Cowgirl Up (34 page)

“I’m no Olympic contender, but I can keep myself from drowning.”

“Coal’s method is much less painful for both horse and rider,” Lucas added. “Hitting the water is much more comfortable than hitting this rock-hard ground.”

“Well, this I’ve got to see,” she said, disbelieving.

“Tom’s already got a halter and lead on that big paint you wanted, Coal,” Gene said.

“Have you boys got your horses picked out and ready?” she asked.

“Yes, ma’am, we’re just waiting on you,” Lucas answered.

“Okay then, step one is getting them down to the water. We begin by leading them in and allowing them to swim until they begin to tire and then we mount up bareback in the water. Just sit back and watch this round and Harley can explain the process.”

Coal entered the corral and took the rope lead from Tom, who had been steadying the large painted horse. She moved slowly toward the horse and stroked down his face and neck while talking softly to him. The horse quivered with excitement under her touch and she could feel his muscles rippling under her hand. He was a magnificent specimen and she was certain he would prove very challenging. Coal placed her hand on the lead near the halter and urged him to walk beside her. The young horse immediately pulled away from her control, but she wisely used the advantage of leverage to bring him back to her. They walked together inside the corral for several minutes.

When Coal nodded to him, Roy opened the gate and she led the horse out of the corral. Once more, he attempted to break free of her control, but her speed and strength quickly turned his head preventing him from bolting away. She was excited to get the horse into the water, but Coal calmly led the horse to the lake and with gentle coaxing, walked him into the refreshing water. Coal snapped the other end of the rope lead onto the halter and slipped the makeshift reins over his head.

Stormy, Melissa, and Harley drove down on the gator with Coal’s saddle and sat beneath the oak watching as Coal and the colt wandered into deeper water and the horse began to swim. Coal held onto the reins once she could no longer touch the bottom, allowing the horse to pull her along beside him as he swam.

“That actually looks like fun,” Stormy said.

“It has proven a much better and safer technique in training,” Melissa admitted as she turned to watch Gene and Lucas approach, each leading a horse to the water. “The first year Coal arrived, Gene and Lucas were hell-bent to do things the old-school way, but when they saw the results she had with Shadow without hitting the hard ground a dozen times they were convinced, and we have trained this way since.”

“The most painful part is seeing those lily-white legs of the boys,” Harley added with a grin.

“I heard that,” Gene hollered as he and his horse entered the water.

Coal slowly slipped onto the horse’s back as he continued to swim and allowed him to adjust to her weight. Stormy watched as she allowed the horse to return to shallower water, feeling the full weight of her body on his back. Each time the horse attempted to buck, she turned him back into deeper water, preventing him from the aggressive motion. For nearly an hour, Coal rode the horse in the water until she felt he was ready for a saddle. As they neared the shore, she slid from the horse’s back and led him to the tree where Harley took the reins while Coal dried off with a towel.

“Now the fun part begins,” Coal said as she wiped down the horse and placed the saddle on his back. She tightened the cinch then swatted the horse on his hindquarter with the soggy towel. The startled horse bolted away, the empty stirrups dangling against his sides as he bucked furiously trying to remove the foreign item from his body.

“What happens now?” Stormy asked, genuinely interested.

“Now, I go change into riding clothes while he wears himself out trying to buck the saddle off. When I return, I’ll ride him until he’s too tired to fight.”

“Can I give you a ride back up to the house?” Melissa asked. “I can start on lunch while you change and put your wet clothes in the dryer.”

“That sounds good to me, boss,” she answered.

†

Coal rinsed off in the shower before dressing. When she emerged in jeans, boots, and a clean shirt, towel drying her hair, she found Melissa in the kitchen.

She looked up to see Coal enter and smiled. “I was thinking about some fried pork chops, green beans, and scalloped potatoes.”

“My mouth is already watering.”

“Would you mind taking a cooler back with you, I’ve made fresh lemonade.”

“I don’t mind at all,” she said as she left the room to toss the towel in the dryer.

“Is everyone ready for the big date night tonight?”

“To be honest it’s hard to tell who is more excited, Del or Mary Leah.”

“What about Stormy?” she asked.

“I think she’s too nervous to be excited.” Coal grinned. “I think our cocky, young cowgirl is a bit intimidated by the good doctor.”

“Don’t worry, I’m sure she’ll settle down and you’ll have a great time out.”

“Will you reconsider joining us?”

“Thanks, but I’ll have the place all to myself tonight and plan to have a nice quiet evening.”

“I can understand that. Are we all set for Austin next weekend?”

“Yes, I got our confirmation for the rooms yesterday so we should be good to go.”

“Awesome. Well that paint isn’t going to train himself so I better get back at it,” Coal said as she picked up the cooler. “Lunch at noon?” she asked.

“I’ll have everything ready, so bring the crew back with you.”

“Yes, ma’am,” she said and left the house.

†

Shadow waited for her beside the gator. “Are you going to help me chase down that paint?”

