Nerissa’s Legacy

By Gail Brown

Katlyn sat on the fence. Sunlight bounced off the sparkling dew, onto the two horses in the meadow. There were many horses on her family’s horse farm. Only two horses were hers, and hers alone. The fate of the most popular broodmare on the farm rested on these two young mares. For years, their mother, a winner herself, had produced several winning thoroughbreds. Then, three out of five did not place in a single race.

The next year, she surprised them with twins. Katlyn named them Moonbeam and Sunray. Everyone on the farm talked constantly about the twins and their future ability to race. The outcome of their mock race would decide whether or not their broodmare mother would be resigned to a quiet life in the pasture.

Her mother stuck her head out the barn door. “Hurry Katlyn, we need to get the horses ready.”

Katlyn called Moonbeam and Sunray to her. She patted each on the nose. She led them to the barn. They were peaceful and happy in the meadow. The outcome of today’s race could change all of that. For one, or both. Everything seemed to take twice as long as usual. Normally a quick combing, bridling, and saddling seemed to take only seconds.

As she finished, the door opened.

The two competing horses came from a neighboring farm. One was a beautiful black color named Stretch. The other a smaller brown named Sandy. Neither were full-blooded Thoroughbreds. This gave the untested Moonbeam and Sunray the advantage.

The sky did not seem as light as when she entered the barn.

“Ready to go to the track.” She placed a curry comb on its hook.

“Looks like a thunderstorm is coming up. Their riders will be here in a minute.” Justin, the trainer, held Stretch and Sandy’s bridles.

“I’m not sure how they will do in the rain. Moonbeam and Sunray have only been training for a few months.”

“Stretch and Sandy are often out in the rain. Not sure what they will think of racing in it. We can wait, if you think we should?” Justin asked.

Katlyn glanced at the four riders. They had been paid to be here today. “It would be better to try and beat the storm, than run in the mud.”

“Let’s get started then.”

They passed out of the barn to the grass practice track. Nerissa, the broodmare in question, trotted up to see them. She looked over the small crowd of horses and people. Then she trotted back off into the pasture, waving her tail like a flag.

Katlyn watched until Nerissa settled to munching the fresh spring grass in the meadow beside the track.

The horses entered the gate to the dirt track.

Dark clouds spread across the sky. There wasn’t much time as she ran to the bench to watch the race.

“It’s a good thing races only last a few minutes.” She slipped onto the seat beside her mother.

“The race yes. They haven’t even warmed up. We have a good thirty minutes before the race.” Her mother glanced at the sky.

Her dad leaned over the track fence to speak. “Should we try again tomorrow?”

“It rains every day in the spring. If we wait on a dry day, we will be waiting until June! Besides, I heard one of the stable boys saying Nerissa doesn’t have much time left. If we don’t make a decision soon, we will have to decide next year.” Katlyn rubbed her arms. The increasing wind had chilled.

“We could still make the decision this year. She would have to wait until next year.” Her dad turned back to the track.

“We could let her make the decision. She always seems to know which stallion will make a winning colt. It is only when we have chosen for her, that the colts do not win.” Her mom sipped from a coffee cup.

“They are starting to trot. If only they can beat the rain.”

The colts rounded the bend. They were going to try to count the race as now, rather than warming up all the way. This was not a good sign. Justin was obviously worried about the weather, if he would let them begin the race before warming up completely.

Dark, thick clouds gathered overhead. The first big drops of rain fell as the horses crossed the starting line. Downpours would soon begin.

The wind roared as it swept across the track. “Is there enough time before the storm?” Katlyn rubber her arms and stretched her legs.

“No. We can’t leave now.” Her mom covered her coffee cup.

The horses neared the second turn with Stretch and Sandy purposely in the lead. Moonbeam and Sunray prepared to push into the lead. A loud crack startled everyone.

“The tree just opposite us!” her dad shouted. It was the only tree within falling distance of the track. Valued for its shade on sunny days.

“Stop the horses. Turn them around!” Justin screamed and waved his flags.

The tree started to fall.

The jockeys realized what was happening.

Was it too late?

They tried to slow and turn their mounts.

Stretch and Sandy could be run over by Moonbeam and Sunray.

