Old Horses

The back pasture at the farm extended past the pig pen and into the woods. On a clear summer afternoon, my daddy and I walked all the way to the trees and the good, clean smell of fir and pine was everywhere. We could hear birds and the far off sound of water, small creatures in the underbrush scurried away as we approached. The pasture was rocky and the rocks were patchy with damp moss and lichen. Sunlight filtered through the trees and the light played games with the shadows, the sky had nearly disappeared. We walked all the way to the small lake and back again to the barn and the old plow horse standing quietly in his stall. Flies buzzed and I could hear the random lowing of the cows, the infrequent rattle of an old car raising dust as it passed. We led the old horse out and my daddy lifted me up on him then took the reins and led him toward the vegetable garden. Hold his mane, my daddy said, but not too tight. The dusty old horse walked obediently, his hooves clacking on the rocks, head held high, tail swishing at flies. The cows were coming in, their bells echoing in the soft air as they plodded up the path and I knew it would soon be time for my uncle to meet them and settle them in for the evening. Ruby would be putting supper on the old wood stove. At the edge of the trees, my daddy turned the old horse around and gave me the reins, Take him back, he told me with a smile. He fell into step with us, silently smoking, hands in his trousers pockets and eyes on the ground. The leathery smell of the reins and the old horse was in my nose. Once in the stall, he showed me how to take off the reins and then how to groom and brush and feed. I hugged the horse's neck and began to cry for no reason. The horse whinnied, a gentle and loving sound, and my daddy gave me a sugar cube to feed him. His huge brown eyes seemed to thank me. We left the stall with the sun low in the sky and the smell of the old horse on our clothes, walking slowly toward the farmhouse, hand in hand. I love horses, I told him and he squeezed my hand and said Me too.