Chapter Four
CHAPTER FOUR
Though he ran to the arena, he didn’t want to scare Daisy so when he neared the gate he broke into a walk.
“Andy, what are you doing?” Helen called from the fence as he entered the ring.
“Watchin’ out for your poor mare,” he called back without turning around. “Hey, I assume you’re Erin,” he shouted, marching forward. “Hold up a second. She’s in pain."
“Who are you?” the trainer demanded, pulling Daisy to a stop. “And what are you talking about? She seem’s fine to me.”
“My name’s Andrew. This is my ranch,” he replied, stopping beside the mare.
“How do you know she’s in pain?”
“Jump off and I’ll show you.”
“I don’t have all day,” she replied brusquely as she climbed from the saddle. “She doesn’t feel lame to—“
“I didn’t say she was lame,” he retorted, cutting her off as he deftly pulled the reins from her hand, flipped them over Daisy’s head and held them loosely.
“Hey, what the hell are you doing?”
“Like I said, the horse is in pain."
“Where? What are you talking about?”
“She’s in pain because of this damnable whip,” he growled, snatching it from her hand, “and also from those,” he continued, pointing the tip of the crop at her sharp spurs. “You have no business ridin’ any horse, let alone callin’ yourself a trainer. You have exactly ten minutes to leave this property.”
“You’re insane,” she spat, reaching out to grab her crop.
“Oh, no! You’re not gettin’ it back! If you want to abuse another horse you’ll have to replace it, but you sure as hell need a taste of how it feels!” he exclaimed, and without missing a beat he flicked the whip across her backside.
“What the fuck?” she screeched, throwing her hands behind her. “How dare you?”
“Count yourself lucky I’m holdin’ Daisy, or I wouldn’t have stopped. You deserve a taste of your own medicine.”
“You bastard. You’ll be sorry you did that!”
“Eight minutes and countin’.”
“You’re nothing but a lowlife country hick!” she snapped, then abruptly turning she strode from the ring. “Find yourself another trainer,” she spat as she passed Helen. “I don’t need this shit.”
“No, Erin, please wait.”
“For what? So your idiot boyfriend can fucking hit me again? Not a chance in hell. Besides, that mare will never amount to anything. If you want a decent horse call me and I’ll find you one.”
“Andy, why did you do that?” Helen demanded, hurrying through the gate and running up to him. “You had no right to interfere.”
“I had every right. I don’t allow animal cruelty on my property.”
“You don’t—“ “If you’re about to say I don’t understand save your breath,” he warned, lowering his voice. “I’ll be talkin’ quietly now, because poor Daisy here is already upset, but listen up. You’re the one who doesn’t get it. If you honestly think what that woman was doin’ is the way to train a horse you have no business ownin’ one. And what the hell is wrong with you? How could you stand there and watch that? In what universe is the horror show we just witnessed okay? Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m takin’ all this crap off Daisy’s face. It’s cruel and completely unnecessary.”
“Erin says—“ “I don’t give a damn what that woman says,” he retorted. “Take off that saddle and put it on the fence. I’ll carry it in after I’m done settlin’ your mare. It’s okay, Daisy girl, it’s over now,” he murmured, gently removing the bridle,
“You’re so annoying,” Helen grunted as she removed the saddle. “Honestly. I’d like to see you try to ride her.”
“I’ll be happy to. Go into the barn and grab the halter with the reins attached. It’s hangin’ on the hook waitin’ to be cleaned.”
“You don’t seriously think you can ride her in a halter.”
“Just fetch it.”
“Fine! And when you get dumped I’ll laugh my ass off.”
“Here, take this torture device you call a bridle with you,” he declared, handing it to her. “Daisy and I need to have a private chat.”
* * *
Though Helen had hated watching Erin being mean to Daisy, the woman was a well-known, high-end trainer, and getting into her barn hadn’t been easy. It was only because Kenny had made the introduction that Erin had agreed to take her. But as she placed the saddle on the fence and she hurried into the barn, she was glad Andy had stepped in.
Watching him in action had taken her breath away.
He’d been dominant and commanding, and sent the butterflies in her stomach fluttering to life.
Walking inside and hanging up the bridle, she spied the halter with the attached reins. Lifting it off the hook, she jogged back to the paddock and found Daisy resting her head against Andy’s chest while he rubbed her ears and stroked her neck. The sight melted her heart. She wanted to make a comment, but nothing came to mind. As she drew closer, he stepped back, wordlessly took the halter and slipped it over her head.
“What about a saddle?” Helen asked. “Surely you’re not planning to ride her naked.”
“Nope, I’ll be keeping my clothes on,” he quipped with a grin, then moving the reins over Daisy’s ears and around her neck, he effortlessly swung himself onto her back.
“You’re crazy!”
“No, Helen, I’m not crazy, and you’re about to find out why I keep sayin’ you’re the one who doesn’t understand. Come on, Daisy, let’s show her what communication is all about.”
For a few minutes all he did was walk around the arena with what she thought was a dangerously loose rein, but occasionally he would pick them up and ask Daisy to step backwards, or drop her head, or turn around. When he began trotting, to Helen’s amazement, the mare rounded her body, the very thing Erin had been trying to achieve. Though he only asked her to hold it for a few seconds, it was astonishing. Andy had been on the mare for only a short time, but he was able to demonstrate the light control in the walk, trot and canter.
“I rest my case,” he declared, walking over and stopping in front of her.
“Andy, I—“ “Hold on,” he said sternly as he climbed off. “Helen, I don’t know what’s happened to you, but you’re not the girl I met. Either drop the attitude and the bullshit or we’re done. Think about it while you clean up your mare, and make sure you apologize to her. I’ll be in the house.”