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"I'll say." Katy put out her hand for the beautiful mare to sniff. "What's her name?"

"She doesn't have one yet. Strangely enough, she isn't even registered. She does have papers, though."

The mare snuffled Katy's hand, and the girl was sorry that she had given away all her sugar. She ran her hand over the well-toned muscles and the fine, firm ridge of the horse's spine. She took in the way the horse stood perfectly square even at rest, and admired the sparkling clean coat. Katy was examining the gorgeous mare when Mike called her over to him, where he was checking Jewel's legs for travel sores. She obliged. "Yes?"

Mike straightened and rubbed his back, eyeing her. "You know, these horses really need some exercise. They've been traveling nigh on six hours by now. Don't you think they'd like a chance to stretch their legs a bit? How would you like to walk them around with me? It'd go a lot faster that way"" his voice carefully lowering as he watched Katy for a reaction.

"Oh, yes, yes, yes!" Katy squealed, barely restraining herself from jumping up and down. She couldn't remember being this excited about anything in a long time.

Katy took Jehosephat's lead rope from where it was tied to the trailer and waited while Mike took Ruling Dancer. The two led the horses to the grassy area under the trees behind the restaurant. The horses put their heads down to nibble on the lush carpet of emerald green grass. When they had grazed for a number of minutes, Katy and Mike coaxed their heads up and walked them around the Taco Garden several times. Then they took two other horses.

"Um, do you mind" Katy's voice trailed off as Mike handed her Phantom's lead rope. "I mean, would you - may I please lead the gray?" she burst it out, expecting a negative response.

Mike turned from Jewel and looked at Katy, unable to figure out why the girl was reluctant in her question. "Go ahead, Katy," he said, puzzled. "I'll take Jewel and Phantom in the same turn. I suppose I can get Phantom to act right."

Katy cheered inside. She took the gray mare's lead from the side of the trailer and started walking the horse. Even just walking her, Katy could see how free flowing and graceful the horse's strides were. "If you were my horse," Katy whispered to the mare, "You would be the most pampered horse in the world. You are the epitome of elegance. I wish I could ride you. Now I'll never see you again, and I bet I'll never find a horse more perfect than you." After five or ten more minutes, Katy reluctantly turned the mare back over to Mike.

After assisting with the loading, Katy thanked Mike countless times. He bid her a friendly farewell, and with a final wave, the truck and trailer disappeared down the highway. Sighing, Katy lowered her waving hand and turned back to the restaurant. In her mind's eye she could see the mare floating across the field with Katy on her back. They flew on and on, the mare's stride never faltering"

"Katy! Where are you?" her grandfather's gruff voice jerked her mercilessly back to reality, and she waved to them. She met her grandparents coming out of the restaurant and together they walked out to the truck.

Once they were on the road again, Katy filled her grandparents in on what had happened while they were eating. Both adults said they were happy for her, but it was doubtful that she would ever discover the gray mare's destination. In fact, there was almost no chance at all that she would ever even see the horse again. Crestfallen at their cynical attitude, Katy was silent until the next rest stop.

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