Post by Cruisey on Oct 7, 2015 15:38:35 GMT -5
BREEDERS CUP YEARLING SHOW ENTRIES
WINNING FIRE & ENCHANTING SOLDIER
While Firestone Racing was getting ready for the Breeders’ Cup with most of its horses, Firestone Stud Inc. was preparing for something big for them. With the arrival of the Breeder’s Cup, it meant the arrival of the annual Breeder’s Cup Yearling Show. As one of Firestone’s newest employees, Carter had asked Jenna Stafford to be in charge of this years’ entries, alongside Johnny Garner when he was not at Green Horse Fields preparing his own horses. The winding driveway to the yearling barn at Firestone Stud was a long one, and it gave Jenna time to mentally prepare herself of what was to come. The two horses that she had picked to represent Firestone were two that she thought were best suited for the show. Neither of them had too much of a problem around people, and the true test would be around the gates.
Johnny would be riding Intrepid Racing’s freshman sire Souvenir’s baby by the name of Enchanting Soldier. At only a year old, Enchanting Soldier stood at 16 hands high, and she was not done growing. Expected to reach 17 hands high, Tia would be one tall filly on the track. Her half-brother, World Dominion, has been tearing up the juvenile turf division, beating out several of Firestone’s turf horses. Tia is as enchanting as they come, everybody loves her attitude and willingness to please.
Due to Sammie being unavailable to help with her filly, Jenna would be taking on the Catching Fire baby, known as Winning Fire. Winning Fire was a little bit smaller than Tia, standing at 15.3 but would be expected to mature to 16.3hh. Flare is energetic and clever with a fiery temper. Much like her half sister, Hellfire, she is very lively and alert with a great deal of curiosity. The plan was to split off onto their own surfaces on the track once they finished up with the ground work together. Jenna had plans to work on ground handling before making their way to working around the gates.
Both fillies were placed in the cross ties; something they would have to get used to when they got into work. Flare was fidgeting and dancing around, her eyes alert. Tia looked a little wary of the chains that were tied to her face, her head raised and she looked a little bemused. Jenna walked over to Flare, who was still fighting the chains and shushed her softly, patting her neck gently. Flare flared her nostrils, but her eyes lit up when Jenna pulled a green apple out of her pocket. Like a switch was turned off, the young chestnut filly stopped moving and stood perfectly still. Jenna scratched the crest of her fuzzy neck, feeding her the apple. Flare stomped happily, her hooves echoing through the barn. On the opposite side across from Flare, Tia was finally somewhat okay with cross ties and stood calmly while Johnny brushed her. The filly had picked up both of her parent’s temperament and it was relaxing to know that she wouldn't try anything stupid.
When they were done brushing the two fillies, Johnny brought out both racing saddles that would be used on the yearlings. They would only be walking under saddle, but not until the very end. Tia did not move a muscle when the light saddle was placed on her back, and Johnny gave her a nice scratch on the neck followed by a horse cookie, which she took happily. He waited a moment before attempting at doing up the girth, watching Jenna and Flare in case they need his help. Flare did not take to the saddle as well as Tia had, but Jenna was prepared for her antics. As soon as the saddle cloth touched her back, Flare pinned her ears and attempted to strike out with her back legs. With a slap on the belly from the breeding manager, Flare reluctantly put her leg down for the woman. Her face expressed her dislike for the saddle cloth, but allowed Jenna to fiddle with it some more. The woman patted the red horse on the neck, praising her softly for finally accepting the tack.
Letting the two horses adjust to the saddles on their back, Johnny and Jenna went to grab their protective vests and helmets for the ride. Tia stood calmly in the cross ties, watching the filly in front of her dance around in boredom. When the two returned to their yearlings, both horses perked their ears in alertness. Seeing the bridles wasn’t something new to them as they had them on once or twice before, but every time something scarier popped up from behind the bridle. Johnny gently threw the reins over Tia’s head, undoing the cross ties. The bay filly started to walk forwards seeing as she was free, but was quickly stopped by a tug on her halter from Johnny. Realizing she did something wrong, she stood like a rock while Johnny fiddled with her halter, keeping a firm hold on her as he slipped it off of her face and replaced the halter with the bridle. A finger poked into Tia’s mouth and she opened it in confusion, allowing Johnny to sneak the bit through her jaws.
