Chapter Nine: Horsin' Around

“Amanda, how in the world did you get on the horse backwards?!”

 

“I told you I didn’t know anything about riding horses.  That includes how to get on one.”

I was starting to question about this whole learning to ride a horse thing. My dreams of living on a ranch had never really included learning to ride but somehow I had let Chuck talk me into learning. My first lesson had just started and I was already off to a bad start.

“Get down and we’ll try again.”

 

I looked around and tried to figure out how to get off Shadow. I didn’t have a clue. Which leg should I swing over? Won’t one of my legs hit Shadow in the head? How in the world am I going to learn to ride this animal if I can’t even figure out how to get off.

“Let me help you.” Chuck was standing next to me and Shadow. “Take your right leg and swing it over to the side your left leg is on.”

"But how do I do that without hitting Shadow in the head?”

“Just be careful to not hit her.”

“Easy for you to say.”

I swung my right leg over, being careful to not hit Shadow. This is so embarrassing! This has got to be a hilarious sight for him to see.

“Use your left leg that’s in the stirrup to balance and support yourself while you lower your whole body down from the horse.”

I started to lower down from Shadow doing what he had told me, but I must have done something wrong. Before I knew it I was starting to fall down.

“I gotcha.” Chuck came up behind me and placed his hands on my waist. If he hadn’t, I would have tumbled to the ground.

 

“Chuck, maybe I’m just not horse riding material. I can’t even get on.”

“You’ll get it! It’s confusing the first couple of times but once you get it, it’s like riding a bike.”

“But I can at least figure out how to get on a bike.”

“You can figure this out too. Let me help you. Let’s go around to the other side of the horse. Okay, now put your left foot into the stirrup.”

“My left? Shouldn’t it be my right?”

“No whatever side of the horse you’re on is the foot you put in the stirrup first. You’re on her left side so your left foot goes in first.”

“Okay.” I put my left foot up in the stirrup. “Now what?”

“Reach up with both of your hands and grab the horn; the thing sticking out at the top of the saddle. Okay, now while pulling yourself up with your arms while grabbing the horn, use your left leg in the stirrup to push your right leg over the horse.”

I somehow did what he told me to do and was sitting on Shadow.

“How in the world did I just do that?!”

“After you do it enough times you won’t even have to think about it. Stay here while I get on the other horse.”

“What happens if she decides to go? I can’t stay here if she wants to leave!”

“She won’t go anywhere unless I tell her to. She’s a smart horse.”
 

He walked over to the other horse and was on it faster than I could blink. He walked the horse over to Shadow and me and spent the next hour teaching me how to hold the reins, kick the horse to make her go, pulling on the reins to make her stop, and turning the horse with the reins.

“Next time, we’ll actually go for a walk.”

“She won’t decide to take off will she?”

“No, Shadow is an older horse and doesn’t go as fast as she used to. Let me get off my horse and I’ll help you get down.”
 

He swung his leg over his horse and lowered himself down.

After watching him do it, I thought I had a better understanding of how to do it.

“That’s okay. I think I can do it myself now.”

“Wait, Amanda!”

He ran over to where Shadow and I were right as I was swinging my leg over. I must not have had my balance because as soon as my leg swung over, I started falling off the horse. While trying to save me from falling to the ground, he started falling too. When we landed he ended up on the ground and I was laying on top of him.

 

We looked at each other for a moment in shock. My heart was racing but I wasn’t sure if it was from the excitement of falling or because I was lying on top of Chuck, our faces inches from each other. I felt the blood rush to my face and quickly stood up.

 

 

“Are you okay? I’m so sorry Chuck!”

“I’m fine. Are you okay?” He stood up moved towards me looking concerned.
 

“I’m okay. I can’t believe I did that! I saw how easy it was for you to get off the horse and thought I had figured it out. Because of my stupid mistake we could have both been hurt.” I looked down at the ground. “I’m really sorry Chuck.”

“It’s okay Amanda. Neither of us got hurt. Next time just wait for me to help you.”

“Next time?! You expect me to get back on?!”

 

 

“Yes, I do. Even if I have to pick you up and put you on myself. The worst thing you could do after falling off a horse is not getting back on. Next time we’ll work more on getting on and off so you’re more comfortable doing that.”

“You’d make me get back on? I don’t have a say?”

“I have yet to let anyone quit while I was teaching them to ride. I’m not planning on you being the first.”

“Even if I kill you in the process? Aren’t you scared for your life at this point?” I was half kidding.

 

He laughed. “Not really. Next time I’ll just wear more padding.”

I punched him in the arm and stuck my tongue out at him. “Ha. Ha. Real funny.”

“I’d better unsaddle the horses and get them back in their stalls.” He made a move toward Shadow and then stopped. “Hey, do you want to grab something to eat later? You know to celebrate how you survived your first lesson? I could pick you up later.”

 

“Sure. But are we celebrating me surviving or you surviving?”

 

“Both.”  We both laughed. “Is 5 o’clock okay?”

“That’d be fine.”

“See you then.” He turned around and led Shadow to the barn. I headed back home to get cleaned up. One thing was for sure; riding horses was dirty work.

 

A little before five Chuck arrived at my house. I opened the front door and invited him in. “I’m almost ready. You can sit on the couch if you want.”

I went into my bedroom to put on my jewelry and quickly check my makeup.

“I just realized that I’ve never been in your house.” Chuck said while sitting on the couch.

 

“I guess you haven’t. There’s not much to it but I don’t need a huge amount of room and I’ve found that between work and spending so much time outside, I’m not here much.” I finished putting my jewelry on and walked out to the main room. “Sorry I’m running a little late. My sister called me a little while ago and if you answer the phone when she calls, you know you’ll be on the phone with her for at least 20 minutes. I thought about not answering but guilt set in.”

 

“Is everything okay?”

 

“Oh yeah. She was just checking up on me and when I told her that I had my first horse riding lesson she freaked out. Everyone thinks I’m a frou frou city girl but I’m nothing compared to her. She lectured me for a good 15 minutes about how dangerous it is to ride a horse. ‘You could break something falling off one of them you know?’ I didn’t dare tell her that I fell off today. I’d still be on the phone with her if I had. I’m ready to go if you are.”

 

“Let’s go then.”

 

“Where are we going?”

“It’s a surprise.”


We got in his truck and Chuck started driving to our surprise dinner spot. Maybe we're going to go to the Bistro. They usually have really good food for dinner.