Page 12 of Marking Micah

“Sure, you do. You just need to follow my instructions.”

She let out a breath and her shoulders relaxed a bit. She could do that.

“Okay. Okay,” she said, taking a step closer, her hands still shoved firmly into the front pockets of her jeans.

“Good. Now say hello to her, then come right up to her and stroke her neck, just like I’m doing.”

“Okay. Um… hi there, China. I’m going to pet you now, okay?”

She started to put a hand out, then shoved it back in her pocket when China shifted her weight.

“Micah.” His tone was commanding, if quiet.

When he reached over and pulled her hand from her pocket she nearly gasped, remembering just in time not to do anything to startle the horse.

He said quietly to the horse, “Hey there, sweet girl.” Then he led Micah closer and pressed her hand to China’s neck.

“Oh…” she said on a gentle exhale.

China’s fur was surprisingly soft, and she was warm beneath her hand.

“Very good. Now just stroke her, like this.”

He kept his hand over hers, guiding her to run it down the horse’s neck. But when China let out a snort, Micah yanked her hand back.

“It’s okay,” Arrow told her. “She enjoys it.”

“How can you tell?”

“By her body language. Once you know horses, they’re fairly easy to read. Even easier than you,” he added with a grin.

“I’m easy to read?” she asked.

“Most of the time, yeah. But I’m a Dominant. That’s my job, just as much as being a therapy horse is China’s. Come on; let’s try this again.”

They kept at it, with Arrow’s hand laid over hers, getting her to run her palm over China’s neck, her back, her flank. The little horse stood there quietly for the most part. Then Arrow showed her how to stroke down her nose.

“Are you sure that’s okay? I mean, she won’t get mad about it?”

“Nope, not at all. In fact, most horses really like it. And this here, her muzzle, is the softest part of their fur,” he said, stroking the area right between her nostrils.

He put out a hand to take Micah’s and guided her to the spot.

“Oh! You’re right—it’s so soft,” she said in surprise. “And look at how long her eyelashes are.”

“Right? She’s such a pretty girl,” he said, half to her, half to the horse. “Okay, now we’re going to give her a treat. One sec.”

Arrow stepped out of the stall, leaving Micah alone. With her hand on the horse, her stomach started to tumble. But China just stood patiently, and he came back a moment later.

“Horses love apples.” He took a pocket knife out and cut a slice from the red apple he held. “This is how you give it to her so her teeth won’t accidentally get in the way.”

She nodded, then watched as he held his hand out flat, his fingers together, with the apple slice right in the middle. China’s ears perked, then she sniffed until she found the apple, and took it gently in her lips.

“Oh! She’s so sweet about it.”

“Wanna try?”

“Me? Oh, I… um…”

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