Greener Pastures - Alyssa Brugman [3]
She would see flocks of finches flitting from bush to bush and families of wrens arguing over territory, and hear the first cicadas that in the coming months would become a roar.
Texas walked faster when he realised they were heading for home, and soon they were past the water tower, past the old lounge chairs, around the corner, and along the track to the back fence.
While Chad opened the gate Shelby looked out across the arena where Keisha was still working a Clydesdale in long reins. She waved and Keisha waved back.
Keisha had planned to go on the trail ride with Shelby and Chad, but the lesson with the Clydie was taking longer than she had thought. She looked tiny behind the big horse. His huge hooves sent up little sprays of sand as he trotted around. He was doing a lovely shoulder-in, which had been the lesson for the day. Shelby knew Keisha must be pleased with how he was working.
Up at the stables the white stallions poked their heads out of the half-doors, watching what was going on. In the paddock the miniatures were playing a vigorous game of bite-face, pig-rooting and squealing. Behind them Shelby could see the semitrailers signwritten in bright colours with 'Equus Caballus'.
Zeb had added a cartoon of three girls standing atop their horses and waving. One of the cartoon characters was a blonde girl aboard a paint pony, and Shelby was ashamed that she was going to let him down after all he'd done for her.
Zeb had been mending one of the fences near the round yard. Shelby guessed that he had decided to mend that particular fence right at that moment so that he could chip in his two cents to what Keisha was doing with the Clydie. Keisha had never broken a horse into harness by herself before, and Shelby knew Zeb wouldn't be able to resist bossing her around a little bit. Zeb walked over to help Chad unsaddle. Chad shot a meaningful look over Tex's back and Shelby sent a frown back that said, I'm doing it already!
It was now or never.
'Um, Zeb, I don't think I'm going to be able to do the troupe any more,' she muttered.
'Is that right?' Zeb said, resting the saddle on the gate. He waited for an excuse. Shelby didn't have one, except that she didn't want to do it, and that sounded weak. Anything else would be a lie, and she didn't want to lie to Zeb. It would be disrespectful.
Zeb patted Tex on the rump as Chad led him away. Instead of demanding an explanation, losing his temper, or trying to change her mind, he surprised her by saying, 'I'll buy your pony. I'll give you three thousand dollars. He's solid, trustworthy, hardworking – he's a beaut.'
Shelby shook her head. 'Blue's not for sale.'
In the wash-bay Chad hosed down Texas, and just beyond him, up at the house, Zeb's wife and Keisha's mum were talking and laughing. Two fox terriers were playing with a ball on the lawn.
When she saw it for the first time Zeb's place had been magic to Shelby. It was like a circus every day. Over the months she had got to know all the horses and learned so many techniques from the people who worked there, but Zeb in particular. As soon as the horses had learned a trick, Zeb was keen to try something new. It didn't always turn out the way he had hoped, but the horses looked forward to working with him. He kept it interesting. He challenged them in a friendly, playful way, and they responded to it.
Shelby would miss them all. She wondered if she would still be welcome to visit. She expected Zeb to start yelling soon, trying to bully her into giving in. He chewed his lip. That was usually a sign.
'Blue's the reason I'm quitting anyway, Zeb. If I'm going to sell him to you, I might as well stay. I don't think it's good for him to spend his life on the road.'
'What are you talking about? Horses are nomadic, you silly-billy.' Zeb was still smiling.
'Yeah, but not in trucks,' Shelby countered.
'Five thousand.'