The girls all look comfortable, even Brenna. Zoe has the best posture, and Maggie is sitting well, too. Sunita and Brenna are getting bounced around in the saddle a little, but that’s OK. They’ll learn how to move with the horse soon.
We climb the long hill behind the barns. Below us, I can see Mr. Quinn mount Starfire, and the two of them start their jumping exercises in the ring. He and Starfire look like they are one animal, like something out of a storybook—turning, cantering, leaping, and landing. That’s what I’m going to look like when I ride Trickster.
Linda stops at the top of the hill, where the trail forks. One path continues up over the hill, and the other heads into the woods.
“Which trail are we going to take?” Maggie asks.
Linda points to the right. “We’ll ride along the top of the hill, then down the other side. It’s a gentle slope,” she explains. “You can’t take the wooded trail until you have more experience.”
“When do we get to jump?” Zoe asks.
“Not today,” Linda says, smiling. “Not for a while. Let’s go.”
She presses her heels into the sides of her horse and he steps forward. Maggie, Sunita, and Zoe’s horses follow her. But Brenna’s horse doesn’t move. She flaps the reins. Blitzen stays put.
“Maybe you should say please,” I tease, as Trickster and I walk toward them.
“You’re no help,” Brenna says.
“Use your legs,” I say. “Give her a gentle squeeze.”
“I’m trying. She won’t go!”
“Move forward. You’re sitting too far back in the saddle.”
Brenna looks exasperated. “David, look at me. If I move up any farther I’ll be sitting on her head! You’re the big horse expert. Do something!”
As Trickster and I step closer, Blitzen flattens her ears and skitters sideways. She’s staring at Trickster, swaying her head a little so she can get a good look at him.
“Hang on,” I say. “I don’t think Blitzen likes Trickster very much. He’s making her nervous. Let me tie him up.”
I lead Trickster a few steps away and look around for something to tie him to. There is nothing, unless you count a few patches of daisies. I could lead him across the field to the woods and tie him to a tree, but then I’d have to walk him to the woods, walk back, help Brenna, walk to the fence, get Trickster, and catch up with the group. It makes me tired just thinking about it.
“Go get Linda,” Brenna suggests. “This isn’t working.”
“Don’t worry. I can handle this.” I say confidently. “Give me one second.”
I lead Trickster farther away to a thick clump of grass. “Snack time, boy. Stay here and munch while I help Brenna.”
Trickster snorts once and lowers his head to nibble hungrily. He’s not going anywhere, not while he can eat.
“Are you sure he’s going to be OK there?” Brenna calls.
“We understand each other,” I say. “He listens to me. Now let’s deal with Blitzen.”
As soon as I get close enough to touch Blitzen, she nervously steps sideways again. “Well, that worked,” I say. “She just likes to walk sideways, that’s all.”
“Be serious,” Brenna says. “I don’t want to go sideways. I want to go forward. Go get Linda.”
Linda and the others are out of sight. They’ve already started down the other side of the hill.
“We don’t need her. You just have a stubborn horse. It’s a perfect match, if you ask me.”
“Oh, ha,” Brenna says with a scowl.
“You don’t like this, do you?” I ask.
Brenna looks back down the hill to the show horses and barns.
“Are you afraid?” I ask.
“Yeah, kind of,” she admits. “Don’t you dare tell anyone.”
“Cross my heart and hope to die,” I say, crisscrossing my fingers over my shirt. “Your secret is safe with me. But there is nothing to be afraid of. You’re doing fine. You just have to relax.”
“Easy for you to say!”
“Come on, you’re the nature queen. Be natural. Blitzen is acting weird because she doesn’t know what you want her to do. Hold the reins loosely, look straight ahead, tell her to walk, and give her a little kick. Be confident.”
Brenna takes a deep breath and picks up the reins. “I can do this, right?”
“Tell her what to do.”
Brenna looks determined. “Blitzen, giddyup,” she says with authority, squeezing her heels.
Blitzen takes a step forward, hesitates, then takes another step. And another.
“See? You did it all on your own!” I say, walking next to them.
Trickster looks up at us to see what’s going on, then goes back to his snack.
Brenna grins. “Yeah, I did, didn’t I?”
Maybe I could give lessons this summer. Teaching isn’t that hard.
“Good job, Blitzen,” I say, giving the horse a smack on the rump.
Big mistake.
Blitzen hunches her back and takes off like a shot for the woods, with Brenna bouncing in the saddle. It’s like I set off a firecracker.
“Help, help!” Brenna cries. “DAVID!”
“Brenna!” I scream. “Pull back on the reins!”
“I cant!” she shouts. “DAVID!”
Blitzen is heading for the woods.
I spin around. Linda can’t see us. We’re alone. Trickster lifts his head, whinnies, and—
“NO!”
Trickster breaks into a gallop and takes off in hot pursuit of Blitzen. He looks like a turbo-charged horse, running like wildfire, his legs a blur. He thinks this is a race.
“HELP!” Brenna screams. One of her boots has slipped out of the stirrup and she has dropped the reins. Blitzen suddenly turns away from the woods. Trickster follows.
“Hang on!” I holler.
Brenna clutches onto the saddle horn with both hands. She is not balanced at all. If she falls she could break her neck! What do I do? I can’t catch either horse. I can’t leave to get help. Oh, no, this is all my fault!
“Help!” I scream loudly. “HELP!”
Blitzen swerves back the other way and heads for the wooded trail again. Trickster quickly changes directions and stumbles. His leg! He’s hurt it again. He keeps running, but not as fast as before.
“Pick up the reins!” I shout as Brenna vanishes into the woods. Trickster follows. No one is coming to help. I sprint toward the woods, trying to make my feet fly, ignoring the pain in my side. At least I’ll be able to help Brenna if she falls. No, don’t think that. She’s not going to fall. She’s not going to fall.
The trail turns sharply to the left as it enters the woods. Keep running. Keep running.
There they are!
Trickster is right behind Blitzen, chasing her down the trail. Brenna is still clinging to the saddle, but both of her feet are out of the stirrups now.
Suddenly, I hear hooves thundering behind me. I jump out of the way just in time for Mr. Quinn to rocket by on Starfire.