to master the turf [kacey!]

Prince threw his head as Tanya looked across the track, her eyes seeking out any form of competition. The heat was getting to him, but he needed to get used to being raced in it as Summer was growing ever closer and Summer only meant one thing - heat. Tanya played her hand across the taught muscles in his neck, trying to soothe him as her dark eyes scanned the track and soon she saw just what she was hoping for.

Of course Tanya recognised the filly - it had previously been a Silver Stride Stables filly - it was none other than Mia who had at one stage been the training partner for prince. She wandered how the filly was doing and soon realised that the jockey, Alice, was coming this way. A grin spread across her features as she realised they probably had some competition and a chance to strength the grey colt's legs.

"Hey, Alice. Great to see you and Mia out here. I was wandering if you might like a race, Prince here is in need of a workout and I think he misses his training partner." she said, patting the light grey's neck once more. But he was too busy watching Mia, a playful gleam in his brown eyes. He tossed his head and nickered, pawing at the turf underhoof.

The two equines seemed to be happy to see each other and it was a heart warming sight to see them greet one another so warmly. They had been together from a young age and even though they were in the same yard being under separate stables meant that they didn't see each other as much as they once had. But when they did see one another you could almost guarantee that this was the way that they would greet one another. Tanya shifted in the saddle a little, stroked the colt's mane and looked up the track.

"I'm glad she's getting stronger, I'm sure she'll run well for you when you do run her. June seems like a good option, as long as she can deal with this heat. Hot Summer coming I think." She commented, staring for a moment at the sky and breathing out. "Eight furlongs in the best workout for these two - both of them are happy running the distance and they provide each other with a bit of healthy competition." Tanya knew the routine with the pair well, her and Jacob had been through it several times.

Pushing Prince into a trot beside Mia Tanya was glad of the company out here. "He seems to be doing ok, had a bit of a bad turn in results lately but I'm hoping a few workouts will combat that." she replied to the other jockey, pushing a strand of her fringe out of her face.

Tanya smiled. She had missed seeing Mia, and she was sure that her and Alice were going to get on a treat. As they trotted up the turf she was steeling herself, and was glad to know several handlers were lurking around the track. After all, if they were about to start in the gates this could haven been an awkward moment had there been none around. The grey colt hated the gates with a passion for reasons that nobody really understood and he was not getting over his fears.

"It'll be the heat. Make sure you get some water after the work, it should help. Staying in the shade should help out, too." she advised as she stared at the looming starting contraption. While Alice was able to coax Mia in alone she knew Prince would have none of it and waited until the shutters had been closed behind their bay practice partner before signalling the handler over and explaining the situation.

He seemed happy to help. But that didn't make Prince any happier about the gates. He pulled backwards against the rein in the handler's hand with his ears slicked across his skull and he tossed his head. For several minutes a battle ensued but soon enough Prince was loaded into the gates, his dark eyes set on the track.But he obviously was not happy. His ears were still slicked against his skull and he was deadly still. "Hush Princey, it's ok. It won't hurt you baby." she crooned, but the colt did not even react to her voice.

How the colt hates the gate. Frozen, he was more than a little scared. It was nothing that Tanya hadn't dealt with before as this was Prince's main vice when it came to the track and he, like every other horse, could not be perfect. But the mile run would do him a lot of good and he would soon be over this minor tragedy. As the bell rang he didn't even move to begin with, exiting the gate slowly and settling onto the track, his dark eyes set on the eight furlongs which lay ahead of them. Tanya took a chunk of his mane in her hand as she shifted her position and prepared to continue their race, knowing that these two horses raced in very different styles.

With Mia as a front runner and Prince as a closer this would soon be a very interesting workout, with both almost being separate until the very end when they were required to race one another in the final few furlongs. Oh yes, this would be a good work.

Prince settled well into his stride. In fact, the grey colt did not appear to be in the slightest bit bothered by the bay filly ahead of him. As they moved across toward the rail he kept a firm, steady stride. With his mane flying behind him, one would think he was out their for leisure and it was not yet time for Tanya to push the grey colt. For now, they needed to stay back. But they would not stay their for long.

As they reached the half way point of the eight-furlong distance Tanya started to drive the grey colt, pushing his forwards slowly as they started to close the distance between themselves and the other pair on the turf. Beneath his hooves, the turf shifted which allowed him to get a better contact with the turf before each stride and therefore enabled him to push forwards. But it was not a hugely noisy movement, just enough to allow the colt to propel forwards.