as a predator [sam]

Key to Flight jockeyed by Jake Jones

The gray colt bounced along, his nose in the air and ears flickering no matter how much I wiggled the bit to try to keep his attention. It was utterly no use. A lost cause. (Course I mean getting his attention, not actually the colt.)

Keegan whinnied wildly, his eyes searching the people watching on the guard rail. Snorting wildly, he tried to rush forwards, searching still through the people on the outer guard rail. Most horses were very close to their stable mates and will call and fuss about not being with them. Keegan, however, was insanely attached to my best friend who doesn't even ride him- or anyone for that matter. (She's blind. Wouldn't exactly be a good idea.) And I swear, he's obsessed with her hair.

The colt snorted and threw his head as I sat back, pulling slightly on him. He whinnied again- though I'd much sooner call it a scream. Easy now, I muttered. Easy. Still, the colt tried to rush forwards, ignoring that he had to run through my hands.

Eventually, we managed our way through some awkward and vocal trot work. (Though I think my ears are bleeding.) Slowly the colt seemed to accept the fact that Ipo- the little blind girl- wasn't here. Eventually, his attention wandered half from me to some of the horses that galloped and cantered around the track.

Carefully, we picked up a canter, his head bowing slightly, though his ears continued to flicker constantly, as if they had developed a twitch.

((Eh, this is crappy. I haven't written in FOREVER lol))

As we cantered past a black mare, I heard a voice ring out over the soft pound of hooves. I slowed Keegan up and glanced over at the girl. I caught the last of her words and figured out the rest.

I smiled and nodded. Sure, I said making sure my voice carried over the wind. I had been told to stretch Keegan's legs with a bit of a breeze, but a bit of competition for him wouldn't hurt him. Jake, I said- it felt awkward not to try and shake her hand- And this is Keegan.

Speaking of the gray colt, he seemed to take Dara's threat as more of a challenge. His full attention went to the mare. He swung close to her, his eyes stretched and looking directly at her. He didn't hesitate to turn his head towards her and poke his nose out to touch her neck, probably for no other reason but to try to push her buttons. (Literally.)

I pulled his head straight but he kept attempting to touch the mare in some playful manner. Just a bit of a gallop then? I asked, hoping the girl wouldn't be angry with Keegan's tendency to pester.

Grinning, I pulled Keegan slightly away. Ok, cool. We can start at-

And then she left.

My grin held for a second before it dropped at realization. Ok. That's cool. We can start now too... I guess.

Keegan seemed slightly shocked as well, his stride faulted for a stride and his head was straight in the air. If horses could talk, I could easily imagine him screaming, "was it something I said?!"

Get up there, I growled, lowering myself to the colt's neck. His lazy stride suddenly sucked me into the saddle as he blasted into a gallop, chasing madly after the mare.

The duo had gotten a good distance away from us, and Keegan had no arguments about catching up. We caught up to Dara and jockey- crap, didn't catch her name, oh well- in a rather short amount of time in comparison to the distance.

Course the colt didn't slow and try save his energy by galloping with the mare down the back stretch. Instead, he surged past, purposely cutting off Dara without my consent. He seemed to pause for a moment, slowing enough to hopefully break Dara's rhythm before he tried to blast off again, though at this point, I caught him and kept him at an even pace.

Course, I allowed for this to happen, trying to see what exactly the colt was planning on doing. (You know what they say about the crazy ones, they could be a genius!) But I wasn't about to get stuck on a crazy runaway horse that suddenly thinks he owns the world because he passed one horse while on a workout.