Storm Chaser by Chris Platt

Author:Chris Platt
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media

TEN

Jessica gulped. She had a hard time just trying to make a horse turn on cue. How could Duncan expect her to halter Storm Chaser in only twenty minutes? She kept her eyes on Chase as the paint circled the round pen with her tail in the air.

“What now?” she asked her brother.

Duncan leaned on the outside of the pen. “Let her canter a few more rounds in that direction and then make her turn and go the other way. But watch out. When she turns, it’s going to put that rope around her hindquarters, and maybe up under her tail. When that happens, most horses go a little crazy. She’ll probably start bucking and hopping around pretty good until she figures out that it’s nothing that’s going to hurt her. But that’s what we want. She needs to figure it out on her own.”

“But what if I can’t hold onto her?” Jessica said, beginning to panic as her mind raced every which way. What if she got hurt—just like her father feared?

“You’ll do fine,” Wyatt said confidently. “You’re in a round pen. She can’t go anywhere but in circles.” He grinned at her, and she heard Wyatt chuckle.

Sure, Jessica thought. It was easy for her brother and Wyatt to make jokes. They’d done this a hundred times. Keeping her eyes on the filly, she slowly reached down and picked up the lunge whip Duncan had left in the middle of the pen.

She took a deep breath and stepped one foot forward, hoping she was ahead of the imaginary line that would cause the filly to turn. Chase slammed on the brakes, setting her heels and hindquarters low and spinning in the opposite direction. She ran several steps and Jessica began to release the breath she’d been holding.

That’s when all chaos broke loose. Just as Duncan had predicted, the rope ran up under Chase’s tail, and the rodeo was on! Chase shot forward and Jessica cried out as the rope bit into her hands.

“Stay with her, Jess!” Duncan shouted from where he stood on the rail. “Make her go faster so she lines out and stops that bucking. Get her to do what you ask. Show her you’re the one in charge. Horses respect and follow the lead horse. You’ve got to prove to her that the lead horse is you.”

Jessica lifted the lunge whip and cracked it in the air. There was no need to touch the horse with it. Chase would run from the sound. “Get up,” she commanded, in as steady a voice as she could manage. She held onto the rope, giving and taking with the motion of the horse as Chase continued to buck, trying to rid herself of the rope under her tail.

After another round, the rope swung free, the bucking slowed, and the filly continued around the ring at a steady rhythm. Jessica allowed herself a small smile. I can do this! she told herself.

“Good job, Jess,” Wyatt praised her.

“Now tell your horse what a good girl she is, too,” Duncan said.

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