FOR hundreds of years the horse was the most common means of
transport. Before the tractor was invented, the horse was often used to pull
farm machinery. It is still used for work on ranches, but most horses are now
kept for pleasure. People ride them, watch them perform and enjoy them in sports
such as Polo, Hunting and Racing.
The following is the story of a racehorse and the people to whom he belonged. It
was the day of the Derby. The participants with their horses, manes trimmed and
shining, got ready for the pistol shot, which would indicate the start of the
race. It was an event, which people really looked forward to. It was a sport
enjoyed by the young and old alike. Bets were placed on the horses and the
winners left with a handsome sum of money.
Mark, the proud owner of a racehorse, whispered something into Godfather’s (the
name of the horse) ear. It was these ‘sweet nothings’ that brought a smile to
Godfather’s lips. It definitely contributed to Godfather’s victory in the race.
The owner also gave some advice to David, the jockey. David was a short and
strong fellow. He fitted snugly in the saddle, just as a glove fitted the hand.
He had started his career as a jockey with Godfather and longed to end it with
him also. The age of any horse can be told by looking at its teeth; Godfather’s
teeth showed that he still had plenty of race years to go before he retired.
Also present was Mark’s wife. She always accompanied him to the race. “Godfather
is really lucky. He gets all your attention.” She would tell him. But deep down
in her heart she knew, that she would not have had it anyway else. She cared for
Godfather, too, and would tend to his needs whenever she could spare some time.
“I think the trough of water is empty,” she’d say with concern beckoning her
staff to fill the trough up. An insect bit Godfather once. Richard, the horse
keeper, bathed and dressed his wound so well that Godfather was up and about in
half the time than the usual. Godfather loved Richard and he would show it by
cuddling up to him. This was Godfather’s family.
The people who cared for him, who were responsible for his consecutive
victories. They were all there with him to see him run the race.
A few minutes before the race was to begin, David mounted Godfather and rode
down to the start. But little did Mark or David know what was in store for them.
Another horse owner, who was Mark’s enemy, just could not bear Godfather winning
all the time. And to make sure that Mark’s horse would not win this time, he
thought of a plan. He suggested to the trainer of his horse that they must visit
Godfather’s blacksmith. “It won’t take us very long” he sneered. The trainer who
was a little confused asked, “what wouldn’t take us long?” To this the vicious
man replied, “You’d see.”
The deceitful man, when the time was just right (as he knew the time Godfather
came to the blacksmith as well as the time when the
Blacksmith left his seat) damaged Godfather’s shoe. The nail ends that showed
through the horse’s hoof were wrung off and turned back. He straightened them
just a little in the hope that the shoe would come off during the race. He
damaged the shoe so deftly that Godfather did not feel it immediately.
Finally the starter signaled the start of the race. Godfather took the lead, so
erect, so graceful. His poise was proof of the fact that he would be very hard
to defeat. There he went like a bolt of lightning. He moved so fast that just
when you thought you had focused on him, he moved ahead. He had almost reached
the finishing line, when the nail of the shoe straightened and got loose,
unbalancing Godfather, who stumbled and stopped in his tracks before any further
damage could take place. A race official came to guide them off the track.
Godfather, Mark, Richard, Mark’s wife, David were all shocked. They failed to
understand what had happened.
Some time after they had recovered from the shock of the damaged horseshoe, Mark
and the trainer accompanied Godfather to the blacksmith’s. They were there to
have Godfather’s old shoes removed. Also present was the man who had damaged
Godfather’s shoe. He was there with his horse.
As though instinctively, Godfather trotted towards this man and lifted the foot
with the damaged horseshoe and started nodding.
This scared the evil man and before the horse could burst into a fit of anger,
he confessed: “I I, I, was responsible,” he stuttered and went down on his knees
to apologize. Mark, who was a soft man, accepted his apology. Thus ended the
story of the evil man and his horse and Godfather awaited his next victory yet
again.