Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2013 23:20:33 GMT -5
The sun had not yet risen when Sherlock pulled up to Hawkstone's shedrow at The Wire, excited to get back to the racetrack. As she was usually the first to arrive in the mornings, she was surprised to find the lights on and a wheelbarrow in the aisle.
"Oh, hey there boss!" A bright-eyed young man peeked out from one of the stalls. "I wanted to get here extra early, since it's the first day back at the track and all. I mucked out Starry, Angel, Scream, and Equinox, but didn't want to try to tackle the other two without you around."
"Thank you, Vinnie." Sherlock smiled at him, "Actually, I'm glad you're here. I've been thinking about it for a while and I'd like you to work Intuition this morning." The boy's mouth dropped and the pitchfork in his hand nearly followed suit.
"You want me to work her?" He said, awestruck. His boss couldn't help but chuckle at his reaction.
"Well, if you'd rather not, that's fine, but you've been getting so good lately, I thought you might appreciate the challenge. If you think she's too much to handle, though..." She trailed off, knowing that was not the case.
"Oh no!" Vinnie quickly assured her, "I was just surprised. I didn't think anyone ever rode her or Ammo but you."
"Well, that was before I had such a promising jockey working for me," She grinned, her blue eyes glittering. "So I'll get her ready, and once you finish with Starry's stall, we'll get started."
"Wow. Thank you so much, Sherlock!" He said, trying in vain to contain his excitement as he turned back to the stall he was mucking out.
Sherlock smiled to herself and approached the stall of the filly in question. Intuition had been in heavy training at Hawkstone for a few months now, and was nearly race ready. Sherlock just wanted her to get a good workout over the track to ensure she was at her best for her return to competition.
The bulky black filly watched the black-haired woman with a calm but alert eye as Sherlock slipped into the stall and haltered her. She led the soon-to-be-3-year-old filly into the aisle and hooked her to the cross ties before beginning to groom her.
As she rubbed the horse down with a curry comb, Sherlock mused over how Intuition would fare at the new circuit. They had been out of competition for nearly a year, and while Intuition had shown promise in her 7 prior starts, Sherlock couldn't help the nerves she felt. She had the utmost faith in the big filly's ability, but wondered if she would be able to bring her to her utmost potential.
There was no doubt this filly had ability. Her bloodlines were famous even here, and nobody could deny that she had the attitude of a champion. Dominant to a fault, Intuition loved a challenge and routinely sought to prove her superiority. She was kept as far as possible from Hawkstone's young colt Animosity (who was by Intuition's champion half-brother Crescential), for their personalities often led to aggressive displays of power. Sherlock only hoped that she would be able to help Intuition display that kind of dominance on the track.
She also hoped that Vinnie would prove to be a good fit for the aggressive filly. While Sherlock herself had been the jockey of every Hawkstone horse to date, she had since experienced a bad fall that, while not stopping her from riding, would hinder her ability to race ride at the top of her game. An aspiring jockey in need of experience, Vinnie had started working for her nearly three months prior, and she had yet to regret the decision to take him on. Vincent Finley was hard-working and dedicated, and she had quickly taken a liking to the young man's ability to get a horse to relax. The decision to allow him to ride Intuition was a hard one for Sherlock, due to her personal interest in her, but she knew it was time to let Vinnie take the reins. Intuition needed a strong rider on her back, and while Sherlock had been working her consistently, she knew she was not as capable as she'd once been, and Intuition deserved better.
"Done!" Vinnie's voice broke through Sherlock's thoughts, and she faced him while she ran a comb through the filly's mane.
"Perfect, I'm nearly finished also. Go ahead and grab your tack." Vinnie did as requested and returned with an exercise saddle and a bridle in hand. Intuition watched him sharply as he sat the saddle on her back, and flattened her ears when he tightened the girth. The boy approached her head with the bridle and tried to keep his posture as passive as he could.
