Post by jinx on Aug 27, 2012 14:03:50 GMT -5
The white legs and face of Clyde were unmistakable. People already knew who he was, even though he had never raced before. The colt looked more of yearling Clydesdale than two year old thoroughbred, with lots of bone, a big elegant head, four white stockings, and his famous forelock. His mane and forelock were long and thick, but especially the forelock that fell over his chocolate orbs. It was a pain for Nakia to comb. She sat atop his back, peering down at the ground, realizing just how tall the playful youngster was. He jogged in place and chomped on the bit. Foam formed around his soft pink mouth.
The object of the game is to keep Clyde interested. He was almost as young as the filly of the farms new horses, but Clyde was, by far, the most mentally immature. Physically, though, he was ahead if the rest. Nakia let him move himself onto the turf course. The ground was great here, nice and firm, but still springy at the same time. Clyde's long tail swished at some flies. The blonde looked tiny on board of the handsome brute. Her brother, the only family she had left, strongly disapproved of her being a jockey. He insisted that it was too dangerous, but Jinx felt more safe atop Storm Front than any other. His trot was smooth enough to sit, and she trotted him once, twice around clock wise.
The starting gate was farther away from the rail than usual, and cones were set up in the middle of the track to keep people and their horses off of the softer portion of the track near the rail, and a ways out where the races were ran. Clyde usually had a problem with the gate. He had closely related trailering issues too. The result of both was a sitting Clyde, making him look more big dog than professional athlete, but Nakia had been working on it for a while, and felt good about loading today. The gate operator quietly took Clyde up to it, he backed up quickly, almost sending him on his haunches. Nakia leaned forward for her first trick. He loved being scratched on the poll, and whenever you did, he became completely oblivious and curled his lip. It seemed to work, and he slid in the gate. While in the gate, the colt was a perfect gentleman, ears perked, waiting for the bell. The bad thing though, was that he was beginning to anticipate it. It felt as though he was going to smash through the gate. There was a horse next to him, a small, but notably quick plain bay. They were training buddies.
When the bell rang, he was off in a flash, but the other horse was quicker. That was fine though, because Clyde was a "stalker" per say. Nakia had been surprised from the beginning about how well the big horse picked himself up out if the contraption. Sometimes bigger horses had a tendency to break slow, but then again, nothing about Clyde was completely normal. The small bay ahead of the pair was flying, which Nakia thought was odd for a six furlong work, buy some horses were just speed demons. The chromey bay loped along, his long legs carrying him effortlessly over the grass. His ears were perked forward, paying close attention to the horse in front of him. Nakia played with the bit in his mouth, and the colts long locks slapped her in the face, but she didn't mind. When they came around the turn, a slower working horse was in their way. Nakia moved Clyde off of what would be the rail and around the horse. Se let him have more rein, but he didn't accelerate, so se flicked the stick once it twice, just to show him it was there. His pace quickened and before long they were neck and neck with the small bay horse. Clyde took the lead before the turn was completed. Nakia sensed something about Clyde, something a human might have, not an animal. She sensed that there was something wonderful, and haunting to him about seeing the stretch with nothing in front of him. It was odd. Nakia didn't make him go any faster, and the little horse was at his hindquarters, buy Nqkia didn't care. This was a small prep. Nothing serious, just fun. He finished with ears perk and a snort. During the gallop out, he kicked up his heels and threw his head a bit. Nakia leaned forward again, scratching his poll. He curled his lip and let put a breath.
They stayed on the track for about a half an hour longer, and more horses piled on. It looked like someone had disturbed and ant hill. Clyde never kept still, always moving his head to look at horses running by. He looked kinda like a bird, the way he twitched his head. He bent his neck ad rubbed his nose in Jinx's leg, then proceeded to bite it. Nakia tapped his nose and Clyde widened his eyes, acting completely offended. What a baby, Nakia thought. She pointed him torward the back side and off the went. His large expressive eyes on everything. "Get used to it baby boy. The real work begins soon." she said aloud, rubbing the top of his head.
The object of the game is to keep Clyde interested. He was almost as young as the filly of the farms new horses, but Clyde was, by far, the most mentally immature. Physically, though, he was ahead if the rest. Nakia let him move himself onto the turf course. The ground was great here, nice and firm, but still springy at the same time. Clyde's long tail swished at some flies. The blonde looked tiny on board of the handsome brute. Her brother, the only family she had left, strongly disapproved of her being a jockey. He insisted that it was too dangerous, but Jinx felt more safe atop Storm Front than any other. His trot was smooth enough to sit, and she trotted him once, twice around clock wise.
The starting gate was farther away from the rail than usual, and cones were set up in the middle of the track to keep people and their horses off of the softer portion of the track near the rail, and a ways out where the races were ran. Clyde usually had a problem with the gate. He had closely related trailering issues too. The result of both was a sitting Clyde, making him look more big dog than professional athlete, but Nakia had been working on it for a while, and felt good about loading today. The gate operator quietly took Clyde up to it, he backed up quickly, almost sending him on his haunches. Nakia leaned forward for her first trick. He loved being scratched on the poll, and whenever you did, he became completely oblivious and curled his lip. It seemed to work, and he slid in the gate. While in the gate, the colt was a perfect gentleman, ears perked, waiting for the bell. The bad thing though, was that he was beginning to anticipate it. It felt as though he was going to smash through the gate. There was a horse next to him, a small, but notably quick plain bay. They were training buddies.
When the bell rang, he was off in a flash, but the other horse was quicker. That was fine though, because Clyde was a "stalker" per say. Nakia had been surprised from the beginning about how well the big horse picked himself up out if the contraption. Sometimes bigger horses had a tendency to break slow, but then again, nothing about Clyde was completely normal. The small bay ahead of the pair was flying, which Nakia thought was odd for a six furlong work, buy some horses were just speed demons. The chromey bay loped along, his long legs carrying him effortlessly over the grass. His ears were perked forward, paying close attention to the horse in front of him. Nakia played with the bit in his mouth, and the colts long locks slapped her in the face, but she didn't mind. When they came around the turn, a slower working horse was in their way. Nakia moved Clyde off of what would be the rail and around the horse. Se let him have more rein, but he didn't accelerate, so se flicked the stick once it twice, just to show him it was there. His pace quickened and before long they were neck and neck with the small bay horse. Clyde took the lead before the turn was completed. Nakia sensed something about Clyde, something a human might have, not an animal. She sensed that there was something wonderful, and haunting to him about seeing the stretch with nothing in front of him. It was odd. Nakia didn't make him go any faster, and the little horse was at his hindquarters, buy Nqkia didn't care. This was a small prep. Nothing serious, just fun. He finished with ears perk and a snort. During the gallop out, he kicked up his heels and threw his head a bit. Nakia leaned forward again, scratching his poll. He curled his lip and let put a breath.
They stayed on the track for about a half an hour longer, and more horses piled on. It looked like someone had disturbed and ant hill. Clyde never kept still, always moving his head to look at horses running by. He looked kinda like a bird, the way he twitched his head. He bent his neck ad rubbed his nose in Jinx's leg, then proceeded to bite it. Nakia tapped his nose and Clyde widened his eyes, acting completely offended. What a baby, Nakia thought. She pointed him torward the back side and off the went. His large expressive eyes on everything. "Get used to it baby boy. The real work begins soon." she said aloud, rubbing the top of his head.
