Beautiful. There is symmetry between the flight of the horse and Meerboa's escape to freedom. Will Meerboa succeed? Will the horse remain free? That the reader can only hope for.

There is cruelty in this piece, and kindness. Meerboa's parents are despicable, and yet they are not uniformly evil. The mother shows Meerboa tenderness when Garagon dies. Only one point in the story was a bit disconcerting. When Garagon dies a shout is heard,

A cry rent the hot air. “My daughter! What have you done to my girl?”

We wonder for a moment who is shouting. It's not clear that the voice comes from Garagon's mother until later in the story.

This is a wonderfully crafted, moving piece, @stuartcturnbull