“All the way out here?” The question came from one of the two suspicious men and I winced when I saw the look Cy shot over his shoulder at his brother. This wasn’t something they were expecting or typically encountered and he didn’t like it. Neither did the horses. They were all making noises and I could hear their hooves shifting and pawing at the ground.
Boss pranced wildly to the side as the noise grew louder and louder. Cy ordered us all to move to the side of the trail in as much of a line as we could make with the anxious animals fighting us. He said that he figured whoever was on the motorcycles would see us and hopefully, ride right on by our nervous line or stop when they saw the commotion they were causing. He was hoping they would agree to turn the bikes off so the horses weren’t spooked any further. He mumbled so low that only I could hear that if the riders were from around these parts they would know trail code and abide so that the animals were safe.
That obviously wasn’t the case. The camouflage painted machines roared and raced their way through the trees and down the narrow path like they owned the mountains. They careened way too close to the scared animals, like they were trying to purposely drive them into a panic. They succeeded because debris flew everywhere, and I knew if it was pinging against my skin and stinging, then it had to be hitting the unprotected horses. The men on the dirt bikes were garbed in camo and had their heads covered in menacing black helmets that didn’t show any part of their faces. The engines revved and the wheels bit into the ground as they thundered by, kicking up earth and chaos, as they raced past with little concern for the horses or for those of us trapped on top of the skittish animals. Their intrusion was going to end badly. We could see it coming from a mile away.
I heard Cy swear and Lane yell something at the men as they sped by, but then everything was lost in a whoosh and a blur as Boss suddenly bolted. I could feel the big animal’s fear as his body leapt through the air, desperately seeking an escape from the motorized growl that had disrupted our quiet afternoon. I called the horse’s name and struggled with reins as I dug the heels of my boots into his sides. He was in such a panic and so terrified that he ripped through the woods, not caring that branches and tree limbs ripped at both of us. His sides were heaving and I could hear him breathing like he was running the Kentucky Derby, with me clinging helplessly to his back. I was wide awake yet caught in a nightmare from my past.
I contemplated jumping out of the saddle, but there wasn’t a spot clear enough of timber and rocks to make a safe landing. I would end up with a broken neck if I risked it, so my only option was to hold on for dear life and pray that Boss tired out before I lost my grip.
All I could think as we careened wild and out of control, was that I had royally failed at showing the horse and the man who put me on him who was boss and that I really didn’t want to die trying to experience life flavored with a little bit of risk and chance. I didn’t want getting back on the horse to be the choice that ended it all.
No Bed of Roses
I had no idea how long the horse plowed through the unforgiving forest, but it felt like an endless loop of time where I struggled with no success to get control back. Terror clawed up my throat and fear raked its sharp edges down my spine. I screamed so long and loud that my voice cracked and I was pretty sure at some point I closed my eyes and prayed. My stomach hurt from all the knots it was tied in. The only thing that kept me holding on was the fact that Boss didn’t seem interested in throwing me off of his back. He was, however, determined to get as far away from what had spooked him as quickly as possible. Just like Cy had told me when I first climbed on. Boss was dodging and weaving his way through trees and leaping over rocks and brush at a dazzling pace.
He was hell bound for safety and he was taking me with him, whether I wanted to go or not. All I could do was hold on for dear life and ineffectively swat at the branches and pine needles that were ripping at my skin. At one point, a stick smacked me sharply across the cheek and I let out a little scream because the skin split under the assault and I could feel blood trickling down my face and dripping off of my chin. I was too scared to let go of the wild animal to swipe at the crimson proof of my predicament, so all I could do was swear in frustration.
Suddenly, as if my unspoken pleas were heard and some divine force decided it wasn’t quite time for me to be done learning all kinds of lessons about life and love, Boss broke out of the tree line and stampeded his way into a clearing that seemed completely out of place in the lush and dense woods. The wide-open space looked like the kind of tilled field that was found on a farm. As alien as it was in this forested terrain, it was a Godsend because the soft soil under the horse’s hooves startled him enough that his furious bolt slowed enough and I could safely throw myself off of his back to the ground. I hit with a jarring thud, and of course found a rock to land on. The wind was sucked forcibly out of my lungs and the sky blurred into an abstract blue swirl as tears of pain flooded my eyes.
I wheezed and groaned my way to my knees, head bent down as I tried to catch my breath, as my wrist screamed in pain as it let me know it had taken the brunt of the rock’s damage. I was sure with Boss now free of his burden he would continue on his rampage through the woods, but a velvety nose pushed against the top of my head making my hair move as he huffed out a breath. I think he was making sure I was all right as I struggled to get my feet back under me and my fright under control.
I lifted the back of my hand to my cheek and ineffectively rubbed at the blood that was trickling there. I reached up and patted the muzzle that was persistently pushing me and tried to mutter reassuringly that I was okay to the horse. I wanted him to know everything was fine. I wanted to tell him that I knew all about acting instinctively and foolishly when something scared you. I didn’t blame him for doing exactly what I did in the same situations. I even dragged people along for the ride with me as I raced away from whatever it was that spooked me, leaving them to suffer the damage.
