“He’s asking if the owners have finally come to claim him,” Nick translated for her. “He is sad to see him go but happy if Tesoro is going to a good home where he won’t have to hide anymore.”
“Hide?” Harriet asked.
The horse’s coat changed with each stroke, and by the time Zach pronounced himself satisfied, the horse’s coat was a glossy solid black, including his muzzle. Zach accepted the colorful woven blanket and saddle from the priest and made quick work of getting the horse ready to ride.
Not only did the horse gleam in the sunshine when led out to the pasture, the leather of his tack shone and the hardware, though still needing some polish as evidenced by the brighter shine of Harriet’s H, had been restored to a bright silver.
“He’s stunning,” Harriet said, staring in awe.
“The teeth!” Nick said, slapping his leg as he figured it out. “You knew because of his teeth.”
Zach grinned from ear to ear, then bent to check the saddle girth and length of the stirrup once more, and swung up into the saddle. “It’s an old trick.” He nudged the horse and they began to walk around the pasture.
“Si,” said Father Miguel. “It was the only way to save him when the armies marched through.”
“The army would have confiscated a splendid animal like this,” Harriet said, understanding dawning. “So you made him look old and feeble by keeping him coated in dust and ash.”
Father Miguel nodded, then focused his attention on Zach riding Tesoro.
Zach sped the horse up to a trot. The mules voiced their consternation at the motion and hurried into the quiet safety of the stable.
The worker limped out of the stable and joined them at the fence. Father Miguel introduced Senhor Perez, who had served as an officer in the Portuguese army before being invalided out. They all climbed to sit on the top rail of the fence to watch, out of the way.
Zach urged Tesoro to a canter and then a gallop, turning tight circles and figures in the pasture.
Senhor Perez took his cap off and clutched it to his chest. He called something in Portuguese to the horse, who neighed in reply without breaking stride.
Zach whipped his head back to stare at Perez. “Truly? Verdaderamente?”
“Sim,” Senhor Perez said, smiling proudly.
“I’ll be damned,” Zach said, so softly they barely heard him. His face breaking into a grin of utter delight, he patted the horse’s shoulder. “Show me what you can do, old boy!”
Nick spoke with Senhor Perez, then translated for Harriet. “He has been exercising Tesoro in secret, at night. They didn’t dare let anyone know that he’s not old, even though the war has been over for a while.”
Zach had the horse walk to the center of the pasture and trot in place, facing his audience, lifting his hooves high.
“Piaffe,” Senhor Perez said, naming each maneuver as the horse performed it.
Still facing their audience, Zach had Tesoro trot sideways at an angle until they almost reached the fence, then turn and canter a lap around the pasture. They trotted back to the center and the horse reared up on his hind legs, forelegs neatly tucked … and held the position until Zach gave him a quiet command in Spanish. “Pesade,” Senhor Perez said.
The horse jumped straight up in the air, like a startled cat. “Croupade.”
Zach had him trot around in a wide circle and back to the center. Tesoro jumped straight up again, but this time kicked out his back legs before landing on all four feet at the same time. Zach shouted in triumph while Senhor Perez proudly said, “Capriole.”
Still smiling in delight, Zach spoke to Perez in Spanish. Perez ducked his head, his cheeks suddenly flushed.
“I do not know how to train a horse with these uncommon skills,” Father Miguel said. “When I discovered that Senhor Perez used to train horses for Prince Dom Joao, I confided in him. He has been helping Tesoro.”
Zach trotted the horse for a couple more laps, then slowed to a walk to let the horse cool down. He jumped down and led the horse in another lap.
“It appears not only do we own a healthy Andalusian stallion still in his prime,” Nick told Harriet, “we have one trained in airs above the ground.”
“That makes him more valuable?” Maybe she could attain some of her financial goals after all.
“To the right person, very much so,” Zach cheerfully answered as he walked past, Tesoro at his shoulder. “The airs above ground were originally designed to protect the rider in battle, but they’re based on behaviors observed in wild horses. The trick is to get a glorious beast like him to want to do the maneuver when you want him to do it. This lad has just been waiting for someone to appreciate his talent.” As if in agreement, Tesoro nodded his head and whickered. Zach stroked the stallion’s neck while gazing at him. “He truly is a treasure.”
Nick checked the position of the sun and the length of the shadows. “We won’t be able to make it back to the ship tonight before dark.”
