It was a warm, breezy morning when Jake and his 17-year-old sister Neva climbed into the backseat of their mom’s car, still half-asleep and sipping on iced drinks. Their mom had a big grin on her face as she drove, clearly way more excited than either of them.

“I signed us up for horseback riding lessons today!” she said, eyes glancing at them in the rearview mirror. “It’s out at the stables just past the hills—super pretty, and I already paid for everything. So no backing out.”

Jake blinked. “Wait, horses? Like… actual horses?”

Neva perked up immediately, pulling her long hair into a ponytail. “That’s actually kinda cute. I’m gonna braid my horse’s mane if they let me. What if I name it Prada or something?” She smirked over at Jake. “Yours can be named… Dirt.”

Jake rolled his eyes. “Very creative, Neva.”

They arrived at the stables a little after 10 AM. The area was peaceful—wide open fields, the sound of horses neighing softly in the distance, and the smell of hay in the air. A friendly instructor greeted them and helped them gear up with helmets and boots. Their mom looked thrilled, snapping photos every few seconds like it was the first day of school.

Jake was paired with a tall, chestnut horse named Rusty who looked like he’d seen it all and wasn’t impressed. Neva, naturally, got a white horse with a golden mane named Bella. “She’s literally me,” Neva whispered dramatically, petting Bella’s head like it was a baby goat.

They started with a short walk around the paddock, learning how to hold the reins and gently guide the horses. Jake was nervous at first—Rusty was a big dude—but after a few laps, he started getting the hang of it. Neva, of course, was already acting like a horse whisperer, talking to Bella like they were best friends and tossing her hair every time their mom took a video.

The ride led them out to a small trail along a hillside with amazing views of the countryside. Birds chirped in the distance, the sun was shining, and the horses moved slowly and peacefully.

At one point, Neva turned to Jake and whispered, “Okay this is lowkey iconic. Like, if I had a cowgirl hat and a denim jacket right now, I’d be unstoppable.”