Shadow pawed the ground with his front hoof to answer her question and she laughed as she put the cooler in the back. “Let’s get to it then.”

She drove back to the pond and poured cool drinks from the cooler. Lucas and Gene were still in the water with their mounts. “Does it look like they are about ready to come out of the lake?” she asked Harley.

“I would think any minute now, especially since you’re back.” He chuckled.

She handed him a drink and looked off in the distance to find the paint grazing quietly. “How long did he fight the saddle?”

“He just stopped a few minutes ago,” Stormy said.

“He should be good and tired by now then,” Coal said as she slipped a bridle over Shadow’s head and swung her body onto his bare back. She looked at Stormy and asked, “Are you ready to give it a go?”
 

“Yeah, I think I am.”

“Roy and Tom have a few more of the colts haltered in the corral if you want to go pick out one.”

“Come along then and I’ll give you a ride in the gator,” Harley said as Coal and Shadow turned away.

†

It had been a long time since she had ridden Shadow bareback. She enjoyed a leisurely walk toward the paint that had stopped grazing and was staring at them with his blue glass eyes as they approached. He was a handsome bit of horseflesh and would make someone a great cow pony soon, but first she had to establish the rider as dominant. When Shadow was within ten feet of the horse, she pulled him to a stop and she stared into the horse’s bright eyes. Curiosity soon got the better of him and he took several tentative steps toward Shadow.

She tied the reins together so they would not drag the ground once she dismounted Shadow. She sat patiently until the paint had walked closer then slowly dropped from Shadow’s back and walked to his head. She stroked Shadow’s face as the horse looked on, demonstrating to him that she and Shadow had a special bond. Shadow’s ears flickered back and forth as the young horse carefully approached. Coal slipped a concealed carrot from her back pocket and broke it in half, offering the first half to Shadow. His soft lips took the offering from her palm and he crunched on the special treat.

The paint looked on curious. She reached out her hand offering the remaining half to him and stood her ground. He would have to close the distance between them and she hoped the crunchy carrot would be a suitable bribe. She held back a chuckle when she saw his tongue flick out to lick his muzzle. He took a step toward her.

A few steps closer and he stretched his neck to take the carrot from her open palm. She stepped forward to stroke his face and her right hand held onto the halter as the horse devoured her bribe. “Are you ready to be ridden?” she asked softly as her hand calmly stroked the horse. His muscles quivered beneath her hand as much from exhaustion as excitement as she spoke to him. Slowly she moved down his side and took the rope lead in her left hand as her foot found the stirrup. She swung into the saddle. Coal could feel his body tense beneath her in preparation to buck and she pulled his head to the side. She controlled his movements and as long as she kept him off balance, he could not buck. She turned the young horse in circles for several minutes until he realized she was in control. She stopped his movement, allowing him to make a choice to either stand quietly or begin turning circles again. When the horse remained calm, she reached down patting his neck and giving him praise. “Now we will ride,” she said.
 

Shadow walked along beside them as she gave the horse his head and used her heels to urge him forward. She taught him the pressure of the reins along his neck would determine his direction and when she pulled back on the reins, he quickly learned the art of backing. He was a smart pony, and a spirited one. When the crow hop that she was expecting finally came Coal spun him around in a tight circle. When she determined the time was right, she pushed him forward into a smooth canter, then further into a gallop across the field, Shadow easily keeping pace beside them. Twenty minutes later, the horse’s nostrils flared from exhaustion, his coat slicked with sweat as she pulled him to a halt and dismounted. She lifted the rope reins over his head and led him to the lake for a drink of water. When his thirst was satisfied, she walked beside the horse back to the tree where the others were gathered.

Gene and Lucas had finally emerged from the water and had saddled their mounts. Coal held the reins tight as they startled the horses and watched them bolt across the field, bucking wildly in an attempt to dislodge the saddles. She was very pleased, the young paint did not startle. “He’s going to be a good cow pony,” she said as she stroked his neck.

“Would you like me to unsaddle him and walk him back to the corral for you?” Gene asked.

“No, I’d like you to ride him back to the corral. I’ll get my saddle later. You can bring me down another colt when you return in dry clothing.”

Gene grinned and carefully mounted the paint.

Coal could tell he was waiting for the colt to buck and was surprised when the horse calmly stepped forward. She watched as they walked back toward the corral then turned to see Stormy in the lake swimming with a black horse.

“How are the others coming along?” she asked Harley.

“Y’all are doing well. If you can do two each today, we will be ahead of schedule.”

“That shouldn’t be difficult for us,” she answered.

Her eyes followed Stormy across the water. The wet clothing clung to her skin and she realized why Del was so physically attracted to her. She had a very physically fit body, and the smile of contentment she wore while swimming with the horse made her extremely handsome. “She seems to be getting along well.”

“She’s not you, but she’ll do in a pinch,” Harley teased.

†

After a hearty lunch, the crew each worked another mount and when the last of the horses returned to the corral, Harley announced the end of the workday.

“I reckon we’ll see you later tonight,” Gene said as he saddled Shadow for her ride home.