All four horses turned and raced back.

Branches hit the track.

“I can’t see them. It’s too dark. Are they okay?” Katlyn jumped up.

“Moonbeam and Sunray are coming back around the second bend. I don’t see Sandy and Stretch.” Justin peered with his hand over his eyes.

Justin and the family ran to see what had happened.

The tree had caught the jockeys in its branches. The horses had refused to dismount the riders to get away. With a little help, all were untangled, and walked back to the barn to be treated for scratches, bumps, and bruises.

“We still don’t have our answer. I’m not about to try again today,” Justin said.

“No. It will be tomorrow before the tree will be totally off the track.” Her dad pulled Moonbeam’s bridle to encourage her into her own stall instead of joining Sunray.

That few minutes had been scary. If the horses had been a few seconds faster, things would have ended quite different. When they finally had the horses and tack cleaned up and left the barn, the sun was shining.

Katlyn glanced toward the meadow.

Nerissa had been forgotten in the storm. That never happened! She ran to the gate. Nerissa snorted, and trotted up to be petted.

She rejoined her parents to walk to the house.

The year Moonbeam and Sunray were conceived, Nerissa had two stallion visitors. One, was a beautiful white stallion. He was big, strong, and a known race winner. He was the intended mate for Nerissa. The other was a slightly smaller stallion. A sweet disposition, young, and only in training for races. He went on to win a few races later that year, and the next.

“We should race them again tomorrow.” Katlyn sorted her potato chips as if they were horses preparing to race.

“Stretch and Sandy won’t be available. They will take a few days to heal.” Her father swallowed his tea.

“Who else would work?” Her mother took a bite of a sandwich. “How about the two retired thoroughbred stallions? They would enjoy the chance to race again.”

“Well we could. They have been out to pasture so long. They could be wild.”

“Only as wild as a horse can be. Let’s try again tomorrow.”

“Thanks so much.” Katlyn ran from the table back to the stable to help Justin prepare for the next day’s race. The retired stallions were kept separate from all the other horses, so she rarely saw them.

“When will you bring them here?”

“We should probably move them tonight. They will be ready early in the morning. You better go home now, and to prepare for tomorrow.”

He made sure the stalls for Moonbeam and Sunray were locked tighter than usual. Oddly enough, Nerissa was still outside. Was she to be resigned to pasture already?

When morning came, Katlyn tried to be the first at the barn. She ran in. One of the normally empty stalls had been beaten down in the night. What had happened? Who had escaped? She ran to the unusually open doors, which lead to the meadow.

There was Nerissa and a smaller horse, close to the color of her Sunray. Both seemed content, nibbling on grass, and resting in the early morning dew.

“No surprise there.” Justin arrived with a bucket of feed.

“What?”

“Gates never could hold that stallion. See if you can call them over. We have to be sure he is fit to run today. We can’t let him race if he hurt himself.”

Justin turned out the magnificent white stallion in the other normally empty stall. The white stallion looked tired, and not impressed with the smaller stallion. The horse glanced at Nerissa. The white stallion gently trotted around the field. When he reached the barn, he pawed at the closed door.

Katlyn’s parents came down to help prepare the horses ready for the race. They surveyed the damage to the stall and door. They helped her get Moonbeam and Sunray ready for the race. As soon as the four horses were ready, the jockeys from the day before returned.

“How is the track today?” This rider normally worked with Stretch and Sandy. He glanced up at the tall white stallion.

“The track is fine. How’s the weather?”

“Sunny and nice. So let’s go then.”

As the small group again walked to the track. Katlyn watched for Nerissa in the meadow. At first, she did not see her.

The broodmare waited by the side of the track, under the remainder of the tree that had fallen the day before.

Katlyn hurried on to the bench to watch the race.

The four horses were still warming up. Their first trip around the track. The stallions sensed the coming competition, and pranced a bit showing off.

Justin stood at the race fence. “White Lightning and Medallion look ready to race again. I hope the two rivals being together won’t cause problems.”

“They can hold their own.”

Nerissa seemed to be watching the race practice as intently as the people. As the four horses rounded the first bend, she moved to one side, so she could see them.

They could not see her very well.

