The barn was quiet at last. The last group of horse campers had finally gone home. Kristin, one of the advanced students and barn helper, walked to the back barn to turn off the lights that had been left on by one of the younger riders who was afraid of the dark. She grabbed a carrot from a bag left behind by someone and much to the dismay of the horses watching her she bit into it herself.
"Sorry guys, I didn’t even have time for lunch today and I am starved! Geraldo will be here soon with your dinner. Take it easy," she said as she took another bit and flipped the light switch off. She took two steps and heard an unfamiliar whinny coming from the other side of the stalls. Did Pepe get a new horse in? she wondered. The whinny came again loud and shrill. The other horses became restless and some kicked there stalls and began low whinnying themselves. It was very dark now and a bit spooky as there was a harvest moon rising. The big orange moon hung in the dark sky casting an eerie light over the farm. Kristin wanted to go see the horse that was making all the noise but her feet wouldn’t move. She heard a voice coming from the front barn where the office was and where Dania, her trainer, was waiting for her. She tried to call out and let her know she was coming but the only sound that she could make was a squeak.
Kristin shook her head and told herself she was being silly. She took another bite of her carrot and walked to the back stalls. She looked at each of the horses she knew so well although the strange moon light made them look very different. She knew the last stall was empty so she turned after Hannah’s stall to go back when the whinny came again. It was from the last stall. Puzzled, she walked back to the last stall and looked in. It was empty. The whinny came echoing around the stall but there was no horse. Kristin opened the stall to look it. Maybe the horse was hiding in the shadows. As she opened the door, it suddenly pushed out. The door knocked down Kristin and it was forced open. She saw the ground indent as if something had landed on it and then she felt the warm breath that was familiar. It came in huffs and puffs and then she felt a nuzzling on her neck as she tried to get up. She brushed herself off not really believing what was happening.
Kristin reached out and felt, not saw, a horses long nose and stroked it. She ran her hands up the invisible horses head to his ears and felt the thick mane. She could feel his large muscles calm and soon she was able to feel his neck, shoulders and back. He was big. Very big! She ran her hand over his body so she could picture him in her mind since she could not see him. What are you doing here? she wondered. Her fear was soon replaced by curiosity. Could she ride an invisible horse? Was he tame enough to ride? This is crazy she thought just as he bowed his neck and scooped her up onto his back. Kristin grabbed his mane as she slid down and onto his back. Although she couldn't see him, she could feel this wonderful horse. It was the horse she had prayed and dreamed of owning one day. She imagined him in every color as they walked under the harvest moon. She urged him into a trot and then into a slow canter that was the most perfect she ever rode. Kristin saw the light was still on in the office but didn't go that direction. This was her secret. This was her horse. She didn’t have to tell anyone. She didn’t have to pay for board or lessons. She didn’t need a bridle or a saddle. She rode around on her new horse until she heard Dania call to her that it was time to go.
She took her last canter around the grassy field and used her legs to steer him back into his stall. Sliding off his back to the ground seemed to take forever. She patted him and decided to call him Harvest Moon as that is when she found him and the only time that he ever appeared. From that day forward, on every Harvest Moon, if you look out to the back barn you might find Kristin cantering around in midair and hear the whinnying of an unfamiliar horse called Harvest Moon.