He watched as she swallowed hard, then nodded, determination crossing her face.
Walking over to the other side of the bench, Morris pulled open another drawer. Inside were wide brushes that slipped over the hand. He grabbed two, one larger and one smaller, holding them out to Allie.
"Brushes. Horses have hair and get a lot of dirt it. That dirt can be irritating when we throw the blanket and saddle on top of them. So, we brush them before and after. Always."
Next, Morris grabbed a blanket and hoisted his mother's saddle into his arms. He guessed would be the best size for Allie.
"Can you grab the bridal and reins on the second hook to the right of the door?" Morris asked. Allie turned and lifted the leather from the metal hook, juggling the hoof pick and brushes in her other hand. Morris couldn't help but think her adorable.
Keep it together. You've got a whole hour of this ahead of you.
"Thank you," Morris said as he walked past her out the door.
He walked back to Daisy's stable, placing the blanket and saddle across the wide rim of the gate before opening it and gesturing for Allie to walk inside. Turning, Morris took the bridal and reins from Allie.
"I think it's best if I do this for now. Daisy's gentle, but you're still a stranger to her. And having a bit of metal stuck in your mouth is nobody's idea of a good time," Morris said.
"Does it hurt them?" Allie asked.
"No, not at all. It's a little uncomfortable at first, but they get used to it." He slipped the bridle over Daisy's head, maneuvering the metal bit into her mouth. Daisy moved her jaw and tongue against it until it settled into the crook of her mouth. "Just be gentle when you have the reins. You'll hardly have to give her any instructions with the reins. We mostly use our legs and feet to guide the horses. Don't worry, you won't be doing any of that today. We're just going to get you on top of her so you know what it feels like. I may not even give you the reins today."
When Morris turned back to look at Allie, she had an odd look of relief and disappointment on her face. It was almost enough to make Morris laugh. Biting his tongue, Morris turned back to the horse for no other reason than to school his features back to normal.
It wouldn't do if she thought he was laughing at her.
Once again under control, Morris held a hand out. "The pick. Let me show you how it's done."
Making sure Allie could see exactly what he was doing, Morris drifted a hand down Daisy's leg. "You always want the horse to know exactly what you're doing. Any surprises, and they may kick out and hurt you. So, run your hands like so, pinch the tendon slightly and she'll lift her foot." With Daisy, sometimes all it took was the hand down the leg and she would lift. But other horses, like Mac, could be stubborn about it.
"Want to try?" Morris said, looking over his shoulder at Allie and allowing Daisy's hoof to lower.
He watched as Allie swallowed hard and shifted on her feet. Her hands played with the brushes. Straightening, Morris walked toward her, lifting his hands to hers, stilling their motion.
"I know you're nervous. Don't be. I'm right here. Daisy is a good horse, but it's always good to keep those nerves tucked away. Horses are sensitive creatures and can pick up emotions like anxiety. It makes them anxious, too."
Allie sucked in a deep breath, nodding her head quickly. "I'm sorry," she said.
"Nothing to apologize for." Morris couldn't help himself and let his hands drift over the softness of Allie's. He wondered how his calluses felt to her, if they might bother her.
Her eyes were wide when the met his, and Morris wanted more than anything to get lost inside of them. He could just catch the faint scent of her perfume, flowery and light, over the others of the barn. He found himself wanting bury his nose within the curls of her hair and breathe deeply, search out the origin of that scent.
Oh, he was in big, big trouble.
Shifting his eyes down to their joined hands, Morris grasped the brushes and pulled them away from Allie. Then he took a step back, then another, before finally turning away and placing the brushes on the gate, right next to the blanket and saddle. He sucked in a few slow, deep breaths, clearing his head of the woman standing behind him.
"I'd like to try," she said.
Morris nodded before turning back toward her. "Good."
And now came the hard part.
"Do you mind if I guide your hands?" Morris asked, hating himself just a little bit. But he did this with every person he had ever taught to ride. His father had done it to him, and it was the best way he knew to really show a person how to touch a horse.
"Not at all," Allie said. She stuck her hands out to him, a light smile on her face.
Taking one of Allie's hands, Morris set it on the front flank of Daisy's chest. Then he lightly guided it down, until Allie crouched before him, his own hand a top hers. Together, they pinched Daisy's tendon, and her hoof shot upward.
"Oh, wow," Allie said. "Um, now what?"
"Take a look at her hoof. What do you see?" Morris said, his voice low, something caught in it. He tried to clear it quietly behind Allie.
"I see the shoe, I think. And this bit in the middle." She pointed, though far enough away to not make contact.
"That is the sole. This little triangular part is the frog. Don't ask me, I don't know why they named it that. We're basically making sure the sole and frog aren't caked with dirt. Sometimes a rock can get stuck right in here," Morris pointed to a corner of the sole. "Can make for an uncomfortable ride."
"I don't see any dirt or rocks," Allie said.
