Meg rode toward the arena, where Amigo was. She knew horses had a pecking order, and if that order was disturbed, things could get nasty.
But today, Meg figured it would come down to how well Molly and Amigo liked each other. Kind of like humans.
Amigo was alone in the far corner of the 160-by-100-foot arena where she’d been keeping him.
Meg loped Molly twice around the paddock, hoping to spark Amigo’s curiosity.
Amigo pranced over to the fence.
Meg slowed and walked Molly toward him, pulling up close but not too close. “Amigo,” she said softly. “Meet Molly Montana.”
Amigo shook his head and snorted.
Molly whinnied in return.
“Well, that’s good news.”
Meg dismounted, took Molly over, and unhitched the gate that separated the pasture from the working pen. She pushed it open and led her horse through. Even before she could close the gate, Amigo came up to Molly. They touched noses and sniffed, huffing low and nodding.
Meg slowly reached up to touch Amigo’s cheek. He jerked his head and backed off. She cupped Molly’s feathery chin. “I didn’t think it would be this easy, Molly-girl. What do you know about this guy that I don’t?”
Meg removed Molly’s halter.
When Amigo stepped away, Molly followed him. When Amigo bent low, Molly did, as well.
“Wow,” Meg whispered.
The two horses stood head to head. Amigo sniffed Molly, moving from cheek to shoulder.
Molly lazily sniffed Amigo back.
“What do you say I leave her in here for a while, Amigo?”
Amigo threw his head and raced away, then turned and pranced back, ears cocked forward. He wasn’t even a shadow of the horse he was when she’d gotten him, and she’d been working hard for that.
Meg reached around Molly’s chin and pulled her close. “Think you can handle being in here for a while with a guy like that?”
Amigo stopped abruptly a little ways off, as if taunting Molly to follow him.
Molly just looked at him.
“Oh, go on,” Meg said, nudging her. “I think he likes you.”
But Molly just bobbed over to scratch her neck on the fence.
“Guess I don’t have to worry about you two.”
Meg laughed, and headed back to the barn.