hands they’d tossed out on their backsides.
Soon the birch-pole corral that she’d helped Seth and Ben construct five years ago came into view at the end of the box canyon. The enclosure connected to a narrow chute, which came in handy for working with a particularly difficult animal. Once the horse or steer had run inside and the gates were closed at head and tail, it was possible to halter, doctor, or even brand the animal through the slats.
The three stopped only long enough to prop open the gates so the corral would be ready to receive the horses.
The roundup didn’t take long with the help of Charlie and Dog. Nell flapped her coiled rope against her leather chaps to urge the last horse into the enclosure, then slid Coyote to a halt on her side of the gate. Charlie, a smile splitting his face like he’d just won a thousand dollars, pulled up on the other side and Seth swung the gate closed. Between the pounding hooves, Dog’s loud, excited bark, and the wind in the tall trees, excitement fairly hummed in the air.
“I haven’t had this much fun since, well, I can’t remember when,” Charlie hollered above the din.
His blue eyes glinted, which set off a strange sensation inside Nell. The flurries in her stomach grew as she took in his grin and windblown face. Yes, no doubt about it, their new hand was all too disarming for her good.
“Glad you liked it,” Seth responded. “Much easier this time with the three of us.”
Dog barked and wagged his tail.
“Four,” Seth corrected with a crooked smile.
“Those horses are fast.” The sides of Charlie’s black gelding heaved, and sweat trickled from under his saddle pad, dripping to the ground. “A couple of times there, I thought we lost ’em, Nell.”
She stacked the palms of her hands on her saddle horn, stretching up in the stirrups to get a better view of the horses and one less filled with Charlie. Caught up in the excitement, Dog scooted under the fence, barking wildly. One of the geldings kicked out viciously, missing him by inches.
“Dog,” Seth shouted. “Get out here before you get your brains kicked clear to kingdom come.” A horse charged and Dog scooted back under the fence, then ran over to Seth.
Nell dismounted and tied her horse to a nearby branch. She climbed the corral fence.
The chestnut stud colt with three white socks—the one Seth had such high hopes for—pawed the ground, showing just how angry he was about being brought in off the range. He flipped his head, then galloped the perimeter of the rails.
“Look at ’em, Seth.” Nell couldn’t keep her appreciation for the beautiful animals from her voice. “They’ve grown strong. That colt must have gained a good three hundred pounds in the last four months. He’s maturing.”
“Are they broke?” Charlie strode over to where she perched on the rail and stood alongside. He reached up and grasped the rail.
Nell shook her head. “Just green broke. Most have worn a saddle a time or two. Like Sitting Bull and Geronimo.” She pointed to a chestnut in the middle. “Cochise is one of my favorites, but he has a mind of his own.”
Charlie shot her a look. “What’s with the names?”
“The soldiers who they’re assigned to will rename them at the fort,” Seth answered. “So for the ones we plan to sell, we just drop a temporary name on ’em so between us we know which we’re talking about. Indian chief names are sort of an amusing thing to do.”
“But you’d be amazed how some of them actually live up to their names. Like that one over there.” Nell pointed to a muscular bay with a zigzag blaze running down his face. The animal stared at them keenly. “That’s Crazy Horse and boy, he’s one I never turn my back on.” She laughed, loving every second of what she did for a living. “We like to start them slow to give them a small taste of what’s to come, and then turn them back out. Let them develop and grow up. Also makes them smart. These horses
Soon the birch-pole corral that she’d helped Seth and Ben construct five years ago came into view at the end of the box canyon. The enclosure connected to a narrow chute, which came in handy for working with a particularly difficult animal. Once the horse or steer had run inside and the gates were closed at head and tail, it was possible to halter, doctor, or even brand the animal through the slats.
The three stopped only long enough to prop open the gates so the corral would be ready to receive the horses.
The roundup didn’t take long with the help of Charlie and Dog. Nell flapped her coiled rope against her leather chaps to urge the last horse into the enclosure, then slid Coyote to a halt on her side of the gate. Charlie, a smile splitting his face like he’d just won a thousand dollars, pulled up on the other side and Seth swung the gate closed. Between the pounding hooves, Dog’s loud, excited bark, and the wind in the tall trees, excitement fairly hummed in the air.
“I haven’t had this much fun since, well, I can’t remember when,” Charlie hollered above the din.
His blue eyes glinted, which set off a strange sensation inside Nell. The flurries in her stomach grew as she took in his grin and windblown face. Yes, no doubt about it, their new hand was all too disarming for her good.
“Glad you liked it,” Seth responded. “Much easier this time with the three of us.”
Dog barked and wagged his tail.
“Four,” Seth corrected with a crooked smile.
“Those horses are fast.” The sides of Charlie’s black gelding heaved, and sweat trickled from under his saddle pad, dripping to the ground. “A couple of times there, I thought we lost ’em, Nell.”
She stacked the palms of her hands on her saddle horn, stretching up in the stirrups to get a better view of the horses and one less filled with Charlie. Caught up in the excitement, Dog scooted under the fence, barking wildly. One of the geldings kicked out viciously, missing him by inches.
“Dog,” Seth shouted. “Get out here before you get your brains kicked clear to kingdom come.” A horse charged and Dog scooted back under the fence, then ran over to Seth.
Nell dismounted and tied her horse to a nearby branch. She climbed the corral fence.
The chestnut stud colt with three white socks—the one Seth had such high hopes for—pawed the ground, showing just how angry he was about being brought in off the range. He flipped his head, then galloped the perimeter of the rails.
“Look at ’em, Seth.” Nell couldn’t keep her appreciation for the beautiful animals from her voice. “They’ve grown strong. That colt must have gained a good three hundred pounds in the last four months. He’s maturing.”
“Are they broke?” Charlie strode over to where she perched on the rail and stood alongside. He reached up and grasped the rail.
Nell shook her head. “Just green broke. Most have worn a saddle a time or two. Like Sitting Bull and Geronimo.” She pointed to a chestnut in the middle. “Cochise is one of my favorites, but he has a mind of his own.”
Charlie shot her a look. “What’s with the names?”
“The soldiers who they’re assigned to will rename them at the fort,” Seth answered. “So for the ones we plan to sell, we just drop a temporary name on ’em so between us we know which we’re talking about. Indian chief names are sort of an amusing thing to do.”
“But you’d be amazed how some of them actually live up to their names. Like that one over there.” Nell pointed to a muscular bay with a zigzag blaze running down his face. The animal stared at them keenly. “That’s Crazy Horse and boy, he’s one I never turn my back on.” She laughed, loving every second of what she did for a living. “We like to start them slow to give them a small taste of what’s to come, and then turn them back out. Let them develop and grow up. Also makes them smart. These horses
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