Waterworks (H2O Just Add Water) 🌊

35. Riding for a Fall

(I don't own this pic. All credit goes out to the original creator. This is the horse Zoey rides on during the riding lesson.)

Emma had told me and the other girls that her parents had signed up Elliot for riding lessons and had included her as her brother was too young to go at it alone. She invited me to go with them to watch the session.

Elliot was excited about learning to ride. It reminded me of a family trip in Montana and Wyoming when I was about Elliot's age. After my maternal grandmother died, both Mom and Dad decided that we needed a vacation to distract ourselves from the loss and they decided on the Western States. We got to attend a rodeo and I was one of the kids who got to learn horseback riding for free. 

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I accompanied both Emma and Elliot to the riding grounds. I smiled at the sight of the horses grazing as the three of us headed for the stables where we would find one of the instructors. Mom loved horses and whenever she saw one or more, she would get excited. Seeing a lot of equine made me think of her.

"Is that the riding instructor?" Elliot wondered pointing out one of the guys caring for one of the horses.

"No, he's the stable hand," Emma answered, "This is the instructor." She turned to an older man, "Hi, this is Elliot. He's here for a riding lesson."

"You'll, uh, want to talk to Ash," the man informed her.

"Sometimes, instructors can be anyone of any age," I told Elliot.

"How can I help?" Ash approached us.

"You're the riding instructor?" Emma questioned him not believing it.

"Sure am. Is there a problem?"

"No. I mean I just thought you'd be a little older."

I could tell Emma was a bit embarrassed about her comment to Ash.

"Really," Ash smiled, "Right. Ah, how old do you need to be?"

"When I was learning, all the instructors were adults," Emma explained.

"And how long ago was that?"

"A while."

"Right. Well, uh, I've been riding since I was four, so that gives me 14 years of experience."

"Great. Well, I started when I was six."

"When you were riding tiny, little ponies," Elliot smirked at Emma.

"Well, this is Elliot," Emma introduced her brother, "And he's pretty keen to get started, aren't you, Elliot?"

"Great," Ash grinned and shook hands with him, "Pleased to meet you, Elliot. I'm Ash." He turned to Emma and me, "And you two are?"

"Emma."

"I'm Zoey. Em invited me to watch the sessions," I introduced myself.

"Cool," Ash nodded.

"And, can we get a bit of a move on here, please?" Emma asked wanting to get it all over with impatiently.

"Sure," Ash led us in a direction, "This way."

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Ash had gotten one of the horses saddled and reined and rode in a small arena. The horse galloped and leaped over the hurdles like a champ. It made me think of the barrel riders at the rodeo.