(whimsical flute music) (vibrant xylophone music) (calming guitar music) - Hey!

It's Mary with Rusty's Ready Remuda, and I am going to read to you one of our newer books today called Wrong Color Rusty.

It's the true story of how Rusty was born to two black and white paint horses, but he was solid sorrel, or like I like to call him, orange.

So, we're guessing that if they wanted to show him in paint horse shows, it probably wasn't really going to work.

Because even though he was a paint horse, he didn't look like a paint horse.

And it makes me wonder how many of you have felt at times like you wish, like you looked different.

Or like someone else, or you weren't sure what your purpose was.

So that's Rusty's story.

So let's read and find out how, and if he finds his purpose.

A dazzling orange horse on the prairie was born.

His long skinny legs stood like tall stalks of corn.

His daddy was black with spots big and white.

His mama the opposite, oh, what a sight.

And don't miss the butterfly on every page.

The shade of his coat gave them quite a shock.

As a matter of fact, it was hard not to gawk.

They couldn't believe that this was his color.

How could he not look like his father or mother?

A registered paint horse that didn't have spots?

Not one single one, not even some dots.

As gold as the sun were his tail and his mane.

Yet to both of his parents, his markings seemed plain.

It's kind of fun because his friend here is a Dalmatian dog.

A black and white spotted dog.

They loved him in spite of the shade of his hair.

Though he could not compete when he went to the fair.

To be in a paint show a horse needs some spots.

He had none at all, while his parents had lots.

See the butterfly on that page?

Though lacking the look, could this special horse shine?

They would just have to wait and give it some time.

Since color and hairdos don't make someone great.

Rusty hoped other gifts would determine his fate.

From his brown velvet eyes his kindness did show as he moved his soft ears, so his feelings you'd know.

His gentle demeanor was obvious too.

It came from his heart, honest and true.

Just down the road lived a cowboy that spent all of his life getting broken and bent.

Riding wild broncs no one else would dare straddle with careless abandon he'd throw on his saddle.

Finally, the cowboy grew weary and mad and riding on a nice horse, didn't sound quite so bad.

As he pondered this thought with somewhat of a grudge the tangerine horse came and gave him a nudge.

And he has a little brown dog.

It's very cute how different colors of dogs there are too, so many.

He sniffed in his pockets and licked his rough hand.

While the cowboy considered changing his brand.

The gentle horse stood there until their eyes met.

A bond was then made your best hat you could bet.

Their friendship would grow, and a team they would make.

With a trust in each other nothing could shake.

Though the cowboy seemed rough and callous to some.

He named this Colt Rusty, cowboy's heart he had won.

There he is taking good care of him.

Putting new shoes on him.

Rusty showed him each day that life can be grand when your gift to serve others is right where you stand.

When the color you wear, doesn't matter at all.

When you follow your heart and answer its call.

Learning from Rusty, we can be taught.

Each one of us can find our own spot even if others think so or not.

So you can see from Wrong Color Rusty that he found his purpose, and it had nothing to do with his color or what he looked like.

And he found a great purpose.

And I know that each and every one of you will also.

Thank you so much for listening.

(lighthearted guitar music)