I was in Love with Monster

Jake Riding lessons

Jamal was still grinning at Jake.

"Dad, ride Pearl!"

Jake looked towards the stable.

Then at me.

"You're sure she's suitable?"

"She's perfectly safe for someone who has ridden before. She's just stubborn."

"How stubborn?"

"She occasionally believes she knows where we're going better than I do."

Ryan laughed.

"I remember Pearl."

I turned towards him.

"Good. You can make yourself useful."

His eyebrows lifted.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Go and get Pearl out of her stall and bring her out here."

Ryan glanced towards the stable.

"Okay."

"And her tack is in the tack room."

"I remember where the tack room is."

"It's been three years. I'm not taking chances."

Ryan sighed.

"What am I looking for?"

"The red-covered saddle. Her reins are next to it."

Ryan nodded.

"Red-covered saddle and reins."

"Correct."

He started walking away.

I called after him.

"And Ryan!"

He turned.

"What?"

"Pearl might try convincing you she doesn't want to leave her stall."

"I can handle Pearl."

I smiled.

"We'll see."

Ryan shook his head and disappeared into the stable.

Jake looked at me.

"You're enjoying ordering your brother around."

"Immensely."

"Thought so."

Jamal laughed.

Shadow stood patiently beside me while Jamal stroked her mane.

A few minutes later, Ryan reappeared leading Pearl.

I burst out laughing.

Pearl was walking at approximately the slowest speed physically possible.

Ryan looked unimpressed.

"Your horse is doing this deliberately."

"Of course she is."

"I've been trying to get her to walk normally."

"Pearl doesn't believe in doing anything normally."

Pearl stopped.

Ryan looked at her.

"Come on."

Nothing.

Jake laughed.

Ryan looked towards us.

"Is anyone going to help me?"

"Nope."

"Erin."

"You said you could handle Pearl."

Pearl finally started walking again.

"Thank you," Ryan muttered.

I smiled.

"She heard you."

Ryan brought Pearl into the paddock.

Then he went back for her tack and returned carrying the saddle with its red cover and the reins.

"There."

I nodded.

"Perfect."

Ryan handed everything over.

"Anything else, Your Majesty?"

"Not currently."

"Wonderful."

I took Pearl's tack and started getting her ready.

Jake watched carefully.

"You weren't joking about that saddle being easy to find."

"That's why I told him red."

Once Pearl was properly tacked up, I checked everything before looking at Jake.

"Right."

He suddenly looked less confident.

"What?"

"Your turn."

Jamal grinned.

"Come on, Dad!"

Jake looked at Pearl.

Pearl looked at Jake.

There was a long silence.

Then Jake said, "I feel like she's judging me."

"She is."

"That doesn't help."

I laughed.

"Come here."

Jake approached.

"Let her meet you first."

He held out his hand calmly.

Pearl sniffed him.

Then she nudged his arm.

Jake smiled.

"Maybe she likes me."

"Don't get confident."

"Why?"

"Because that's when Pearl wins."

Ryan folded his arms.

"I'd listen to her."

I looked at him.

"Are you actually admitting I know what I'm talking about?"

"With horses? Yes."

"Someone record that."

Jamal laughed.

I checked Pearl once more.

Then looked at Jake.

"Ready?"

He took a breath.

"Ready."

I smiled.

"Good."

Jamal called from Shadow's back, "Go on, Dad!"

Jake laughed.

"Apparently I don't have a choice."

"Nope."

I gave Pearl a gentle pat.

"Behave yourself."

Pearl flicked an ear.

I narrowed my eyes.

"I mean it."

Ryan laughed.

"You realise you're arguing with a horse?"

"She's started worse arguments."

Jake looked at me.

"And you're putting me on her?"

I grinned.

"Welcome to the Shilton ranch."About twenty minutes later, I decided that was enough for everyone's first lesson of the day.

"Right. We're finishing there."

Jamal immediately protested.

"But I want to keep going."

"That's how I know it's the right time to stop."

He frowned.

"That doesn't make sense."

"It does when you're riding. Finish while you're still enjoying yourself and before you or the horse gets tired."

Shadow had been brilliant with him.

Calm.

Patient.

Exactly what I'd expected from her.

Jake had also survived Pearl.

Mostly.

Pearl had attempted three times to choose her own direction, once tried heading back towards the stable and spent several minutes pretending she had absolutely no idea what Jake was asking.

