One was older with the intelligence of time and experience, and the other just beginning to learn.  As the mare lowered her head to the cool fresh water of the stream, she whinnied softly for the colt to do the same.  He stood, hesitating, watching her as she drank.  Then he slowly lowered his refined head and began to follow her lead.

She had brought him into this world a winter ago and taught him so many things through the short year.  The love they shared was a special one - one of mother and son.  She had nursed him and sheltered him from harm and patiently put up with his antics, somehow knowing that someday he would become a champion.  He had the blood and she knew he had the heart.  But, she also knew that he would have to know many things.  He would have to learn how to be kind, giving, gentle, yet strong and athletic.  He would have to learn how to respond to a human and share a bond with one just as he shared a bond with her.  The time was coming, and it wouldn't be long when he would be on his own and she wanted to give him the best head start that she could.

As she slowly raised her head, her eyes lovingly watched him as he drank.  He had grown so strong and straight.  She felt that she had done well and soon it would be time for the master to start training him just as he had done with her so many years ago.  She knew that it would be fine, that she could trust him to take over and pick up where she had left off.  There would still be times together and they would share special times but she had done all she could do and now had to trust his care to the master.

As they finished drinking, then turned to walk slowly back up the hill, she silently thanked their Creator for the opportunity to start this young son on his way.  And the colt gently gazed at her as if to say "thank you."  He, too, knew the time was close.  He felt the fire in his heart and the strength in his body and knew that he would do her and his Creator proud.