Read Chasing Dream for Free Online Page B

to fill out papers and have a background check like everyone else.
    â€œâ€˜Do you have any idea who you’re talking to?’ he bellowed. I told him I didn’t, but I wouldn’t use that against his granddaughter. I’ve learned not to judge people by their kinfolk. That set him off on a string of words the likes of which prompted me to cover the ears of the cat I was holding.
    â€œLong story short, I turned that bag of air down flat. Not that difficult to tell the goat from the sheep on a sunny day in Poughkeepsie. I gave him one piece of advice passed to me by your granny: Never miss a good chance to keep your mouth shut tighter than Ebenezer Scrooge.”
    I watch Colt’s face while Mom talks. His eyes twinkle, and the corners of his mouth can’t keep from turning up. Colt told me once that my mom says more words to him in one day than his mother says in a year.
    Mom leans back in her chair and groans. “I’m full as a tick on a bulldog. Anybody want dessert?”

    After dinner Colt and I go out back to see if we can teach Dream a few tricks before horsemanship tomorrow. I whistle for Dream. She’s standing in the back of the yard and doesn’t turn around. I call out to her, “Dream! Come here, girl!”
    Instead of running to me like she always does, she paces the fence and pays no attention to me.
    â€œOkay,” I tell Colt, “now I know something weird’s going on. Stay here. I’ll go get her.”
    As it turns out, it’s not as easy to catch my horse as it usually is. When I get close, she pivots and walks away. She does this four times before I can grab her halter.
    â€œWhat’s going on with you, girl? It’s only Colt and me. Come on. You’re going to learn a few tricks. It’ll be fun.”
    I walk Dream back to Colt. He has already picked a couple of handfuls of grass for us to use as treats and rewards.
    â€œThe book said the easiest trick to teach a horse is to shake hands,” I explain.
    â€œCool. How do you do it?”
    I let Colt hold Dream’s halter. Then I stand beside her, kind of like I do to clean out her front hoof, but more in front of her shoulder. “Okay. Don’t let her pull backward on you.”
    I lean into her shoulder so she takes the weight off her left foreleg. Then I grab her knee and bend it. She lets me lift her leg, but when I try to pull it forward like a handshake, she jerks her hoof out of my hand.
    â€œI’ll try that again. I forgot to tell her to shake. I read that you need to say the words the same every time. They said most horses won’t get it the first time.”
    I go through the same routine. Only this time I remember to say, “Shake, Dream.” At least I get the leg forward and halfway up before she yanks it down again.
    Six more times I give it a try. Each time I repeat, “Shake, Dream.” And each time I have Colt hand me grass to reward her. But every single try, she pulls her hoof away before we really get a friendly shake. She’s not even that interested in her reward. Usually Dream loves eating grass from my hand.
    â€œMaybe this would work better with the right leg,” I consider. “The book said that if you teach a horse to shake with both legs, you can work in a second trick. You can point to which leg you want to shake, and the horse will give it to you.”
    Colt shrugs. “Whatever you say. I’m just along for the ride.”
    I repeat everything from Dream’s right side this time. But it’s the same story. No shaking. And no grass eating.
    When I call it a night and let Dream go, she bolts away. She doesn’t stop until she reaches the end of the pasture. Then she paws the ground and paces the fence.
    Colt and I leave the backyard in semidarkness. Above us, stars have poked through the sky. I spot the Big Dipper and Orion without even trying.
    â€œWe should have brought Bullet over,” I say.