True Riders Read Online Free Page A

even teasing her—much—about her fumble fingers.
    Brooke didn’t ride Western much anymore, preferring either her English saddle or bareback, so she stood back and let him tie the cinch, figuring he’d get it done faster.
    â€œReady,” he said, snugging it up tight. “Who’s first?”
    â€œMe! Me! Me!” the twins cried in unison, jumping up and down and waving their hands.
    Adam bent and picked up a stone off the ground. “Okay, here’s how we’ll decide,” he said, putting both hands behind his back. Then he held them out, both hands closed into fists. “Whoever picks the hand with the stone in it goes first. That’s the cowboy way, right? So no arguing, pardners.”
    Luckily, the twins each chose a different hand, and when Adam opened his fists, the stone was in the one Ethan had picked.
    â€œHooray!” Ethan yelled, making Foxy snort and turn her head to eye him warily.
    â€œNo yelling,” Brooke told her little brother. “Come on, let’s get you up.”
    â€œI’ve got him.” Adam grabbed Ethan under the arms and swung him into the saddle in one motion. Brooke was a little surprised that he could do that. When had he gotten so tall?
    Just then Brooke’s mother looked up from her phone. “Be careful, honey,” she called to Ethan. “Do what Brooke and Adam say, all right?”
    Ethan ignored her, grabbing the horn and leaning forward. “Where’s the reins?” he demanded.
    â€œNo reins.” Brooke untied Foxy’s lead rope from the fence, leaving the bridle hanging on the gate. “I’m going to lead her while Adam walks next to you. Okay?” She glanced at Adam.
    â€œSure.” Adam patted Ethan on the leg. “Come on, pardner. Let’s go ride the range.”
    Ethan giggled, seeming to forget about not having reins, and Brooke breathed out a sigh of relief. “Come on, Foxy,” she whispered, clucking to the mare. “This won’t take long. . . .”

    â€œAgain! Again!” Ethan cried as Brooke led Foxy back to the fence after leading Emma around the field.
    Brooke sighed and sneaked a peek at her watch. The twins’ pony rides had been going on for almost an hour. After Ethan had gotten off, Emma had taken her turn. Then Ethan had decided he wanted Adam to take pictures of him riding, so he’d climbed on again, and Adam had snapped a few shots with his smartphone.
    Naturally, Emma had wanted pictures too. She’d posed enthusiastically, even trying to stand up in the saddle before Brooke had stopped her.
    And now Ethan wanted another turn and wasn’t being shy about letting them know. Brooke’s mother had wandered into the house for a cup of coffee a few minutes earlier, but now she returned.
    â€œOh, let them each have one more turn,” she told Brooke, sipping at her steaming mug. “They’re having so much fun.”
    Brooke sighed. “Sure, why not.” Actually, she had to admit it was fun to see her little sister and brother enjoying Foxy so much. So what if they were rapidly running out of daylight for her own ride? It was probably too cold to do much real work anyway, since afterward she’d have to walk Foxy until she was fully cooled out, and that would mean even more time out in the cold.
    Soon Ethan was back on board. This time he started kicking as soon as Brooke set off on her circuit around the pasture.
    â€œHey, when do I get to gallop?” he said. “I want to gallop!”
    â€œNo galloping. Sorry,” Brooke said.
    Ethan pouted. “But all cowboys gallop! I can do it.”
    â€œWell, Foxy can’t,” Brooke told him. “For one thing, the ground’s too hard this time of year.”
    Adam was still walking alongside the pony, his gloveless hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans. “We could let him try a little trot, though,” he suggested.