Lise looked around her new home, wiping the
dust off her hands and transferring them to her faded jeans. Her gaze was rewarded with the tiring sight
of boxes - many boxes that still needed unpacking.
"They can totally wait," she
commented to no one in particular, ignoring the voice that was telling her it'd
be smarter to at least have her bedroom and breakfast for the morning organised
before she went wandering.
Closing the door on her logical thoughts,
she stepped away from the house and headed over to the nearest building - a
stable. She paused at the entryway, a
risen voice thickly accented causing her to just stop and listen.
“I wish they wouldn't interfere
sometimes! Those girls think they can do
everything. Women!” the young Irishman
muttered, holding a yearling while an older male cleaned a cut on its near hind
cannon.
The young horse had escaped the day before
and hurt itself. All, Declan concluded,
because two of his coworkers were trying to prove a point about females
handling high-strung colts.
“Well, taking that outburst into
consideration, I guess you’re going to have a problem with me,” Lise commented
suddenly, leaning casually against the nearest box as she gazed down the
breezeway at the two men treating the young horse.
“And who are ye?” the broad Irish fellow
asked in a bored tone, not bothering to hide his disinterest.
“Your new work mate,” she grinned, stepping
forward and offering her hand.
“I’m Trevor,” the older male with slightly
greying hair stepped forward, taking her hand in a firm shake while the younger
stayed where he was, holding the horse.
“Lise Hemmingway,” she responded, smiling
at the man before her gaze traveled to meet the eyes of the other male.
“…and this is Declan. Generally we both deal with the stallions.”
“Mmm… I guess you won’t have to deal with
me that often then. I’m possibly taking
on the assistant neo-natal position when the breeding season comes back
around,” she told them, referring to the numerous young foals that were born
and raised on the property.
Declan raised a brow, taking in the young
woman properly this time. She stared
back, not impressed with his sudden appraisal but willing to sum up the two
figures. She noticed a considerable
contrast between the older man’s kind brown eyes, well worn clothes and rough
hands, and the younger male’s taller frame, neater clothes and challenging blue
eyes fitting well with his ebony hair.
“How old are ye?” Declan blurted out
suddenly, his gaze returning to her face.
“How old do I look?” she challenged.
“Sixteen, seventeen,” he shrugged.
“That’s an awfully young age to be working
in such a specialised field, don’t you think?” she commented, turning from the
pair and heading down the breezeway.
“It was nice meeting you, Trevor.”
The older man chuckled as he looked up at
Declan; quickly discerning the younger man wasn’t impressed.
“I like her already.”
Declan grunted, turned the horse around and
lead it back into its box, removing the bit and head collar before exiting the
box and sliding the door shut.
"Another one to put up with who
probably thinks she knows everything. Just what we need."
"I bet you twenty bucks you'll have
changed your mind by the end of the month," the older male smiled at him,
his look telling Declan he knew something the younger male didn't.
Not likely!
"I'll take that bet."
***
Many that turned
up for lessons were well aware of being around horses and had done so for years
but because she never knew how much they knew and how much they thought
they knew, it was always safer to explain how things were done at the East
Riding School.
She cast her eye
over the two ponies that were waiting patiently, half dozing in the shade,
taking advantage of the rest before two new bodies were placed on them. Bodies that often represented beginners, legs
flapping, insistently asking the loyal creatures to move forward, reins being
yanked on, asking them to slow - sometimes the legs and arms at the same time;
just to make things a little more confusing.
Tucking a strand of auburn hair that had escaped back behind her ear, Madison
"Well, glad
they know how to behave around horses," she muttered sarcastically,
stepping away from the horses and towards the two children; a friendly smile
making its way onto her face.
"Geordie
and Hannah?" she queried, stopping in front of them, her gaze flicking up
to the two mothers behind the pair before refocusing on her students.
The pair nodded,
both smiling widely.
"Great! We might as well get started. You can call me Emmy and over here," she
gestured, turning her attention to the two steeds in the tie up area, "are
Sheila and Dundee . Geordie, you're on the chestnut mare Sheila,
and Hannah you'll be riding Dundee
today."
Both girls
rushed towards their mounts for the lesson, causing Madison
"Before you
both rush in there," she called out loudly, strolling after them,
"I'd like to show you how we prefer people to move around the horses while
at the East."
"Oh, we
already know all that," Geordie spoke up, stroking the face of Sheila.
"Wonderful! Then you'll know that I'd much rather you
walk up to the side of the horse and pat her from there as a way of hello,
rather than directly in front of her," she commented easily, still
smiling.
Frowning, the
pair of girls both turned to face her.
"Ok. So let me go over how we approach and handle
the horses here," she stated again, this time having both girls’
attention.
Horse Country by
Christine Meunier is available for sale in hard copy and ebook format. Details, reviews, excerpts and blog posts can
be found at http://www.horsecountrybook.com/
Horse Country - A World of Horses available for sale July 1st!
1 comments:
Thanks for this, Allison!
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