Pegasus Riding Club

Gerald was only 5 years old when his father took him to the Pegasus riding club to get trained in the equestrian riding style. Not only horse riding is an integral part of the royal family, but his father always had a passion for this sport. Moreover, this riding club was the best in town. They had experienced instructors, well-maintained stable yards, properly fenced paddocks, and the finest breed of horses; for beginners, they also offered a tailored program for five days for choosing the horse.

Gerald was a mischievous kid and had no interest in horse riding. Instead, he preferred to stay at home and play with his sister. Finally, however, he was taken to the riding club by his father. He was greeted by an enthusiastic Mr. Baker, the club manager; he handed the little boy to Kim Bodwen, a dedicated young instructor.

The 5 days of the training program for Gerald started with Kim.

Day 1: Kim met the young boy and welcomed him, 'Hello Gerald, since you are one of the youngest riders in our club, we always appreciate your opinion; and would like to ask you, do you have any preference for horses?' The young kid looked amazed and started running in the green fields instead; out of joy, he spontaneously kept on jumping and somersaulting on the vast green stretches of land.

'Mr. Gerald,' said Kim,' I think we can start with one of the Quarter horse today, his name is Lucas, and he is the calmest of them all; So if you do not mind, can I please put on the helmet and the crash vests on you, for a secure ride?' The kid decided to pay no heed to the instructor and sat on the grass to play. Almost an hour passed by, and Kim tried all her ways to persuade the little boy to take his first ride but in vain; all he did was bargain chocolates and ice creams and say he wanted to ride a unicorn; instead of riding, he seemed to be more interested in the sugar cubes, kept for the horses! 

Day 2: The weather was not favorable, as it was cloudy and gloomy, and there were further predictions of hailstorms later in the day. Kim brought a different breed of a horse, the Turkoman Horse, named Crimson, known for her docile nature and dexterity.

Kim was determined today, so without wasting much time, she said in a bit sulky voice, 'Gerald, listen carefully. See, we have got a golden-colored horse for you today! Now, when you are riding, don't be scared and sit stiffly; rather, please be flexible and try to move along with Crimson.' Gerald disagreed with the proposition and said aloud,' But, I want a silver unicorn!'

Quickly she got hold of the little boy and was about to make him ride, but just then, it started pouring, and hastily they had to rush back to the shade.

Day 3: Thankfully, it was a bright sunny day, and Kim brought a beautiful Friesian breed named Zoltan for the practice session. Noted to be surprisingly nimble and graceful, Zoltan was an amazing black horse. Kim persuaded the kid and was able to make the frivolous boy start his first ride after three days of mischief. But soon, Zoltan started to go off the track and stumbled against some invisible obstacle and jerked heavily. In despair, Gerald started shouting and cried aloud, 'I don't want to ride a horse. I want a unicorn which can fly.'

Almost four days had passed, but they were still unable to finish one complete ride. Then, finally, Kim informed Mr. Baker of all the details. Both of them were pretty nervous as they eagerly wanted this membership, which was a prestigious offer for the club and would also mean affinity with the Royal family.

Day 4: Kim got an Arabian pony named Sunshine. Sunshine was known for his speed, sturdiness, and intelligence. But, at the same time, he was fierce, arrogant, and less tamable.

On that day, Sunshine was not ready to put the bridle. Instead, he threw his head and stood up, which was difficult for Kim to reach, then he presented his rear and started running back towards the stall. All this while, when the whole scene seemed to be a nightmare, the little boy stood and laughed and clapped in rejoice.

Kim was experienced in this field for many years together and was unwilling to give up on a kid's tantrums; moreover, there was pressure from the club owner.

So the next day, she came up with a different plan!

Day 5: As this was the last day of the practice session, Kim was determined to get success. She got a Gypsy Cob named Bucephalus, hoping to repeat history again! It was one of the most expensive horses in the club with white non-pigmented color and feathering at the hooves.

Kim called upon the little boy and said,' Look what I have got for you today, a unicorn, can you believe it!' the dainty bony structure of the horse and white shiny, feathery skin almost created a magical gleam in the sunlight. The kid looked fascinated and screamed in joy, 'there's' my unicorn,' and ran towards the horse. Finally, Kim was relieved.

But as soon as the boy went to the front of the horse, he grumbled, 'this is only a dressy horse; unicorns have horns on their foreheads, so he was again reluctant to complete his ride.

Mr. Baker wrote to Gerald's father that they could not complete any riding sessions with his son and requested that he extend the training session for a few more days.

Nextday, Kim was back to work, as she would start early. She saw Gerald with one of his attendants riding a wild baby donkey in the meadows on her way!

Gerald merrily waved at Kim; the kid's innocent smile won her heart again.

Kim smiled and said, 'Hi Gerald!!! I see you got a unicorn.'