"This is Zoom," said Raoul, handing me the reins of a too-pretty bay gelding. I sighed inwardly. Never ride a horse named Zoom or Devil or Lightning if you want a leisurely ride in the countryside. "You've ridden before, right?" he added. We nodded. He seemed relieved, and another yellow flag went up in my head. "The horses are a little excited when we leave the yard," he said. "But you know how to control them?" He made a gesture of holding hard on the reins of a runaway horse. I threw in two more mental yellow flags. "They'll settle down after a couple kilometers." I sighed to myself again. I really did want a leisurely amble through the countryside, with plenty of energy for conversation and taking in the flora and fauna. I didn't want to spend it trying to keep a badly trained horse under control.