So I’m working on my latest adult horse fiction piece and thought it would be nice to share an excerpt. Then I got to thinking – what could be better than being able to read an excerpt from one upcoming horse novel? Getting to read many!

So if you’re an author who is working on a horse novel, I encourage you to take part in this blog hop and share some of your work! It’s a great way for a lot of authors to share, plus it builds up links to your site! The rules:

1. Post an excerpt from your latest horse book (released or being written) – perhaps somewhere between 300 – 2000 words
2. Mention that you’re taking part in a blog hop started by Christine at Horse Country Book (provide a link to http://www.horsecountrybook.com/latest-book-excerpt-blog-hop/)
3. Leave a comment on this post with details so that I can provide a link back to your post
4. If having an issue with leaving comments, send me an email: christine@horsecountrybook.com with subject ‘Excerpt Blog Hop’

Now for the excerpt! This is from my latest novel in progress, B and B.

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Ben sighed, suddenly wishing for his previous conversation with Jake to continue. Anything but this.
The group of ten had a couple of capable riders, but the majority were shaky at the trot and definitely weren’t up to too much cantering. This meant more conversation. Normally Ben could put up with this – Jake had given him a couple of great questions that he used to keep their clients talking about themselves.
Unfortunately there was one chatty brunette who seemed insistent on getting Ben to talk. He was surprised by her apparent interest in him – the young women usually were drawn to Jake’s dark curls and blue eyes, as well as his easy laugh and ability to talk with anyone comfortably. More often than not when Ben watched the clients interact with his co worker he either felt amused, or old.
Today he would have settled for old. This woman – Jane or Jan or Janine, he couldn’t remember – appeared a little young and her energy was quickly tiring him. Didn’t some people know how to stop talking?
He was glad when the group drew close to a hill they used for cantering. The ride slowed to a stop as Jake outlined what they were going to do. Then one by one, the riders cantered up the hill to wait at the top. Jake lead the way and thankfully Ben’s sudden fan realised he needed to keep watch over the riders as they made their way between him and Jake waiting up top.
Ben purposely held back when he saw the young woman make her ascent at a lazy canter. He smiled to himself when halfway up the hill the older mare she was on, decided a trot would suffice. The young brunette gave a hearty kick with her heels and the mare snorted and broke into a canter again – for three strides – before abruptly coming to a walk. Ben chuckled outright as he headed up the hill after her, noting with satisfaction that although she was surprised by the mare’s sudden change of pace, she stayed in the saddle.
The rest of the ride was made up mainly of brisk trotting – a pace that caused some to focus on their seat, rather than the joys of conversation – and Ben was able to get a few moments to himself. He kept an eye on the riders, but was also able to enjoy the scenery of tall eucalypts, some acacias and the odd pine.
The smell of the bush was both a familiar comfort, and refreshing. At times Ben wondered if there was a job that paid where he could just ride all day – without the clients.
As the ride came to a close, the riders were allowed to spread out on an open hillside and push their mounts into a canter. It was an exhilarating feeling – the twelve of them racing up the hillside. Ben let out an uncharacteristic whoop as they reached the top. The riders appeared a little breathless, but were all smiling. It was a nice way to finish the ride.
The group made their way at a steady walk down the hillside and toward the tie up yards. The brunette whose name Ben really wasn’t sure on continued her chatter, asking Ben questions about himself. He muttered some answers, glaring at Jake who was grinning cheerfully back at him.
The pair worked quickly to help their clients dismount. Some part time staff members were on hand to take the horses away and cool them down and brush them off before the afternoon feeding.
Ben turned away from handing over his mount to one of the staff and nearly jumped when he found the young woman still in the yard.
“Did you forget something?” he asked automatically, looking to see if the horse she had ridden was still handy.
“Oh, no! I’ve got everything, thank you. We’re all going into town for a drink before we head back home and I thought you might like to join us,” she invited cheerfully.
Ben questioned if he really did need to work on his people skills. He couldn’t for the life of him think of anything he’d said or done to give her the impression he would gladly join them for a little more socialising. He scratched the back of his head, unsure what to say.
“Oh… thanks for the invitation…”
“But we’ve got quite a bit of work to do with these horses before we’re finished for the day,” Jake cut in smoothly, saving Ben.
The young woman nodded in understanding.
“The horses definitely need to come first. They were great today and we had a lot of fun riding. Thank you two again, we’ll be back!” she stated cheerfully, turning on her heel to join her friends.
Ben let out a breath he didn’t realise he’d been holding. Jake slapped him on the back before walking off to tend to his horse. Ben didn’t miss his laugh as he said, “you’re welcome, my friend!”

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• If you fancy checking out another excerpt from this novel, head on over to Linda Ballou Talking to You.
• Be sure to check out the excerpt from Book 5 of Pony Jumpers, Five Stride Line by Kate Lattey, too!
• Connie Hambley has also posted a chapter from her recent release, The Troubles!

Over at Rodney’s Saga, there’s a discussion on the best class anyone has ever had at a horse show. Anyone is invited to participate so I thought I would!

I was first introduced to the idea of competition on horses through my local Pony Club – Caulfield Pony Club. In spite of the name, we were not located in Caulfield, but in Bangholme on the property where I leased my horse Pride.

My sister and I had both started leasing horses and although we had no experience in showing / competition, it seemed that our first gymkhana was a day for the Thomas girls! In most classes we came away with first or second.

The ribbon that I was most proud of was the one I gained for most natural rider. It was a wonderful feeling; so much so that I’d say that this was my best class – the one in which someone else deemed me as being a person who sat astride a horse naturally.

What was yours?

Head on over to My Best Class: Blog Hop to read other people’s posts or take part yourself!

 

Hi everyone! Linda Ballou of The Cowgirl Jumped Over the Moon has kindly interviewed me on her blog! Why not take a look?

Here you’ll find 10 interview questions answered, including a sneak peak into a new novel that I’m writing!

It was a nice place where Ben worked. Good physical work, great views and accommodating bosses. He definitely couldn’t complain. And to be honest, if he could, it tended to be toward the end of the season when he’d had enough of clients, but that didn’t matter – he was moving on in a short while by that stage.
The business – Happy Trails – focused on providing just that; trail rides that customers could truly enjoy and have a good time on. It was seasonal work, running through the spring and summer months with a break in February due to the heat, then back on for the autumn months and slowing down over winter.
Generally this meant one of two things for Ben – he did maintenance odds and ends in the early mornings and late evenings of February and then went back to taking clients out over autumn, or he headed off for a break and a scene change at another job an hour down the road until spring came around again.

Read on at Linda Ballou Talking to You.