"Are you riding with us later?" He asked.
"Riding?" I said nervously.
"You’re joining us tonight?" Niall's voice was full of fear.
"Yes, all the stable hands usually have an evening ride on Tuesdays around the fields and a Lunch time schooling session on Fridays. I sometimes join in on the Friday ones in the sand school. However, today I thought I'd join in with the trail ride, is that OK?" He aimed the last bit at Niall.
"No that's fine!" Niall said hurriedly. I frowned.
"I promise Monty's more controllable now, I know last time he galloped off..." Louis seemed to wince at the memory.
"Uh, I don't know how to ride," I wished the ground would open and devour me whole.
"Oh, I can teach you!" Niall offered.
"Its ok Niall, you help out with the first lesson and I will teach Harry in a private lesson," Louis smiled. Niall nodded with wide eyes and took Marley off of me.
"I have my hat," I said holding it out to show Louis.
"Put it on and I will tack up Flute," Louis said and gestured for me to follow him. I pulled the hat on for the first time and scowled my poor curls!
I followed Louis over to a pretty grey mare. She had a very long mane that was done up in pretty braids.
"This is my other horse, she's a lot older so she doesn't get ridden that much," Louis explained as he put the saddle and bridle on her, "She's very sensitive and extremely well behaved," Louis continued as he finished tightening the girth of the saddle. I walked over slowly and hesitantly to pat Flute, she flared her nostrils in a greeting and pricked her ears.
"Hey Flute," I murmured quietly. Flute snorted and I laughed, it was like she was replying.
"She's not a circus horse, Harry, she's a Spanish horse," Louis said smiling, "If you want her to do a real trick give her a proper command!"
"What are the commands?" I asked intrigued, I had heard of the Spanish riding school before but had Flute really been trained like that?
"Tap the top of her shoulder," he said and demonstrated. Flute lifted the leg high in front of her.
"Wow!" I grinned, how cool!
"Or tap it three times in a row..." He did as he said and Flute tucked the leg under her and lowered to the ground in a bow. My mouth dropped open and I looked at Louis in disbelief. Flute got back to her feet and Louis fed her a little treat and patted her neck. "But, my favourites this one..." Louis looked at me and this time he spoke the command, "levade," he spoke loudly and clearly. Flute pricked her ears and rose up into a beautiful movie horse rear. It was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen.
"Did you... teach her all that?" I stuttered, I watched Flute land again calmly as if she hadn't just been practically vertical in the air.
"Yeah," Louis blushed slightly; he looked so hot when he was embarrassed. I thought about this with a jolt, I thought Louis was hot!? Doesn't that mean I'm either gay or bi? Or can men think other men are good looking? They can right? I shrugged off the weird thoughts and smiled at Louis.
"Will you teach Morning Runner these tricks?" I asked curiously.
"Just call him Monty," Louis laughed, "and I'm trying, stallions are a pain sometimes though!"
"Are people afraid of Morning... Uh... Monty?" I remembered when I first saw him rearing up with Louis.
"Yeah, did you see Niall’s face when I said I wanted to come on the ride with you guys?" Louis laughed but it didn't reach his eyes and he sounded slightly bitter.
Chapter Two
Start from the beginning
