Dense trees beyond the corral sloped steeply downhill into mist. The river must be down there, tumbling over rocks. Jason couldn’t see it from here but he could hear it. Morning sun made a rainbow in the mist above the trees. The air smelled clean and crisp.
Totally awesome.
The rumble of a diesel engine brought Jason back into the barn.
Willis Donner was sneaking into the tack room. Before Jason could get across the barn to ask, Willis carried a pair of stacked sawhorses out. He dipped his head, saying hello.
Jason had to move fast to keep up, following Willis across the driveway to where a flatbed delivery truck was backing toward the front steps of the house.
John laid a hand on Jason’s shoulder, stopping him. “That’s the material for your new front door. You’ll be in the way.”
Barnabas kept going, happy as anything to see Willis.
John turned Jason toward the barn. “Come on, let’s get you fitted out.”
John led Jason back into the corral he'd already strapped the saddle over the top rail of the fence. He pulled the strap tight, measuring Jason with his eyes. “Willis makes doors and shutters out of three inch thick white oak. It always comes up milled to Willis’s specifications and measurements.”
“Did he make our house and this barn?”
“He did.” John adjusted the stirrups, shortening them, looking back and forth at Jason’s legs. “He built the store and the church in the village. He built my house, Jim Embry’s house and the houses of a few others farther up the valley. He’s a fine craftsman and a good planner, has a real sense how to fit a man’s inner self.”
“Our house is awesome. So’s this barn.”
“My house too.”
Jason followed John back into the tack room where John grabbed a two-step wooden stepladder. They went back out to the corral and John put the stepladder close to a stirrup. “Climb up here.”
Jason climbed to the top step.
“Grab the saddle horn with both hands.” He touched a round handle at the front of the saddle. “Then put your left foot into the stirrup.”
Jason could barely reach the saddle horn and his foot couldn’t find the stirrup.
John grabbed and guided his foot. “Now, stand up, throw your right leg over the top of the saddle and sit down.”
That part was easy but his right foot couldn't find the other stirrup.
“Take your time. Get used to it and let me know how it feels.”
Jason’s right foot finally found the stirrup and he stood up, his butt barely above the saddle seat.
“Willis uses tongue and groove pieces with hot glue and brass brads. His doors never sag and never seep any cold air. You drop that oak bar into place at night, nothing can get inside.”
Mom stood in the open doorway. “Time for lunch.”
“Already?” Jason climbed down.
“It’s 12:30. Come on.”
Jason jumped off the stepladder and walked toward her.
She said, “You coming, John?”
“Thank you, no. I need to get some work done.”
Neither John nor Willis broke for lunch, so Jason and Mom ate alone.
After lunch, when Jason returned to the barn, John had cleaned and raked the barn and corral and there wasn’t a spider web anywhere.
“Wow.” The saddle had been placed on Stoner’s back. Jason didn't know if he could reach. Stoner’s back was no higher than the fence but his thickness put the stirrups higher off the ground. Even standing on this stepladder, Jason couldn’t see the saddle horn.
John said, “Maybe we should try Dandy first. She’s smaller and easier to handle.”
“No. Stoner’s my horse and we both know it.”
“Maybe we should ask your mother.” He looked at Jason man to man, very serious.
“Awe, what does she know? She’s afraid of everything.”
John turned back into the barn like he hadn’t even hear.
"Come on, John. We don’t need her.” Please!
“You’ll need this bridle.” John carried the bridle toward Stoner, making sure the horse saw him coming before he put it on. “Horses like to see a man. Looking into a man’s eyes tells the horse what kind of person he is. Some say they can look right into your soul.” He led Stoner in a wide circle and stood him in front of Jason, eye to eye.
The horse looked into Jason and lowered his head again, nudging Jason’s chest and snorting.
“Never saw the like, not even with your father.” John moved to Stoner’s side and cinched the saddle tighter. “Always let the horse breath out a few minutes then cinch it up again.” John led the horse around again and positioned his left side near the stepladder, close to Jason. “You need to mount and dismount from this side.”
“Why? I’m right handed you know.”
“Horses are trained from the left. They sometimes get nervous if you try from the right.”
Okay.
Jason stretched up, grabbed the saddle apron and jumped into the left stirrup. He stood up in the stirrup, gripped the saddle horn with both hands, kicked out with his right leg and settled into the seat.
When Stoner moved under him, Jason realized how big and powerful the animal was, like Jason wasn’t even there.
“Okay.” John ducked under Stoner’s head and handed Jason the reigns. “Let’s let him walk around the corral a little.” John led the horse with the short rope. “This here’s called a hackamore reign. It doesn’t have a steel bit. Steel bits can hurt the horse’s mouth. I can see from the marks that Gilpin used one, so we’ll need to retrain your horse.” John led Stoner in a wide circle, pulling down on the lead rope, keeping the horse’s head down.
After two turns around the corral, John stopped and looked at Jason. “Only pull tight on those reigns when you want him to slow down or stop. If you want him to go, give a soft kick with both legs. If you want him to turn left, give a firm kick or two with
