BLACK STALLION
Kid Curry woke slowly. Lying in the lower bunk, he leisurely stretched his still aching muscles. Having spent the past week bouncing hard in the saddle, breaking, or at least trying to break wild horses, he felt stiff and sore in places he never thought possible.
Breaking horses was not an occupation he enjoyed, but he was good at it. Having spent years in a saddle outrunning posses and bounty hunters, Kid's thigh and calf muscles were strong. He had learned to move with the strain and stress of a horse's body, pressing his legs tight against the sides of the animal, so his legs and the horse's taught muscles worked as one. He had a knack for communicating with the a wild horse. All this gave him an advantage when sitting a saddle on a wildly kicking bronco.
Kid tossed his legs over the side of the bunk and reached for his clothes lying at the foot of the bed. He slid his jeans on over his red long johns, then slipped his arms into the blue shirt sleeves and buttoned the shirt. He reached down beside the bed and pick up a boot and pulled it on, then did the same with the other boot. Finally he stood up and tucked his shirt into his pants and buttoned the fly.
Heyes walked over to him carrying two cups of coffee and handed one to Kid. They spoke in whispered voices so as not to wake the other hands.
"Thanks. You make this?" Kid asked.
Heyes smiled and shook his head. "Cook's been up for an hour," he replied. "You taking on the wild ones again today?"
Kid nodded and sipped at the coffee. "What are you doing?"
"North pasture fencing."
Kid sniffed the air. "Bacon?"
"And flapjacks. Cook says he'll have some ready in ten minutes."
"Which gives me just about the right amount of time," Kid said, setting his coffee cup on the table and heading out the bunkhouse door.
"Hey, Jones!" the foreman shouted as Kid emerged from the outhouse.
Kid stopped and gave a longing glance at the bunkhouse, not wanting to be late for breakfast. Then he turned and walked over to the corral where Dan Murray, the foreman, was standing with one elbow resting on the top rail of the corral fence.
"Something you want, Dan?" Kid asked as he approached.
"Gonna put you on the black stallion this morning. You up to it?"
"I'll let you know afterwards," Kid replied and Dan smiled.
"That's the most high-spirited horse I think I have ever seen. Gonna take some doing getting the wild out of that one."
Kid nodded. "Might take a few days... We'll manage."
"You mean you'll manage," Dan replied. "That horse does seem to show some respect for you."
Kid smiled. "Nah, just thinks he doesn't have to work as hard to separate me from the saddle."
"Hasn't hurt you yet."
"Always a first time."
Dan smiled. "Best go get breakfast. Going to be a long morning.
Kid headed back to the bunkhouse, Half a dozen men had made their way to the table for breakfast. Kid stepped over the bench and sat down beside Heyes who pushed a plate of bacon and flapjacks toward Kid. "Fixed you a plate before it was all gone."
Kid smiled and reached for the syrup that he poured generously over the flapjacks. He popped a strip of bacon into his mouth and quickly followed up with a generous bite of the flapjacks. "Any more coffee?" he asked without bothering to swallow.
Heyes reached for a clean cup and slid the coffee pot toward Kid. "If you're not too sore, lets head in to town for poker tonight," Heyes said.
"A fool and his money?"
Heyes smiled. "Let's hope there's a lot of such fellas playing poker on a Friday night."
Kid stood at the steps of the bunkhouse and carefully pulled on his leather gloves. He looked skyward and determined it was going to be another hot, sultry day of bouncing in a saddle and eating dirt. He stepped off the porch and walked slowly to the corral. He grabbed a pair of chaps from a pile near the barn and slipped into them and fastened them on. Then Kid climbed up the corral and sat on the top rail, resting the heels of his boots on a lower rail. He waited for the black stallion to be led out to the corral.
When the horse was led out of the barn, Kid jumped off the fence rail and walked across the corral. "Let me saddle him," Kid said.
Kid walked around to the front of the horse. "Hold the reins taught, Tom," Kid instructed before reaching up slowly to scratch the bridge of the horse's nose. "Easy boy," Kid said with a calm, soothing tone to his voice. "Not going to hurt you."
Kid continued to scratch the horse's head. He took hold of the bit and pulled the horse's head toward him so they were facing eye to eye. "You are a fine one," he said. "You and me, we're going to do this together, aren't we?"
