Long Live Cowgirl's (NEVER FINISHING)

#8 learn to fly

Richie had his mate Ashton over. he was sleeping over the then the next day was the six o'clock rodeo. He arrived with his mum and a float filled with two bay mares. But for now Richie, Leo, Ashton and me all rode horses in the arena. I was on duff again, Richie on jazzy, Ashton was on his mare Rix, and Leo got to ride a Quaribe (quarter horse/Arabian) gelding Freedom, trained to do barrels, pole bending, and camp draft. I kept Duff at the walk for the first hour. we were in the arena watching the storm rolling in, while the boys discussed how to hold on to a bronco. "We should play tip!" Ashton was a true bush kid, a strong deep Australian ascent. His black shaggy hair and blue eyes was attractive but his personality was ruff and Aussie. "How do you play tip on horses?" I asked.

All four boys were silent for three seconds before they roared out in fits upsetting the horses. "OK one person is in, and it doesn't count of your horses touch only us." Ashton explained through his laughter. I could be good at this. I nod knowing it will meant galloping. "Right, let's go to the creek!" Richie commanded, "the creek?" I was waiting for them to crack the fits again but they ignored me and trotted out of the arena.

I discovered that beyond the green pic and beyond the creek there was a dried up lake making obviously the best playing ground because of the softness of the ground, the sheer size (400m round oval) and the fallen trees and logs making awesome jumps and obstacles. We all put a horse head in the circle and Leo sung, "there was a little runner, he ran from his spiteful mother his name was..." He pointed at every head with every word until it stopped on duffs head, everyone yelled out "duff!" I smiled because that meant I wasn't in. Next to get out was Ashton then Leo leaving Richie in. We all had twenty seconds to run and hide behind something. I hid duff behind a large bushy tree so you couldn't see us but I could see Richie. "Three, two, one, ready or not here I ride!" 

 jazzy headed straight for Ashton and Rix, two the right of me so we snuck around to the other way to where Richie started. After lots of dodging trees and logs Ashton was in. He saw me, and Rix bellowed in to a fast canter after me. I went into a strong gallop around the out side. I could hear Leo and Richie calling out to me but I was to slow, so I leaned ford and told duff to go faster, "come one duff we can do this!" I turned quickly around a tree happy that the floor wasn't soft more ruff allowing us to turn sharply and quickly. I pushed diff towards a row of trees thinking I could loose Ashton behind me, but when I get halfway up the narrow pathway closed in by large bellowing trees blocking my path, so when I realized the thee foot log in my path I had no option but to jump it on a horse that's trained not to jump (how smart am i?) I lean ford even more, because my stirrups were too long for me to stand up on, I used my knees to hold some air bound from the saddle and my bum. Duff didn't hesitate though he only got faster, I tighten the reigns for balance but not too short to pull him up. The meters dropped quickly in my head, ten meters, five meters. Duffs strides were perfect, he knew what to do. At the last second I leaned right up his grey neck and I felt his hind legs push of the ground and raised his forehands. It felt good to rise in the air again. Even though I never did jumping I still loved it. He landed smoothly on the floor and continued on cantering. I turned around to see Ashton's face frozen still behind the log. I herd cheering and clapping to my right only to notice Leo and Richie saw the whole thing. "Where did you learn to make a western pleasure horse jump three foot?" Richie laughed. There were hi-fives all-round when Ashton got back.

We played on from then and on it was no longer a game but a sport we called 'foals tag'.

*******

I tried on my new two pairs of Q-baby jeans along with four long sleeved different colour shirts, along with a shiny new pair o Baxter ridding boots. Aunty k took me shopping to the country shops, she thought I'd look a bit left out if I didn't look like a cowgirl at the rodeo, so a couple hours before the first event started we hit the truck and headed for a (country) town center. "How do I look?" I walked down the stairs wearing the purple long sleeved shirt, jeans and boots with my hair down and wavy, I added some mascara and lip gloss. Everyone sitting at the table (including Emily) was shocked. Aunty K walked down beside me putting both thumbs up, smiling like crazy. Richie did the loudest wolf whistle, breaking the ice making everyone laugh. "You look great! now that is a cowgirl!" Uncle T smiled giving me a hug. 

"yeah honey we'll have you full blood country soon." Aunty K joked.

Leo was starring at me wide eyed then at the floor. Ashton's mum Lucy who stayed the night in one of the cabins along with her son, shook my hand and whispered in my ear, "I reckon brunette cowgirls always look best in boots" I giggled looking at Emily's pink cowgirl boots. "Welcome to the Fellence crew." Richie said.

"This belongs to you." Aunty K handed me a white hat with plated horse hair. I grabbed it and placed it on my head, "it was your mothers." Everyone looked happy to see me go western except for Emily.

This is a fun but important filler chapter (you have to go though highs before the lows)
HINT: I was just getting use to ridding him, now its...

shazzie!