What she saw left a scream lodged in her throat. Help, she had to get help, but she stood rooted to the spot. A scream finally erupted from her, causing Lambert to start kicking wildly, and she clamped her hands over her mouth at the horror on the floor of the stall.

David headed back through the barn doors after moving the trailer. He'd only gone a few steps when he heard a high-pitched scream. He bolted towards the source of the sound and saw Melissa in Lambert's stall while the horse kicked wildly at her, hooves flashing. He pulled her out and slammed the door. White as a ghost, she stared up at him.

"What is it? What's wrong?" he said, taking her by the shoulders.

"We have to help. He's in there. Oh,God!" She pointed toward the stall door.

David looked in and felt his heart slam in his chest as he saw Tim slumped against the corner, blood all over the side of his head and down his shirt to where it ended in a dark pool on the floor. David eased the door back open and moved quickly around the still panicky horse, heedless of the gelding's dancing and pawing. He squatted down beside Tim, feeling his neck for a pulse.

"I just opened the door to feed Lambert and there he was. I think he's dead."

"Go call 911" he said over his shoulder to Melissa. "Then get some people in here to help me."

David was only vaguely aware of her sprinting back down the aisle to do his bidding as he continued to feel for a pulse. Finally, he found one. It was a thin fluttering at the side of the neck, very irregular, but it was there. He exhaled strongly and looked more closely at Tim's chest. He could just discern a faint rise that indicated he was breathing. Maybe not for long, though, judging from the amount of blood and the cold, pasty feel of Tim's skin.

He heard shouts as several grooms came rushing up the aisle, then their gasps as they looked in.

"First, get the horse out of here. Then get me a blanket and the first aid kit. We can't risk moving him," David barked out, eyes still on Tim.

As the grooms herded Lambert out of the stall, Melissa peeked through the bars.

"So, he's not . . .," she obviously couldn't bring herself to say 'dead'. "What else can I do to help?"

David looked up at her face, pale but determined, and felt a stab of admiration for her. She looked about to faint, but she was hanging in like a pro.