Chapter Four: We Ride

We rode in silence for a while before I heard:

"Miracles happen

Once in a while

If you believe

You showed me dreams come to light
That takin a chance on us was right
All things will come with a little time
When you believe" I turned around in my saddle and looked behind me. Lizzie, Gordo, Raven, Phil and Eddie had started singing "Miracles Happen" from Princess Diaries 1. When it got silent, I said,

"Are you ready to trot?"

"Yeah!" replied Lizzie, Gordo, Raven, Phil, Eddie, Jeff, Chelsea and Keeley.

"All right then. Squeeze your horse's sides and ask them to trot!" I said. I squeezed CJ into his cute little Mustang trot. I heard Conn snorting excitedly from behind us. Once we got a little further, I slowed CJ to a walk and then a halt.

"Do you guys want to canter?" I asked.

"Sure," came a reply from everyone.

"All right. Watch out for holes. Follow the horse in front of you. Don't get too close to the horse in front. Relax and holler if you want to walk," I yelled to the kids. I squeezed CJ into a canter and heard Conn's powerful hooves from behind me. I heard Lizzie laughing, which meant she was having a grand time. Ten minutes later, I slowed CJ into a walk. He was getting sweaty which meant that he was getting tired. I had him stop and I turned around in my saddle.

"How about we head for home. The horses are getting tired, so we'll just walk them back," I hollered at the kids.

"Fine with me," came a reply from a few.

"Sounds good," some chimed in.

We arrived at the ranch a few minutes later. I dismounted CJ and tied him up on the corral fence. I was untacking him when Lizzie, Gordo, Raven, Phil, Eddie, Jeff, Chelsea and Keeley rode up.

"Okay guys. Untack them and put them in their stalls. All of you were wonderful. Thanks for coming to Rocking Horse Ranch," as each of them took care of their horse, Jeff and I handed out pictures of the horse that the stars rode. Lizzie's eyes welled up with tears when I handed her a picture of Conn.

"He's my favorite horse in the entire world," said Lizzie.

"He's mine, too," I replied.