Copper's Autumn Glow

Copper's name described him perfectly—a rich, gleaming sorrel with a flaxen mane and tail that caught the sunlight. He wasn't the fastest or flashiest, but he was the most constant. A Quarter Horse type, he was the horse you put anyone on, for any task. He taught children to ride, helped move cattle, and gave quiet trail rides to elderly visitors. He had a slow, thoughtful way of chewing his hay, and a warm, horsey smell that was the scent of home. The barn's rhythm is off without his predictable routines, the empty stall where he'd stand with one hind leg cocked, dozing in the afternoon sun.