Chapter 49: Saturdays

I met Billy at the Stables Saturday morning. No matter Summer was over and most of the guests had gone home, the stables were the same. Horses needed to be fed, stalls needed mucked out, hooves needed cleaning, shoes needed tending, and general chores didn't stop.

I walked in and noses immediately popped over stall doors to say hello, I patted a few as I walked down the main aisle.

"Morning Nick."

"Hello Kat. How's it going?" Nick was pushing a wheel borrow full of manure by.

"Just fine, Billy in the office?"

"Nope. Out back."

I did and about face and headed back the way I'd come. Turning the corner of the building I spotted him on the far side. He was with a horse that looked none too happy with him being there. It had it's ears back tight against it's skull and I could see the whites of it's eyes. It's body was stiff and still. I slowed to a stop, staying far away so not to add to the horses stress. Billy was calm and stroking the horses nose, it's head cradled tight to his shoulder. I couldn't hear the words but knew he spoke soothingly to the beast.

Nick approached me from behind and spoke softly into my own ear. "That there is Freight. He's a mean one. Jake bought him last Spring and Billy hasn't had time to work with him like he needs it. Now he's got it in his head he doesn't want to be worked with. He's a young one. Jake wants to use him for studd some." Nick was slow to move and kept his voice so low I slowed my own breathing to hear him. "First time with a saddle, and he doesn't like it." Nick shook his head. "Damn fool who owned him before should have done all of this. He's too old for this to be easy."

"Is he, it, dangerous?" I asked softly, meaning the saddle training.

"All depends on those two." Nick nodded softly to the pair in the paddock before me.

"How long has been like that?" I whispered.

"About long enough. See?"

Nick nodded needlessly. I did see. Billy had started to move, slowly holding the horses head tight. I saw Freight's eye move and I'd swear he narrowed a brow. Billy moved again, slowly forward. Freight took one small step and his entire body twitched. He did not like the feeling of the saddle on his back, against his skin.

"He just toss the saddle on there and expect him to like it?" I asked without a clue to how it's done.

"Hell no." Nick said shocked. "Takes time, sometimes weeks. Step by step Billy's been getting him used to the blanket alone. Yesterday he had the saddle on for the first time, Today it's on, and it's girthed. And he don't like it. Billy is trying to get him to walk with it on."

"And if he doesn't like it?"

"Welp. Freight will either get mad as hell and take it out on Billy, which means he'll be heading this way really fast. Or they'll stand like that for a long time. Billy's as stubborn as any horse."

Billy took another small step. Freight flicked an ear and followed. I wasn't sure how long I stood there watching but bit by bit Billy got the horse to relax and walk. Then he relaxed and let got of Freight's head and lead him by the lunge line. Freight's back shook as he tried to dislodge the saddle and his face said he wasn't at all happy but was willing now. For now, at least. Billy shot me the briefest of smiles and then went back to giving Freight all of his attention. Before too much longer Freight was lightly trotting around the paddock on the line Billy held.

"Hey ... that's enough boy, lets give you a break." Billy's voice had never stopped talking the entire time. The horse knew him and was comfortable. With a practiced motion Billy had the saddle off swiftly and released Freight to trot to the other side of the paddock, where he let out a loud neigh.