Chapter Twelve

 

Friday, November 22nd, 3:00 p.m.

 

I didn’t have cheer practice today because we had another football game tonight, and Jack wasn’t a happy camper. His doctor hadn’t released him yet. That meant my boyfriend would be benched for the next couple of weeks. I felt sorry for him. He’d goofed up when he tried cleaning a stall a few weeks ago. Robin’s rescue horse didn’t like guys and poor Jack caught the brunt of it when she wasn’t around.

He was a bit grumpy on the way to Shamrock Stable, but neither of us held it against him. I planned to have a quick session with Aladdin then help out with chores. My phone buzzed. Robin handed me my purse, and I dug out my cell. “Hi, Rick. What’s the excuse this time?”

“I don’t make excuses. I’m just really busy at work with everyone trying to get snow tires.”

“And I’m doing internship hours.” I repeated the fact for what felt like the umpteenth time this month. “Mom’s at the casino because she can work extra hours since you’re supposed to have the kids. Dr. O’Hara told you that you need to follow through on your commitments yesterday.”

Utter silence and then he said. “Well, I’m not going to pick them up, and I don’t know what you’re going to do about it.”

“Handle it because you’re not man enough to raise babies. You can only make them.” I ended the call and looked at Robin and Jack. “What?”

“You are such a witch, and I mean that in the most respectful way,” Robin said.

“Oh, you haven’t seen ‘witch’ yet.” I told her.

I started by calling the school and leaving a message for Miguel Diaz, the kindergarten teacher, that my mom’s new roommate would be picking up the kids. Then, I contacted Darby, who told me she was already on the way. She’d moved the car seats from my mom’s rig to hers that morning. I finished by calling Ingrid O’Hara’s office and leaving a message with the receptionist that Rick had bailed on his responsibilities once again.

Robin and Jack exchanged glances then eyed me warily. “What?” I demanded. “If I knuckle under to them, you two give me heartburn. Now, I’m standing up for me. If I don’t take care of myself, who will? And if something happens to me, who will look out for my sibs?”

“Makes sense to me!” Robin told me and her older brother.

Jack nodded. “She’s not a witch. She’s ‘the witch,’ and Rick better start calling her, ‘Ms. Witch,’ or she’ll send Robin and Dr. Larry out on a farm call, and we all know what veterinarians do in the spring to male critters.”

“Anything else?” I asked, trying not to laugh at him.

He flashed a quick grin at me. “Well, if the broom fits, ride it!”

I elbowed him. “You’re so lucky I think you’re funny.”

“That’s why you adore me.”

“Well, that and the fact you’re amazingly cute, super smart, and…”

“Please say you’ll stop now before I puke.” Robin bumped my shoulder. “It’s just icky listening to you fawn all over my jerk of a big brother.”

“I like fawning.” Jack winked at me. “My ego needs it after Coach lectured me about Twaziem stomping me again.”

“I don’t fawn,” I informed the pair of them. “I tell the truth as I see it.”

Robin groaned and buried her head in her hands while Jack just kept smiling.

When we reached the barn, we checked in with Rocky. Robin headed off to commune with Prince Charming. I went down to groom and saddle up Aladdin. I had a plan. If everything went well today, I wanted to ride him again. However, my time was limited. If that didn’t work out, I was good with it. I’d start slow and keep it that way. Rocky always told us to avoid do-overs if it was at all possible. I wanted Aladdin to progress, not regress.

Lots of carrots later, I led him out to the indoor arena. I attached the longe line, and he began walking around me on a thirty-foot circle. I turned with him. Walking, then trotting, halting, backing, and side passaging. Change directions and repeat the gaits. A half-hour later, I added on the second line and did double longeing. After that, I moved onto driving. He was so incredible today, totally focused.

I saw Sierra in her horse’s stall and waved to her. “I think we’re ready for riding when you are.”

“It’s four-forty,” she said. “Let’s not push it. You don’t want to teach him that people can go kerplunk.”

“You’re right.” I stopped Aladdin and petted him. “I’ll ride him on Sunday.”

“We only do two trail rides,” Sierra said. “There will be plenty of time to ride him more than once. I’ll pony you from Summertime, and we’ll take Aladdin to the big outdoor arena for schooling. He needs to learn how to work outside without freaking. It’ll be good for Summertime since he still thinks trees eat horses. I wish people would train horses to work everywhere, not just in the indoor arena.”

“Good plan.” I led Aladdin toward the gate. “Sometimes, he starts doing so well that I want to do everything at once. Thanks for reminding me that we want to train him right so he’ll be able to work here for the rest of his life.”

“That’s my mom’s plan too.”

“And it’s a great one,” I said.

After chores, we were on our way to Jack and Robin’s house when my phone went off. This time it was my mother. “Hi. What’s up?” I asked.

“Darby called, and she has the kids at home. When will you be there to take over?”

“Let’s see.” I paused and then said, “Sunday evening.”

“Are you joking? I’m not laughing.”

“Neither am I, Mom. I’m headed to Robin’s to shower and change for the football game. Then, I’m spending the night there. Tomorrow, I have a rec cheer competition, so I’ll be at the school by seven in the morning. Saturday night, I stay over at Robin’s again and go to the barn on Sunday for my internship. Rick needs to be a dad and keep his promises.”

“And how do you plan to make that happen?”

“It’s not my problem. Dr. Danvers tells me to own what is mine to own. You and Rick made those kids. I didn’t. So, I called Ingrid, and she will be on the phone to him by now. If I were you, I’d let him have the opportunity to ‘daddy-up.’ If he doesn’t, the judge will be ripping into him, not just the counselor.”

* * * *

Sunday, November 24th, 2:00 p.m.

