"Shiner" by Tim Anderson
A fictional tale

Somewhere west...

   "Get that horse over here" someone shouted, referring to a mustang horse that was due to be broke. "Grab him" "Don't let him' get away" another man shouted while trying to regain control of the animal's lead rope to bring him to the crawl. Then, The horse leaped high, standing only on its own two back legs, and kicked rapidly before he ran away, lead rope and halter still on him.

Somewhere south-west...

   " Johnny Get over here, boy" Johnny's father shouted. "You get those horses rounded' up yet, boy" referring to the many horse that his father & mother owned on there 200 acre ranch.
"Just done, Pa" Johnny said, while dismounting from a paint colored horse that he was riding. His father walked up to him. "Well?" his father asked him. "Well?" Johnny repeated. "Well did you find a horse that you want' break" His father said, referring to the horses that Johnny had just chased while  riding one of his fathers already broken horses. He muttered under his breath that "We've been through this, dad". "And you haven't found a horse. What am I gonna' do with you" Came his fathers sharp replied. "I'll know when the right horse comes, dad. I have to be VERY comfortable with it if its going to be the horse that I stick with, dad. I'll know. I'll know..." Johnny said, then hurried towards the house, not allowing his father to respond.

   "Mmmmmm...you sure know how da' cook know, don't ya', May" Mr. Anderson said to his wife. she nodded. The Anderson Family where at the dinner table now, enjoying a late 7:00 dinner. Well, everyone was enjoying it except for Johnny, who hadn't touched his dinner. " Eat up, boy This is the best turkey I've had since..." He paused and thought. Mrs. Anderson, May, took the Queue that her husband had told her earlier. "Did you find a horse, Johnny?" Mr. Anderson's wife asked her son. "No, mom" there 11 year old son replied glumly. "Well why not?" his mother asked again. She obviously wasn't going to let this pass. "Because, I have to be comfortable with the horse I'm going to keep for the rest of his, or more unlikely, my days" Johnny answered, speaking louder, yet not loud enough to where he would get punished.

    Johnny woke up. He looked at his clock: 5:30. He stretched his arms. He got dressed. "What I am I doing?" he thought. Even so, he didn't hesitate. He walked down his stairs carefully: minding that he didn't wake up his parents. He wondered outside. It was foggy. He started to walk towards the barn. He didn't know why, he just did it. He stopped when he heard something.
He looked to his right: A beautiful black Mustang Horse, stuck by his lead rope. The horse looked at him, ears pointed in his direction. The horse had a dirty lead snagged on a bush.

 "Here, boy." Johnny said quietly, while edging his way closely towards the animal. Johnny took off the horse's halter along with his lead rope. (Continued on other side)
(Continued from front side) Johnny took off the horse's halter along with his lead rope. The horse made no attempt. to stop him, but instead kept his ears in his direction and eyes focused on the boy. Johnny pet the horse's neck gently, when suddenly Johnny Father jumped out of a nearby bush and came running towards them. Johnny spun around. "He must of saw the horse and then snuck up on me...us." Johnny thought. The horse spooked, leap high, now only standing on its 2 hind legs. The Horse came down back to earth, then leap high again, came down and hit Johnny on his lower right eye. Johnny fell down, stunned. The horse took off, unaware that he had injured anyone.

   "What? Where am I" Johnny said weakly. "That mustang knocked ya out cold, son" Johnny's
father replied, keeled over Johnny's bed. "Are you alright, John?" Johnny's mother said, also kneeled over his bed. "I'm fine...The horse he wa..."  Johnny was cut short. "He's long gone son." The boys father replied. Johnny leaped out of bed. "Where are you going" His parents asked at the same time. Johnny didn't answer. He went into the bathroom, stared into the
mirror: stared at his right eye: a Black one. A dirty one. A, a, a...a Shiner.

   It was afternoon now, Johnny was in the barn yard. It was foggy. He gazed into the horizon.
Waited. Waited? "For what?" He asked his tack (saddle, bridle, pad and blanket). Then he knew.
He knew, because then, out of the fog, walked a Black Mustang. A unbroken (Johnny was unaware of that small detail), untamed, beautiful, Black Mustang. Johnny walked up towards the horse. Or did the horse walk up to him? He didn't know. He didn't care. He had told his father earlier not to follow him (hmm....). He started to pet the horse. Then, he started to saddle him. The horse backed up...then stopped. Allowed Johnny to put the Saddle & Bridle on the Animal.
Then, unaware that he was about to ride a unbroken horse, Johnny lifted himself upon this great horse. He then told the horse (via reins) to go right. The horse obeyed. Then left: so far, so good.
Then forward. No problem...


*Johnny and his horse traveled across the country together. They found who owned the horse (there was a mark that the horse owner left) , Shiner, but his owner let Johnny keep him after his amazing trip around the USA. Johnny died at the age of 89. There is monument for Johnny and his horse in Kentucky Horse Park, Kentucky.*

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