My old Red friend

Old Red was just a horse we'd seen
Feeding in the neighbour's paddock
He was with his good mate Misty
Two horses all alone; lost amid the dry red soil
The sparse dry grass was patchy at best
Hardly enough to feed them
Among those rocks and prickles
That covered all the land! 
So we'd take them apples and carrots
To call them to the rambling fence!
We'd climb up onto the tall gatepost
Better to reach and pat their heads

We'd follow them to other paddocks
Taking our food and love to them
They would always come on over
Happily making friends and eating up
All those bits of fruit and veg we'd offer
To draw them to our waiting hands and hearts

We bought dear old Red one day
I remember: as; into our place he was led
Tied to that pale green ute by his rope
He was running slowly toward us
Our girls so thrilled to have him come!
He was now our dear old horse
He was coming home to rest!
We had a paddock ready
Thought we'd sealed all the holes
But old Red was famous
For finding any gaps
And escaping down the road!
We brought him back several times
Until that fence was fixed
Then he was trapped in that paddock
And loved by us all!
We'd buy him 20kg bags
Of crunchy carrots;  every week!
And he'd stay there crunching
Until only a few bits were left!

we tried to be real friendly
We tried to be his mates
But he'd just walk away from us
No matter how hard we tried!
Finally we gave up on chasing
We tried another tack
We'd just walk into that paddock 
Ignoring him and walking far away
Surprise, surprise; what happened?
He was curious to say the least!
As he followed us where-ever we would lead!

Now: Vanessa loved old Red
And liked to play this game
She'd creep into his paddock
Trying to sneak up on him!
She would slowly sneak around
Behind the bushes and the trees
She was trying to be so stealthy
As she tried the tables on him to turn!
But old Red would always find her
Before she could sneak up on him!
For there he was right behind her
Wondering what she was up to!

I remember one sad day
I was crying as I walked
Not even thinking of him as
I walked around the fence!
Soon I heard him coming
Close behind me as I walked
He came so close he touched my heels
As he laid his head upon my shoulder
Offering company for my tears!
So there I was; walking
With my dear old friend
He was offering me his love
As I felt his big head resting
Upon my shoulders; bowed
And soon I was smiling
My spirits gladly lifted
By my dear old  Red friend!