Kid slowly lowered his arm, avoiding any sudden movements. Then he walked around and pulled down a blanket hanging on the rail and gently laid it across the horse's back. The horse's hind legs moved a few steps away from Kid.
Kid picked up the saddle with both hands and gave a glance to Tom to make sure Tom was holding the reins high and tight before flinging the saddle over the blanket. The horse whinnied and moved the hind legs further away.
Paul Walker, another hand moved to the other side of the stallion and slid the cinch under the stallions belly for Kid to grab on to. Kid adjusted the placement and tightened the cinch to his satisfaction and adjusted the length of the stirrups. Then Kid walked again to the front of the horse and again scratched the horse's head, making sure he was positioned so that the horse could see him, could smell him, could hear his gentle voice soothing the nervous animal.
Kid took the reins and moved to the left side of the horse while Tom and Paul gripped each side of the harness. In one even, smooth movement, Kid mounted the horse and carefully wrapped the reins about his right hand. Tom and Paul released their grips and moved swiftly away to safety.
The stallion stayed still for a moment, sizing up the situation. Kid felt the horse's muscles suddenly tighten and instinctively pressed his legs into the stallion's torso. The stallion bolted and bucked, bouncing Kid hard in the saddle as it moved and kicked up it's hind legs while jolting about the corral. Kid held on, using his legs as much as his body to stay balanced and positioned.
After two or three minutes, the stallion stopped, determined he had not rid himself of the weight on his back, and began a second round of jumps and kicks as it moved faster about the corral. In one sudden and rapid movement the stallion stopped, lowered his head, and kicked his hind legs high into the air. With the sudden forward thrust, Kid left the saddle, moving air born over the horse's head and landing with a hard thud on the packed dirt.
Paul and Tom moved swiftly with arms splayed, to distance Kid from the horse as Kid scrambled to his feet and ran to the nearest part of the corral fence. He scaled the fence rails in one swift movement as Tom approached the now still stallion and grabbed the reins.
Only then did Kid jump back off the rail and brushed the dust and dirt from his chaps.
"That was a good ride, Kid." Tom said
Kid smiled. "Better than the landing," he joked.
"Let me know when you're ready to give him another go."
Kid nodded and climbed back on to the rail to sit and watch the next horse and rider.
After about a half an hour, Kid let Tom know he was ready for another ride. The black stallion was again led out of the barn and Kid repeated much the acquaintance ritual he had performed the first time, spending a couple of minutes stroking the horse's nose and staying in easy eyesight of the horse, giving the stallion time to sniff and hear him gently soothing the animal. Kid then nodded to Tom and Paul and they held the sides of the harness tightly while Kid smoothly mounted.
After they released their grip on the harness, the horse again stood still, calculating the added weight on his back. Again Kid felt the horse's torso muscles tighten and he quickly adjusted his own leg grips just as the horse jolted, bucked and moved swiftly about the corral. This time Kid stayed on the horse for almost five minutes. Not once during that time did the stallion give any indication of coming to terms with the weight of the saddle and rider. When the stallion finally made his successful bid of tossing Kid, the animal was near enough to the rails to fling Kid's right side hard against the rails.
Again Tom and Paul were ready and maintained a safety zone for Kid to duck under the rails to the other side of the corral. Paul made three attempts before successfully grabbing the reins to restrain and lead the stallion back to his stall in the barn.
"You alright?" Tom asked.
Kid winced and stretched a bit but nodded that he was essentially fine.
"That was almost five minutes, Kid. You might get that stallion broke yet this afternoon.
Kid brushed the dust from his chaps and shook his head. "That stallion understands that he's losing his freedom. He ain't about to do that easy," Kid replied.
"How did you get so good with horses?" Tom asked.
Kid shook his head again. "Seems to come natural," he replied. Kid took a couple of steps and noticed the catch in his side. "I'm done for the morning," he told Tom and walked slowly back to the bunkhouse.
"Think you can break that one?" the cook asked Kid as he walked gingerly into the bunkhouse and poured himself a cup of coffee.
"Wish I didn't have to," Kid replied. "That horse is meant to be wild. Don't seem right to steal that away from him."
