problem solved

[Snowflake]

She hates me. I insisted, wheeling the barrow full of soiled bedding down the barn isle. She does not. James argued. She treats everyone the same, but I reckon she looks at you differently. Like she's trying to tell you something. He sighed. I'm telling you, that horse is smart. And she's quick as lightning.
I know. I stopped and scowled at him. She's also vicious. I held up my arm to remind him of the bite.

He looked at it guiltily, but then he remembered the reason he was arguing.
But remember what you said? You said, she's just another Rising Fury.
I glowered at him. Rising Fury had been a psycho mare, not a wannabe colt.
Then she should be Marissa's problem, not mine.
The filly had dumped me this morning. Again. I was unhurt, but I was certainly not ready to be friends with that horse any time soon.
James sighed. Look, one race, okay? His face had a painful expression. If she doesn't improve her attitude after that, we'll sell her.

I felt a smile spreading on my face, despite my annoyance. I held up my index finger. One race. One.

***

The next day, bright and early, I groomed and tacked up Rush. She was surprisingly quiet, listening to me singing along to the tunes in my iPod. I pulled out the earphones, and stood at the filly's head, looking deep into her chocolate brown eyes. I could see intelligence, determination and fire there. On the outside, I saw speed, arrogance and power. The perfect combination for a winner. Look. I don't like you, you don't like me. But that doesn't mean we can't make a winning team. Much as I hate to admit this, but I don't want to sell you. It was too much fun riding you so fast the other week. So why don't we try and win this race? Why don't we try and be friends, aye?

Rush looked back at me innocently, then bobbed her head, stretching her nose forward slightly to lip the palm of my hand. I looked at her, astonished. It was as though she had understood me.

We headed for the track. I held my breath without realising it as I got on her back and headed up the track on our warm up. So far, so good. She was responding to my every command the instant I gave them to her, the exact speed I wanted, the exact gait I wanted, the perfect pleasure horse. What the heck? I asked myself. This can't be the monster I've been riding for the past two weeks. I felt numb with surprise. could she have understood my words?

She needed a leader. James said, grinning as I dismounted. My legs felt weak, and my heart was still hammering after our ride. That had seriously been the best ride I had gotten out of the black menace yet. She hadn't put one toe out of line, but she had tested me. I remembered the harsh way I had talked to the filly yesterday, the black looks I had given her, and the body language she must have understood when I had ridden her today. I was in control.

She needed a talking to. Someone to kick her butt. I grinned. I remembered now that Rush was only a baby, who still needed someone to guide her, to teach her what was right. How I had forgotten, I didn't know. Perhaps because these days, my stables were full of promising, well behaved horses that now seemed to know what to do without even being asked. Maybe because she had looked like trouble from the start. I didn;t know.

I stroked Rush as I thought about this. She seemed to purr as my hand touched her silky black neck, and she wiggled her lip with pleasure. Good girl. I smiled.