Falling!

• Olivia Moll, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2010

Falling!
“Just put your foot in your left stirrup, swing aboard, and settle into the saddle,” Molly instructed, demonstrating on her palomino, Silky.
Her two best friends, Tom and Jessie, copied Molly’s movements until they were seated proudly on their horses. Tom rode the proud coal black Friesian, Moonlight, and Jessie the elegant bay thoroughbred, Sky. Tom and Jessie were going on their fourth ride with Molly, who was an intelligent intermediate.
“Ready!” Molly grinned, twisting in the saddle to face her friends’ happy faces.
She led off at a brisk walk, manoeuvring between branches on the trail. The three friends rode silently, enjoying the forests beautiful sounds and the plod plodding of their horses hooves. They reached a fork in the trail, and Molly took the left one. They began descending downhill and she readjusted her position in the saddle.
“Lean back guys,” she explained. Tom and Jessie obeyed, shifting their weight to the back of the saddle.
“I’d love to do this every day,” Jessie sighed, patting Sky’s glossy neck.
“Me too!” Tom added. “And I’d ride the same horse.”
“Do you like Moonlight?” Molly asked.
“Absolutely!” Tom agreed.
“We’ll ride a little longer and then take a break at the pond nearby,” Molly suggested.
“Awesome!” Tom and Jessie agreed.
“Whoa girl,” Molly mumbled to her horse, as Silky tensed beneath her.
“Are you okay?” Tom asked, concerned.
Then Silky bolted, racing the rest of the way downhill and continuing along the trail. Her hooves were a blur as she galloped, with Molly low over her neck. The tension reached Moonlight and Sky and they began to sweat and pant. Jessie screamed as Sky raced forward. An athletic thoroughbred, she raced off at an alarming pace. Moonlight soon took off after the others, Tom holding on for dear life. His face was pale, but his legs strong and he managed to maintain a good seat. Ahead of both horses, Sky was in no mood for stopping. Jessie swung from side-to-side, gripping the horses’ mane and yelling at the top of her lungs. The reins were hanging down and dragging along the ground, and the stirrups were flinging around wildly. As Sky turned right around a sharp bend, Jessie flew off her back, landing hard in the dirt on the side of the trail. Sky halted, chewing on her bit as if nothing had happened. Moonlight and Silky caught up to the thoroughbred and stopped too.
“Quick, dismount!” Molly told Tom, tying Silky to a branch and then doing the same with Sky. Tom hopped off and tied Moonlight, before going to stand next to Jessie. She was sitting up, the left side of her face covered in dirt.
“Are you okay?” Molly asked, helping her to her feet.
Jessie nodded. She was a little shaken but otherwise okay.
“But I’m not getting back on,” she explained firmly.
Molly nodded in understanding. It was up to Jessie now, whether she rode again or not.