Gus was holding walkie-talkies
when he arrived at Ream's. It was the latest technology, headsets voice
actuated, with hands-free operation, with the transmitter on a belt clip.
"Brought you a present
so we can have contact while you ride. It works like a wireless telephone
only with a headset," said Gus as he fitted the radio on Ream.
"Thought we might have
a dry run by walking back to my place. I suggest I give you directions
like Forward, Halt, Left Turn, Half Right, Ease Back, and so on."
Ream put on his hat
with the headset underneath. He took his cane in hand while Gus guided
him to the dirt road in front of the cabin. Gus released his arm and began
guidance with voice directions.
Ream walked while Gus
followed, using his eyes for both of them. It became a little tricky as
Gus left the road and navigated through the sage brush, down a ravine,
and up a grade with a half-right at the top.
The commands became
shorter and clearer as the two got used to the short- hand one-word language
system they were developing together. When Ream became confused, he stopped
and asked a question which allowed Gus to develop directive words for unique
topographical conditions, like "medium down grade to small gully."
The condition of what
lay ahead of them was expressed in a full short sentence while the immediate
action was contained in two words, one to prepare and the next to execute,
as in military marching.
Gus's place, a small
cabin made from red rocks and used barn wood, was a retired cowboys palace. 
It
clung to the side of one bluff overlooking another with a small pasture
in-between. In the morning when Sedona was half awake and half asleep,
the facing bluff often appeared like an apparition. Resembling an inter
galactic ark from another planet, it was pitted and ringed with pot holes
depicting various stratums or levels on the mysterious craft.
As they traversed the
reaches of this bluff, Ream could not mistake its presence because screeches
of high circling birds were echoed from its face and sounded as if they
came from pre-mortal times. Boulders encrusted with mustard lichen lined
their rocky red path. Just then a bird took flight from an adjoining tree.
"Gus, was that a dove?"
"Yes, how did you know?"
"They make a singing
whistle sound when they take off," Ream smiled.
When they reached Gus's
place, Ponduro, the stable hand, had saddled Biff, and was waiting with
him near the round pen. Gus guided Ream over to Biff, where the two exchanged
a greeting of mutual affection.
In a few moments Gus
opened the gate to the round pen and said, "OK you two, let's get down
to it."
While Ream was still
unmounted, Gus guided them into the pen for a dry ground drill. When he
felt confident in the communication device, Gus told Ream to mount Biff.
After Ream was mounted,
Gus went through the same drills of circles, bends, stops, and backups,
that Ream had already executed in the days before. Ream was beginning to
feel confidence in the radio linkage and the voice commands, and he smiled
to himself in growing delight.
Ponduro had stayed
outside the round pen and was making his way to the barn when he noticed
some large planks of scrap lumber leaning on the outside of the pen that
needed to be taken to the trash dumpster.
He began gathering
two standing pieces. One fell to the ground, generating a loud thud as
it bounced off a paint can. Ream was on the inside of the pen exactly adjacent
to the noise.
Biffer responded with
the normal horse reaction. He was startled and jumped sideways away from
the noise. Biff's reaction was honest, and appropriate for the situation,
however, it caught Ream off balance. Perhaps Ream hadn't known what to
expect because he was preoccupied with the exercises, or perhaps his feet
were not deep enough in the stirrups.
But whatever the reason,
Bifd moved out from under Ream and he tumbled to the ground. In those split
seconds when accidents happen, there is always time to react if you've
planned your actions in advance. Ream had done just that in a previous
conversation with Gus who had anticipated the possibility of Biff throwing
him.
Gus had given specific
safety instructions in the event Ream was thrown out of the saddle. He
was to hang on to only one rein on the side of the horse he fell from.
If possible, he was to roll toward the horse to a face down position which
would free his foot from the stirrup.
Ream followed the instructions
automatically and almost in reflex to the horse's jumping motion. Biff
was mainly surprised by the noise and just wanted to get away, while at
the same time he had no desire to trample on Ream. Instinct moved his feet
away from both Ream and the loud noise from the paint can.
Biff's four feet did
their best to keep clear of Ream but one foot trampled on the inside ankle
of Ream's right foot.
When Ream regained
his footing, he recognized that he had become more agile as a result of
his blindness. Holding the rein, he felt Biff pull to get free. He yielded
to Biff, letting the rein go slack, letting Biff know he was not being
forced to stay.
Immediately realizing
he was not trapped, Biff relaxed and stood still. Ream limped slightly
as he walked over to Biff and stroked him on the neck. Ream knew the accident
was not Biff's fault and he did not blame him for shying. The adrenaline
was still pumping while Ream stood collecting himself and taking stock
of his injury. He decided his ankle was badly bruised but not broken.
Gus was at his side
telling him he had done a good job and asking if he was all right. Ream
gave the damage report.
Ream said, "Gus, I'm
trembling inside, but I understand what happened so next time I can ride
to anticipate it. I know to keep my feet deep in the stirrups. I need a
little while to calm down. Biff did only what was natural for him. Because
I understand it was an accident, and I will get back on."
Gus replied,
"You don't have to until you're ready, you know. I'm not one to try to
force you to do it." He was using the Principle again, only with Ream.
He was letting Ream make his own choice in his own time.
Ream was made more
comfortable knowing that, like Biff he was not trapped or driven into re-mounting.
Gus reached down and
picked up Ream's hat. Putting it in Ream's hand he said, "Fell off a horse
a couple of times myself, and I don't think I'd have wanted someone to
use the kick-butt approach to get me back up. Something inside you has
to get ready to do it and it has a mind of its own."