"Yup. The one looks clean. On to the next."
They worked around the horse, looking at each foot until Morris was satisfied. As they worked on the back legs, Morris made sure to remind Allie to never walk behind a horse.
"Or, if you have to, give them a very, very wide birth. Horses will kick out if they feel threatened."
They moved on to brushing Daisy, each of them taking a brush and a side. Morris first showed Allie the hand motions, waving away the plumes of dust and bits of hay that rose off Daisy's white and brown spotted coat. They brushed her in relative silence. Morris took the opportunity to calm himself further, losing himself in the repetitive motions.
Finally, Morris threw the blanket and saddle over Daisy's back, showing Allie how to cinch it all down tight. He adjusted the stirrups to an approximation of Allie's height, though he would make the final adjustments when they were out in the ring.
Taking hold of Daisy's reins, Morris asked Allie to leave the stable first, then Morris guided Daisy behind them. They walked out toward the exercise ring, which was all Morris planned on doing today. He wanted to get Allie on top of the horse, ride a few circles around, get Daisy back into her stable, and be done.
He didn't know what he would do if Allie wanted another lesson.
"It's just one foot in front of the other," Morris mumbled to himself.
"Pardon?" Allie asked, turning back toward him.
"Nothing. Talking to Daisy."
Allie didn't look convinced but she turned back around, heading in whatever direction Morris guided her.
She settled the hat on top of her head when they made it outside, looking even more charming than before. It was then that Morris remembered his own forgotten hat, but decided against using it. They wouldn't be outside long.
"Alright," Morris said, closing the gate to the exercise ring behind them. "Hop on."
"What?" Allie said.
Morris cracked up at the sight of worry over Allie's face. Then it morphed into an amused glare. She folded her arms in front of her and cocked a hip.
"Are you teasing me?" she demanded.
Morris shook his head. "No," then added, "Well, maybe a little. Sorry. Just trying to loosen you up a little. Getting on the horse is a bit step."
Allie shook her head and rolled her eyes. But she was smiling. And her shoulders weren't touching her ears any longer.
"It's going to be a bit of a climb, but just think of i
t as a really steep ladder."
Morris guided Daisy to the nearest section of fencing, looping her reins around it, tight enough to keep her still, but loose enough for her to break free if she needed to. Then he held out a hand to Allie.
"This side. You're right handed?"
Allie nodded.
"You'll be able to mount the horse either way eventually, but I find it's easier to grasp the horn, that's this part of the saddle here, with my dominant hand as I'm mounting."
Morris demonstrated a couple of methods and mentalities behind mounting a horse before take a step back and gesturing for Allie to try it herself.
"I'll be here to catch you," he said.
Allie stood, facing the saddle, hands raised and braced. Then she laughed. "It's like an insane trust exercise," she said.
It surprised a laugh out of Morris. "You're exactly right. You have to trust that the horse does what it's supposed to do, that the saddle doesn't shift too much, and your own strength. And you have to trust that I'll be here to catch you in case any of it goes sideways."
And Allie still stood there, as though rooted to the spot.
"It's like a band-aid," Morris supplied, hoping the mentality would help. "The sooner you do it, the sooner you're up and riding."
Allie turned to face him, her eyes wide.
"I know you're right,” she said after a moment. “Just give me a moment to pray before I break my neck."
Morris laughed again. "Take all the time you need."
Finally, Allie bounced on her feet, lifting one into the stirrup. "Here goes," she warned. Morris wondered if she was talking to herself, him, or Daisy.
It took a couple of failed attempts before Allie finally swung her leg over the back of Daisy's rump and plopped down onto the saddle.
"I did it!" she cried, a wide grin breaking free. Her hands grasped the horn of the saddle tight. Morris could see her knuckles turning white from here. "Oh, this is so strange. I'm so tall!"
Morris chuckled. "Yes, that takes some getting used to. And feeling Daisy moving beneath you, also."
"Yeah," Allie said, her smile fading. She gulped.
Morris stepped close, resting a hand lightly on her thigh. "You're doing great. Trust that Daisy has done this for a long time and she won't just fall out from under you."
Allie nodded again. "Uh huh, that trust thing again."
"Yup." Morris popped the "p", turning back to the fence.
"Where are you going?" Allie asked, her voice slightly panicked.
"Just to untie Daisy. Don't worry. I'm not going to leave you alone."
Unraveling the reins, Morris kept Daisy still, though he could feel she was growing restless. She could sense Allie's tension.
"Are you ready?" Morris asked Allie.
"For what?" Her voice was tight and quiet.
Morris walked back to Allie. "Shh. It's okay. Do you want to come down?" he asked.
Allie shook her head, closing her eyes tight. "Heights," she began. Then swallowed. "Heights have never been my best friend."
Morris nodded in understanding. "I get it. My mom, too. But she loves to ride. She said she got used to it pretty quick. Just take a deep breath. Try to relax."
