The Copper Colt

By Connie Squiers

An orphaned stable boy named Daniel received a beautiful chestnut colt he named Copper, as the reward of a lifetime for saving a stable full of valuable horses from a fire. The former owner later discovered Copper could out jump the other show horses on his farm and took the horse back. The story tells how Daniel dealt with this betrayal as well as his quest to find Copper after he ran away and could not be found. His faith and Christian friends sustained him through all his trials. Throughout the book Daniel retained a sweet spirit and remained true to his faith.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Connie Squiers
• Release date: Jul 22, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311088383

Connie Squiers

Connie Squiers Kuester, a former attorney, lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She fondly remembers her horse crazy girlfriends and reading many, many books about horses. She uses those experiences, and those as a mother, to craft her stories. She wanted to write books about horses, that were appealing to young people, and would incorporate the tenets of her faith. Her stories are action-packed and full of human interest, with Christianity slipped in through conversation and remembering what she learned in church, not preachy prose. She has provided questions at the end of each book, so a parent or facilitator will find it easy to get their readers to discuss what they’ve read.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

Early one March morning the sun sifted through an open stall window. On the straw was a tiny chestnut foal still wet from birth, his mama patiently licking him dry. The more she cleaned him, the softer and fuzzier he became. A ray of sun caught the glint of four tiny white stockings, a star on his forehead and a snippet of white on his nose.

Looking like a furry red spider he tried to get to his feet. His first two attempts sent him toppling back into the sweet smelling straw. The third time he stood, wobbly but he stood.

Daniel the stable boy knew Belle was due to foal at any time. The Hancocks had bought her ten years ago for their daughter. Though she was a thoroughbred her papers showed no exceptional bloodlines, but the family had grown so attached to her they couldn’t bear to sell her; even though there was no one around to ride her anymore. The Hancocks kept Belle turned out in the big pasture, breeding her occasionally so she wouldn’t feel left out when all the brood mares showed off their babies in the Spring. Belle was old and this would be her last offspring.

Daniel looked over the stall door, not expecting to see a new foal. When he fed the horses, just two hours ago, Belle was acting her usual self. The mare was now standing over her baby, slowly chewing on some hay. She turned her head when she heard Daniel unlatch the stall door.

Some mares don’t like people around their newborns, but Belle was eager to show off her new son. She nickered softly as she nuzzled her foal, waking him for Daniel to see.

The boy knelt beside the colt smoothing the fuzzball of a baby with his hands. Unafraid, the colt sniffed at the stranger, touching his jacket with his soft velvety nose. In his exploration of Daniel he found five long fingers. His toothless gums gnawed as his rough little tongue licked Daniel’s hand. Satisfied the fingers weren’t for him, he stumbled a few steps to Belle’s side and began to nurse. Daniel was so absorbed in watching the newborn a half hour passed before he remembered he should tell Mr. Hancock Belle had foaled. Daniel walked quietly from the stall, looking back at Belle and her baby. He thought to himself, What a fantastic God we have. Belle’s baby is beautiful. No matter how many times he had seen the newly born foals, he felt awe at the way God made them. They started life small and wobbly but grew into magnificent strong animals capable of running like the wind and jumping barriers as high as they were. At this farm horses were not just pretty animals, they were flashy, strong show jumpers.

Closing the door softly Daniel ran to the house as fast as he could — yelling all the way. Mr. Hancock was eating breakfast with his wife when he ran in the back door blurting out the good news.

Daniel shouted in his excitement, Mr. Hancock! Belle has just had the most beautiful foal! You have to come see it now!

Mr. Hancock laughed, saying Hold on there Daniel, I’ll see it when I’m through eating.

Daniel knew if one of Mr. Hancock’s prize mares had given birth he would have headed to the stables immediately. Daniel walked back to the tiny form in the stall, disappointed his enthusiasm was not shared. Leaning on the stall door with his chin on his hands, Daniel spoke gently to the colt. Don’t worry I love you and I’m going to take good care of you. Who cares if Mr. Hancock isn’t excited, I think you are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

He hummed softly as he inspected this fascinating new creature lying in the sunlit straw. It came to him suddenly, Copper! That’s what I’ll call you. You’re as bright as a new copper penny. After entering the stall he patted Belle’s side and murmured, Good job, girl. He knelt to run his hands over the foal feeling the softness of its coat. He leaned over, kissing the velvet soft muzzle seeking his fingers. When Mr. Hancock and his wife finally arrived, they looked in briefly and nodded. Mr. Hancock said, Nice foal, and walked on. It was evident he thought the copper-colored foal was just another horse, nothing special, but Daniel knew better.

Lord, he said, Thank you so much for this tiny colt. He is your gift to this world and to this farm. I pray a blessing over him that he will grow up healthy and strong. Amen.

With that simple prayer Daniel went about his day with joy and gratitude in his heart. His Mom had told him to be grateful to God for all things, and this baby horse was certainly a blessing to him.

The foals born that spring were growing up. Their pasture was lush and green with clumps of wild flowers scattered here and there. There was plenty of soft grass for them to run, romp, and roll in until they collapsed and napped in the warm sun. Life was good.

Copper was smaller and more timid than the rest of his playmates. He ran, kicked, and nipped like the rest, but when the others were too rough he would run back to his mother Belle, peeking from under her belly at the others. She was his defender as well as his hiding place.

Copper was not at all timid around Daniel. In fact, once, when Daniel was doing his school work on a bale of hay next to Belle’s stall, he reached his head through the webbing on the stall door and started nibbling on the edge of his paper. A gentle nudge of his elbow did not keep the young colt away. A playful slap didn’t either. In the spirit of the game, the colt lunged for the paper ripping it from the clipboard Daniel was using to hold his assignment. By the time he scrambled into the stall and around Belle, the paper was ripped and half eaten. Daniel couldn’t help but laugh at the sight.

After carefully extracting the remains from Copper’s mouth he held the colt’s head and rubbed his nose on his softly snorting muzzle. "You silly goose! I can’t go to school and say, ‘A horse ate my homework.’ Not only would the teacher not believe