Kid walked back out on the porch and sat in a rocking chair while nursing his coffee. He spent the rest of the morning watching the hands working to break other horses. He thought about the stallion and felt honest empathy for the sacrifice of freedom the horse was expected to make. He thought about himself and of Heyes and he truly understood how valuable that freedom was. He had never thought of breaking a horse in quite the same way he thought about it with this particular horse. He wished he had not been assigned to the stallion.
"Couple more goes this afternoon?" Paul asked Kid as the hands sat around the table eating sandwiches for lunch.
Kid nodded. "Not going to get broke overnight, though."
"He is a high spirited one," Paul replied.
"He's an intelligent one, alright. He sure don't like what's happening to him."
"Maybe not," Tom added. "But he's learning to trust you. You can see that in his eyes. Those eyes change when he sees you standing in front of him. You likely don't see it but the wildness comes back when you walk away."
"Too bad I can't just stand in front of him and talk him into being tame," Kid joked.
Tom laughed. "You learn to do that, Kid and you'll be a rich man one day."
Kid spent the afternoon much like the morning. He rode the stallion three times, got thrown three times, and saw little if any progress made that day. Late in the afternoon he walked wearily back to the bunkhouse.
"You look beat, Kid," Heyes said as Kid eased himself down on his bunk and slipped his hands behind his head.
"Give me an hour to rest up and then we can head in to town. I want a nice, long, hot bath, a good supper, a couple of beers, and a nice soft feather mattress tonight."
"So I take it we're staying in town?"
"Yep, and I don't care if the nice soft bed is in the hotel or the saloon."
Heyes smiled. "You get soaking in a nice hot bath, and I'll bet you'll be wanting one of the beds in the saloon."
"Maybe," Kid said, closing his eyes and smiling.
Heyes let Kid sleep a couple of hours. He didn't envy Kid's job. Busting horses was exhausting work, hard on a man's body.
When he woke, Kid packed clean clothes in his saddle bags and the two men rode into town.
"You go get us a room," Kid told Heyes. "I'm headed for the bath house."
"Want to meet up in the cafe or the saloon?" Heyes asked.
"Cafe. In an hour. I'm hungry," Kid replied.
Kid enjoyed a hot, leisurely bath that soothed his aching muscles. He was thankful that he and Heyes had the next day off and did not have to return to the ranch that night. After the water began to cool, Kid pulled himself out of the tub and wrapped a towel around his waist. He picked up a second towel to dry his hair. He stood in front of the wall mirror and ran his fingers through his hair to settle it. He moved the towel to his arm to dry off his arm and he noticed the long purple bruise on the right side of his torso, the result of his encounter with the corral. He dried off the rest of his body and got dressed. He strapped on his gun belt and headed to the cafe.
They ate steaks, fried potatoes, cornbread and Kid topped his off with a bowl of peach cobbler. Finally they made their way to the saloon.
As they walked through the batwing doors, Kid instinctively stopped and scanned the room, sizing up both the patrons and the layout of the room itself. Satisfied, he and Heyes made their way to the bar and ordered beers. Heyes picked up his beer and turned around to size up the poker activity. A pretty young woman with auburn hair that cascaded down her back walked up to Kid and smiled.
"Haven't seen you in town lately, Kid," she said, gently rubbing Kid's chest with her hand.
Kid smiled. "If I had known you were looking for me, I'd have been here sooner," Kid replied.
The girl moved her hand lower down Kid's shirt. As she rubbed her hand across Kid's right side she noticed him wince ever so slightly.
"Ooooh, you hurting, Kid?" she asked.
"Had an intimate rendezvous with a corral this afternoon, darlin," Kid replied.
"Anything else hurting you?" she asked.
Kid smiled again. "No, darling, everything else is feeling right fine."
"Get a room already," Heyes quipped and pushed away from the bar to one of the poker table.
"Taking his advise?" the girl asked.
"Whenever you're ready," Kid replied.
She slid her hand into his. Kid quickly took a long gulp of his beer, then set the mug on the bar and let her lead him up the stairs.
Two hours later, Kid walked down the stairs alone and returned to the bar. He ordered a beer and turned to see where Heyes was playing poker.
"Hey, you who I think you are?"
Kid didn't move but his eyes turned in the direction of the voice. He saw a young man, perhaps twenty, standing at a table looking directly at him.
