CRYPTOLOGIC (79)

These days were, it seemed to him, the best of all. The chilly autumn air felt crisp and fresh as he breathed, bringing a spring to his step. The bay colt had been taken out of his stall and now was being led to his paddock. The colt shivered with anticipation, sidestepping and throwing his head a bit as he imagined the sweet luscious grass that would await, the conversations with the other horses, and his afternoon snooze under the apple tree that adorned his field.
"Woah there, big fella," his handler chuckled. "Can't have you working up a fret and breakin' yourself now. You jus' wait till we git to yer little yarn an' it'll all be quite all righ'."
Cryptologic nickered at the older man, whose eyes crinkled cheerily with his smiles and watered blue eyes twinkled with happiness. This man, Charlie, certainly didn't seem to talk like the other handlers, but he was quicker and kinder than any of them. The other handlers spoke loudly and harshly, even though their words rolled easily off their tongue. They laughed more than Charlie did, but when they laughed, it was too loud, it hurt his ears. However, the handlers were good at what they did, and if a horse grew ill, they were quick to treat it.
He preferred Charlie though. The old handler with his gentle ways, who could give you brush down in forty-five seconds and do it with so much detail you'd look as if you had just been brushed for an hour. It was Charlie who could look a horse in the face and tell you everything from how stubborn it was to how much of a ham they could be. It was also he who could just run his hands over your legs just once and be able to tell you just how much they could take. Charlie, he had a good eye for horses. He could look at a foal and tell you if they would ever make it to the track. He could tell you if that foal was just a lousy claimer or a menacing stakes runner. That Charlie, he just knew.
Cryptologic lipped Charlie's hair with affection, earning himself a little rub on the nose. "Oh, stop that you ol' fool," Charlie grunted, but his eyes twinkling all the same. "Can't have the boys thinkin' we've gone soft now can we?" It was with that statement they arrived to the paddock, where Charlie opened the gate, unfastened his lead rope, and gave him a smart swat on the butt to get him going, although it wan't needed. He had been shuffling as he waited, squirming like he had ants in his pants as he became built up with anticipation. As soon as he heard the click that he was free, Cryptologic pushed off with his powerful hind legs and streaked into the paddock. As he ran, he felt his muscles gliding easily under his pelt. They gleamed in the early morning sun, rippling to the rhythmic pounding of his hooves upon the grass. He stretched his legs out further, covering more ground, gaining more speed, until he saw the fence on the other side. He slowed down, drawing up alongside the fence and hanging his head over the wood to see who else was out that day.
Nobody of great interest caught his eye, and with a shake of hi beautiful head, he trotted a few feet away to a very succulent looking patch of grass, dropping his muzzle and feasting on the heavenly nature below him.