just pretend

.07

"No, no. Your hands are too high," I say to Leo. He shoots me a look before whining,

"What do you mean too high?"

"I mean you have no god damn control of the horse when your hands are nearing shoulder height." He groans before lowering them. "Keep going. They should be near hip level."

"That's so uncomfortable."

"That's because you're not used to it. I find them being too high far more uncomfortable. Hey watch where you're going," I say because he's looking at me and not where hes going. "Your feet aren't in the stirrups enough."

"Why are you nagging me with all this shit?"

"Oh you want me to nag you?" I say standing a little straighter and following alongside Poppy. "You're slouching, your knees are drawn up, you aren't gripping the horse tight enough with your legs but you do seem to have a death grip on the reigns. Your feet are improperly in the stirrups--"

"Okay you want me to get off?"

"No I want you to see I'm not trying to nag you I'm trying to teach you to ride properly."

"I'm tired, do we have to keep doing this?" He says pulling on the reigns causing Poppy to stop. I stop as well and turn to face him. 

"It's been a half hour."

"So? It's hot out and I'm sick of your voice."

"Do you think I'm enjoying teaching you this. You're impatient, whiny and stubborn."

"Okay I'm done."

"You need me to get off."

"No I can do it."

"And untack?" I cross my arms.

"Sure I can."

"Fine. Show me you can do all that." I step back signally him to go ahead.

"You're an asshole," he mutters under his breath before taking his feet out of the stirrups. I watch him put the reigns in his right hand and I shake my head.

"Wrong hand," I say.

"Oh shut up," he mutters switching hands and hopping off. He begins to start walking but I stop him again.

"You didn't run the stirrups up the leathers."

"I thought I was doing this by myself."

I sigh. He is impossible. He adjusts the stirrups before leading Poppy to the stables and to the cross ties. Watching him try and do a 180 with a horse is entertaining. I don't say anything when he gets confused with what to do with the reins when connecting the cross ties. I cringe when he just drops them to the ground but hey I'm not aloud to say anything. Technically he won't learn this way but any more of him complaining might kill me if the heat doesn't.

Eventually after struggling to remember how to unhook everything he just stops to where I'm lent against a pillar, arms crossed and stifling a laugh.

"Okay, I need help. Stop laughing and help."

"That's not how you ask."