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doing the splits right over his back.”
    Georgie went to do as Shep had told her, and then flinched as the stallion suddenly surged forward and slammed his chest straight against the barriers. Reeling back, the black horse pushed up on his hocks, trying to rear and Georgie felt her stomach lurch in fear as the wranglers on either side of the chute quickly sprang into action and grappled with ropes on either side to keep the stallion’s head down.
    â€œIt’s OK,” Shep insisted, “he can’t get loose. You can climb onboard.”
    Georgie felt her legs turn to jelly as she did the splits over the chute. She didn’t know who was more terrified – her or the black horse beneath her. She wanted to pull out of this whole thing right now. But all the other riders in the rodeo class were watching her take her turn. There was no way she could back out without looking like a coward.
    Still hanging on to the railing with one hand, she slowly lowered herself down into the chute, straddling the horse and gently putting her weight on his back.
    As soon as the black horse felt her sitting astride him he surged forward in a wild panic, but there was nowhere for him to go. The chute was still shut tight in front of him.
    â€œJust sit tight,” Hank Shepard reassured Georgie as one of the wranglers took a tight hold of the stallion’s halter. “We’re nearly ready.”
    Shep did a last-minute check of the rigging, making sure that Georgie had her hand in the right position with the rope wrapped round and clasped in her palm. “The rope is your safety back-up in case you lose your grip,” Shep explained. “When you get thrown, remember to open your hand. That way you won’t get dragged.”
    Georgie didn’t like the way Shep talked about being thrown as if it was something that was certain to happen . She’d spent most of her life until now trying to avoid falling. But falling off seemed to be the whole point of this sport!
    â€œOK.” Shep seemed satisfied. “Remember, hang on with your right hand and keep your left hand up in the air for balance. The chute is gonna open in just a moment and this horse here, he’ll come flyin’ out with his head between his legs ready to throw-in his first buck. Remember to lean back and go with him and you’ll be fine.”
    â€œReady?” Shep asked.
    Georgie gave him a quick nod and suddenly the chute opened. The black horse flung himself forward and gave the most almighty buck that Georgie had ever felt in her entire life. Jacking himself up so that all four legs came off the ground at once, the black horse began to throw one buck after the other.
    â€œLean back!” Georgie heard Hank Shepard shout out.
    She felt the stallion beneath her execute a full body twist in mid-air and the next thing she knew the soil was rushing up to meet her face.
    â€œStand up!” Hank Shepard was shouting at her. “Get to the rails!”
    Realising the danger she was in lying there on the ground, Georgie rolled over to keep out of the way of the stallion’s lethal hooves as he slammed his forelegs down into the dirt right beside her.
    She stumbled to her feet, her heart racing as she ran to the side of the arena where she could climb the railing to safety.
    Still shaking with the shock of the fall, she looked up at the clock on the wall above the bucking chute. Her heart sank. One point five seconds!
    She had lasted on the stallion’s back for less than two lousy seconds.
    â€œNot bad for a first-timer,” Shep said. He turned to the next pupil in line. “You’re up, Tyler.”
    Tyler McGuane was a good-looking boy with lean legs, honey-tanned skin and sun-bleached blonde hair that constantly fell over his eyes. He stood above the bucking chute, chewing his gum and pulled a red bandana out of his pocket, tying it round his forehead to keep his fringe back. Then he lowered himself down