Ties that Bind (Sunshine & Shadow Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page B

now. Let’s try again.
         She placed her fingers again, and before she
could press or speak the horse took a step away from her, slowly, calmly.
         “Good boy, Prime Time,” she said. She gave him a
piece of carrot out of her pocket and stroked his neck once more. She didn’t
want to give him too much fuss as he was working, and the removal of pressure
should have been reward enough, but he needed a little more incentive to work with her, instead of against her.
         “See, being my friend can be fun,” she said to
him.
     
         The pattern continued for the next two days.
April didn’t want to rush the horse, refusing to let any quip from the grooms
about a woman trying to dominate a horse get to her. She didn’t even bother to
respond. She let them make their snide comments and promised herself they would
eat their words at the end of the week.
         Prime Time was improving, though slowly. He was
learning new commands a lot faster than the first day, but it was like training
a colt. As if the horse knew nothing. His mind had shut down ever since coming
to the movie lot, performing the commands he did know over and over
until he was bored out of his brain. And when any new commands were introduced,
they weren’t introduced in a way that he found acceptable.
         “It’s almost as if you are asking for his permission,”
April told Lex on the fourth day.
         Damian, Campbell, and Violet stood behind Lex,
watching her progress with Prime Time. Two grooms had followed them in,
curious.
         “If you want him to do something, ask for
it. Don’t tell him. Having that sort of attitude doesn’t work with a horse like
this. You have to be polite. Then he’ll return the favor. It needs to be a
constant conversation between the two of you, and that’s why you need to learn
how to speak his language.”
         “His language?” Violet said in a mocking tone.
“You want me to neigh and snort at him?” The grooms laughed. Two more were now
making their way across the arena.
         Much like with the snotty grooms, April refused
to let Violet’s remark bother her. “Actually, horses don’t communicate with
neighs and snorts. Every conversation they have is based on body language,
energy and the application, and removal, of pressure.”
         “Pressure?” Campbell asked.
         “Watch this.”
         April stepped towards Prime Time’s flank and
watched the horse take a step. She stepped back towards the slowly gathering
crowd and the horse mimicked her, drawn in by her welcoming energy.
         “If your body pressure made him step away, how
did you get him to step back towards you?” Campbell asked.
         “Energy. It’s not as simple as moving towards him
and he will move. You have to imagine what you want, and adjust your energy
accordingly.”
         “Are you kidding me? Energy?” Violet said to
Campbell, turning her back to April. “Campbell,” she said, “This is a waste of
time. I didn’t think this movie was hiring hippies.”
         April couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her.
Violet turned again and looked at her with hate filled eyes. If looks could
kill, April thought.
         “What?” Violet snarled.
         “Nothing, nothing.”
         “Go on, Ms. Cooper. You obviously have
something to say. So, say it.”
         Campbell looked at April, and she knew she had
made a mistake. She decided to try honesty.
         “You use the term hippy as someone who isn’t
really living in reality? Has their head in the clouds?” April said. Violet’s only
reply was a casual shrug. “Well, sorry, but that’s you. Because what I’m
telling you is reality. What I’m demonstrating proves it.”
         Lex coughed to cover up his laugh. Campbell
didn’t even try to pretend. He chuckled and turned to Violet.
         “Let’s hear what April has to say.” He looked at
April. “I have to say,