Post by Kenren on Aug 28, 2013 14:55:37 GMT -5
Irwin Miller & Odd Number Out
"This place has gone to the dogs!" Irwin barked out, grumpy rage full in his voice - all bark and no bite, of course. He wasn't even really angry, but he felt a need to give the younger brats a hard time - especially when he got a bucket of grain-infused water dumped on him first thing in the morning. Scotty hurdled the fence, following Irwin as he walked toward the track. "Oh come on, you know I didn't see you. He can barely even tell." Which wasn't true, of course - the side of Irwin's body was completely wet.
"Oh, sure, can't tell. The wet I can handle, but the smell is disgusting. You ought to be fired, boy." Irwin had been working for Valkyrie for a long time, and he was often teased for being whipped - all he ever talked about these days was his beautiful baby girl at home. This was his little chance to get back at one of the brats who constantly teased him. Not that Scotty was buying any of it, of course. The boy saw through all of Irwin's hot air, and simply laughed. "Look, I'll buy you lunch sometime." Irwin frowned, giving Scotty a long look. "I'd rather you giving my money for diapers. Who knew a baby pooped so much?"
"Anddd that's my cue to leave. Have a good ride, Irwin." Scotty, at eighteen, was very much a boy - he wanted nothing to do with babies, especially not the messy part. Irwin laughed, mood lifted a little, and made his way toward the big grey horse waiting for him trackside. The old trainer, Kent, was standing by the horse - Irwin saw him patting the horse's neck nonchalantly, though he stopped abruptly when he saw the jockey approaching. The old man's brows raised. "And what hose did you get on the bad side of?" he asked, humor in his voice. Irwin waved his hand in dismissal, moving to get a leg up onto the horse, Uno. The big stallion was good-natured, and stood easily for him. "You'll have to ask that brat Scotty. Or, on second thought, don't."
Kent gave half a smile, then turned to business. "Suit yourself. Go ahead and take him four. Really push him - I want him to wake up a little. He's seemed a little unfocused lately." Irwin nodded, saluting playfully with his whip as he moved the grey out onto the turf. The jockey could see what Kent meant - normally the horses were itching to go, and Uno wasn't lacking for energy, but he seemed interested in everything instead of just the track. "Hey, now. Don't you be ignoring me." Irwin tapped the horse's rump sharply with the whip and Uno's head came up, ears flicking back to Irwin. "There, see?" He asked the horse to trot - Uno complied, but seemed a little lazy on his hind end. Irwin tapped him again, and the horse picked up his momentum. It wasn't that Uno wasn't interested in moving, he was just putting his attention in the wrong place. But it was an easy fix.
Every time Uno lagged, Irwin tapped him with the whip. Soon, all he had to do was cluck to him and the horse moved forward on his own, anticipation the whip that would come next if he didn't listen. Uno relaxed into the work, happier to just move forward on his own power. Irwin asked the horse to canter, and found none of the problems he had at the trot - the stallion was excited to stretch out, hooves tearing into the turf. After a few minutes, Irwin pushed him into a gallop.
Uno moved with easy, ground-eating strides, attitude fresh despite the correction he'd been given. They came toward the furlong pole that signaled the start, and Irwin steered Uno to the rail, leaning close to his neck and loosing the reins. The colt jumped forward, eager to run now that he was more focused. Irwin more or less let him pick his pace, though kept him a little more forward than he would otherwise run. As a mid-pack horse, Uno normally fell into a pace, he didn't set it. Irwin guided him there, and the horse performed well. In the last furlong, Irwin pushed Uno to sprint, and he easily dug in - the jockey didn't have to encourage him much. They flew easily past the wire.
Irwin let Uno gallop out, then pulled him up to the gate. "So? What's the verdict?" Kent held the stallion as Irwin jumped off, then passed the horse off to a hotwalker. "He made the changes I wanted him to make. I think he has a good chance, if he can keep it up." He paused, then said with amusement, "Now get home and change. You smell awful."
