The Time Giver

May 16th: Progress

Turner's small head peeked over the stall door as she heard Zach approach, making him smile. Over the past week, he'd been learning a lot about the horses. Every morning, he gotten up with Kelly to feed and water her large herd. It was easy; Kelly would fill the various buckets with feed, and tell him what stall to take each one to. She'd also shown him how to muck the stalls, which had made him pull a face that had her laughing for a half an hour. But it wasn't long before he got over it, and while she took out a horse to lunge or ride, he would roll the wheelbarrow into the vacant stall. It helped make the days go quickly, which he was grateful for.

In addition, Zach was becoming more comfortable teaching Turner, and she was already blooming under his careful instruction. While he cleaned her stall, she'd learned to stand quietly tied up in the aisle. Kelly had also shown him how to groom correctly and pick hooves, and he'd transferred this to Turner, as well.

After only getting the halter tangled once, he slipped it over her head easily, then lead her out to the ring on the wall. It was almost second nature now to easily loop the lead into a quick release. Turner watched with her large eyes, and pricked her ears. "What?" he asked as he pulled a hoof pick out of the grooming box. She sneezed, then stilled as he reached down to her hoof. When he clucked, she quickly lifted her leg, allowing him to hold it steady while he picked out the manure and hay. She repeated this for all four legs, drooping her head like she was about to fall asleep.

"Good girl," Zach said as he patted her neck. He pulled the lead rope out of the ring, then walked Turner down to the tack room, where he leaned in to grab a lunge rope from the wall. On seeing this, Turner began nodding her head, as if she enjoyed being allowed to run. She probably did.

As Zach lead Turner out into the arena, Kelly stepped out of another horse's stall and followed him, sitting down on the bleachers. When he turned to get rid of the smaller lead, he noticed her there. "Do you want me to do anything special?" He asked.

She shook her head. "Just what you normally do," She replied with a smile. "Start her out at the end of her line, though. See if she knows what it is she's doing. Let out some line, and cluck to her."

Zach did as he was told. Turner flicked her tail, and tentatively stepped to the left. Smiling, Zach clucked again, and was rewarded with the filly circling around him.

"Good job, Zach." Kelly called. "Now, just do it from memory. And be patient."

While Zach intently watched Turner, Kelly smiled. She could remember Sam doing the same thing as if it was yesterday, lunging her horse as well as she could, herself. Colton would sit here many days in a row, watching quietly while mother and daughter worked mounts at opposite ends of the arena. Kelly smiled at the memory of Sam trying to teach her father while she laughed. He had tried to understand, but in the end, defied logic and ended up tangled in the lunge line. The pony had stood calmly while Kelly and Sam had struggled to unwrap their husband and father, but just ended up laughing in the sand of the arena.

Her memory dissolved as a figure stepped into the doorway. She turned to find Mr. Harper watching, eyes wide open, as Turner circled around Zach flawlessly. He slowly treaded to the bleachers, and took a seat beside Kelly. He twiddled his thumbs a little, and shuffled his feet in the dirt. Kelly noted that he was wearing casual clothes, and had on old cowboy boots. He must have come to retrieve his horse, but had paused when he saw Zach with the filly.

She smirked, and nodded toward the arena. "Do you trust my judgement now, Mr. Harper?"

He coughed, rubbing the back of his neck while giving her a sideways look. "I guess I owe you an apology, Kelly." He looked toward the arena, opening his mouth again as if to go further, but audibly clamped them shut.