Free The Horse Healer by Gonzalo Giner Page A

shake hands.”
    â€œI understand. … Did you detect any strange odor on his breath?”
    â€œMaybe something acidic.”
    â€œThat’s logical. The stomach of a horse is very small and that means they have to eat frequently and very little at any one time. When they eat a great deal of grain, like in this case, their digestion stops and they swell, as though the grain was fermenting inside them. Then come the terrible pains. The wounds on the flank indicate where the problem lies. Often they look to that area and they pound against anything nearby as if trying to rid themselves of the source of their illness. There are many other causes for it, not only food.”
    At that moment, a girl entered with a large pot and the tincture Galib had asked for. Next he asked for a bottle with water and ordered Diego and another strong man to hold on to the horse for the treatment. He mixed the water with the brew to cool it down and refilled the first bottle. He ordered the horse to be positioned so that its back was against one of the walls, to avoid any kicking. He also had its rear legs placed over a pile of straw so they would be higher than the rest of its body and its bowels would lurch toward the front.
    â€œYou, Diego, keep him calm like you have shown you know how to do. I need to get him to drink two bottles.”
    They all did as Galib had asked and he confirmed that the position of the horse was correct. With the determination that comes from experience, he opened its mouth and inserted the bottle of curative liquid, repeating the same maneuver twice more.
    Then he rolled up the sleeves of his tunic, he tightened his belt around his waist, and he asked Diego to take the other end of the greased pole. They passed it under the horse’s stomach.
    â€œUse all your strength. We have to push up and forward several times.”
    Diego clenched his teeth and held his breath to try and lift the animal with the pole. They rubbed the wood against him for a long time with the idea of softening him up and getting him to feel better. It seemed to help the horse. Galib’s tunic was soaked in sweat, and sweat poured down his face, which was as red from the effort as Diego’s.
    â€œHe shouldn’t eat anything solid for one day, at most a little hay and even then, only if it’s of excellent quality,” he said to the stable boy.
    They brought a basin with warm water and some cloths to clean off and afterward they stayed a while more with the owner observing the animal’s behavior. They talked about legal matters, the political situation in Toledo, the Almohads. Diego listened without participating, surprised by the tight relations that Galib maintained with many of the persons whose names came up in the course of the conversation.
    The horse was getting visibly better. Its expression was more serene. Little by little it began to pace around the yard without looking back at its flanks.
    The almojarife observed the animal contentedly and made plans so that the horse Galib had promised him would be delivered that very night.
    â€œYou are incredible!” he proclaimed in a loud voice. “I don’t want to bother you any more. Go home. … It’s late. As you see, the horse is cured. And by the way, I would like very much to have you and your lovely wife for dinner. My wife adores her. Will you come?”
    â€œI thank you. I will tell her.”
    On the way home, Diego and Galib were so tired that they almost did not talk. For Diego, it had been a formidable experience, and he felt like he had participated in something important. It had been fascinating to see Galib in action He wanted to know everything that man knew, to accompany him everywhere, to learn, to read the hundreds of books he had read. He was lost in his own thoughts when he realized that they had arrived at Galib’s house. The boy stopped and remained outside. He didn’t know if Galib would let him spend