But Jake had handled her surprisingly well.

I helped Jamal dismount safely before turning towards Jake.

"Your turn."

"I remember how to get off."

"Good. I'd be concerned otherwise."

Jake dismounted.

The moment his feet touched the ground, Pearl turned her head towards him.

Jake stroked her neck.

"She's actually lovely."

"She is."

"Stubborn."

"Very."

"But lovely."

"Exactly."

Jamal wrapped his arms around Shadow's neck.

"Thank you, Shadow."

I smiled.

"She did well."

"Can I ride her again?"

"If you're here long enough and your dads are happy with it, yes."

Jamal grinned.

Jake looked towards me.

"Ryan tells me you're a show-jumping champion."

I glanced at my brother.

"Does he?"

Ryan shrugged.

"I remember things."

"Apparently."

Jake looked towards the jumps farther across the ranch.

"So you compete seriously?"

"Yeah, but I don't just do show jumping."

Jake raised his eyebrows.

"What else?"

"Cross-country."

Jamal's eyes widened.

"What's that?"

"It's riding over a longer course with different types of obstacles."

"Like jumping?"

"There's jumping involved, yes, but it's different from being inside a show-jumping arena."

Jake looked interested.

"So you compete in both?"

"Yep."

Ryan smiled slightly.

"She's always been fearless on a horse."

I looked at him.

"I prefer skilled."

Jake laughed.

"Fair correction."

Jamal immediately asked, "Could we see?"

"See what?"

"You ride!"

Jake nodded.

"I wouldn't mind seeing either."

I looked between them.

"You've just had a riding lesson and now you want entertainment?"

"Yes," Jamal said immediately.

I laughed.

"At least you're honest."

Ryan looked towards the horses.

"Go on. I'd like to see how much you've improved."

I stared at him.

"Improved?"

Ryan immediately realised his mistake.

"That came out wrong."

"It definitely did."

"I meant since I last saw you."

"Three years ago."

"Exactly."

I folded my arms.

"Ryan, three years ago I was already better than you."

Jake burst out laughing.

Ryan looked offended.

"That's debatable."

"It really isn't."

Jamal looked between us.

"Can Dad Ryan ride?"

I smiled.

"He thinks he can."

"I can ride."

"Can you stay on?"

"Yes."

"Then congratulations."

Jake laughed harder.

Ryan shook his head.

"I've missed absolutely none of this."

I took Shadow's reins.

"I'll show you some riding, but Shadow's finished for now."

Jamal frowned.

"Why?"

"Because she's retired from serious competition, and she's already done her job teaching you this morning. I'm not going to ask her for more just because I want to show off."

Jamal nodded.

"Okay."

I smiled.

"Good."

Jake looked towards the stable.

"So who would you ride?"

That question made me pause.

Normally, the answer would have been easy.

But Snowbell and Knightstone had only arrived yesterday.

They needed time to settle.

Storm wasn't ready.

Queenie was out with Ricky.

Pearl had just been ridden.

And Shadow had done enough.

"I'm not taking either of the new horses onto a cross-country course when they've barely had a night here," I said.

Jake nodded.

"That makes sense."

Jamal looked disappointed.

"So we can't see?"

"I didn't say that."

His face brightened.

"I can show you the training area and explain what I do. Then another day, once everything's settled and I've got the right horse ready, you can watch properly."

"Promise?"

I smiled.

"Promise."

Ryan looked at me.

"Still as obsessed with horses as ever."

I stroked Shadow's neck.

"Some things didn't change while you were gone."

His smile disappeared slightly.

I hadn't meant it as an attack.

Not completely, anyway.

Jake broke the silence.

"Well, I'd still like to see the course."

"Come on, then."

I started leading Shadow towards the stable.

"We'll put these two away first, make sure they're comfortable, and then I'll show you."

Jamal hurried beside me.

"Do you have really big jumps?"

"Some."

"Have you ever fallen off?"

"Every rider falls eventually."

"Does it hurt?"

"Sometimes. Which is why proper training and safety gear matter."

Jake smiled.

"I think you've created a monster."

I looked down at Jamal.

He was already staring towards the distant training area with complete fascination.

"No."

I smiled.

"I think I've created another horse person."

Ryan groaned.

"One Erin in the family was enough."

I looked over my shoulder.

"Keep talking and I'll put you on Mateo."

Ryan immediately went quiet.

Jake laughed.

"Now that I'd pay to see."