"Yes Pa! I would love to help deliver the foal. One day I'm going to buy and raise one of my own, so I want to learn all I can."
Young Jim Lang went to work with his father every day, for nine days. He helped to clean out the stalls. He walked horses to cool them down. He ran and fetched things when asked. And he listened to the men talking about horses.
"I'm glad for something different to do." he thought, trying to suppress memories of the beloved dog whom he had grown up with. Those hills and streams were awfully lonely without a friend.
"Pa! She's mighty restless! I think it's time!" said twelve-year-old Jim quietly but with extreme excitement.
"Alright, let's just watch her." Pa said in his way of calming animals and children.
A while later, everything happened fast. Jim sensed the tension. Pa and the other men did everything possible, even the owner had been there waiting and helping.
But in the end a very weak foal, a colt, had been delivered by a now dead mare. The colt hadn't taken its first breath until much work by Pa.
"Why did she have to die?" asked Jim, arms around the still mare's neck. It was like reliving the moment his faithful dog had died only a month before. He had never known a time that Dusty hadn't been at his heels.
"Jim, what would you think about having this foal for your own? He needs constant care but if he lives he will be a fine horse."
"My very own, forever? Yes!!! I promise to take the best care of him!"
"Mr. Parke, I'll give you $500 for the colt, and free stud rights for the first ten mares. And I will help bury Maybelle, and work Saturdays for free for six months." said Pa.
"Deal." said the wealthy horse breeder, shaking Pa's hand.
Jim was in shock. In town a good horse normally sold for $50. He would have to find out why this - no HIS - colt was so valuable.
"Jim, you stay here. Marty and Trav will show you what to do for your colt. Watch and listen, because you will be doing it yourself when we get home."
"Yes, Pa. Uh, thank you."
"No you will not keep a horse in your room!" exclaimed Ma indignantly.
"But ma... He's smaller than Dusty, and so weak..." said a tearful Jim.
"Why don't you camp out in the barn for a while, Jim? He's going to need to be fed every time he wakes up anyway." interrupted Pa.
"Yes Pa, that's a good idea."
"I almost forgot, what are you going to name him?"
Jim looked at the long legs, and thought of the fine powerful mare. "Wind."
Surprised, Pa asked "after his sire?"
"No, because together we are going to race the wind - and win! Wasn't Red his sire?" he asked, referring to Red Rock King, a beautiful blood red Morgan stallion which the farm was named after.
"No, Maybelle and four other mares were sent to Windrunner Of The Canyons, the finest Morgan stud on Earth. Wind and the other four foals normally wouldn't be for sale at any price."
"He's going to be even faster than his pa!" Jim said proudly.
"I sure hope so, a horse like this could be the start of something big. Take good care of him."
Pa didn't work at a regular farm, but a horse farm. Red Rock farms raised the finest Morgan horses in the state. And now the Lang family had one of the most promising colts in the world.
Under Jim's watchful eye, Wind thrived. Soon they were exploring the countryside together.
"Hey Wind! Check this out!" said Jim, playfully splashing water on his friend. The young horse followed him around just like a dog, and even knew tricks.
Seasoned horsemen had never seen anything quite like it. Wind would lie down, rear, present a hoof, nod, neigh, and do many other tricks long before he was old enough to be ridden. He and Jim thought nothing of it.
"Congratulations Jim! You made it look like the rest of us were taking a Sunday stroll!" exclaimed Trav, who had ridden Wind's half brother Streak for Red Rock.
Jim's prophecy about Wind's speed had become a reality. The racing was exciting, and his horse was rapidly becoming famous.
"I'll give you $10,000 for him." said a well dressed man.
"No Sir, Wind isn't for sale."
"How about we make it $25,000?"
"Not for any price, Sir." Jim said proudly.
"WOOF! WOOF!"
"Oh Bobby! Why did you have to wake me up? I was ridin' Wind again! We were both young lads!
This is a 100% power up post
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