Flare was easily tricked by Jenna; the small woman fed Flare a piece of an apple and she opened her jaw easily, but chomped down on the bit when she figured out that it was a trap. Jenna smirked at the filly, adjusting the bridle so that it fit her securely. When they were all ready, they made their way out of the yearling barn and headed to the track on foot. Even though the two ran on different surfaces, they would be using the dirt track to practice getting used to the gates and the overall excitement of the track. Tia walked calmly beside Johnny, but there was a spring in her step as she explored the Firestone grounds from a new perspective. They were passing things the horses had never really dealt with before, and that was including, but not limited to, the tractor with the track harrower, the hay wagon, some leaves blowing on the ground, etc. The tractor and hay wagon were fine with Flare, but god forbid she ever step on the leaves. She was a fidgeting mess beside Jenna, who tried her best to control the yearling beside her. When they were in close proximity of the track, they led their horses one in front of the other, getting them used to what they would be doing come race day. Flare whinnied to Tia, who followed Johnny like a puppy. Jenna cringed at the noise.
“Chill out, Flare. She’s not leaving you.” Johnny chuckled at the woman’s commentary, shaking his head in amusement.
“Carter’s got another keeper in that one. By the looks of it, he’s gonna have a barn full of crazies by the end of the year.” The man commented, stroking Tia’s bay neck. Before they left the barn, he had slung a lunge line over his shoulder for their ground work practice.
“Wanna do Flare first, get her energy out?” Johnny held out the lunge line to Jenna, who nodded and took it gratefully. She led Flare over to Johnny, who grabbed a hold of her bridle as the woman tightened the girth. Flare pinned her ears but quickly changed her face when Johnny shook the bridle in warning. Jenna clipped the line onto the bit of her bridle as Johnny guided Tia over to the rail, watching as Jenna asked the filly for a trot to which she responded by becoming a bucking bronco. Johnny smiled and watched in amusement as Jenna tried calming the filly down into a high-strung jog. Flare’s nostrils were wide and her ears were perked to the sky as she trotted in a circle both ways, getting used to the saddle on her back once again. Once she finally calmed down enough, Jenna brought her back to a walk and handed the lunge line over to Johnny, who snapped it onto Tia’s bridle. When he asked for a trot, he was not expecting what she did. Tia was almost as bad as Flare, the big bay filly tearing up the dirt as she let out buck after buck, twisting her body in the air. What Johnny noticed was that it wasn’t out of anger or frustration; Tia was actually becoming amused as to what she was doing. It was exciting for her and she was having the time of her life as Johnny held onto the line. When Tia was finished bucking, she jogged around both ways quite contently, her expression easily amused. The small man couldn’t help but smile at the filly’s antics.
When both yearlings were ready and most of their energy was expelled, they brought the horses over to the rail. Johnny held onto Flare’s bridle as Jenna leaned her weight carefully on Flare’s back, expecting the redhead to shoot out from underneath her. Jenna was surprised when Flare took her weight exceptionally well as she swung her leg over her back and settled down in the saddle. Flare’s ears flickered back and forth as her head came around to sniff Jenna’s boot, as if to say ‘why are you up there?’ Jenna scratched the filly’s neck and smiled, gathering the reins in her hands and she asked Flare to walk forwards. The filly took a few cautious steps forwards before finding a rhythm in her stride. Realizing Flare did not have any breaks just yet, she just walked her in a continuous circle as Johnny matched what she did. Surprisingly, Tia did not like the rider as much as Flare did. She backed up a few steps, dragging Johnny across the track before stopping. He muttered a few reassuring words to the horse and watched as her ears flickered back and forth, walking her up to the rail once again. The second time around, she stood like a statue as she got used to Johnny’s weight.
She took a few hesitant steps forward before trotting right up to Flare and Jenna, who pinned her ears in response to the filly coming closer. Pulling back on the reins, Johnny steered Tia away from the fiery horse, scratching her neck.
“Well, that wasn’t too harmful…” Jenna started to say, but Johnny interrupted her.
“Don’t you finish that sentence. They’re being good now, but all that can change.” Jenna smirked at his words as they walked their way down the track. Both yearlings were on high alert as they saw things from a new perspective. Tia already towered over the chestnut horse, but Flare had enough fire in her belly to think she was the same height. The gates were situated not more than 500 metres ahead but Tia was already balking at the sight. Johnny reassured her and continued to press her forwards, but the bay horse was wary.
After almost an hour of walking the horses around the track, gates, and rail, Jenna and Johnny headed back to the barn. Their ride was mostly trouble free besides the fact that they found out Tia had claustrophobic issues. With time and patience, she would get over it, but for now it was time they had a bath and a good grooming to get ready for the yearling show. Jenna thought both horses were ready, and it was show time.
