"Depends on the company," Ray replied in a non-committal tone, heading into the pen with a long suffering sigh.

"See. Still alive." He approached her, stood a couple of feet away and leaned in quickly to pat her somewhere in the middle. "Good horsey. Still on your feet, I see." When he glanced down, he saw she was on three of them at least; she was holding up a front one and it was starting to look nasty. "Did I speak too soon?"