Intuition did nothing but keep her ears pinned as he tossed the reins around her neck, unhooked the cross-ties, and removed her halter, but when he went to slip the bit in her mouth, the filly threw her head in the air and gave him a hard, appraising stare. Vinnie kept a hand on the reins but did not move, instead waiting for Intuition to finish her evaluation. After a long moment, the filly lowered her head and allowed him to bridle her fully.
"Well, I guess I passed her test." He said, grinning.
"Oh, you know that's not the end of the testing." Sherlock said, gesturing for him to follow as she exited the barn. Vinnie took Intuition's reins and led her toward the training track. As they neared the track, Sherlock gave the aspiring jockey a leg up.
Vinnie could feel his heart racing as he settled onto the black filly. He tried to calm himself, knowing that Intuition was as perceptive as her name implied, and that she would take any weakness in him as an excuse to act up. He had to remain calm and assertive.
"Now, I want to get one really good work into her before she makes her return. That's why we're out here so early - she's a bit of a buzz horse and I'm just not ready for all the attention she'd get if she was out here after daybreak. Warm her up thoroughly, then turn around and get her into a good gallop. At the 3/8ths, drop into the rail and turn her loose. Don't be afraid to ride her a bit. I'm looking for a three furlong drill in :37 or less. Don't worry about going too fast, either. Ride her through the finish line and then ease up and gallop out another three, then you can jog her back here and we'll cool her out. Understood?"
"Yes, ma'am." Vinnie said, gathering the reins before buckling his helmet. Sherlock didn't let go yet.
"And just remember that she's a trouble-maker and she'll try to see what she can get away with. Don't try to force her too much, but make sure you don't let her do anything she pleases, either. You've ridden Equinox, so I guess you should know what that's like. But still, Intuition's a bit more aggressive than her, even if she's usually more likely to listen. I just don't know if she'll act up because she doesn't know you. And make sure you just stay calm if she does act up. If she doesn't think she's affecting you, she'll eventually get the point. And you have to remember to..." She stopped herself. Vinnie had been around Intuition enough to know the filly's basic tendencies. If she was going to trust him to ride her, she should trust that he'd know how to handle her. "...just enjoy the ride. She's a blast to be on." Sherlock smiled and released her hold on the reins.
"Got it, boss!" Vinnie said, beaming at her. He gave Intuition a nudge with his heels and the massive filly set off. The boy reveled in the power he felt underneath him, even at a walk. This was easily the most talented horse he'd ever been on, and he felt honored to be on her back.
After a while, he asked Intuition to trot, and she obediently took up the faster pace. Wow, you can just feel how purposefully she moves. She's such an incredible horse. I am surprised she hasn't tried to act up yet.
No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than Intuition threw her head up and kicked out her heels in a mild buck. Fairly used to horses playing up when they had a lot of energy, Vinnie had no problems staying aboard. He knew this was an entirely intentional move on his mount's part, though, and remained calm while waiting for the filly's next move.
He didn't have to wait long. A few strides later, Intuition stopped dead and tried to wheel toward the center of the track. Caught off balance for a moment, Vinnie immediately regained his composure and steered her back to the outside rail. Intuition resisted, but allowed herself to be guided back into her place. The boy saw this as a victory on his part, as he knew the filly was fully capable of overpowering him if she really wanted to.
Intuition threw a few more bucks but soon settled into a nice jog, her ears flickering around as she took in the unfamiliar sights at The Wire. After a thorough jog, Vinnie turned around and asked the filly to gallop.
She did as he requested, instantly taking off in a brisk but reserved gallop. Her rider was again astounded at the deliberation of her strides, how she was clearly holding back yet he could feel the mass of power underneath him. Her neck bowed and her hooves glided over the dirt as she ate up the ground. Vinnie watched the furlong markers and as they approached the half-mile pole he guided her to the rail. When they were a few strides from the 3/8ths pole, he gave her rein and clucked encouragingly.