Moonbeam waved to her mom with a swish of her tail. Coming up on the third turn, the mares were still behind the stallions, as this was the first warm up lap.

“Moonbeam and Sunray should be heading to the front for the second lap.” Justin glanced back. “The third lap will be the trial race. It will be up to the horses themselves who leads, and who follows.”

Going into the home stretch, the jockeys made the horses trade places. As the mares raced into the lead, they seemed to be showing off for their mom. By the first turn, White Lightning sped up to catch the two mares. As they rounded the second turn, Medallion leapt forward with a burst of speed.

“Is the jockey losing him?” Katlyn jumped up.

“I hope not.” Her mom’s coffee slipped off her lap onto the ground.

The horses swept by Nerissa. Moonbeam and Sunray were in the lead. White Lighting close behind. Medallion did not seem to be paying much attention to the race.

By the third turn, Medallion fought his jockey.

White Lightning had caught Moonbeam and Sunray. They made a beautiful picture. The smaller, sturdier Sunray, racing in between the two taller and more delicate, White Lightning and Moonbeam. Into the home stretch, the three jockeys opened the reins for the three horses still racing.

White Lightning soared past the younger mares. By the first turn, White Lighting was in the lead by two lengths, with Moonbeam close behind, and Sunray only trailing by a nose. Medallion flew by, close against the rail. He passed White Lightning by the second turn. Almost immediately, he veered off to the left, and raced for Nerissa.

“The jockey can’t control him!” Justin pounded the fence rail.

“He’ll never stop in time.” Katlyn’s mom leaned forward.

When Medallion reached the fence on the outside of the track, he jumped. The jockey slid neatly off his back, and onto the ground. Medallion and Nerissa stood muzzle to muzzle.

White Lightning slowed, and Moonbeam almost caught up with him.

“White Lightning is finished. Couldn’t hold out. It was a good race,” Katlyn’s father glanced at the stallions.

“They still have two more turns to make.” If the younger mares won, Katlyn could enter them in their first real races.

As they raced around the third bend, Sunray caught and passed Moonbeam. Then, both surged ahead to pass White Lightning by the fourth turn. As they passed the finish line, Sunray was ahead by a nose, followed by Moonbeam, with White Lightning trailing three lengths behind.

After the finish, Medallion and Nerissa trotted off to another area of the field, not visible to those at the track.

“You’ve done well with their early training.” Her father turned to her.

“I’m glad we gave her the opportunity.” Her mom smiled.

“Their time was good. Three out of four horses finished the race.” Justin stuck his timer in his pocket.

The fallen jockey wasn’t hurt, only a bruised pride.

Katlyn watched the three horses begin the walk back to the barns.

“Medallion hasn’t let age affect his stamina. If White Lightning had practiced, he might have kept up with Moonbeam and Sunray.” Her mom stood up with the help of her dad’s hand.

“Medallion is uncontrollable as ever.” Her dad led her mom toward the house.

“Should I bring Medallion in?” Katlyn asked Justin.

“Wait. Let’s get the other three horses cleaned up first. Then, you can ride White Lightning over to the stallion barns. I’ll care for Medallion.”

Katlyn brushed Moonbeam. This young mare was beautiful. Her coat shimmered in the sun, and in the moonlight. Racing didn’t seem to faze her. Frolicking in the meadow was more fun than racing.

Justin groomed Sunray.

“Go on now, and ride White Lightning to the other stable. Help groom him there.”

“Will you be bringing Medallion there now?”

“No, I think he will go back out into the meadow with Nerissa, maybe for a few more days.”

Katlyn sat on the fence. The moon resonated off the horses in the meadow.

Nerissa and Medallion trotted up to the two young mares. They started an impromptu meadow race. The beautiful horse colors blended in the moonlight.

Katlyn felt at peace about her horse family. Moonbeam and Sunray had won the opportunity for their mother to have one last foal, and a meadow retirement with her favorite stallion. The young mares would go on to race that year, and then be back to live in the meadow with their mom and dad.

Gail Brown found science fiction brings hope and light through worlds of colorful dreams. It mirrors daily life as it could be. Perhaps should be, in some ways. Worlds where disability was accepted, and people lived their lives without overwork and fear.