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THE HORSE WITH THE GOLDEN EYES
A HORSE TALE BY KIM TAU
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The sun crept through the wooden boards on the eastern side of the stall walls making a beautiful design on the fresh shavings that picked up the yellow rays intentions and playfully scattered the stripes onto the far wall as well.
The young colt tried to pull himself up from the ground where he lay with his mother but his legs would not allow him to. His mother leaped to her feet, disturbing the waves of shavings on the ground into larger mounds which Henry found most amusing. He tried to push them with his long white nose to watch how the sunlight teased him like trying to get to the end of a rainbow. He looked up at his mother and whinnied. He was hungry!
She nudged him gently until he forced his wobbly legs to stand up under is thin body. His legs felt sore but he did not understand why. He found his mothers nipple and drank eagerly. He could hear the sounds of the morning like he did most days but today was different for some reason. He heard more commotion than usual. There were trucks arriving and voices he did not recognize getting louder and louder as they approached his stall.
Suddenly a cloth was put over his eyes and he felt a sharp prick on his neck, then nothing. Just nothing.
When he awoke, he heard the familiar sounds of the day and then he heard HER voice. She came into the stall and gave him a little treat which she always did. She was gentle and he knew her intentions were good with him. His mother remained calm as well so all must be fine he thought.
He tried to get up but his legs were now bandaged and he tried to bite at the guaze wrappings. The young foal did not understand why he could not go play with the others nor did he like being inside all day and night. He stopped his struggle and layed his head down on the uneaten hay left there for his mother. He felt another little prick and then nothing . He was numb.
Again, the suns rays came thru the walls like melting honey, spilling onto his bandaged legs. He could not move them. He did not feel like moving them. When she arrived he just looked up at her with his sad eyes and then closed them drifting into a dream where he was running with the others in meadows of green grass and fields of colorful flowers.
"Easy there little man!" He woke to her voice. She was sitting on the ground next to him, stroking his head. He liked her touch. He nibbled at her knee and tore open a small hole that had already begun to appear. She just laughed and patted his nose softly. "At least we are not in Sweden where it is freezing cold now!" she said with a laugh in her accented soft voice.
The sun had changed sides now and the rays were blocked by the next stalls wall. He did not want to see them now as it was too tempting to want to go run and play. He heard the other young horses outside and the other children who were mounting their horses to go for a ride. He liked to watch them as they cantered around the field and jumped the huge logs and hedges. Someday he too would jump those things he thought. Someday when his legs were stronger.
He closed his eyes again for all the activity had made him tired. He heard her speaking to the man that often came to visit him. He was kind as well. His voice was completely different and it sounded like he pronounced each sound with effort. It was a kind of singing sound he made which was soothing to him as he lay on the warm floor.
"The Vet said they can take the bandages off in a few weeks. Poor little guy! He has no idea why he has to stay in here I bet." said the man.
" Maybe I can try to walk him when it gets a little quieter here? His mother does need to get out too you know!" She said in an insistant tone.
"I think it would be ok but make sure the place is quiet. We don't want him getting too excited until he is stronger and we an see if his muscles have healed. Too bad his bones grew so fast like that. Must be hard on him but I hope it doesn't affect his temperment! I would be pretty upset if I had to be locked up during my childhood! he said as he walked away shaking his head.
It felt like days instead of hours before she returned to his stall. She had a lead rope in her hand and clipped it onto his mothers halter. Then she had a small rope which she clipped onto his halter. She swung open the stall door and then urged his mother to walk out the door. She did not want to leave without him. Nor would she. He pulled himself up and wobbled out the door into the aisle. The sun was just above the horizon and was nearing darkness but he could still see very clearly. He could still smell the grass and the sweet molasses in the cart with the feed as it was being distributed by the other barn workers. His mother dove into the grass with her head but he just played with the tall stems as they tickled his nose. He was not interested in the grass for eating as there was too much to take in. He looked out to the field where the children had been jumping their horses as the last bits of sun caught his eyes.
"Wow! You actually have golden eyes Henry! Is it from looking at the sun too much?" she giggled.
He had no idea what she was saying but he like it when she spoke so he reacted playfully to her and took a piece of her sleeve into his mouth and pulled gently.
"Hey! Don't do that! I am not going to have much left to wear if you keep that up silly boy!" She rubbed his head and carefully pushed his nose away from her shirt.
She took them back into their stall and locked the door. She gave his mother a carrot which she loved and then she was gone. He lay down in the darkness knowing that he would find the golden stripes on the floor in the morning....
End part one. A work in progress....
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