The Nevada bred wild stallion Diablo stood in the loafing shed of the Colorado Rescue Ranch. His stark white freeze brand stood out brightly against his shimmering dark black body, he nervously tugged at the lead rope that was holding him to the wooden side panel. Katie Stanton reached up and ran her hand just under his thick jet black mane in an effort to calm the tense and jittery animal. It had snowed several inches overnight and she had called the farrier to pull the shoes of the horses to prevent the snow from forming an ice ball on the cold metal. Diablo was extremely nervous.
“Easy boy,” she tried unsuccessfully to ease his fear.
He was snorting and beginning to pace back and forth jerking on the rope. He was normally relaxed and calm. She was having a hard time with him. Katie had brought his companion Shilo in also. Shilo a 16 hand chestnut with a white blaze and four white stockings was starting to act up. She noticed that Diablo’s lead rope was coming undone. Reaching up she loosened it to retie the rope more securely.
Will Stanton, Katie’s partner was working at straightening the cover over the haystack. It was slid back and crooked. Something or someone had created a real mess of it. He reached down loosened the tie ropes and pulled the cover back. He heard the deep throaty growl of the mountain lion before he saw its big brown crouched body. Dropping the rope Will turned yelled out to Katie and headed toward the shed and a pitch fork leaning against it.
Diablo exploded back at the commotion and jerked the rope from Katie’s hand. Both, Will and Katie looked at one another at the same time that they heard the downshifting of the water tanker’s diesel engine. The tanker was rolling into the big sweeping curve before the fenced lined entrance to the ranch. It was headed to the gas well just down the road. Katie moved quickly in an attempt to grab the rope, just as Diablo wheeled about and took off like a shot down the narrow lane. He was accelerating rapidly as the tanker came around the bend.
The driver realizing the animal was loose slammed on the brakes and the tanker swung around and began jack knifing and sliding toward the cab and driveway entrance. The entire vehicle was precariously bearing down on the frightened animal galloping head long toward it and its demise.
“Will, Will, he’s going to hit him.” Katie screamed.
The wild stallion tossed his head high as it saw the truck bearing down on him. The lead rope slapped down on the ground just as the horse was stepping forward and it became caught under his hoof. The forward momentum coupled with the abrupt pitching down of Diablo’s head sent him tumbling and sliding down the lane. He slid to a halt several feet before the oncoming truck.
The driver realizing the horses forward momentum had stopped, accelerated and the rig righted itself and the driver gave several short tugs of the air horn as it rolled down the road past the ranch entrance, the stunned horse, amazed ranchers and the horrific scene that almost occurred.
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