Chapter 16

Chapter 16
It took a year, but the day finally came, the family took her out to a friend’s ranch and let her go to pasture. About a year later, they felt she was strong enough and began breeding her. The last I heard, she had given birth to four potential racehorses. Then she was retired, to spend the rest of her days out to pasture.

It was almost 2 years later, I begged Willie’s family to take me out to see her. When we drove up to a fence beside the road and stopped, I got out and peered across the field. I didn’t see her, anywhere. “Are you sure, this is the right pasture?”

We got back into the car, and drove around the side of this huge pasture, then stopped again. I climbed out and searched all around but still couldn’t see Winnie. I started getting scared. It had been a year, since the family last saw her. Maybe she was dead.

I screamed as loud as I could “Winnie! Hey! Winnie!” A head popped up, way on the other side of the pasture. She had been standing just down a hill, where I couldn’t see.

“Oh, yes! Winnie. Winnie! Come’ere girl! Come here!” I clapped my hands, the way I used to, when she was showing off.

I heard her whinny and then start to run. As she came up the hill, into my sight, I thought my heart would burst. I was so happy to see. Winnie looked like her old self. She had gained the weight back and looked so strong, again. Then I saw a bonus. The young colt, running along behind. He was running and kicking, the way Winnie used to do.

As they came closer, I thought I was going to melt, right there on the spot. I couldn’t believe my eyes. That young colt was the spitting image of his great grand dad.

Winnie ran near the fence and then stopped and began to buck, as though showing me how strong she had become. I clapped my hands, in approval and squealed at her. “Show me, baby. Show me!”

She hit a dead run and whizzed by me with such speed, my heart was racing with her. To my delight, her young colt was trying to keep up, his little tail whipping in the air. Then she trotted over to the fence, where we hugged and I cried. She talked, I talked, and it was a good time.

“This is a good place, Winnie. This is a good place. I’m so happy for you. I’m so glad to see you.” Winnie tossed her head and slid down the fence to visit with Willie and her parents. Willie and I were drenched in tears and laughing.

My parting words to Winnie were, “You raise that boy to be just like you. You be my happy girl. Ok? I love you. I’m so happy for you. Bye, bye, baby”.

We drove away while Willie and I stared out the back window, waving. It was an excruciatingly wonderful day.