When Heyes heard the young man, he immediately looked toward the bar and saw Kid. Heyes followed Kid's eyes to the young man.
"Probably not, since I've never seen you before," Kid replied.
Heyes excused himself from the table and approached Kid. "Thaddeus, I didn't see you come in!"
Kid didn't respond. He kept his eyes focused on the young man. The young man was wearing a gun, but when he saw the intensity and determination in Kid's eyes, his bravery began to falter. "Thaddeus?" he said in a halting voice.
"That's right," Kid replied.
"I guess you're not who I thought you were," the young man stammered. "Sorry friend, didn't mean to offend you."
"None taken," Kid said but did not turn away until the young man slipped back into his chair.
Heyes let out a low, long sigh. "You want to play some poker?" Heyes asked.
Kid turned back to the bar and picked up his beer and took a drink. He set the mug back down on the bar. "I did. Don't now. You got us a room?"
"Heyes smiled nervously. "Two thirteen," he said.
Kid nodded, took one more drink of his beer, and walked out of the saloon.
When Heyes arrived at their hotel room around midnight, Kid was sitting at the small table piecing his gun back together. Heyes rolled his eyes but said nothing about the frequency with which Kid cleaned his gun.
"That was close down there," Heyes said.
Kid didn't reply.
"You think that kid will try anything?"
"How should I know?" Kid replied but then softened. "I doubt it. He was pretty scared. Probably just had too much to drink and didn't think before he acted. Sobered up quick when he realized what could happen."
"Yea," Heyes agreed.
"You win?"
"Did pretty well. Raked in almost three hundred."
Kid holstered his gun and walked across the room to hang the holster on the bedpost.
"Something the matter, Kid?"
Kid sat on the edge of the bed. "Just thinking about how much that stallion and me are alike."
"Other than the smell, how are you and a horse alike?" Heyes asked and sat down on the edge of his bed.
Kid looked at the window, his eyes distant in thought. "That horse don't want to be broke. He just wants to live his life coming and going as he pleases," Kid said.
"That boy got you bothered?"
Kid shook his head. "Not him in particular. It's just, everywhere I go, there's always some boy wanting to challenge me, wanting to be the one that breaks Kid Curry." Kid sighed heavily. "Just gets old, Heyes."
"I expect it does, Kid. But there's no real way to stop it."
Kid looked at Heyes. "One day, someone will," he said matter-of-factly.
Heyes had no reply. He knew as well as Kid that Kid was right.
Kid laid down on the bed. He crossed his ankles and rested his hands behind his head.
"I hate breaking that horse, Heyes."
"Grown attached to it?"
Kid shook his head. "Learned respect for it. Breaking that stallion will kill it. I've never seen a horse with so much determination not to be broke."
"You talk to Dan about it?"
Kid shook his head. "He's hell bent on getting him broke. There ain't nothing I can do about it."
Kid uncrossed his ankles and sat up to pull off his boots. Then he stood up and stripped down to his long johns and Henley and crawled under the covers of the bed and rolled over on his side with his back facing Heyes.
Heyes watched Kid for a minute, then got himself ready for bed. He crawled into his bed and blew out the lamp.
The next morning they both slept till after nine. Then they got dressed and headed downstairs to the hotel dining room for breakfast.
"I think I'll head over to the mercantile when were done and pick up a few things. You want to come?" Heyes asked.
"Yea, I could use some more gun oil," Kid replied.
"Mr. Jones!" they both heard as they walked down the boardwalk to the mercantile. Both stopped and slowly turned to see who was calling Kid. They exchanged a quick glance when they saw it was the Sheriff.
Kid smiled nervously. "What can I do for you, Sheriff," he asked.
"I heard what happened at the saloon last night. I hear you two handled the situation well. Got it defused so to speak."
"The boy didn't mean no harm, Sheriff," Heyes said. "Just had a little too much to drink."
Kid nodded his agreement.
"All the same, it could have turned ugly. You made sure it didn't. Thank you for that."
"That's alright, Sheriff. No harm done," Kid said. "Ain't like I was whoever he was thinking I was,"
Heyes gave Kid a sideways glance telling him to quit while he was ahead.
"Well, thanks all the same."
"Anything else, Sheriff?" Heyes asked.
"Nope, just appreciate you making my job a little easier. You boys have a good day."
