deserving of a rest (open)

[Snowflake]

Flyer whuffled gently, sniffing the air with interest as we walked down the forest trail. I settled into the general purpose saddle, letting my posture slump a little as I relaxed. Wow, it was nice to have long stirrups, and a big, comfortable seat for once. Normal riding saddles were so much better than racing saddles. Flyer didn't seem to think so - she felt weird carrying the bulkier saddle around, with me sitting in it rather than standing. She also was surprised at the way my legs hung right down, rather than 30 or 40 cm higher; but she dealt with it, preferring to take a look at nature along our ride.

open

[S u N f r O s t ~]

The sleek chestnut filly pranced energetically and excitedly as her hooves touched the hard packed trail. She recognized the signs of relaxation and a light gallop, and was living for the chance of resting. I smiled at her high spirits, relaxing myself in tune with her smooth trot. The sun was out today, beaming through the land of Green Horse Fields, and the sun lit Onya's coat up with a beautiful glow. She looked radiant and fit, her muscles smoothly moving under her well groomed coat.

I scouted ahead while the birds sang in the trees. So far I couldn't see anybody else out enjoying the warm spring weather, but there was a bend in the trail. The birdsong masked the sound of Onya moving forward, and would no doubt mask the sound of any other equines.

Onya showed the inclination to stop and walk, as a light sweat covered her body. It was hot out, and the long period of trotting was warming her up. I slowed her down, recognizing a lazy aura emanating from her, and as we rounded the trail I spotted the bay form of Simply A Flyer ahead of us. Excitement coursed through me. The three year old filly was the daughter of Merry Bay King and Flying Loose, and was a seriously good turfer. Just like my Onya, or so I thought. I rode up, now at a slow trot, and then slowed alongside. The sun struck suddenly through a gap in the tree ceiling, and Onya looked striking and fit as gold for a couple seconds.

Hi I said quietly. I was a lot less outgoing than Amber when it came to talking to others.

[Snowflake]

I closed my eyes as we walked through a patch of sunlight, easing my grip on the reins a little. I trusted Flyer; unless she took fright, she wasn't likely to take advantage of my relaxed state. She instead was much happier to laze about herself. Flyer became a little more energetic when she heard the sounds of another horse approaching, and I opened my eyes, taking a firmer hold on the reins again. Turning slightly in the saddle, I saw that Onto The Spotlight, one of the many horses that regularly raced against Flyer, and her rider, the quiet Krystal Yhate, were slowing to walk next to us.

Hey, Krystal. I replied, a slight but friendly smile on my face. I was usually an outgoing, in your face sort of girl, but today, like Flyer, I was content to just go with the flow.

[S u N f r O s t ~]

Her reply was simple; it seemed like today she was content to relax like her horse. I briefly lapsed into the state of mind she was probably in, a state of mind in which Onya and I were the only ones in the world, and how we could take our time because time itself was frozen. We definitely weren't in any hurry, especially Onya. She hadn't reacted at all to the sight of Flyer. Not even a competitive fire had risen in her eyes or in her body language. She seemed distracted, her ears pricked as she listened to some far off melody. Or maybe she was listening to an animal?

My senses quickened at the thought of seeing a wild animal, something that was a bit rare because of how active the track, beach, and trails were these days. I peered ahead, aware of my surroundings, and spotted the faint shape of some animal in the shadow of one of the trees ahead....

[Snowflake]

Flyer's walk was faster now. She seemed determined to keep at least one step ahead of the other filly. Easy, darling. I murmurred, keeping a firm hold on the reins. This ain't a race. I added, a smile spreading across my face. If it were a race, well.. that would be a different story. I certainly wouldn't be holding my pretty girl back.

The Breeder's Cup crossed my mind then; I was still unsure which race Flyer would be running in. I supposed it depended on the competition; Gorgeous George would be running in the Breeder's Cup Turf for sure, while Flyer and Striking Motion would either be running in the Filly and Mare turf, or the Mile. As for our other horses, Euphoria would be running in the Distaff, Silver Stalker and Fatal Attraction in the Juvenile Fillies, and Bank On Glory in the Juvenile.

You guys running anyone in the Breeder's Cup? I asked Krystal, although I knew that Impressario would probably be running in and winning the Breeder's Cup Classic, and that Gorgeous George and I would probably be facing Passionate Class in the Turf.

[S u N f r O s t ~]

ooc// Ario's still beatable you know. He had his first placing out of the top three on The Wire the other day....

ic// Onya instantly picked up on Flyer's slightly more competitive fire, and used the flames to stoke her own feeling. She upped the pace, extending her strides and stretching her neck out. Startled, the wild animal that we had seen fled. Onya, did you have to? I groaned quietly. The three year old filly didn't pay attention, being more fixated on her rival.