The filly picked up the pace significantly as Vinnie crouched lower on her back. He'd worked enough horses to know they weren't going terribly fast, and he knew Sherlock wanted Intuition to get a lot out of the workout. He clucked again and urged her with his hands, signaling her to accelerate. Intuition lengthened her stride but the filly was still moving as easily as she'd been when they were warming up. The jockey knew she had much more to give, like a spring that was not unwinding all the way. Being aboard Intuition at a gallop was incredible, but he knew she was hardly exerting herself.
He continued to urge her as they rounded the turn, but she did not go any faster, simply keeping up her quick but controlled tempo. As they straightened away, Vinnie asked her to change leads, and she did so on cue, never missing a beat. He kept up his encouragement as they passed the wire, and, remembering Sherlock's instructions, kept riding her hard for another sixteenth of a mile before standing up in the stirrups and muttering "whoa."
Vinnie couldn't help but feel slightly discouraged as he allowed the filly to gallop out. While he'd been thoroughly thrilled by the power he had beneath him, he knew she had held back significantly. He wanted to know what it felt like to have her unleash the powerful kick he knew she possessed. He merely hoped Sherlock was pleased as he jogged once around the track before returning to the trainer.
"Great job!" Sherlock called as the pair approached. Vinnie brought Intuition to a halt by the rail and hopped off. "She clocked three furlongs in thirty-six and four. Not bad at all."
Maybe not for a normal horse, Vinnie thought, But Intuition could easily go thirty-four and change if she wanted to.
"I'm glad you're pleased." He said as they walked back to the barn, trying to sound enthusiastic. Sherlock could sense his disappointment.
"I'm very pleased. I don't know if you've ever noticed, but Intuition is one lazy filly in the mornings. The fact you broke thirty-seven is impressive. I wasn't sure if she'd run at all for you, but if she's clocking sub-37 in the mornings is enough for me to think she'll listen to you in a race. Sometimes I have trouble getting her to move that fast in a solo work.
"She doesn't really like to run, you know. She just likes to compete, and happens to be able to run fast, so she uses it when it's necessary to prove she's the best. Otherwise, she'll take her time, thank you very much." Sherlock chuckled, "So prepare yourself, Vinnie. When race day comes, she'll be ready, and you better be ready for the most exhilarating ride you've ever had."
"Oh, hey there boss!" A bright-eyed young man peeked out from one of the stalls. "I wanted to get here extra early, since it's the first day back at the track and all. I mucked out Starry, Angel, Scream, and Equinox, but didn't want to try to tackle the other two without you around."
"Thank you, Vinnie." Sherlock smiled at him, "Actually, I'm glad you're here. I've been thinking about it for a while and I'd like you to work Intuition this morning." The boy's mouth dropped and the pitchfork in his hand nearly followed suit.
"You want me to work her?" He said, awestruck. His boss couldn't help but chuckle at his reaction.
"Well, if you'd rather not, that's fine, but you've been getting so good lately, I thought you might appreciate the challenge. If you think she's too much to handle, though..." She trailed off, knowing that was not the case.
"Oh no!" Vinnie quickly assured her, "I was just surprised. I didn't think anyone ever rode her or Ammo but you."
"Well, that was before I had such a promising jockey working for me," She grinned, her blue eyes glittering. "So I'll get her ready, and once you finish with Starry's stall, we'll get started."
"Wow. Thank you so much, Sherlock!" He said, trying in vain to contain his excitement as he turned back to the stall he was mucking out.
Sherlock smiled to herself and approached the stall of the filly in question. Intuition had been in heavy training at Hawkstone for a few months now, and was nearly race ready. Sherlock just wanted her to get a good workout over the track to ensure she was at her best for her return to competition.
The bulky black filly watched the black-haired woman with a calm but alert eye as Sherlock slipped into the stall and haltered her. She led the soon-to-be-3-year-old filly into the aisle and hooked her to the cross ties before beginning to groom her.
As she rubbed the horse down with a curry comb, Sherlock mused over how Intuition would fare at the new circuit. They had been out of competition for nearly a year, and while Intuition had shown promise in her 7 prior starts, Sherlock couldn't help the nerves she felt. She had the utmost faith in the big filly's ability, but wondered if she would be able to bring her to her utmost potential.
