Wild Girl

[6] First Lessons

''So what? Everyone here can do it, right?'' I say, breathing a chuckle.

''No, nobody on this ranch'' She grins and I rub back of my neck.

''Oh, it is just luck.'' I grin, walking away. 

It was time for lunch, as I remember that I enter the canteen and people already took their places. I grab the plate of chicken nuggets and plastic bowl of ketchup. I sit in my chair and twist the nuggets.

''Can I sit?'' Tess asks.

''Sure'' I reply, digging in my food.

''Do you want me to give you riding lessons tomorrow?'' She asks when finishing her meal.

''I don't know, Tess'' I say, abandoning the table and the canteen. I walk outside and look at the grass near the paddock, where she was. Kira. She lifts her head and glared at me before pinning her ears and running behind the barn. I chuckle and sit on the porch which was pretty big. I grab a book from the table and read its name There must be horses. I read the description, about a girl from the city which was damaged and she always wanted to go with horses, she ends up on some farm where she wants to stay forever but she can for only a few days till he co-workers don't find her a home - without horses. And it is about that girl Sasha trying to change their mind and being with a damaged horse. Quite interesting.

I read the half of my book till I glare up and see the sunset, I leave the book on the table and walk a little in front. In distance, I see a rearing white horse, which looks black sunset and its mane flowing around.

How do I find something in her?

(...)

''Put your leg in the stirrup!" Tess shouts over the ring fence and I nod. I grab the reins and put my leg in the stirrup.

''Now, bounce off the ground to his back'' She says, smiling. I sigh and close my eyes before bouncing off the ground onto his back. I don't feel safe here.

''Good boy,'' I pat Swiftfire's neck and the horse nickers.

''You might want to gently purse him to walk by hitting him on his sides with your knees on the saddle'' She replies covering her eyes from the sun.

''Let's do this, we two can get along well'' I pat his neck again before grabbing the reins and doing as Tess says. Swift starts walking and I gulp. ''Good boy'' Is all I whisper. I look down and shake my head, don't fall, don't fall. We walk in bigger circles around the ring and I feel my head twirling. My legs slip out of the stirrups and I lose my grip on the reins, I slip off the saddle and hit the hard ground floor. The horse rears and runs off.

''Allison!" Tessa shouts, jumping over the ring fence.

'' It is alright, I'm all fine'' She helps me up and she smiles ''Sorry, do you want to try again?''.

Give up

Never give up! This will lead you the right path.

Voices argued in my head till I decide to say for my self.

''I won't give up, I will try'' I grin and Tess smiles warmly. I whistle and Swiftfire comes.

''Sorry, boy'' I say, patting his huge head. I walk to his back, holding the reins. I put my leg in the stirrup and hoist my self on the saddle. Swift dances on the place. ''Easy, boy. We are alright'' I soothe and he calms down. I pursue him to walk slowly and he obeys, with his ears flickering. This does not feel so bad, after all.

After 5 minutes of successful walking, Tess says ''You can try a little bit of trot?''.

''Sure'' I reply, sighing.

''Now, give him squeezes with your leg till he begins trotting,'' Tessa says and I nod, squeezing his sides, his pace quickens and soon he starts to trot. He had a smooth trot, I remember when I was very little like 7 years old, my aunt took me to her farm where I rode a horse with much more bouncy trot.

''Good job!" She shouts and I pat Swift's neck. ''Well done, boy, well done'' I say, smiling widely. I pull the reins and put my legs forwards till he stops.

''Where did you learn that?'' Tessa asks and I dismount the horse, tripping the reins over his head. I grab them and hold them under his head as I start patting him. He is an amazing horse.

''Oh, little bird taught me'' I reply, winking at her and she rolls her eyes. I continue to pat him. But I hear neighing from another paddock. I see Kira with men trying to halter her. They have whips in their hands and heavy frowns. They are hurting the poor mare. They corner her in the paddock and they laugh, throwing the whip over her back, she whines as she rears, hitting the whip out of the man's hand. Which slides under the fence as Kira goes wild.

''What are they doing?'' I ask ''Is there another way of acting with this mare?''.

''They have to do that'' She replies ''There is no other way for her, she is so wild''.

''Maybe their acts towards her is causing her to go wild, she looks troubled. She has the acts''.

''No, she was brought here wild'' She frowns ''Don't pretend you know something about horses, you don't.''

I frown and reply ''Maybe, but at least I would not hurt anyone here, was it a human or a horse!" I leave.