Angel Eyes

Chapter Two: Suddenly a Race Horse

About a year later I was separated from my mom. It was hard, but she explained to me that every horse goes through it.

At first it started out by me being in the pen next to her with a couple of other horses my age. Then I was moved even further away on the property in my own pen where I couldn't see my mother. I called for her but she only answered the first couple of times.

I was soon taught what a halter was and wore it every time I was with a person. They would lead me all around the property which was better than following my mother because of my vision problems. This way I had more guidance.

"He sure learned to be halter broke a lot faster than the other weanlings," said one of the people.

"I'm sure it's because he can't see," laughed another person.

~~~

"What do you suppose we call him?"

"It's gotta have something related to his parents."

"Wanda's Blessing?"

"Blue Eyes?"

"Blue Moon?"

"Blue Blessing?"

"Oh cut it out with the blue, we need something easy to recognize on the track."

"Eyes of Wanda?"

"Now we are getting somewhere!"

~~~

About a month after I was moved to another pen, and after I turned a year old, I was taken to a building with a white room and a camera. Next to me was a person with a plaque that read "Angel Eyes".

I can't believe it, this is exactly what my mother was telling me all about: I would get a barn name (Iglesias) and a paper's name (Angel Eyes).

But my happy go lucky life would soon turn into a memory. After I turned a year and a half old, I was loaded onto a truck and sent away. I would never meet my father, and I would never see my mother again.

There were so many horses my age. All were well taken care of just like me. I was then led by a man in a white suit into a crescent shaped room. People were sitting all around with white signs with names on them. I was taken back at the amount of eyes on me, but I trusted whoever was on the other end of the rope leading me.

A person with my plaque followed alongside me and suddenly I heard a person speaking so fast I could hardly understand him. He was saying numbers and the people held up their signs in response.

As the numbers got higher, less people raised their signs. But when the last person held up theirs, the announcer called "Sold!"

The name on the sign read out loud as "Crow Meadow Acres". This would be my new home. I was loaded into another trailer that same day and I was shipped off to their property.

I was given a large paddock that connected onto an indoor stall I had all to myself. Looking over the fence I met my neighbor.

"Welcome to the race horse community," he smiled.

My eyes widened, "I'm gonna be a racehorse?"

"Maybe, if you can see for shit," the horse laughed, "you aren't even looking into my eyes."

I laughed at his joke but quipped back, "You don't need your eyes to see, as long as you have a person to guide you."

The horse nodded before introducing himself, "I suppose that's true. Anyway, I'm Wonder. As in One Hit Wonder."

"That's a cool name! I'm Iglesias, otherwise known as Angel Eyes," I replied.

"So here's the scoop," Wonder shifted, "the second you turn two years of age you'll be put into training. You will run the fastest you ever have in your life, and that will be your job."

"How do you know this?" I questioned.

Wonder confirmed, "Because I'm four years old, and I've been running for two years."

Wonder was right, the second I turned 2 years old, I was introduced to my first saddle and bridle. I felt very claustrophobic at first, but I was willing to learn the ropes.

I learned what every pressure from a human meant. Pulling on a rein meant turn, and kicking from the legs meant go. But that's all I really knew, I didn't feel ready once I hit the track. I didn't know what I was doing.

They loaded me into a starting gate, and the gates crashed back, but the loud noise startled me, leaving me in place.

"Go Angel!" called my jockey as he kicked his legs.

So I listened and took off as fast as I could. After a few meters my jockey stopped me and we circled around back to the starting gate.

This time I knew what to expect, so the gates crashed back, and I took off with a leaping start.

I heard the people laughing hysterically, but I didn't let that slide, so I ran as fast as I could, trying not to make another wrong move.

After that day, all I ever wanted to do was impress them.

I did lots of training, both on the track, and on a treadmill. Getting faster and faster, I caught more attention.