first?”
“Pease.”
“That’s right. Here you go.”
Cassie came in looking deliciously rumpled. She blushed when she saw him with Sarah, went to RJ, gave him a cookie and a kiss on the head before getting a cup of coffee and a cookie for herself.
He noticed her giving him sideways glances while she sipped her coffee then looking quickly away. Damn! Did she feel it too or was he just reading too much into it?
RJ’s voice brought Sam back from his reverie. “Mom. I want to go with Davy out looking for mustangs. I’m old enough now.”
“No. You’re not old enough and you know it.”
“But…”
“RJ. You know better. We discussed this and you agreed with your father and I. Not until you’re twelve. You’re only nine. I’m telling you now this is not going to happen.” She looked at him closely. “So what is it you really want? You’re not fooling me.”
“Ah, Mom. It’s not fair. Ian gets to help his dad work the horses. Why can’t I help you train the horses.”
“Okay.”
“I’m old enough and I…okay?” He dropped his spoon into his bowl.
“Okay.”
“You mean it? You’ll let me help you train the horses?”
“Yes. Now that Sam’s here, I can concentrate on the training and you can help me. There’s more to training than just racing. You know that, right?” Cassie put her elbows on the table, steepled her fingers and said again, “Right?”
RJ was too eager by half and Sam figured Cassie had something special in mind to keep the youngster busy. Sam had been RJ’s age and knew he wanted to be a man. Especially with his father gone, he felt like he was the man of the house, but Cassie was making sure he stayed a boy for a while longer. She was a wonderful mother.
“Bridget, will you take care of Sarah. Call me if she has a relapse. Sam you’re on your own. Mr. RJ, you come with me. We have horses to take care of and we have to check on Sheba. She’s about to foal. How would you like to watch that?”
“Really? You’d let me?”
“You’re old enough now to see what goes on when a horse has a baby. The foals are so wobbly. It’s really quite funny.”
Sam wondered about that. He’d seen a horse foal, it wasn’t a pretty site and there was nothing funny he could remember.
*****
Cassie and RJ headed for the stable. Once there Cassie grabbed two curry combs. The spiral metal blades worked best for removing the loose dirt and hair from the horse.
“All right, to begin with we’re going to groom each horse. First we’ll curry them. You know how to do that right?
“Mom.” RJ rolled his eyes at her. “I’ve been watching you and the other ranch hands for years. I think I know how to curry a horse.”
She laughed at his antics. “Of course you do. Just make sure you don’t hurry, give each horse plenty of time.”
“There is one thing I don’t understand. Why do we curry and then brush them? I thought the curry was to take off the loose dirt and hair.”
“Good question.”
RJ beamed.
“The curry comb does get the majority. We use the brush to get anything that is left and to give the coat a nice shine.”
“What do we do next?”
“Well, you are going to start mucking the stalls.”
He made a face.
“I told you there’s more to it than just the racing. I’m going to work on their feet. You can watch but I don’t want you trying this…yet. It’s too dangerous. The horse could kick and easily kill you. These are powerful beasts. They weigh upwards of 2000 pounds. They won’t mean to kill you, it will just happen because you catch them unaware. Now go down the side of the horse. You can pat him as you go. You want the horse to be aware of you. When you get to the back, stay on his side and grab his fetlock and bring up his hoof. Rest the hoof on your knee
“Pease.”
“That’s right. Here you go.”
Cassie came in looking deliciously rumpled. She blushed when she saw him with Sarah, went to RJ, gave him a cookie and a kiss on the head before getting a cup of coffee and a cookie for herself.
He noticed her giving him sideways glances while she sipped her coffee then looking quickly away. Damn! Did she feel it too or was he just reading too much into it?
RJ’s voice brought Sam back from his reverie. “Mom. I want to go with Davy out looking for mustangs. I’m old enough now.”
“No. You’re not old enough and you know it.”
“But…”
“RJ. You know better. We discussed this and you agreed with your father and I. Not until you’re twelve. You’re only nine. I’m telling you now this is not going to happen.” She looked at him closely. “So what is it you really want? You’re not fooling me.”
“Ah, Mom. It’s not fair. Ian gets to help his dad work the horses. Why can’t I help you train the horses.”
“Okay.”
“I’m old enough and I…okay?” He dropped his spoon into his bowl.
“Okay.”
“You mean it? You’ll let me help you train the horses?”
“Yes. Now that Sam’s here, I can concentrate on the training and you can help me. There’s more to training than just racing. You know that, right?” Cassie put her elbows on the table, steepled her fingers and said again, “Right?”
RJ was too eager by half and Sam figured Cassie had something special in mind to keep the youngster busy. Sam had been RJ’s age and knew he wanted to be a man. Especially with his father gone, he felt like he was the man of the house, but Cassie was making sure he stayed a boy for a while longer. She was a wonderful mother.
“Bridget, will you take care of Sarah. Call me if she has a relapse. Sam you’re on your own. Mr. RJ, you come with me. We have horses to take care of and we have to check on Sheba. She’s about to foal. How would you like to watch that?”
“Really? You’d let me?”
“You’re old enough now to see what goes on when a horse has a baby. The foals are so wobbly. It’s really quite funny.”
Sam wondered about that. He’d seen a horse foal, it wasn’t a pretty site and there was nothing funny he could remember.
*****
Cassie and RJ headed for the stable. Once there Cassie grabbed two curry combs. The spiral metal blades worked best for removing the loose dirt and hair from the horse.
“All right, to begin with we’re going to groom each horse. First we’ll curry them. You know how to do that right?
“Mom.” RJ rolled his eyes at her. “I’ve been watching you and the other ranch hands for years. I think I know how to curry a horse.”
She laughed at his antics. “Of course you do. Just make sure you don’t hurry, give each horse plenty of time.”
“There is one thing I don’t understand. Why do we curry and then brush them? I thought the curry was to take off the loose dirt and hair.”
“Good question.”
RJ beamed.
“The curry comb does get the majority. We use the brush to get anything that is left and to give the coat a nice shine.”
“What do we do next?”
“Well, you are going to start mucking the stalls.”
He made a face.
“I told you there’s more to it than just the racing. I’m going to work on their feet. You can watch but I don’t want you trying this…yet. It’s too dangerous. The horse could kick and easily kill you. These are powerful beasts. They weigh upwards of 2000 pounds. They won’t mean to kill you, it will just happen because you catch them unaware. Now go down the side of the horse. You can pat him as you go. You want the horse to be aware of you. When you get to the back, stay on his side and grab his fetlock and bring up his hoof. Rest the hoof on your knee
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