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first,” Nate cautioned as he soothed the finicky mare.  “She doesn’t like strangers and is distrustful of everyone new.  You’ll need to approach her very slowly and be prepared to get out of the way if she rears.  You don’t want her to come down on your foot and you don’t want to cause her to lose her balance,” he advised.  “You can come a little closer now but don’t make any sudden movements.”
    It was clear that Nate was protective of Penny.  Cautiously, I took a step forward.  Penny appeared hesitant and for a moment I thought she would shy away from me.  But after a brief deliberation, she seemed to conclude I wasn’t a threat and stayed where she was.
    “Huh,” Nate remarked, turning away to get his grooming equipment ready.  “She must like you; most people can’t even get that close to her when they first meet her.”  When he turned back around his jaw dropped.  “What are you doing?” he demanded, clearly shocked by what he saw.
    Almost instinctually, I’d taken another step forward and had extended my hand.  Instead of balking, Penny was sniffing it curiously.  Then her tongue came out and she tentatively licked my open palm, enjoying the slightly salty taste of my skin.
    “I don’t believe it,” Nate exclaimed as Penny allowed me to reach out and run my hand over her sleek coat.  “She’s never let any stranger do that before.  If anyone else had tried that, she’d be going ballistic right now.  That’s insane.  You’ve been around horses before, haven’t you?”
    I nodded and then whispered soothing words in Penny’s ear.  It twitched in response and she gazed into my eyes like she understood me.
    “Wild horses?” he pressed, perplexed.
    “No.”
    “Huh.”  Nate was quite obviously amazed by the way Penny was responding to me. 
    I couldn’t explain it myself.  I simply felt a strange connection to the beautiful white mare, as though she and I spoke to each other on a soul-to-soul level.  From the moment I’d first laid eyes on her, I felt as though I “got” her.  I knew what it was like to be powerless and afraid, too.  Maybe she sensed that in me.
    “So how did your mother come to rescue Penny?” I asked curiously as I stroked the white mare’s mane, keeping her still for Nate so he could do his thing. 
    I wasn’t sure but I thought I saw Nate wince when I mentioned his mother.  “My mother had a reputation around these parts,” he replied as he skilfully tended to Penny’s hooves.  “She would come to the aid of any animal in need – birds with broken wings, stray cats...you name it.  She’d nurse any sick or injured animal back to health no matter how much time and effort it took.”
    “Wow, it sounds like a big undertaking.”
    “It was like a full-time job with no days off, but my mother was passionate about it.  Growing up, there were always animals on the farm.  She’d never turn a creature in need away.  So when a nearby shelter ended up with Penny, the director called my mother.  If she hadn’t taken Penny in, the shelter may have had to euthanize her due to a lack of resources.”
    “It sounds like your mother was a special lady,” I said, relieved that she’d intervened, stepping up to the plate for the defenceless, magnificent animal.  It didn’t seem right that such a beautiful creature could be put to death due to financial constraints.
    “She was.”  He cleared his throat gruffly then, as though afraid he’d opened up to me too much.  “The jackass who hurt Penny just better hope I never track him down.  I’d make him regret the day he was born.”
    “What happened to her?” I asked, dreading the answer.
    “Some stupid moron thought he’d tame a wild horse,” he muttered in disgust.  “But he didn’t know what the hell he was doing and I guess when he got frustrated, he tried to break her with violence.  If I ever find out who it was, I’ll break him !” 
    I could practically hear the