He nudged the horse again, this time a little harder, trying to urge it to move slowly.
Instead, it jerked forward with a sudden jolt, sending him bouncing in the saddle.
His grip on the reins tightened, his body flailing as he tried to stay upright.
"Whoa!" he muttered through clenched teeth, gripping the saddle horn like it was his last lifeline.
The horse seemed to have its own ideas about where to go, weaving left and right with every step.
One particularly sharp turn almost sent him flying off. He yanked the reins awkwardly to one side, hoping to regain control.
It responded by coming to an abrupt stop, nearly sending him over its head. He scrambled to hang on, flailing his arms like a fish out of water.
"Okay, okay... I got this," he lied to himself, straightening up.
Feeling a bit more confident—or desperate—he tried again.
The horse obliged, but instead of trotting straight, it zigzagged along the path.
