Trickster

Chapter Three

Trickster stretches his neck. His eyes are warm and friendly, and David can tell he’s smart. The hairs on his muzzle tickle as he moves his nose across David’s hand. It feels good to David to smell a horse again. It reminds him of how he and Dad smelled after they came home from the barn.

David offers Trickster some water, and he pauses for an instant, and then he plunges his muzzle into the bucket. A wave of water soaks David’s shoes. Trickster probably did that on purpose. When he comes out of the water, his eyes scan the back of the house, the clinic, the girls on the deck, and the fence line. He doesn’t seem frightened.

Dr. Mac steps closer to Trickster to check him out. Mr. Quinn says he’s a chestnut gelding. A gelding is a male horse that’s been neutered to prevent him from fathering foals. Five years old, fifteen hands high. His previous owner described him as smart and playful. He’ll be very fast.

Dr. Mac tells David to stay where he is during the examination. It seems like Trickster’s taken to him. Dr. Mac uses a stethoscope to listen to Trickster’s lungs and heart. She says his heart rate is a little high, but not scary. He’s still a little nervous. She feels over his back for swelling. He’s fine until she gets close to the cut above his right hock. Then, his skin quivers and he snorts. Dr. Mac says she can already feel the swelling and bruise. She’s not concerned about the cut itself.

Dr. Mac asks David to take the lead rope to walk away from them slowly. She wants to see him walk. David knows that he has to do exactly what he’s told when around this horse, especially when Mr. Quinn is watching. When they make a wide circle to turn around, David looks behind him. Trickster is still limping.

Brenna and Dr. Mac go inside to get some items to take an X-ray. Dr. Mac gets a portable X-ray machine, and Brenna brings out a box. Dr. Mac and Mr. Quinn don heavy aprons lined with lead to block the radiation from their bodies. David offers to help, and so he grabs an apron, too. It’s heavier than it looks. David holds the lead rope while Mr. Quinn places a wooden box with the X-ray film behind Trickster’s sore joint. Dr. Mac holds the X-ray machine, aims at the hock, and pushes a button. It beeps once. She replaces the X-ray film and takes another X-ray to get a new angle. After four X-rays, she takes the films into the clinic to process.

When she comes out, she looks relieved. There’s no fractures. He probably lost his balance in the accident and twisted his hock a bit. Dr. Mac prescribes rest, cold packs, and some anti-inflammatory medicine. He shouldn’t be cooped up in a stall, or he’ll go nuts. A moderate amount of gentle walking will help. And he’ll get a mild sedative to help calm him down for the trip home.

Mr. Quinn looks at his watch. Given the time, perhaps the kids can come over tomorrow, on Saturday, bright and early. When David asks if he can help with Trickster, the walking, exercising, etc, Mr. Quinn says he’ll think about it. They’ll talk tomorrow.