“Proficiency,” Jennie said. “You have just made my point, Moreton. How can Winnie ride with knowledge and skill when he has no experience?”
“And how does one gain experience, Jennie? One gains experience by involving themselves in an activity that leads to proficiency. Let the boy ride, I beg of you,” Frewen pleaded.
“Please, Mama?” Churchill added.
The expression on Jennie’s face indicated clearly that this was not something she favored, but her objections were overcome by the combined efforts of Winnie and Frewen.
“All right,” she said reluctantly, finally giving in.
“Thank you, Mama!” Winnie said. “Thank you so much!”
“Please, Winston, do be careful,” Jennie said. “Don’t do anything foolish.”
“Don’t worry, Lady Churchill,” Teasdale said. “I had my foreman pick out the most gentle horse in our stable.”
“That was very nice of you, Sir William,” Jennie said, though the tone of her voice and the expression on her face indicated that she wished he had not made a horse available for her son.
“Mr. Morrison, suppose you ride out with him this first time,” Frewen suggested.
“All right,” Morrison said. “Tell you what, young man, come along with me and watch me saddle my horse. If you are going to ride, that’s something you’ll need to know.”
Winnie followed Morrison into the stable, where the foreman picked up a saddle and took it over to the stall where he kept his own horse. He put the saddle over the wall of the stall, then picked up a brush and stepped up to the horse and began brushing its back.
“The first thing you want to do is brush your horse’s back and make sure you remove any dirt or grit that might be under the saddle. Also you want to be certain that all the hair is flat. If you don’t, it could cause the horse to chafe under the saddle. And always check for sores or wounds before you put the saddle on. You got that?”
“Yes, sir,” Winnie replied.
“Good. Now, you’ll start with the saddle blanket. You want to put the blanket forward, over the withers, then pull it back into place. That keeps the hair flat beneath the saddle. Oh, and make sure the blanket is even on both sides.”
Morrison demonstrated by putting the saddle blanket on the horse.
“Now, before you put on the saddle, hook the stirrups over the horn. That way, they won’t hit the horse as you put the saddle on him. And when you put the saddle on, lift it high enough that it doesn’t hit the horse or push the saddle blanket out of position. Put it slightly forward, then move it back in to position, and put it on gently.”
Again Morrison showed what he was talking about by actually doing it.
“Now all you have to do is tighten the cinch. You want it tight enough, but not too tight, otherwise the horse will be uncomfortable. Leave enough room that you can get your fingers between the cinch and the horse.”
All the time he was talking, Morrison was demonstrating and now his horse was saddled and ready to go.
With his horse saddled, Morrison walked over to Winnie’s horse and removed the saddle and blanket.
“Now, you do it,” he said.
“I didn’t ask Sir William what this horse was named,” Winnie said as he went about saddling the animal, repeating step by step the procedure Morrison had showed him.
“I doubt that he has a name,” Morrison said. “I’m sure he just came from the remuda.”
“Then I intend to name him,” Winnie said.
“I’m sure he will like that. What are you going to name him?”
“He is such a noble-looking horse that he needs a noble name,” Winnie said. “I think I shall call him Tudor Monarch.”
Morrison laughed. “That’s quite a name,” he said.
When the horse was saddled, Winnie gave the animal a pat on the withers.
“Get mounted, and we’ll take a ride,” Morrison said.
Winnie started to lead the horse back to the porch.
“Where are you going?”
“Over to the step so I can get on the horse.”
“What if you had to dismount while you were out on the trail? How would you get back on then?” Morrison asked.
“I don’t know.”
“Let me show you.”
Morrison pulled the left stirrup down far enough for Winnie to put his foot in it. Putting his left foot in the stirrup, then throwing his right leg over the horse, he was able to get into the saddle.
“Now, reach down and pull up on this adjustment strap until the left stirrup is even with the other one,” Morrison suggested.
Winnie did so, then a huge smile came across his face. “Oh, what a wonderful thing. I am a cowboy,” he said. “I am truly a cowboy.”
