Olivia scribbles something on her clipboard.
“What are you writing?” Amelia asks.
“Possible bonus points,” she says.
“For what?”
“For listening to Mama the first time.”
Amelia sighs.
And I, foolishly perhaps, find myself wanting to earn every point that little girl is willing to give.
Amelia looks at the small crowd gathered near the barn entrance and nods.
“Alright,” she says with a smile. “Rory and Mr. Moretti are going to demonstrate how to clean and change a horse’s shoes.”
A few people murmur excitedly, and Thor’s ears flick toward the sound.
Amelia lifts one hand gently.
“Please keep your voices low. Thor doesn’t like people much, and while he’s been doing great today, we still need to respect his space. Everyone stays near the door. No one else enters the barn unless I say so.”
She glances toward Thor, watching the way his head shifts and his weight settles.
“After the first shoe is finished, I’ll ask this group to exit so another group of five can come in and watch the next one. Thor is somewhat desensitized to sound as long as he can see where it’s coming from, but you have to remember this isn’t a horse who has had a good life. He’s not going to react like a horse who has always felt safe, so we don’t treat him like one.”
The crowd quiets immediately.
“Rory?” she says. “Anything to add?”
“Yes,” Rory says, stepping forward. “What we’re about to do might look rough if you’ve never seen it before. It may look like we’re hurting him because it takes a lot of strength and pressure to do this job. But we’re not hurting him.”
He gestures toward Thor’s front leg.
“A horse’s hoof is a lot like a very thick fingernail or toenail. When we trim, file, nail, or fit a shoe properly, it doesn’t cause pain. He may feel pressure. He may shift. He may blow out air, stomp, or get impatient, but that doesn’t mean he’s being hurt.”
Thor huffs as if he agrees with this explanation but would still like everyone to know he has complaints.
A few people chuckle quietly.
Rory smiles but keeps his eyes on the horse.
“At the end, you may see us heat the shoe before placing it briefly against the hoof to check the fit. That can smell strange and look alarming, but it doesn’t burn him when done correctly. It helps us see where the shoe needs adjusting so it fits his hoof as safely as possible.”
Amelia nods beside him.
“Rory can read Thor better than anyone here,” she says. “If Thor shows signs of discomfort or distress, we stop immediately. No demonstration is more important than this horse feeling safe.”
Rory pats Thor’s neck gently.
“Exactly. We go slow. We listen to him. We do it right.” He looks back at the small group.
“Any questions before we begin?”
“Why do you have nails?”
The question comes from a little boy standing near the front of the group, his eyes wide as he points toward the small tray of tools near Rory’s feet.
