Demon Tamer

If You Go Down to the Woods Today

“My horse is very quick. Sometimes he’s so quick he leaves me behind.”

                                ~Anonymous

“Are you ready?” I asked, grinning.

Sam gulped loudly, shifted in the saddle, and readjusted his death grip on the reins. “Do I have a choice?”

I rolled my eyes, “You asked for this, remember? Besides, I have never seen Abby lose a rider.”

“Never seen? So you’re not sure. I should just get off.” He started leaning forward to dismount.

“Don’t you dare!” I snapped, “I swear, you will go on this trail ride with me whether I have to tie you into that saddle!” He snapped vertical so fast I was surprised he didn’t vibrate with a slight ‘twang’ing noise.

Sam sat back in the saddle, hands going lose and almost dropping the reins, “That’s not fair. I know that was your instructor voice.”

I smiled happily. Even Demon seemed happy under me as he tossed his head. Of course, that might not have been in appreciation of me since he had been eating clovers recently and was literally drooling bucket loads which now splashed onto me, Sam, and the grey pony he sat on.

“Yep. Sam, I have kids who ask for lessons and then wimp out and you’ve got nothing on them. Now shut up and enjoy the ride.”

“Yes Ms. Heather.” He even saluted.

I narrowed my eyes and him and pushed Demon into a walk towards the gate.

“Got your cell phone on you?” I asked Sam over my shoulder.

Abby caught up with Demon and started keeping step with him—the two of them shared a fence in their fields and now got along okay, “Yeah. Why?” Sam asked.

“Because if something goes wrong and Demon leaves me bleeding in a ditch somewhere I want someone to be able to dial 911 for me.”

He had a slightly cocky smile for a second, “Is that what the helmet and bullet proof vest are for?”

“Of course. By the way, what blood type are you?”

The smile dropped off his face, “Heather, don’t do that.”

I glanced at his pale face. It was like I had pulled a gun.

“Fine. Sorry. Come on, I want to show you the woods.” Newbies.

Most people when they hear the words ‘horses,’ ‘woods,’ and ‘date’ automatically jump to a certain conclusion. One that involves a carriage, snow, and maybe a carriage driver that sings songs from Disney very well. Oh, and a blanket and champagne. That was not what Sam had thought up.

He decided he wanted to learn to ride first. So, for a week I had been working with him and getting up to riding independently. And today he arrived with a full set of saddle bags (where he got them I have no idea) and a request to go on a trail ride to a really pretty place.

So we rode. I took Demon and he took Abby and we just walked down the roads to the local woods and talked. We hadn’t talked for that long in a while. It was fun.

I took him to one of my favorite clearings in the woods. Years ago, when Daisy and I were still learning to ride, both our dads had come down here to put in a tall wooden pole with metal rings on it. Loops of bailing twine were tied to that pole and we could tie our horses to it. I guess it was what someone from Texas might call a ‘hitching post.’ We always used to tie the horses hear when we went blackberry picking.