Sundancer. Shelley Peterson
exactly what her aunt was doing. The whole idea was to have him submit. That was the only way he would respect Hannah enough to allow himself to be trained. Many horses hardly resist at all.
In wild mustang herds, the matriarch, or dominant mare, chases a wayward youngster away from the herd and keeps him away until he begs to be included in the group. If she doesn’t let him back in, he will be alone and therefore vulnerable to predators. Young fillies and colts soon learn to behave themselves according to the rules of the herd, or die. Monty Roberts, John Lyons, and other respected trainers base their taming technique on this facet of equine behaviour. Bird had read their books, and she knew from her own experience that they were correct. This was what Hannah was doing now.
Sundancer was breathing hard. His nostrils were flared and bright red. Sweat poured off him.
Cliff interrupted again. “Hannah, he’s going to burst a lung.”
“Better dead than dangerous. He’s no good to anyone this way. He has to submit. He can’t be the boss.” Hannah let him slow to a trot but kept him moving forward.The horse stopped, sides heaving. He faced Hannah and stared at her with hard eyes and a stiff jaw.
“Move on, you stubborn fool!” she cried.
He reared up and lashed at her with his front hooves. Hannah snapped the whip at his feet. He jumped and spun.
Bird had never seen a horse react like this. Usually it took no more than fifteen minutes before the head dropped and the jaws chewed. Then it was a nice, quiet time of saddling up and beginning the training process. But Sundancer did not want to be bettered by anyone. Already thirty minutes had passed and the horse looked like he’d never submit. Hannah was tiring but determined. Who, Bird wondered, would outlast whom?
Sundancer kept moving, trotting now instead of cantering. His bucks and kicks were becoming minimal, and his energy was rapidly being depleted. Still he eyed Hannah with suspicion. How long could he go on like this? Or Hannah, for that matter?
As Bird pondered, the unimaginable happened. The big chestnut gelding sat down on the ground. He simply dropped his rump onto the dirt and skidded to a stop. Then he fell down on his side, breathing hard.
Bird involuntarily rose to her feet.
Hannah ran and crouched beside him. A moment later, she stood, hand on her hip. “You should see his eyes, Cliff!” she shouted. “He knows exactly what he’s doing. He’s trying to rest without submitting.”
She flicked the whip. “Get off the ground! Up! Up!”
Hannah one, Sundancer zip, thought Bird with a smile.
The horse was startled. He had not expected Hannah to persist. He staggered to his feet, then put his head down and rushed at her. She jumped out of his way. Crack went the whip. “Raaaaaa!” she hollered, sounding more like a lion than a human. “Raaaaaaa! Get up!”
Bird could see that Hannah was mad. “Move on!” she cried again as she forced him into another round of circles.
Finally, two long minutes later, the big chestnut dropped his head. Hannah watched closely as he trotted around with his nose almost touching the ground. When his ears began to flick towards her, indicating that he was paying attention to her, she softened her voice. “Good fella. Good boy.”
His jaws started to chew. He was declaring defeat. His tongue licked his upper lip.
“Whoa. Whoa, boy. Good fella.”
Now the gelding stood quietly. His eyes were lowered, his posture gentle. Sweat dripped off his body, creating a damp spot underneath him in the sand. Hannah walked up and placed her hand on his neck. He quivered at her touch, then relaxed.
Bird jumped down from the seats. She was impressed. Hannah hadn’t given up. Now, Bird could finally have her chance.
“Cliff, the saddle and bridle, please.”
Cliff entered with the tack and helped Hannah put on the saddle pad, saddle, then tighten the girth. They slipped the bridle over his head and fastened the buckles. The horse made no move.
“Hannah, you’re so exhausted you’re shaking. No way you’re getting up. I’ll do it,” Cliff said.
“I’m a big girl, Cliff.”
Bird tapped Hannah on the back. Hannah turned to see who was there, and before she could react, Bird had pulled herself up onto the horse’s back.
“Sun … dan … cer,” she croaked.
“Bird!” Hannah hesitated for a moment, deciding how to react. Her eyes blurred. “You named him Sundancer? Well, then, Sundancer it is.”
Hannah led Sundancer around the pen with Bird sitting proudly atop. Bird could feel that his attitude had changed. He was mellow and sweet. He was going to be okay. She signalled to Hannah to let go of the reins.
This is just what I imagined, thought Bird. He’s big and strong and even after his workout there’s more energy in him than I’ve ever felt in a horse before. Power. Wildness. Danger. His ears are flicking around, picking up every sound and reading every nuance. He’s sensitive beyond what’s good for him. Each sense seems magnified a hundred times. It must hurt him to live each day.
Hannah did the right thing, Bird thought. Now it’s up to me to earn his trust. He doesn’t trust because he’s worried about being tricked. I won’t trick you, but you don’t know it yet.
Every human tries to trick me.
Sundancer?
Who else is here?
Well, I won’t trick you.
Why should I believe you?
Because you can hear what I think.
Hmm. But you can hear what I think, too, girl. I didn’t know humans could do that.
Some can, I guess. I can’t be the only one.
You’re the only one I know. Still, don’t count on getting the better of me, girl. I’m very smart.
I’m smart, too.
I’m smarter. I scared you silly.
True, but I came back for another try.
And I dumped you. I can do that again. Any time I want.
Do you know what “putting down’ means?
No.
It means putting to sleep. Permanently. Understand something, Sundancer. You were going to be put down because you’re dangerous. You’re here for your last chance at life.
You’re making that up.
No, I’m not.
I don’t want to die, girl.
I’m glad.
The woman thinks she got the better of me. She didn’t.
She shook you out of your snobbiness.
What do you mean?
You wouldn’t talk to me before.
Oh.
You’d better treat her well. She owns the place.
So?
So it’ll be game over if you cross her.
She wouldn’t do that. I’m the best-looking horse here. By far.
Hannah always says beauty is as beauty does.
Crap.
“Ohmygawd! Look at Bird! She’s riding Phoenix! He’s bee-you-tyful!” Kimberly’s shrill voice surprised Sundancer, and the chestnut gelding’s head shot up. He was immediately tense. He skittered sideways and threw his head around to find