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🕑 Added 2024-10-01 19:11:52 +0000 UTCWind in the Smoke
Chapter 8: The Consequences of Bad Decisions [Part 2]
Dante grabbed the reins and then pulled on the pommel in front of the saddle, a feature found only in cowboy saddles.
This is primarily used after roping a cow, and it’s called the Saddle Horn. After using the rope, one cannot fight the strength of an animal, so they use the saddle horn to brace against whatever they've caught.
Dante then put his left foot into the stirrup, pulled hard, lifted himself up, and immediately put his right foot into the other stirrup.
Right after he did all this, the horse started to buck, arching its back, leaping, and doing everything possible to throw him off.
The spectators couldn’t help but exclaim.
“Wow, it’s so fierce!”
“I didn’t think Dante had the strength to hold on, but it looks like he’s giving that horse a good fight.”
‘Good fight? This damn horse is wrecking my spine and every bone in my body,’ Dante thought as he listened to the jeers of all the cowboys who just wanted to see him suffer at the hands of the horse.
Of course, Dante knew this, but he wanted to prove to these rusty cowboys that he was a good Dutton too, not like his brother Jaime, with all due respect.
…
Everyone watched with enthusiasm this sport, which is part of the rodeo, very popular in the United States. It’s considered one of the most favored sports among those who like the cowboy or farm lifestyle or are just fans of the scene.
In the classic competition, the organizer would gather aggressive horses, and the cowboys would compete to see who could last the longest on the backs of the usually wild animals.
As long as you can last more than nine seconds, you can earn generous bonuses, which vary depending on the competition.
Of course, you still have to pay a registration fee.
“Has it been eight seconds yet?”
“It’s long over.”
“I don’t think this horse is as weak as the one on the other side of the field. We should force Dante to compete.”
After those words were spoken, the other cowboys nodded in agreement. Old John looked at the cowboy who spoke, and Rip looked at Old John.
Competing isn’t easy. Every year, many people die or are paralyzed while participating in these competitions.
John, of course, wouldn’t let his son compete, nor his cowboys. The responsibility was too great, and the consequences were too risky to guarantee safety.
After waiting about four or five minutes, the horse gradually began to tire and could no longer jump. It slowly lowered its head, shaking from all the effort it had put in over the last fifty minutes.
Dante's clenched teeth were hidden. Although he persisted, he felt his entire body was about to collapse from the shaking, and his hips and bones ached.
“Rip, open the gate, and Lloyd, open the biggest pen gate,” Dante said.
Both realized what Dante was about to do, and John smiled, shaking his head as he looked away.
A group of people returned to the arena. The only difference between this and the training field was that the arena was much larger.
Dante guided his horse to the other end, then turned the horse’s head and charged forward, where the cowboys were watching.
Mid-charge, Dante pulled on the reins and leaned back, causing the horse to stop immediately.
The back legs dug into the sand, the front legs moved forward, and the entire horse began to slide. This is also an event in rodeo—seeing who can slide the furthest.
American reining is an advanced skill for those who master the basic qualities of a horse, something more used for showing off than anything else. However, in competitions, it’s one of the most beloved events.
“Wow, not bad; it looks like he’s mastering it!”
Everyone thought Dante’s skills were basic, and they were here to laugh a bit at the young Dutton, but they were surprised to see he was leaving them speechless with his decent abilities.
“This horse was just tamed. It’s Dante’s first time riding it. Do you know what his highest record is?”
One of the cowboys couldn’t help but ask sarcastically, “How many?”
“When he was younger, that boy could easily do ten meters; his record was fifteen,” Lloyd recalled those times when a curious Dante had asked him to teach him to ride.
But now, as Dante was getting reacquainted with those rusty skills, it would be some time before he reached that level again.
Even so, just with his confidence, he was putting on a beautiful display of what it takes to stop pretending and start being someone knowledgeable.
“Damn!”
Dante ignored everyone's reactions, letting out his enthusiasm, and controlled the horse to turn in place.
This action is a necessary step in a competitive exhibition. As the name suggests, a competitive exhibition can compete and perform.
In competitions, there’s a complete process for observing the performance and scoring the horse’s qualities along with the rider.
As for exhibition races, they mainly involve trainers and retired champions.
For example, a ranch hires a team of horse trainers to help train their horses. Once trained, the team takes them around various parts of the United States to participate in exhibitions.
This helps build the ranch’s brand reputation and sell the tamed horses. Cowboys or wealthy individuals from all over the world who watch the show will bid on the tamed horses. After the training and performance by these professional teams, horses bought for hundreds of thousands can sell for millions.
And if your ranch is famous and has a recognized brand, the price will eventually go up.
As for how to make the ranch famous, it’s still the same process, but it involves having good horses—ones that sell for three to four hundred thousand, five to six hundred thousand, and even millions in more extravagant cases.
Dante wanted to grow his ranch’s brand. Now that he had the resources, he would look for a way to create a powerful brand so that the largest ranch in the United States would be known worldwide.
John hadn’t yet realized this, but Dante, ambitious and also seeking to integrate benefits for his family, would stay ahead of his father’s wishes.
He was sure Rip knew someone good enough to handle this.
…
Dante dismounted and handed the reins to Lloyd: “The rest is up to you, old man.”
“Ha, ha, ha, of course.” Lloyd, who had suggested Dante embarrass himself, took the small insult in stride, happy that his former student hadn’t forgotten everything in the city.
“You won, son,” John said without looking Dante in the eyes, as he always did when giving a compliment hidden between many words.
Dante smiled slightly as he wiped the sweat from his face and said, “We should grow the ranch’s name in competitions with expensive horses. I have the money to make the investment.”
“No, we don’t need something like that.”
“Just think about the reputation we’d gain. By investing a few million, we’d be known by everyone. But in the first competition, we need to show strength. Using one of the most prestigious horses is the only way we can demonstrate the strength of our ranch.” Dante could easily pull out twenty million from nowhere. The only problem was that he couldn’t launder all that money.
But if he took a loan for his farms, he could conceal the use of illegal money and pay off the loan in three installments, as he would agree with his bank.
“It’s too soon.” John said as he walked away.
“We’ll see.” The smile on Dante’s face was tired but clear about what he wanted to do.
John, who thought about something, shouted at Dante from a distance: “By the way, we need to talk now about other things.”
“I’m coming…” Dante said goodbye to everyone before following his father.
