Morning

by Ed Meyer

posted on May 7, 2021 in Blogroll, General Discussion, Horse Racing, WinningPonies.com | Comments Off on Morning

The rain was lightly falling. Mist and morning fog filled the air giving it a ghostly feel. Steam rose from the river a stone’s throw away as a barge slowly made its way up the banks of Ohio. As horses walked to the track for morning works, you could hear in the distance the sounds of preparation. Grooms leading runners over; some being bathed, and others just enjoying the beauty of the morning.

Far away the sound of a train whistle was heard. The tracks clicking and clacking, but miles away. – Far down the stretch was the distant sounds of hooves smacking away on a sloppy track. Riders chirping to their mounts in communication only the two shared.

The sounds came closer. Slapping hooves against the wet surface. Like a child dancing in a puddle. Closer. Until the mist seemed to open like curtains showing the silhouette of a horse. That distant whistle was screaming out a warning of its impending arrival. The river separated the train and the track by three miles, but the heavy fog meshed the sound together in a morning symphony.

As the horses came into view with every stride, the bellow of a train was getting closer. It was as if they were racing. Both sounds getting louder and melding together. – A wet clapping of speeding horses in the slop as a haunting train was clicking and clacking down the tracks. As the horse came into view it looked as if he was breathing fire as his hot breath turned to steam in the cool morning air. – The whistle was starting to sound farther away as the train was speeding away to its destination.

The horse held close to the rail as the rider continued to smooch and drive into a full stride. A lonesome whistle could be heard echoing down the river as the race was over. – The sound was faint as the morning fog was being erased by the sun rising over the lush hills of Kentucky. A sip from a hot cup of coffee; surveying the beauty of the morning brought a deep sense of calm. A serene feeling came over me. It was the start of another beautiful day.