displeasure.
“Let’s play.”
With a loud “Ha!” Katie pushed the mare forward by closing in on the horse’s rear
flanks. In the wild, the dominant horse would trigger another horse’s natural herd
reflexes by crowding in on its space. By forcing the other horse to move, the dominant
animal would prove he was strong enough to be the leader. Katie just had to demonstrate
to Sweet Thing that she was the leader, that she deserved respect.
Katie closed in on the mare’s rear flanks, keeping a safe distance, but letting Sweet
Thing know she was there. Katie put her arms out wide, looped rope in hand. Sweet
Thing took off in a burst of speed, and Katie was lost in a cloud of brown. She rolled
the grit across the roof of her mouth and swallowed.
Come on, get in there. Katie advanced. Stay with her. Be the better horse.
Katie walked closer, pressing the mare to the back fence. Sweet Thing ran. Katie pressed
again and watched as Sweet Thing galloped away. Over and over they did their dance.
Katie wore the mare down, showing her she had nothing to fear. And as Sweet Thing’s
fear lessened, the mare’s confidence grew and she paid less and less attention to
Katie.
“She’s winning. You’re not earning a damn thing out there,” Lupe said. “See how she
turns her butt toward you. If a horse respects you, she won’t take her eyes off you.
Now what are you afraid of? Get in there and push!”
Afraid? Katie wasn’t afraid. Didn’t she prove it by being in here? By taking on a
horse no one would touch? And yet, when Katie could’ve stepped closer, really showed
she was the leader, she hesitated. She couldn’t ignore the way Sweet Thing’s back
legs quivered with power. Katie knew the horse’s aim was damn accurate.
Again she ran toward Sweet Thing’s flanks with her rope coiled, making her seem larger
and hopefully in charge. “Ha!”
Sweet Thing trotted forward, disdain in every muscle as she turned her hindquarters
straight toward Katie’s face.
“That horse just gave you the finger, right here in front of God and the world.” Lupe’s
laugh was like the crackle of old newspapers.
Katie slowed to catch her breath. She put her hands on her hips and sliced her gaze
to Lupe.
“Don’t put those eyes on me, missy. It’s her you need to be watching. She’s telling
you that you’re not worth it. Are you gonna let a horse talk to you like that?”
Shut up, old man.
Katie ran her hands through her dampened hair. Did she have to pick the hottest part
of the day to match wits with a horse?
Sweet Thing tossed her head and looked out through the fence.
I’m not even a threat. Not even a concern in this mare’s brain.
She was assailed by memories of how Cole had dismissed her with a hair rumple and
a “if you hurry, kid, I’ll get you an ice cream.” Or how Pa wouldn’t even hear of
her reasons why she wanted to stay and go to college close to home. No, he simply
put the college applications in front of her and walked away. Katie was tired of Pa
ignoring her wants and of Cole’s dismissive attitude. Katie needed this win. It all
came down to whose will was stronger.
A hard kernel in the pit of her belly heated and spread. Anger slicked its fingers
up her throat.
Don’t discount me.
Katie snapped the rope and it cracked on the dusty ground. Sweet Thing’s head popped
up. Ears swiveled like satellites. Katie stepped forward, slowly this time, crowding
Sweet Thing in her space. The mare shifted forward, unsure. Her tail was rigid, eyes
widened. Katie put the pressure on. Forward. Closer. Aggressive.
They had done this every day for the last week. Sweet Thing would turn and run toward
Katie, chasing. Katie would ease back, giving her room, and let her go, and then they
did the series of steps all over again. Forward. Back. Push. Pull.
The sun burned hot. Sweat stung Katie’s eyes. Wiping her forehead, she kept her gaze
“Let’s play.”
With a loud “Ha!” Katie pushed the mare forward by closing in on the horse’s rear
flanks. In the wild, the dominant horse would trigger another horse’s natural herd
reflexes by crowding in on its space. By forcing the other horse to move, the dominant
animal would prove he was strong enough to be the leader. Katie just had to demonstrate
to Sweet Thing that she was the leader, that she deserved respect.
Katie closed in on the mare’s rear flanks, keeping a safe distance, but letting Sweet
Thing know she was there. Katie put her arms out wide, looped rope in hand. Sweet
Thing took off in a burst of speed, and Katie was lost in a cloud of brown. She rolled
the grit across the roof of her mouth and swallowed.
Come on, get in there. Katie advanced. Stay with her. Be the better horse.
Katie walked closer, pressing the mare to the back fence. Sweet Thing ran. Katie pressed
again and watched as Sweet Thing galloped away. Over and over they did their dance.
Katie wore the mare down, showing her she had nothing to fear. And as Sweet Thing’s
fear lessened, the mare’s confidence grew and she paid less and less attention to
Katie.
“She’s winning. You’re not earning a damn thing out there,” Lupe said. “See how she
turns her butt toward you. If a horse respects you, she won’t take her eyes off you.
Now what are you afraid of? Get in there and push!”
Afraid? Katie wasn’t afraid. Didn’t she prove it by being in here? By taking on a
horse no one would touch? And yet, when Katie could’ve stepped closer, really showed
she was the leader, she hesitated. She couldn’t ignore the way Sweet Thing’s back
legs quivered with power. Katie knew the horse’s aim was damn accurate.
Again she ran toward Sweet Thing’s flanks with her rope coiled, making her seem larger
and hopefully in charge. “Ha!”
Sweet Thing trotted forward, disdain in every muscle as she turned her hindquarters
straight toward Katie’s face.
“That horse just gave you the finger, right here in front of God and the world.” Lupe’s
laugh was like the crackle of old newspapers.
Katie slowed to catch her breath. She put her hands on her hips and sliced her gaze
to Lupe.
“Don’t put those eyes on me, missy. It’s her you need to be watching. She’s telling
you that you’re not worth it. Are you gonna let a horse talk to you like that?”
Shut up, old man.
Katie ran her hands through her dampened hair. Did she have to pick the hottest part
of the day to match wits with a horse?
Sweet Thing tossed her head and looked out through the fence.
I’m not even a threat. Not even a concern in this mare’s brain.
She was assailed by memories of how Cole had dismissed her with a hair rumple and
a “if you hurry, kid, I’ll get you an ice cream.” Or how Pa wouldn’t even hear of
her reasons why she wanted to stay and go to college close to home. No, he simply
put the college applications in front of her and walked away. Katie was tired of Pa
ignoring her wants and of Cole’s dismissive attitude. Katie needed this win. It all
came down to whose will was stronger.
A hard kernel in the pit of her belly heated and spread. Anger slicked its fingers
up her throat.
Don’t discount me.
Katie snapped the rope and it cracked on the dusty ground. Sweet Thing’s head popped
up. Ears swiveled like satellites. Katie stepped forward, slowly this time, crowding
Sweet Thing in her space. The mare shifted forward, unsure. Her tail was rigid, eyes
widened. Katie put the pressure on. Forward. Closer. Aggressive.
They had done this every day for the last week. Sweet Thing would turn and run toward
Katie, chasing. Katie would ease back, giving her room, and let her go, and then they
did the series of steps all over again. Forward. Back. Push. Pull.
The sun burned hot. Sweat stung Katie’s eyes. Wiping her forehead, she kept her gaze
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