"You, too, Sheriff," they said in unison.
As soon as the sheriff began walking away, Heyes grabbed Kid's arm and hurried him down to the mercantile.
"For as quiet as you usually are, Kid, you sure ramble on when your nervous. I half expected you to tell the Sheriff both our real names," Heyes grumbled and walked into the store without waiting for a response.
They took their purchases back to the hotel and packed their saddlebags. They dropped the saddlebags at the livery and headed back to the saloon where they played poker at the only active table. By late afternoon they were on their way back to the ranch.
The next morning Kid woke just as the first hint of light stretched across the sky. He quietly got dressed and walked out to the barn, Kid lit an oil lamp and walked over to the stall holding the black stallion. He reached out and scratched the horse's neck and it whinnied at him and turned it's head in Kid's direction. Kid reached into his pocket and pulled out a couple of carrots he had snitched from the cook's supply the evening before. He held it our for the horse who sniffed it, then began taking it into his mouth, making loud crunching sounds as he chewed. When the horse was done, Kid held the second one out and the horse took that one as well.
Heyes heard Kid get up and go outside. When Kid didn't return, Heyes got dressed and went out looking for him. Heyes saw the light coming from the barn and he walked to the barn and stood in the doorway watching Kid interacting with the stallion.
When Kid turned to go back inside he was startled by the figure in the doorway until he realized it was Heyes. Kid walked over to the door and stood beside his friend.
"Kid, I know you've always had a way with horses, but I've never seen you so attached to one. You've broke a lot of horses. Why is this one so special?"
"I told you, Heyes. We're kindred souls."
"You and a horse?"
"That's the only way I know how to explain it."
Kid walked past Heyes and went back into the bunkhouse. Heyes continued to stand in the doorway, looking at the horse and feeling quite perplexed.
After breakfast, Kid headed out to the corral and put on a pair of chaps. Tom and Paul led the stallion out to the corral. Kid scooted between the rails and walked up to the stallion and once again stood in front of the horse, staying in direct eye sight and giving the horse time to see, smell, and hear Kid, and to feel Kid's touch on the bridge of the horse's nose.
Heyes follow Kid to the corral and climbed up on the rail to watch. Kid took hold of the bit and raised the horse's head so they were looking each other in the eye. He spoke to the horse in soft whispers and explained his intentions. The horse's ears flickered and Heyes smiled.
Slowly Kid moved around to the side and placed the blanket on the horse's back. The horse stood still. Next Kid hoisted the saddle on and Paul moved to the other side of the horse and handed Kid the cinch.
"Now, move slowly away from him," Kid instructed and Paul did as Kid had told him. Kid tightened the cinch and adjusted the stirrups. He nodded to Paul and Tom who each took hold of the harness. Kid slid his boot into the stirrup and mounted in one smooth, easy motion, settling quickly into the saddle and adjusting the position of his legs against the horse. He then motion for Paul and Tom to step away.
The stallion stood in place for several seconds, sizing up the added weight on his back. He reared up his back legs four times in quick succession before darting into the open space of the corral. Kid kept a firm but not overbearing grip on the reins. The horse kicked, then reared, then darted around the corral. Kid held his position, blending his legs into the side muscles of the horse as they moved in unison. This continued for over ten minutes, neither giving in to the horse's determination. Finally the horse stopped and stood quietly in place. Kid didn't move a muscle. He waited patiently. When the horse continued to stand still, Kid gave him an almost in-perceivable nudge with his knees.
Slowly the horse moved forward. Kid gently pulled the reins to the right and the stallion moved to the right. Kid again nudged the horse gently with his knees and the horse continued forward. Kid pulled back on the reins and the horse stopped.
Kid motioned to Tom and Paul and they slowly approached and took hold of each side of the harness. Kid slowly, smoothly dismounted. Kid walked toward the corral rails and stopped suddenly when he saw Heyes, He looked at Heyes with overwhelming sadness in his eyes. Then he ducked under the rails and walked right by Heyes. He continued walking another twenty feet, then stopped suddenly and waited for Heyes to catch up.
"Heyes, when Dan assigned that stallion to me, I went in to the barn to size him up, get to know him, figure out what it was going to take to break him. That morning, he was just another horse... But Heyes, when I looked at him...I've never seen that much spirit in any horse.
