Lift kit…

CAROLE SERENE: Do you like racing Blackie???

BLACKIE: Oh, enough I guess…

CAROLE SERENE: Do you want to be the fastest horse in the race???

BLACKIE: Doesn’t matter…

CAROLE SERENE: Oh, you don’t care if you win or not???

BLACKIE: Well, for me to win is to finish and get back to my house and eat and not have pain…

That is my winning…

CAROLE SERENE: Blackie, Kevin and Randi tell me that you fade at the end of a race sometimes,

and they ask if you do this because you are tired,

or maybe you are sore…

Can you tell me about that???

BLACKIE: Fade???

CAROLE SERENE: Yes, go slower…

— found in MY YEAR of the RACEHORSE written by Kevin Chong

Two weeks ago,

I received,

a voice mail,

detailing,

the impending shipment,

of three,

of my beloved horses,

to a track,

in Pennsylvania…

Now the thing is,

these horses,

were never,

mine,

in the possession,

and ownership,

sense,

of the word,

but I love them,

none the less…

And they know it,

through,

and through…

I cried in bed,

with Little Gem,

thinking about,

these three,

athletes,

as I have come,

to know them,

being hauled,

across the country,

with the innocence,

of angels,

and our seven months,

together,

in the shedrow,

day in,

and day out,

wondering,

if I’ll ever,

see them again…

People will tell you,

there are thousands,

of horses,

out there to love…

But Little Gem will,

quickly qualify that,

by adding,

Not every horse,

will love you back…

And that is how you know…

Speaking from,

experience,

the horses which,

love you back,

send their pictures,

and their feelings,

to the one,

they know,

is on,

the receiving end,

of the herd…

In case,

you’re wondering,

how you prepare,

racehorses,

for such a journey,

into the unknown,

you groom them,

CARE FULLY,

and tell them,

you’ll always,

be there,

no matter where,

they are,

and if and when,

they’re ready,

you’ll find them,

and come for them,

no matter how far…

And when you tell,

a horse,

the truth,

they show,

they heard,

the core message,

by licking,

chewing,

and yawning…

And then you know,

with that in mind,

they will keep you,

posted,

on the independent journey,

they have chosen,

for their own growth…

Sometimes,

the horses,

send me,

their worries,

that a home,

won’t be ready,

for when their owner,

is finished with them…

I worry about that too,

but then I remember,

about horse time,

and that it knows,

so much more,

than we can ever say,

in words,

as it works,

its magic,

behind,

the scenes…

It’s raining,

it’s pouring,

the old man,

is snoring,

and that makes,

for exactly,

the kind,

of sloppy track,

some horses prefer,

to find,

their winning,

attitude…