here out to the corral. It’s right through that door over there.”
“Why’s he called Dynamite?” Tiffany asked.
“Because he was a rodeo bronc before he was retired from that business,” Henry answered. “We’ve tamed him down and he’s not nearly as feisty as he was back in his prime. The paint is Thunder. He was runner-up in a lot of quarter horse races and used for stud services when he was young, but when he got old, he had to be put out to pasture. Demon is the roan over there. That old boy was a lady’s riding horse. When she died, her children didn’t want him, and he was on the way to the glue factory when we adopted him. The donkeys are Elvis and Sam, but they will be going back to the pasture this morning. I wanted y’all to meet them before we took them out of the barn. Since this will be your job a day or two each week, you’ll get to know all of the horses better.”
Ashlyn cautiously opened the stall door and frowned. “What do I lead him with?”
“All you have to do is snap the lead rope to his bridle.” Henry took the rope from a nail on the top rail and showed her how to get the job done. “Pay attention, girls, because I’m leaving, and I won’t be here when you do this next time around.” He handed the rope to Ashlyn, who tugged on it, but Dynamite didn’t budge.
“What am I doing wrong?” she asked.
“Make friends with him. He likes to be asked to leave his stall every morning, not just yanked around,” Henry answered. “Don’t you ever pet your horse or talk to him before or after you ride?”
“No . . .” She paused and then said, “No, sir.”
That’s what I did wrong with Gramps’s old mule, Molly, Jayden thought. I should have made friends with her instead of being scared out of my four-year-old mind.
“Well, you best learn. Dynamite likes a little love, and after you walk him, he’ll need to be brushed before he goes back in the stall. You other girls can get the lead ropes on your horses and get them all out in the pasture so they can have a little sunshine this morning. Be sure to take the ropes off before you come back inside to shovel out their stalls and put fresh straw down. Scoop shovels are over there by the wheelbarrows. Elijah needs me to bring him gas for the tractor, so y’all are on your own.”
Jayden found an old metal folding chair, popped it open, and sat down at the end of the stalls to keep an eye on the girls. Carmella squared her shoulders, opened a door, and picked up a lead rope.
“Ashlyn, please help me. I’m scared,” she admitted.
“Why would I help you? You made fun of me, remember?” Ashlyn stepped up close to Dynamite and rubbed his neck and then cautiously ran her hands over his back. “You’re a pretty boy, yes, you are. Did you buck a lot of cowboys off into the dirt? I wish you could tell me stories about your rodeos.”
Carmella took a deep breath and fastened the lead rope to Demon. Her hands shook as she reached out to touch the horse on the nose.
Tiffany lowered her head and stared at Thunder for a long time before she snapped the rope to his halter. “I’ll talk to you, but I’m not going to be your friend.”
“So, you’re going to let one of the girls in another cabin be his favorite friend?” Jayden asked her. “I wonder if any of them will be as scared as y’all are. When they talk about doing this job at mealtimes, are y’all going to let them get ahead of you? Do you think they’ll do a better job of cleaning the stalls?”
Ashlyn gave her the old stink eye. “Our team can outdo any of those other cabins in anything we do.”
“Talk is cheap,” Jayden said. “Prove it.”
Ashlyn didn’t even have to tug on the lead rope a second time. When she started forward, Dynamite followed her like a puppy. “Good boy,” she said. “We’ll show those other girls who you love. I’ll bring you apples or carrots if you’ll be my friend.”
Jayden bit back a smile. A little friendly competition was good for the soul. She looked over at Carmella to find her leading Demon out of the stall, and then Tiffany followed right behind her.