There was no doubt this filly had ability. Her bloodlines were famous even here, and nobody could deny that she had the attitude of a champion. Dominant to a fault, Intuition loved a challenge and routinely sought to prove her superiority. She was kept as far as possible from Hawkstone's young colt Animosity (who was by Intuition's champion half-brother Crescential), for their personalities often led to aggressive displays of power. Sherlock only hoped that she would be able to help Intuition display that kind of dominance on the track.
She also hoped that Vinnie would prove to be a good fit for the aggressive filly. While Sherlock herself had been the jockey of every Hawkstone horse to date, she had since experienced a bad fall that, while not stopping her from riding, would hinder her ability to race ride at the top of her game. An aspiring jockey in need of experience, Vinnie had started working for her nearly three months prior, and she had yet to regret the decision to take him on. Vincent Finley was hard-working and dedicated, and she had quickly taken a liking to the young man's ability to get a horse to relax. The decision to allow him to ride Intuition was a hard one for Sherlock, due to her personal interest in her, but she knew it was time to let Vinnie take the reins. Intuition needed a strong rider on her back, and while Sherlock had been working her consistently, she knew she was not as capable as she'd once been, and Intuition deserved better.
"Done!" Vinnie's voice broke through Sherlock's thoughts, and she faced him while she ran a comb through the filly's mane.
"Perfect, I'm nearly finished also. Go ahead and grab your tack." Vinnie did as requested and returned with an exercise saddle and a bridle in hand. Intuition watched him sharply as he sat the saddle on her back, and flattened her ears when he tightened the girth. The boy approached her head with the bridle and tried to keep his posture as passive as he could.
Intuition did nothing but keep her ears pinned as he tossed the reins around her neck, unhooked the cross-ties, and removed her halter, but when he went to slip the bit in her mouth, the filly threw her head in the air and gave him a hard, appraising stare. Vinnie kept a hand on the reins but did not move, instead waiting for Intuition to finish her evaluation. After a long moment, the filly lowered her head and allowed him to bridle her fully.
"Well, I guess I passed her test." He said, grinning.
"Oh, you know that's not the end of the testing." Sherlock said, gesturing for him to follow as she exited the barn. Vinnie took Intuition's reins and led her toward the training track. As they neared the track, Sherlock gave the aspiring jockey a leg up.
Vinnie could feel his heart racing as he settled onto the black filly. He tried to calm himself, knowing that Intuition was as perceptive as her name implied, and that she would take any weakness in him as an excuse to act up. He had to remain calm and assertive.
"Now, I want to get one really good work into her before she makes her return. That's why we're out here so early - she's a bit of a buzz horse and I'm just not ready for all the attention she'd get if she was out here after daybreak. Warm her up thoroughly, then turn around and get her into a good gallop. At the 3/8ths, drop into the rail and turn her loose. Don't be afraid to ride her a bit. I'm looking for a three furlong drill in :37 or less. Don't worry about going too fast, either. Ride her through the finish line and then ease up and gallop out another three, then you can jog her back here and we'll cool her out. Understood?"
"Yes, ma'am." Vinnie said, gathering the reins before buckling his helmet. Sherlock didn't let go yet.
"And just remember that she's a trouble-maker and she'll try to see what she can get away with. Don't try to force her too much, but make sure you don't let her do anything she pleases, either. You've ridden Equinox, so I guess you should know what that's like. But still, Intuition's a bit more aggressive than her, even if she's usually more likely to listen. I just don't know if she'll act up because she doesn't know you. And make sure you just stay calm if she does act up. If she doesn't think she's affecting you, she'll eventually get the point. And you have to remember to..." She stopped herself. Vinnie had been around Intuition enough to know the filly's basic tendencies. If she was going to trust him to ride her, she should trust that he'd know how to handle her. "...just enjoy the ride. She's a blast to be on." Sherlock smiled and released her hold on the reins.