"He is a high spirited horse," Heyes agreed.
"Every morning I went in the barn, to figure out... how to work that horse. But every day day I saw that spirit in his eyes ebbing more and more. When I went out there this morning... Well,...I knew this morning that he was going to let me do what you saw him do... Heyes. I knew this morning that he had given in to it, accepted it... just ... submitted to being broke... This horse shouldn't be broke, Heyes... not ever."
"I'm sorry, Kid."
"He doesn't deserve that. That horse deserves to be wild."
Heyes reached up to put his hand on Kid's shoulder, but Kid walked off into the bunkhouse.
Heyes turned and watched them lead the stallion back into the barn. He saw Dan inside the barn and marched in to talk to him.
"Dan, how much does Mr. Garrison want for that stallion?" Heyes asked.
"What?"
"What's it going to cost me to buy that stallion?"
"Joshua, that stallion will sell for hundreds at auction."
"How many hundreds?"
"At least three, maybe more."
"Tell Mr. Garrison I'll give him three hundred for that horse."
"Why in the world would you spend that kind of money for a horse?"
"Not any horse. That horse," Heyes said.
"Why?"
"Because for some reason, that horse means a lot to Thaddeus... Look, it gets complicated, but the Kid's never had much of anything in his life. .. That damn horse means almost as much to him as..."
"As what?"
"As... I don't know, maybe life itself."
Dan looked up toward the bunkhouse, not really understanding what was going on but realizing Heyes was determined to the point of desperation. "Look, I"ll talk to Mr. Garrison and let you know."
Heyes smiled. "Don't let Kid know anything about this, alright?"
"Fine."
"Thanks, Dan."
Three days later when Kid walked out to the corral after breakfast, Dan was just coming out of the barn.
"Kid, you and Smith have the day off," Dan told Kid.
Why?"
"Because Mr. Garrison said so."
"Alright," Kid replied, puzzled as to why the owner of the ranch would be giving them a day off. Kid turned and went back in the bunkhouse to find Heyes.
"Dan says you and I have the day off," Kid told his partner.
Heyes smiled. "Good, you have something to take care of today."
"And what is that?" Kid asked.
"Come out to the barn with me,"
"Why?"
"You always have to know everything ahead of time?" Heyes asked and started out the door. Kid followed.
"Heyes, what's this about?"
"Just come, Kid. You'll know soon enough.
Kid followed Heyes out to the barn and over to the stall with the black stallion.
"Heyes, tell me what this is about?" Kid demanded.
"It's about your stallion?"
"What about the stallion?"
"You're not listening, Kid. Not the stallion. Your stallion." Heyes said beaming ear to ear.
"My stallion?" Kid said hesitantly.
"Mr. Garrison sold him to me. I'm giving him to you, to do with him whatever you want. Keep him and ride him... or set him free. Whatever you want to do, Kid."
Kid was dumbfounded. "I don't know what... How did you... Oh, Heyes."
"You want to set him free?"
"You bet I do."
"Then saddle your horse and let's go find the perfect spot to do just that."
Kid bit his lower lip. He looked at Heyes with blue eyes filled with more emotion than Heyes had ever seen reflected in those eyes before."
"Kid, I can't say I fully understand why this is so important to you, but the fact is, if it's that important to you, then it's that important to me."
They saddled their horses and Kid lassoed the stallion. Then they rode out with Kid holding on to the lasso.
After about three hours they came upon tracks that suggested a nearby herd of wild horses. They climbed to a high ridge with a panoramic view of the valley below and Kid spied the herd and pointed it out to Heyes. They headed toward the valley and stopped about ten miles from the herd and Kid dismounted and walked over to the black stallion. He patted the horse's neck. "You go home now, boy. Go back to your wild ways," Kid said softly and pulled the lasso off the horse's neck.
The stallion raised his front legs into the air. When the legs came down, the stallion moved forward about fifty feet, then stopped and turned his head back toward Kid. Kid smiled and the stallion turned away and broke into a fast, free gallop across the field.
Kid stood and watched until the stallion disappeared in the distance. Kid was completely unaware of the smile on his face. He turned to Heyes and Heyes saw moisture in Kid's eyes.
"He's free. He's wild. He knows where he belongs in this word," Kid said.
And suddenly Heyes understood.