Colt
“Pop, do you think people are going to want to come out here and try this?” I readjusted the brim of my cowboy hat. The Merced sun was showing no mercy to us today.
My father, with his broad hardworking shoulders, bent backward, stretching out his spine. He’d just hand-drilled all the fences together. All the slats were on, and it looked damn good.
“Son, take a look around you. There’s nothing better than what you have here. This is the land I passed on to you so you could do something like this.” He spread his arms wide in reference to the property. “All of those years ago, I knew what it could be. You’ve taken it one step further here.”
He pointed to the arena. “You’re sitting on four hundred and forty acres. I inherited this land from my father, and he from his. This place is sacred, ancestral land. Anyone who comes here feels right at home. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“I guess when you put it that way, you’re right. It’s a special place.” I pulled my hat up and wiped the sweat from under my brim, where my hair was slicked to my forehead.
I looked into the distance. California rolling hills encapsulated the property. Behind those California hills sat the foreboding mountain peaks. My neighbors weren’t particularly close by, and that was fine by me. The paddock on the left had been transformed into a circular arena for participants to practice their riding skills, including leading the horses around it. It was for learning to trot and canter. I would leave the galloping for the trails.
“Damn straight. You’re going to need some help with the crops this year if this gets running right. You’re going to need a new stable, too, for the extra horses.”
I tipped my hat to my father, his silver hair shining bright in the sun. He’d always been a straightforward man. Planning for the future.
“You’re right. I have the new horses coming in. I have to get Bella to help me feel them out. We got two more. I think Moonlight is more settled now that I’m home. I can put an experienced rider who likes a challenge on her.”
My father nodded at my suggestions. I loved working alongside the old man. He was one of my greatest inspirations.
“You know what irks me, son?” He patted the soil for the arena. As he grabbed it, it turned to dust. “You never named those goddamn Palominos. They need names. How are your riders going to know?”
“Good point. I just know them by their features. One of them has a chunk out of its ear. It got in a fight with the other one.”
“Uh-huh. And the other two?”
“Well, one has a longer tail than the rest. The third one loves to eat carrots more than the rest. If I gave it an endless supply of carrots, it would live on them.”
My father sniffed and smoothed out the dusty ground under his feet. As soon as I mowed back the paddock, the heat got to it, keeping the soil dry. It’s what I wanted—a harder surface. “See, there you go. Get young Bella, the horse whisperer, to name them.”
“I will. That’s a great idea. You really want to run the farm side? I thought you were done with it.”
“So did I, but I feel the excitement coming back. I wanted to play around with a few other hobbies of mine, but the land keeps calling me. Plus, I want to be here when you start with the horses. I want to see how young Bella goes. Not you. I taught you already. We’re making history. Three generations of horsemen and horsewomen. Have to be politically correct these days.” He puffed his chest out proudly.
I grinned. “I never thought of it like that. I can’t wait.”
“I know we aren’t talking young kids here. You don’t have ponies. Unless you want to get some.”
“No, I guess I’ve meant the riding school to work with a little older age bracket.”
“Good, good. Work with the horses you got. What’s the new horse you got coming?”
“A couple of beauties. One smaller chestnut and one bigger chestnut.”
My father’s eyes lit up. “Two chestnuts. They will be something to behold. I’ll give you some tips to keep their coats nice and shiny. They can get a little dull in the sunshine.”
“I’m glad we’re working together, Dad.”
He pressed his lips together. “It’s how it should be done. Father and son working together. Come on. I’m hungry, and I need you to whip me up one of those toasted sandwiches you’ve become good at making.”
“All right, let’s go, old man.”
I admired my property as we walked. I could hear the water rushing on the east side. You had to walk down the side to get near it. If there was enough water from the mountain, it ran down. Spring flowers were blooming bright in the front yard. The bees were out in full force, buzzing around, collecting their nectar.
We ate lunch and filled our stomachs, and we talked farm shop, discussing what we might need for the stables in the way of equipment. We also discussed that we might need a stable hand to help with the horses. By the time he left, it was time for daddy duties and to pick Bella up from school.
My phone buzzed as I wrote down everything we talked about. I retrieved my phone from my pocket, a knot forming when I saw it was Diego.
