“No, I’ve got it,” Stevie answered.

Raymond met them at the gate and opened it for them. “She’s gentle as a lamb. I’ve had her more than fifteen years, and I’ve been using a vet out of Paris, but he retired at Christmas. I’m sure glad that you’re setting up a practice close by.”

“What’s her name?” Stevie asked.

“Buttercup,” Raymond said. “I’m not against taking orders if you need help.”

Stevie started by rubbing the horse’s nose and speaking softly to her. “Hello, Buttercup. I’m here to help you. I promise to be as gentle as possible. Looks like you’ve got a nasty cut on your leg. We can fix that right up, and you’ll be all better soon.”

She dropped down on one knee and opened her bag. She removed a pair of wire cutters and began to snip the barbed wire away in pieces, a little at a time. “Good girl. You’re doing just fine. We’ll get this nasty old stuff off you in just a little bit and clean this up. Raymond, will you take all these pieces and put them in the trash, please?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said.

“And, Mia, get out that bottle of povidone-iodine and the chlorhexidine. That’s what we’ll use to clean the gash. From what I’m seeing, it’s not deep enough to need stitches, but we’ll treat it with some antibiotic and wrap the wound with a sterile bandage. I’d like to check on it every three days, if that’s all right with you, Raymond,” Stevie said.

“Anything you need,” Raymond said, and nodded in agreement.

“How do you know whether to stitch or not?” Mia asked.

“It’s a judgment call most of the time, but this is below the knee and it’s not deep enough to see soft tissue. Stitching it would probably make it swell. We’ll just wrap it up good, and you probably should keep her in a stall for a few days. Get her out and walk her for maybe twenty minutes each day,” Stevie said as she cleaned the wound, treated it with antibiotic cream, and then wrapped it up. “How long has it been since she had a tetanus vaccination?”

“Two years last month,” Raymond said. “I was waiting until the weather got better to call you to come out and vaccinate the cattle and get her up to date on her shots.”

“I’ll take care of her today, and we can make a date next week for me to come out here to check the cattle.” Stevie took what she needed from the bag and gave the horse a shot. “That’s a good girl,” she said and then brought out the apple. “And here’s your lollipop for not kicking me or throwing a fit.”