their landlords, and their lawyer Mr. Tanglewilde. That’s not the lawyer’s car. Sierra stepped into the utility room through the back door. She heard voices talking in the kitchen.

  “Sierra,” Pam greeted as her daughter entered. Pam sat at the kitchen table across from a man who looked to be around her mother’s age; a pleasant-appearing man of medium height with light brown hair and blue eyes behind glasses. Eyes that Sierra immediately noted looked warmly at her mother. “I’d like you to meet Ron.”

  “Hi, Sierra,” Ron greeted, risi
ng from his chair and stretching out his hand.

  “Nice to meet you,” Sierra responded automatically as she shook his hand, feeling bewildered by his presence here.

  “I’ve been trying to get a date with your mom for months,” Ron explained. “She finally agreed to let me come over for dinner tonight.”

  Sierra looked at her mother and thought she detected a guilty look in her eyes.

  “He is very persistent,” Pam said sheepishly. “Anyway, Ron brought pizzas and all we have to do is heat them up. I made a salad. We’re just waiting for you.”

  “I’ll go get cleaned up,” Sierra said and fled to the bathroom. Betrayed! Twice in one day; first by River and now her own mother! Sierra’s emotions were a turmoil of hurt, disappointment, and anger. It’s the secrets; that’s what bothers me.

  She washed her face and hands and then went to her bedroom to change clothes, taking as long as possible to avoid joining the stranger ogling her mother. But as she heard their laughter from the kitchen, she could stand it no longer and left the sanctity of her room to see what was going on.

  Ron was a pharmacist at the hospital where Pam had been training. He actually did seem like a decent enough guy, and obviously her mother had told him about Sierra for he knew things about her. He asked Sierra many questions about school and then Fiel and her riding experiences. His comments were intelligent and he seemed genuinely interested.

  “You are a very special and unique young woman,” Ron said at the end of the meal. “Your mother didn’t exaggerate at all when she talked about you. I have enjoyed our conversation.”

  “Thank you,” Sierra responded politely.

  “Your mother is pretty special too,” Ron added. Sierra nodded in agreement. “Do you think you would mind if I took her out to dinner some evening; you know, on a date?”

  “Ron, that’s not fair,” Pam interjected.

  “If my mom wants to then I don’t mind,” Sierra replied graciously. She had been watching her mother during dinner, the slight blush when Ron looked at her and the relieved look on her face when Sierra and Ron conversed amicably. She likes him. My mother deserves a good friend and I’m being selfish to resent him. But she did resent him.