Free Horse Dreams by Dandi Daley Mackall Page B

cat’s name? Ethan asks.
    â€œHer?” I answer. “Her name is Pinto, of course. Pinto Cat.”
    We all have a pretty good laugh at that one . . . except Dad.
    My dad is gazing across our lawn. His head moves from side to side like he’s watching a mower. “So you want me to build a fence and whatnot all the way around the yard? It’s over three acres back here. That’s going to take some man hours. Good thing I’m not going for that big promotion at work, huh?”
    â€œReally? You don’t want the new job?” My whole insides relax. I guess I was more worried than I realized.
    â€œAre you sure, Lenny?” Mom tosses some eye language at Dad and seems happy with his wordless answer.
    I look around our giant lawn. Already I can imagine myself galloping Dream all over the backyard.
    The backyard? I let out a laugh, remembering what Larissa said.
    What’s so funny? Ethan signs.
    I can’t stop grinning. “I just realized . . . we have ourselves an honest-to-goodness backyard horse.”
    God is able to do far more than we could ever ask for or imagine. He does everything by his power that is working in us.
    Ephesians 3:20 ( NI r V )

Horse Talk!
    Bay —A reddish-brown color for a horse. A bay horse usually has a black mane and tail.
    Blaze —A facial marking on a horse (usually a wide, jagged white stripe).
    Canter —A horse’s slow gallop; a more controlled three-beat gait.
    English —A style of horseback riding that is often considered more formal and classic than Western style. Riders generally sit on a flat saddle, post (rise from the saddle) on a trot, and hold the reins in both hands.
    Farrier —Someone trained to care for a horse’s hooves. Farriers trim hooves and put shoes on horses, but many also treat leg and tendon problems.
    Foreleg —One of a horse’s front legs.
    Forelock —The piece of hair that falls onto a horse’s forehead.
    Gait —The way a horse moves, as in a walk, a trot, a canter, or a gallop.
    Gallop —A horse’s natural and fast running gait. It’s speedier than a lope or a canter.
    Gelding —A male horse that has had surgery so he can’t mate and produce foals (baby horses). Geldings often make the calmest riding horses.
    Habit —An outfit for horseback riding or showing, usually including some kind of tailored jacket and hat.
    Halter —The basic headgear worn by a horse so the handler can lead the animal with a rope.
    Hand —The unit for measuring a horse’s height from the withers (area between the shoulders) to the ground. One hand equals four inches (about the width of an average cowboy’s hand).
    Hindquarters —The back end of a horse, where much of a horse’s power comes from.
    Hoof pick —A hooked tool, usually made of metal, for cleaning packed dirt, stones, and gunk from the underside of a horse’s hoof.
    Hunter —A horse that’s bred to carry a rider over jumps. In a horse show, hunters are judged on jumping ability and style.
    Lead rope —A length of rope with a metal snap that attaches to a horse’s halter.
    Lope —The Western term for canter . The lope is usually smooth and slower than the canter of a horse ridden English.
    Mare —A female horse over the age of four, or any female horse that has given birth.
    Nicker —A soft, friendly sound made by horses, usually to greet other horses or trusted humans.
    Pinto —Any horse with patches or spots of white and another color, usually brown or black.
    Quarter horse —An American horse breed named because it’s the fastest horse for a quarter-mile distance. Quarter horses are strong and are often used for ranch work. They’re good-natured and easygoing.
    Saddle horse —A saddle horse could be any horse trained to ride with a saddle. More specifically, the American saddlebred horse is an elegant breed of horse