When Natalie told me we were doing photos with our horses and random people in the community, I thought about cursing her out.What astupididea, andsonot what our program is all about.It literally felt like my worst nightmare—horse-idiots showing up, wanting a picture-perfect moment for their poorly behaved little brats.
I had a session or two that were like that.
But the vast majority of the people who came already had a love of horses.They knew how to stand around them.They knew not to pull on their faces and heads.They knew to stand at their shoulder, non-threateningly, and let the horse drop its head down to them.
We chose the most photogenic horses, of course, the friendly ones who like people and small children.Drew’s a major fan favorite as a big grey with a massive draft face and sweet eyes.Orla the palomino Cob is probably everyone’s other top choice, and she loves children, thankfully.
Watching these families, snappy and stressed in some instances, after fussing over their hair and makeup and outfits, settle down when they came near the horses made me happy.Watching their forced smiles transform into genuine smiles, and then spending my time realizing that none of us know what the future holds, I decided that our family needed a photo like this.
Sure, most of my real family’s actually back in Florida.I suffered through massive family photos each year back there, but I was always the afterthought.The focus was on my siblings who had children.A lot of time was spent ensuring they all looked very cute and coordinated.Here, with these women and their families, I don’t feel like an afterthought.Even when Vanessa’s dealing with a, well,almosta mother-in-law who really stinks, and even when her kids are all painting cookies, she still notices I’m spiraling and comes to make sure I’m okay.
Natalie has now offered to be my surrogate three times.Twice in jest, and once in earnest.
Their kids call me Aunt Samantha, and they seem to mean it.I decide that this year, for Christmas, what I want is a photo of all ofus, with our horses of choice.Since Natalie dumped Cillian, and Richard and I died a painful death, poor Jack gets assigned to take the photo.
“I think our photoshoots before prepared us for this moment.”Natalie’s smiling, but it looks half-forced.She’s picking the dead parts out of the live wreaths we thought we were done with.“They’re going to look fine in the photos.”But now she’s frowning.“Why did all these little white flowers go brown so fast?”
“It’s been three days,” I say.“We didn’t order any more, because now it’s Christmas Eve.”I laugh.“I’d say we’re lucky they look as good as they do.”
We’ve never put this many horses into a photo, and it took us half the morning to get them all cleaned up.Rían actually volunteered to groom a few of them before leaving earlier, which was pretty nice.It’s too cold for baths, but they cleaned up pretty well.
Foxy’s dancing around a bit, but Vanessa’s new saddle looks amazing.We saved Scout for last, but he’s been practicing standing tied, and he’s doing much better than I anticipated.Earl Grey will have Trina and Paul on him with a bareback pad, but we did that for several families, and he was a champ about it.He does keep trying to eat the wreath, but you can’t have everything perfect.That’s just not how life works.
It takes a very long, very tiring forty minutes to get all the finishing touches on the horses and lead them into the high pasture in the north, with Fortwilliam in the background, and the wind’s whipping more than I wanted, but then we all finally get lined up, and other than Scout dancing, and Teagan crying constantly for Speckles, whom we left back at the barn, it goes really, really well.
Jack’s beaming.“These are amazing.I wish I’d booked a session for my kids, now.”
“Why didn’t you?”Vanessa asks.“We’d have done them for free.”
“Speak for yourself,” Natalie says.“These are a lot of work.”But she’s smiling.
“Well, to be honest, I was worried Rory would start insisting on regular horseback lessons if I brought her anywhere near here.”He looks like he’s serious.
“Does she want them?”Because if he and Vanessa stay together, she’ll be family, too.“I can teach her for free.I don’t mind working her in.”
“It’s not about the money—I believe in paying people fairly for their work.”He sighs.“But it’s hard to fit in more things when you already play on one hurling team and coach another.”
“I could grab her and bring her over,” Vanessa says.“That would be a fun Christmas surprise, I bet.”
Jack’s pretty excited about the idea as we all walk our way back to the barn.
“What about me?”Blaine pats Teagan’s nose.“Because I think this one likes me.”
Teagan’s the finickiest mare I’ve ever encountered.She likes almost no one, and the people she dislikes, shebites.
“Oh, she likes you alright.”Natalie ruffles Blaine’s hair.“She hasn’t bitten you once.”
I laugh.“Yeah, Teagan’s a ponyanda mare.She may be a paint, but she has red-mare energy.”
“Then could I do some lessons on her?”Blaine looks serious.
I know Natalie’s sad that she has never really taken to riding, or even given it a real chance.
“Of course,” I say.“She’s my least used pony, because she’s so picky about her riders.You’d be doing me a favor, really.”
“Then you can return whatever you got me for Christmas and teach me a lesson instead.Maybe I can take one with Rory at the same time.”She shrugs.“So we don’t take up too much of your time.”
“Tell the truth,” Hannah says.“You just want to lesson with her, because you’re almost ten and she’s five, and you think you’ll be way better.”
