Pony, I know you love horses. I spent most of my life working with horses. I am working on a story called COWBOY. Its about a tough man living a hard life. Here is the first page. I think you will find it starts a little hard but it will end as a tribute to horse and man.
COWBOY
Jake sits on top of the corral holding on to the post. He is only four years old and a little frightened at being up so high. This is where his Daddy told him to stay. He has been here before and loves watching his Dad, Sam, Tex and the two new guys do what they call busting.
When the horse is herded into the corral it paws with its front feet at the ground and snorts at the air that is now full of Texas dust. It kicks up it’s heals, twisting, leaping as it runs around looking for a way out. It’s sprite, for now, is still in tacked.
Jake watches as his Dad moves slowly with the loop in his rope rhythmically circling above his head. When the horse feels the rope slipping over it’s head, all hell brakes loose. The horse backs away as Jake’s dad gives and takes. The horse’s hind legs awkwardly slip beneath it as panic starts taking control of it’s backwards prance. The horse feels something moving in from the left. It looses it’s balance when it turns to look, and falls to the ground. It jumps up quickly, no more running, its time to fight. It rears up on it’s hind legs as the front legs swipe at the air in defiance. It’s snorting seems now to be a war cry. When Sam gets the second rope around its neck you can see it in the horses eyes that it’s sprite is starting to crack.
Jake’s dad and Sam move as if in slow motion. Their calm deep voices settles the animal, for it is getting tired. Tex move in fast and grabs it’s tail and twists it to the side. The horse still has some fight and Tex never sees it coming. The horse’s hoof catches Tex right above the knee. Even Jake from the other side of the corral hears the thud. Tex hobbles away on one leg while holding the other and cussing up a storm.
Jake’s dad and Sam settle the animal once more while laughing at Tex who is limping back toward them. This time Tex is a little gentler when he twists the horse’s tail over it back. The new guys each pick a side and move in slowly. One has the saddle the other the saddle pad. As Jake’s dad slips the halter with the rains on the horse’s head the two other men place the saddle on its back. The horse is terrified for it is trapped. When they try to tighten the cinch around it’s middle, fear gives birth to it's sprites last hope. With a squeal, a twist, pulling back and than leaping forward the horse brakes free sending the men retreating from what is now a cloud of flying hoofs. Jake watches as the horse bucks, jumps, spins trying to free itself from the saddle, that has slipped back onto it’s flanks.
Jake is more fascinated than afraid as the horse charges right for him with it’s eyes full of fear and madness. Right before the animal smashes into the fence Jake fall backwards hitting the ground with a thud that knocks the wind out of him.
As the dust clears Jake hears his Dad, “Can you stand boy?”
Jake obeys his father but he is crying. He looks up at Sam who is smiling and then to Tex who is laughing while rubbing his leg. He looks at his father who is crouched down in front of him.
“Can you move all your fingers and toes?” His father ask, holding on to Jake’s shoulders.
Jake tries and then shakes his head yes, but he can’t stop crying. A cowboy’s lessons start at an early age. “Ok, your alright boy, now stop the crying,” his father demands, looking young Jake right in the eyes.
“Look, that mustang scared the piss out of little Jake,” Tex says as he points to Jakes pants.
Jake and his father both look down and see the wet spot that runs all the way down to his boots. When they look back into each others eyes Jake can see the disappointment and starts to cry again.
“You go on to the house and get your ma to get you some dry pants and then come back; now git,” his father says as he spins Jake around and gives him a little shove toward the house.
Jake runs across the barnyard, crying even harder. He will go to his mother and change his pants but he is not coming back to the corral; not today anyway.
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