Read "Smoky the Cowhorse" by Will James online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
Middle summer had come, the day was hot and still; even up amongst the high peaks and where the snow was making a last stand the heat was strong, for the sun was shooting straight down and the crags could give no more shade. Up on a rocky trail of that country a small bunch of range horses was drifting one behind the other and following the leader -- the leader was Smoky's mammy, the new little black colt right at her heels and next the blaze-faced, mouse colored, yearling, Smoky. A little further back was a big buckskin horse and there followed eight or ten others which made up the rest of the bunch.
They all trailed along seemed like headed for nowheres in particular. They passed under wind-twisted trees and right on thru the shade they'd give. Cool streams wasn't even sniffed at, and the long stems of grass that was everywhere wasn't at all noticed; they was all just drifting and maybe only hitting out for another special good part of the high range.