 

The first trail ride went super. We spent the first half-hour in the arena teaching our guests how to stop, start, steer, and balance on their horses. Then, we went out on the trails for the rest of their time. When we returned to the outdoor arena, I helped line up the different family groups on their horses for picture time. The kids were thrilled at the opportunity to lead their ponies into the barn, and the parents looked nearly as excited. As soon as they left, Sierra and I raced to check the tip jar on the corral rail.

“Ten guests,” Sierra said. “Sixty bucks.”

We high-fived each other. That meant thirty dollars each. I so loved this place. And we’d only done one ride. We still had another one to do.

“Break time,” I said. “After lunch, I’ll tack up Aladdin.”

“Sounds good.” Sierra led the way to the office. She pulled sandwiches out of the fridge. “Egg salad or roast beef.”

“Egg.” I took mine and sat down at the table in the far corner.

When I finished eating, I grabbed a handful of carrots and my helmet. I went to the indoor arena, pausing to grab the saddle and bridle for Aladdin on the way. It didn’t take long to groom and tack him up. He’d grown accustomed to the work we did. I heard Rocky finishing her lesson in the ring. Awesome. Now, I could warm him up inside before I took him out to the big corral.

I picked up the longe lines on the way by the tack room. Then, I led Aladdin into the empty arena. I spotted Rocky in the bleacher area talking to a parent. I went ahead and started the Arabian on his circles. He really concentrated today. He knew the routine. Walk and watch me. When I signaled, it was time to change directions and walk the other way on the right track.

We built up to the trot and then the canter. Halts, backing, and side-passaging. Now, he was ready for driving practice. I hooked the reins to his halter rings, ran the long lines back through the stirrup irons, and sent him forward. More walking and trotting, then we halted and went through backing, side-steps, circles, reverses, and turns. I did figure eights and serpentines, teaching him everything on the ground that I would want him to do when I rode him.

When I stopped him after forty minutes, Rocky was still there. She slowly started to applaud. “You are an amazing trainer, Vicky. I never expected him to be able to do any of those things. What’s next?”

“Sierra and I are going to pony him from Summertime and I’ll ride him while she leads him.” I glanced at my watch. “That’s going to have to wait until after we do the next trail ride. I don’t want to rush him and break the anti-splat rule.”

Rocky nodded. “Well, be sure to give him lots of carrots when you put him away.”

“I will,” I said. “Is it okay if I leave him saddled up?”

“Yes. Let him get used to holding up the saddle and wearing the bridle. Take off the reins so he doesn’t hurt himself.”

“Okay.” I followed her directions and put away Aladdin. I fed him three more carrots. Then, I went up to the office to grab a drink of water before I went to help Sierra with the trail ride.

The ride went smoothly and when we checked the tip jar, we’d made eighty bucks. Woohoo, that meant seventy dollars for each of us. I got some money from my mom, but not much since she was always complaining about how broke she was and how expensive we were.

Lincoln High paid a stipend for me to do my internship at the barn, but I didn’t see a penny of it. I’d made tips working at Shamrock over the summer when I helped with camp and now I was earning more. That was another reason why I wanted a job. I barely had enough to cover my cell, and when Mom or Rick called all the time, they totally used up my minutes. Not that the two of them admitted it. No, they just said I was a teenager and wasted time texting. As if I had the chance.

I took a deep breath. I wasn’t going to think about them. I’d get a drink of water and go put Aladdin together. I needed to warm him up, and he couldn’t focus on the work at hand if I was stressed out. It’d just upset him. I sure didn’t want to take flying lessons. I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge outside the office door. It was carrot time and finally I headed down to the arena for Aladdin. He stuck his brown head over the stall door, tossing his black mane.

“Yes, I’m back. Come on, handsome. We’re going places together.” I fed him a piece of carrot. “Let’s go do some work in the indoor arena.”

It was almost four-thirty, and that meant it’d be dark in an hour. We did fifteen minutes on the longe for discipline and then Sierra arrived. She led out Summertime and joined us in the arena. Aladdin looked happy to see his best bud.

“We’re running out of time,” I said. “Let’s stay inside today. Like Rocky says, “The fastest way to train a horse is slow.’”

“You’re probably right. Do you have a competition next Saturday?”

“No, it’s a holiday weekend.” I began to smile. “And that means I can come both days to make up some hours. I’ll ride him outside then.”

“Sounds good. Let’s get you in the saddle now. After that, I’ll mount up and pony you and him.”

I belly-flopped into the saddle. Sierra guided my left foot into the stirrup, and I slowly swung into position. I gathered up the two sets of reins. One set was attached to the bit, and I’d barely use those. I’d hooked the gaming set onto the halter. If I needed to, I’d be able to pull firmly on those lines. Aladdin was accustomed to the pressure from a lead rope, and I had one of those too. He wouldn’t freak if I signaled him for a stop the usual way.

Sierra swung into her saddle and rode over to me. I passed her the rope. She turned Summertime so Aladdin was on his right side. She tightened the tension on the lead until Aladdin had his nose up by her knee, and he walked next to Summertime as we began to circle the arena.

Again, it was the way I generally began our lessons, and this way, he’d stay calm. I remembered watching the Clinton Anderson video about how and why leading a young horse from an older one was an effective training method. He’d said that ponying taught green mounts about cueing, yielding to pressure, and moving forward. It would also desensitize Aladdin to having another rider and horse nearby.

I reached down and scratched his neck in front of the saddle. “Good job, big boy. You’ll be a ‘real’ horse before long. If this keeps up, we’ll really be able to go to the Shamrock Stable Holiday Party on horseback in three weeks.”

“Everybody needs goals, but remember there’s no rush. If you two don’t make the Christmas party, there’s always the one at Easter,” Sierra said.

“Yeah, but all I want is for Santa to bring Aladdin a good horsy future.”