A couple of deep breaths later, and Allie seemed to have calmed enough to proceed. Giving her an encouraging smile, Morris began to lead Daisy. He walked backward, making sure to keep an eye on Allie.
"Oh, wow," she exclaimed, eyes widening at the shifting of the horse beneath her.
"Strange, isn't it?" Morris said.
Allie nodded. Then gave a self-depreciating laugh. "I'm sorry. You must think I'm crazy."
"Not at all," Morris said. Quite the opposite, he wanted to say. He found her courageous, adventurous, someone who kept going in the face of adversity. He knew she must be, what with flying all the way to Washington to meet complete strangers. For all she knew, Paige could have been a serial killer.
The thought made Morris laugh to himself.
"Now you're laughing at me?" Allie asked, her tone teasing.
Morris shook his head, still walking backward. "No, no, no. I was just thinking about how brave you are." Immediately, Morris wished he could take the words back.
Instead of teasing him about the words, Allie smiled. "Thank you. I have a good teacher."
He needed to turn back around. The vision Allie made, sitting atop one of his favorite horses, the sun directly behind her, giving a halo effect around her, smiling down at him, was almost too much to bear.
He cleared his throat and gave a sharp nod. "I'll lead you around the ring for a little while. Don't worry about doing anything with your legs, you'll just confuse her." Then he turned, grateful to have his back toward her.
Just walking Daisy around. That's all you're doing.
"How old is Daisy?" Allie asked. Morris found himself equally torn between wanting her to remain silent and wanting her to keep talking.
He began to wonder if he would make it through this alive.
"She's seven," Morris said. "We got her when she was just a filly. Well, she went to Greene Pastures first. Then Max called us up and wondered if we'd be interested in her. We didn't hesitate."
"Your relationship as neighbors is unlike anything I've ever seen," Allie confessed. "We just don't have neighbors like you in New York. Well, if one of my neighbors needed a cup of sugar, I'd let them have it, but that's just it. Nobody asks. It's more convenient to go to the market down on the corner."
Morris nodded. "There's a certain amount of trust that has to go both ways in any relationship. Nowadays, there are too many people suing each other over simple misunderstandings. I can understand why people would want to leave well enough alone."
"I suppose," Allie said on a sigh. "And maybe I'm getting a bit of a biased sampling being out here, but I believe I would much rather prefer to know my neighbors. I'd like them to be my friends."
They continued along, talking about everything and nothing. He found out that Allie loved the fall, especially in New York. She would love to have a pet, but she was always gone and that wouldn't be fair to the animal. Growing up, she had a cat named Freddie. He’d been big and fluffy and preferred to spend his nights on her chest.
"We have a couple of barn cats around here. You might catch a glimpse of them, though they usually sleep during the day."
"Barn cats?" Allie asked.
"To catch the mice," Morris explained.
"Ew." They both laughed.
"How are you doing up there?" Morris asked, glancing back up at Allie.
"Good. This is incredible. Thank you so much." Allie beamed down at him.
"My pleasure," he said. And he realized he truly meant it. "Let's try a dismount while you're still feeling good about it. Next time, I'll show you how to use your legs to guide Daisy and you'll hold the reins."
"That sounds like a challenge," Allie said. "When would work for you?"
Morris hesitated. Didn’t he just try to convince himself this was it? Unable to come up with an excuse, Morris said, "Wednesday afternoon should work. If it doesn't, I'll call you and let you know."
Morris drew Daisy to the fence, looping her reins over the top rung. Then he walked over to Allie's right side.
"The trick is balance. You're going to need to balance on your right foot, and swing your left leg behind you. The step down is going to be a long one, so you might just want to jump down."
Allie nodded, once again donning a look of determination. Morris could see her fingers turning white on the horn, but he didn't say a word about it, just let her collect herself for the dismount.
Finally, Allie straightened and stood in the saddle, placing all her weight on one leg. Twisting, she lifted her left leg and tucked it over the back of Daisy's rump.
What followed happened so quickly, Morris almost missed it. With a shriek, Allie fell sideways, her foot caught in the stirrup, and began to fall.
A long step and Morris was there, catching her in his arms. Daisy, sta
rtled from the noise, tried to sidestep away from Morris and Allie, taking Allie's foot with her.
"Ah!" Allie cried, wincing as the stirrup wrenched her foot.
"Daisy, woah, girl," Morris called, his voice firm but soft. He followed Daisy’s path, reaching out and gently pulling Allie's foot from the stirrup. Allie curled in closer to him, her arms braced on his shoulders, looking up at him with shocked and pain filled eyes.
"That's not the recommended way to dismount a horse, but I think it mostly worked out," Morris said, letting his lips curl. He wanted to help lighten the mood, though it was clear Allie was in pain.
A Delivered Heart: The Greene Pastures Series Book 1 Page 9