"Got it, boss!" Vinnie said, beaming at her. He gave Intuition a nudge with his heels and the massive filly set off. The boy reveled in the power he felt underneath him, even at a walk. This was easily the most talented horse he'd ever been on, and he felt honored to be on her back.
After a while, he asked Intuition to trot, and she obediently took up the faster pace. Wow, you can just feel how purposefully she moves. She's such an incredible horse. I am surprised she hasn't tried to act up yet.
No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than Intuition threw her head up and kicked out her heels in a mild buck. Fairly used to horses playing up when they had a lot of energy, Vinnie had no problems staying aboard. He knew this was an entirely intentional move on his mount's part, though, and remained calm while waiting for the filly's next move.
He didn't have to wait long. A few strides later, Intuition stopped dead and tried to wheel toward the center of the track. Caught off balance for a moment, Vinnie immediately regained his composure and steered her back to the outside rail. Intuition resisted, but allowed herself to be guided back into her place. The boy saw this as a victory on his part, as he knew the filly was fully capable of overpowering him if she really wanted to.
Intuition threw a few more bucks but soon settled into a nice jog, her ears flickering around as she took in the unfamiliar sights at The Wire. After a thorough jog, Vinnie turned around and asked the filly to gallop.
She did as he requested, instantly taking off in a brisk but reserved gallop. Her rider was again astounded at the deliberation of her strides, how she was clearly holding back yet he could feel the mass of power underneath him. Her neck bowed and her hooves glided over the dirt as she ate up the ground. Vinnie watched the furlong markers and as they approached the half-mile pole he guided her to the rail. When they were a few strides from the 3/8ths pole, he gave her rein and clucked encouragingly.
The filly picked up the pace significantly as Vinnie crouched lower on her back. He'd worked enough horses to know they weren't going terribly fast, and he knew Sherlock wanted Intuition to get a lot out of the workout. He clucked again and urged her with his hands, signaling her to accelerate. Intuition lengthened her stride but the filly was still moving as easily as she'd been when they were warming up. The jockey knew she had much more to give, like a spring that was not unwinding all the way. Being aboard Intuition at a gallop was incredible, but he knew she was hardly exerting herself.
He continued to urge her as they rounded the turn, but she did not go any faster, simply keeping up her quick but controlled tempo. As they straightened away, Vinnie asked her to change leads, and she did so on cue, never missing a beat. He kept up his encouragement as they passed the wire, and, remembering Sherlock's instructions, kept riding her hard for another sixteenth of a mile before standing up in the stirrups and muttering "whoa."
Vinnie couldn't help but feel slightly discouraged as he allowed the filly to gallop out. While he'd been thoroughly thrilled by the power he had beneath him, he knew she had held back significantly. He wanted to know what it felt like to have her unleash the powerful kick he knew she possessed. He merely hoped Sherlock was pleased as he jogged once around the track before returning to the trainer.
"Great job!" Sherlock called as the pair approached. Vinnie brought Intuition to a halt by the rail and hopped off. "She clocked three furlongs in thirty-six and four. Not bad at all."
Maybe not for a normal horse, Vinnie thought, But Intuition could easily go thirty-four and change if she wanted to.
"I'm glad you're pleased." He said as they walked back to the barn, trying to sound enthusiastic. Sherlock could sense his disappointment.
"I'm very pleased. I don't know if you've ever noticed, but Intuition is one lazy filly in the mornings. The fact you broke thirty-seven is impressive. I wasn't sure if she'd run at all for you, but if she's clocking sub-37 in the mornings is enough for me to think she'll listen to you in a race. Sometimes I have trouble getting her to move that fast in a solo work.
"She doesn't really like to run, you know. She just likes to compete, and happens to be able to run fast, so she uses it when it's necessary to prove she's the best. Otherwise, she'll take her time, thank you very much." Sherlock chuckled, "So prepare yourself, Vinnie. When race day comes, she'll be ready, and you better be ready for the most exhilarating ride you've ever had."
