Read The Horseman for Free Online Page B

more than to board her for you,
Miss Thress,” he said. “I won’t charge you for keepin’ her here. I
just would kind of like to have her around, you understand.”
    There was emotion gleaming in his gorgeous
blue eyes, and Briney suddenly understood that, although Gunner
Cole wanted his mother’s horse to be loved, to be ridden, he wasn’t
quite convinced he could completely give her away.
    “I think that would be perfect, Mr. Cole,”
Briney said. “I don’t know where else I’d keep her anyway. I’ve
only got a room at the boardinghouse, and it wouldn’t make sense to
board her at the livery when this is her home.” She reached out,
placing a hand on Gunner’s arm. “Are you sure you’re even wanting
to sell her to me, Mr. Cole?”
    Gunner smiled. “I’m still workin’ on that,
Miss Thress,” he answered honestly. “But I’ll tell you this.” He
reached up, putting the bit in Sassy’s mouth. “I haven’t seen Sassy
this excited about goin’ for a ride in years. She likes you, and I
want her to be happy. So you take her out for a ride—take your time
too—and then we’ll talk about whether you want to buy her.” He
winked at Briney again, adding, “And whether I’m ready to sell her,
all right?”
    “Of course,” Briney said. She wasn’t
disappointed, however, for she could see that, even though Gunner
truly wasn’t wanting to sell Sassafras, he would if he thought it
would make the horse happy.
    Once Charlie had secured the cinch around
Sassafras’s belly, ensuring that the saddle was secure, Gunner
nodded and asked Briney, “Are ya ready, Miss Thress?”
    “More than ready, Mr. Cole,” Briney assured
her. Her heart was racing with the anticipation of riding
Sassy.
    “Do you want me to get a mounting block, or…”
Gunner began.
    “No. If-if you don’t mind,” Briney
interrupted, “I’d rather you just taught me to mount her
myself.”
    Gunner smiled with approval, and Briney’s
heart leapt in her bosom with pride in knowing she had pleased
him.
    “All right then,” he said. Taking hold of the
reins, Gunner lifted them over Sassy’s head. “It’s easy enough.
Take the reins and a bit of her mane in your left hand, and hold
onto them while you take hold of the saddle pommel on the right
side there.”
    Briney did as instructed.
    “Then turn the stirrup toward you like this.”
Gunner held the stirrup for her. “Put your left foot in the
stirrup, and just sorta stand up in that stirrup until you feel
like your weight is centered there. Then gently swing your right
leg over the saddle, slide your foot into the other stirrup, and
there you have it,” he explained.
    Briney did exactly what Gunner told her to
do, and soon she found she had mounted Sassy quite easily.
    “Perfect!” Gunner exclaimed. “Now wiggle your
fanny a bit, and square that saddle up on her back so she’s
comfortable.”
    Although Briney did blush at Gunner’s
referring to her “fanny,” she did as he said and could feel the
saddle settle perfectly onto Sassy’s back.
    “Well done, Miss Thress!” Charlie said,
clapping his hands several times.
    “Thank you, Charlie,” Briney giggled.
    The desire to simply send Sassy racing from
the stables was nearly overwhelming to Briney. But she knew she
needed more instruction first. After all, Sassafras wasn’t her
horse yet.
    “Now, you said you have a great deal of
ridin’ experience?” Gunner asked.
    “Yes, sir,” she answered. “My guardian made
sure I was well trained in riding. But as I said, only in
sidesaddle.”
    Gunner and Charlie again exchanged amused
glances. “Well, I suspect it’s much more difficult to ride
sidesaddle. So you shouldn’t have any problems at all, Miss Thress.
And if for some reason you should lose your way on the road, Sassy
knows her way back to the stable. So just tell her to come home and
she will, all right?”
    “Do you mean to say you’re going to let me
ride her…right now?” Briney asked. “By