Sundancer by Shelley Peterson Read Free Book Online

Sunny looked up, stared at her, then aloofly resumed grazing.
    Hector waddled down from the barn wagging his tail. Nice day.
    Sure is, Hector. Did you sleep well?
    Never better .
    How’s the arthritis?
    Same as usual. You’re not going in there again, are you?
    I think I am, Hector .
    He’s going to kill you. Stay away .
    I know you love me, but I have to do this .
    I’ll be watching .
    Bird smiled and rubbed his soft, yellow head. You’re a good dog . She climbed up on the fence and considered her plan. Bird had noted the way Sundancer had relished the apple slices the day before. Now it was time for something new. If this horse wouldn’t let her come to him, she’d make him come to her.
    Slowly, she climbed down into Sundancer’s field. She placed carrots and sugar cubes about a foot apart in a row beside the fence. Task completed, she sat down in the grass at the end of the row and began to eat apple as loudly as she could. Crunch. Crunch .
    Sundancer did his best to remain uninterested, but as Bird continued to enjoy the delicious treat, Sundancer got more aggravated. He was missing out, and he didn’t like it one bit.
    Sundancer grabbed the furthest carrot from the ground, eyeing Bird. He ate it, then took a sugar cube. As Bird had hoped, he moved closer and closer as he ate his way along the row. Bird sat still, moving only her jaws as she slowly devoured the apple. Visions of yesterday’s mad charge danced in her head. She was ready to leap out of the way should Sundancer decide to knock her over. But so far, so good.
    Fifteen minutes passed before Sundancer’s nose was at the apple. Bird shifted her weight and turned her back to him. She took another nibble.
    Sundancer’s neck stretched out to follow the apple. He nudged Bird’s arm. She pushed back. Bird shifted again, forcing Sundancer to follow her.
    She let him have a taste. He tried to take the whole thing, but Bird stopped him at a bite. Then another. She put her hand on his jaw and stroked him while he enjoyed his hard-won prize. He didn’t move away.
    Very slowly, Bird stood and offered him the rest. As he gobbled the apple, she seized her moment. In one fluid motion, she grabbed his mane in both hands and jumped lightly onto his back, using the fence rail as a springboard.
    Now, that wasn’t so bad, was it?
    HANNAH AWOKE FEELING REFRESHED and calm. It was Sunday, the least hectic day of the week. She stretched and opened the curtains to look out at the day.
    She froze. In the paddock directly opposite Hannah’s window, Bird was sitting astride the new horse. Bareback.
    As she watched, the big chestnut exploded. He reared up and twisted. Hannah gasped as Bird crumpled into a heap in the dirt. The horse casually kicked up his heels, put his nose to the ground, arched his back, and bucked. His rear legs shot straight up in the air and kicked at the sky. Then he turned and looked at Bird. Bird stood up, brushed off her clothes, and walked toward him.
    In her blue cotton nightgown and fuzzy leopard-spotted slippers, Hannah tore downstairs and out the door. “Bird!” she yelled. “Bird!” Both Bird and the horse turned to look. Hector wagged his tail and barked a hearty welcome. Hannah kept running until she got to the fence.
    â€œBird,” she panted, awkwardly climbing over the rails, “what did I tell you about this horse? He cannot be ridden. We have to do this one step at a time. We must retrain him, like he’s a two-year-old.
    He is unsafe! Do you understand?” Hannah spoke far louder than she probably intended in her effort to get through to Bird. “Do you? Nod if you understand.”
    Bird nodded. Actually, she had just begun to understand. “Then why the heck did you get on him?”
    For the same reason people climb mountains, I guess, Bird reasoned.
    The horse was gloating. Bird saw it. There was an arrogant, superior look of satisfaction in his eyes,