Ellis had a list and a mission, so he loaded Mavis into the truck and was about to head off to the Hy-Way Ranch Supply when he saw the kid he’d met on the porch a few days back, Michael, heading for the barn.
Now, he figured the kid had a right to go look at any horse out in the pasture—of which there were some good working animals and a few retirees—because they belonged to the boy’s family.
But Rio was out and about too, in the quarantine stall, and he was a roping horse as well as a working ranch horse, and he could be a wee bit high-strung. So he sighed.
“Come on, Mavis. We need to make sure the kid doesn’t get his brains kicked out.”
Mavis woofed and jumped back out of the truck, heading right for the barn. She really did love kids and wanted to meet every one she saw.
He hurried to the barn, and he could hear the boy, just jabbering away.
“So, are you supposed to be locked up in a stall all by yourself?” Ellis could hear the kid jabbering at Rio. “I broughtapples and baby carrots for treats. Do you like apples? The other guys do. Uh-oh, here they come. Hi, guys, I brought your apples. Don’t crowd!”
Lord have mercy, this kid was either going to become a horseman or he was going to get himself trampled to death. The kid seemed a decent one though, so he was going to vote for being a fine horseman.
Ellis walked inside, making sure to create enough noise that nobody got surprised, but not so much noise that it startled anybody. “Hey, Michael, how are you?”
“Hey, I’m all right. I didn’t steal the apples, I promise. I bought them with my allowance money. At the store. And there were lots of carrots. My grandpa said that carrots and apples were okay for the horses.” The kid was all wide-eyed and worried.
“They are. You know who else likes apples?” He gently elbowed horses out of his path, getting snorts and curious wuffles for his trouble. This was a well-trained bunch.
“No?”
“Mavis here loves a bit of apple.”
“Oh, wow! You have a dog.” Michael bent to give Mavis a slice of apple and rub her ears. Which, of course, when Rio bent over the stall door and nudged the kid in the ass. “Whoa!”
“He’s a jealous one. Rio, be nice. Now, he’s in his stall because he’s quarantined from the herd here for a few days—just because he’s crossed state lines. And I wanted to introduce you because he can be a little nippy.”
Michael straightened, turning to face Rio, nice and slow. “Can I give him an apple?”
“You absolutely can.”
Michael gave Ellis a grin that shone like the sun through the clouds. This kid wanted something to do, a reason that he was out here.
And he desperately wanted to see these horses.
Michael put a piece of apple on the palm of his hand with an exaggerated care, pulled his fingers back, and offered it over. “Hey, Rio, would you like a piece of apple?”
Rio rolled his eyes toward Ellis, and Ellis nodded, barely. Rio took the treat, lipping it up, gentle as all get-out.
Then, of course, all the horses started pushing up, trying to get more.
“Okay, that’s the way to get hurt now. Don’t let them push you around.”
Michael blinked up at him, confusion written clear as anything. “They’re like forty-seven thousand times my size.”
“Which is why you have to let them know you’re the boss.” Fortunately, all these guys were happy to get snacks and to love on Michael, but still…
This this was an accident desperate for a place to happen. The last thing he needed was for this boy to get hurt. Not because it would be his job, but because this young man was trying.
Michael didn’t know what he was doing, but this was a good kid who had that natural love for critters.
“So what do I do?”
“Well, for one thing, you step back. You take yourself out of his space and let him know you don’t like that. Dogs and horses are way better at reading body language than people.”
Michael dutifully moved back a few paces, and Ellis shooed the other horses away so they could focus on Rio.