Boss pranced wildly to the side as the noise grew louder and louder. Cy ordered us all to move to the side of the trail in as much of a line as we could make with the anxious animals fighting us. He said that he figured whoever was on the motorcycles would see us and hopefully, ride right on by our nervous line or stop when they saw the commotion they were causing. He was hoping they would agree to turn the bikes off so the horses weren’t spooked any further. He mumbled so low that only I could hear that if the riders were from around these parts they would know trail code and abide so that the animals were safe.
That obviously wasn’t the case. The camouflage painted machines roared and raced their way through the trees and down the narrow path like they owned the mountains. They careened way too close to the scared animals, like they were trying to purposely drive them into a panic. They succeeded because debris flew everywhere, and I knew if it was pinging against my skin and stinging, then it had to be hitting the unprotected horses. The men on the dirt bikes were garbed in camo and had their heads covered in menacing black helmets that didn’t show any part of their faces. The engines revved and the wheels bit into the ground as they thundered by, kicking up earth and chaos, as they raced past with little concern for the horses or for those of us trapped on top of the skittish animals. Their intrusion was going to end badly. We could see it coming from a mile away.
I heard Cy swear and Lane yell something at the men as they sped by, but then everything was lost in a whoosh and a blur as Boss suddenly bolted. I could feel the big animal’s fear as his body leapt through the air, desperately seeking an escape from the motorized growl that had disrupted our quiet afternoon. I called the horse’s name and struggled with reins as I dug the heels of my boots into his sides. He was in such a panic and so terrified that he ripped through the woods, not caring that branches and tree limbs ripped at both of us. His sides were heaving and I could hear him breathing like he was running the Kentucky Derby, with me clinging helplessly to his back. I was wide awake yet caught in a nightmare from my past.
I contemplated jumping out of the saddle, but there wasn’t a spot clear enough of timber and rocks to make a safe landing. I would end up with a broken neck if I risked it, so my only option was to hold on for dear life and pray that Boss tired out before I lost my grip.
All I could think as we careened wild and out of control, was that I had royally failed at showing the horse and the man who put me on him who was boss and that I really didn’t want to die trying to experience life flavored with a little bit of risk and chance. I didn’t want getting back on the horse to be the choice that ended it all.
No Bed of Roses
I had no idea how long the horse plowed through the unforgiving forest, but it felt like an endless loop of time where I struggled with no success to get control back. Terror clawed up my throat and fear raked its sharp edges down my spine. I screamed so long and loud that my voice cracked and I was pretty sure at some point I closed my eyes and prayed. My stomach hurt from all the knots it was tied in. The only thing that kept me holding on was the fact that Boss didn’t seem interested in throwing me off of his back. He was, however, determined to get as far away from what had spooked him as quickly as possible. Just like Cy had told me when I first climbed on. Boss was dodging and weaving his way through trees and leaping over rocks and brush at a dazzling pace.
He was hell bound for safety and he was taking me with him, whether I wanted to go or not. All I could do was hold on for dear life and ineffectively swat at the branches and pine needles that were ripping at my skin. At one point, a stick smacked me sharply across the cheek and I let out a little scream because the skin split under the assault and I could feel blood trickling down my face and dripping off of my chin. I was too scared to let go of the wild animal to swipe at the crimson proof of my predicament, so all I could do was swear in frustration.
Suddenly, as if my unspoken pleas were heard and some divine force decided it wasn’t quite time for me to be done learning all kinds of lessons about life and love, Boss broke out of the tree line and stampeded his way into a clearing that seemed completely out of place in the lush and dense woods. The wide-open space looked like the kind of tilled field that was found on a farm. As alien as it was in this forested terrain, it was a Godsend because the soft soil under the horse’s hooves startled him enough that his furious bolt slowed enough and I could safely throw myself off of his back to the ground. I hit with a jarring thud, and of course found a rock to land on. The wind was sucked forcibly out of my lungs and the sky blurred into an abstract blue swirl as tears of pain flooded my eyes.
I wheezed and groaned my way to my knees, head bent down as I tried to catch my breath, as my wrist screamed in pain as it let me know it had taken the brunt of the rock’s damage. I was sure with Boss now free of his burden he would continue on his rampage through the woods, but a velvety nose pushed against the top of my head making my hair move as he huffed out a breath. I think he was making sure I was all right as I struggled to get my feet back under me and my fright under control.
I lifted the back of my hand to my cheek and ineffectively rubbed at the blood that was trickling there. I reached up and patted the muzzle that was persistently pushing me and tried to mutter reassuringly that I was okay to the horse. I wanted him to know everything was fine. I wanted to tell him that I knew all about acting instinctively and foolishly when something scared you. I didn’t blame him for doing exactly what I did in the same situations. I even dragged people along for the ride with me as I raced away from whatever it was that spooked me, leaving them to suffer the damage.