I listened to her last question, and nodded. Sudden excitement filled my heart. I can only account for my own horses, not Amber's. I'm running my Classy in the Turf for sure. Onya here is going in the Filly and Mare Turf, while Laddy will be running in the Juvenile Turf. Hopefully we stand a shot at doing well. What about you guys?

[Snowflake]

ooc|: i saw. i was actually kind of upset lol. I hoped he would never place out of the top three. btw i'm changing Bank On Greatness's name to Bank On Billy lol. it's cuter.. Bank On Greatness just sounded a little bit conceited.

Flyer started when she heard and saw the animal run away. She stood stock still for a moment, just listening. Then she realised that the other filly had gotten ahead and burst into trot. I laughed quietly at her antics, bringing her back to walk when we were level with Kyrstal and On to the Spotlight again.

Krystal told me about which horses she was running in the Breeder's Cup. I nodded as I listened, then launched into detail about who we would run when she asked. Well, we haven't finalised our decisions yet, but I'm pretty sure we have Silver Stalker and Fatal Attraction running in the Juvenile Fillies, Bank On Glory in the Juvenile, Euphoria in the Distaff, or maybe the Classic, depending on how she does in the next few weeks, Akuma Battlecry and Make A Dash in the Dirt Mile or Marathon, Justa Muffin and Studly Dudley in the Juvenile Turf.. umm.. Striking Motion and this girl could be running in either the Filly and Mare Turf, or the Mile, and Gorgeous George is running in the Turf. I stopped to take a breath, wondering if i'd missed any of the horses. Oh yeah, and Dusk Runner will probably be running in the Sprint or Filly and Mare Sprint. The last two of our horses, the two year old sprinters Rush Hour and Super Sparky, wouldn't be running at all unless they were accepted into the sprint races, which generally accepted only three year olds plus.

[S u N f r O s t ~]

ooc// Bank On Billy? That's an interesting one lol. Are you retiring Flyer before next year? I know that you're retiring Striking.

ic// Onya decided not to react at all to Flyer catching up to us, instead being content with acting arrogant that the other filly spooked and she didn't. I smirked slightly myself, patting my chestnut filly in praise of her bombproofness. Then again, she had realized the wild animal was there; perhaps Flyer hadn't. Therefore, should I instead reward her for her observation skills? Too many questions I chastised myself, and continued on with the ride.

I don't think we'll have anybody competing against you guys in the Juvenile Fillies, so best of luck! I said with a smile. I'm pretty sure we'll have Deadly Desires in the Juvenile Fillies Turf - she can run distance as well as sprints! Well, only up to nine furlongs anyway, but still. Hopefully she can win where this filly didn't. I pat Onya again with increased affection, remembering our fourth place finish last year. Ario is going for the Classic, I believe, and Snapple will be having his last shot at the Sprint - we'll see if he can become a two time winner. As for Radiance, he'll be going in the Juvenile. I think our Cobalt might head for a race with a smaller field, but he probably doesn't have the best chance. My smile faded. The colt had been worked hard, but just didn't seem to have the ultimate talent that declared a horse the best of the best.

Have you ever considered showing for your retired racehorses? I asked, changing the subject slightly.

[Snowflake]

ooc|: just cause i nicknamed him billy lol. and not a chance!
didn't you say something about running ario on turf?

Thanks, you too. I replied, smiling. I petted Flyer's neck in the moment of silence, thinking to myself about the Breeder's Cup. All of our horses were in with a good chance, but it would be very tough, as always. Then Krystal changed the subject. I thought about my answer carefully. There was a good reason, a few actually, why we didn't show our retired races. For one, we didn't have the facilities or staff to retrain the horses. Not that we couldn't afford to change this. Secondly, our horses had been bred to race. They were built for speed and power, not for jumping, or endurance, or discipline. Finally, well.. that was a bit of a long story, one I couldn't tell anyone.

Well.. I began hesitantly. Yeah, we kinda have. Sarah and I used to event. I shrugged slightly, a lopsided smile on my face. It was kind of a sad smile.

[S u N f r O s t ~]

ooc// Yep Silver used to run on the dirt, so Ario did that for the first two years of his career. now, for his four year old season and possible five he'll run the turf so King gets to show through a bit. Gotta dominate in versatility.

ic// I noticed the sad smile and didn't press for extra details. Not every horse was built to show in eventing or be a western speed racer - those horses became our breezing partners - but we had found a couple that fit the bill or could be trained to excel in those disciplines. But to leave the horse around just for breeding purposes didn't fit in with my perspective....horses needed something to live for when they came off the track. I guessed that Green Horse Stables used some of their horses as breezing partners.

Wanna pick up the pace? I suggested. My mount seemed casually bored with the walk and was ready for a slow trot. No galloping today though. We were here to relax.

[Snowflake]

I could tell what she was thinking when she didn't reply. She didn't think it was fair to the horses to race for two or three seasons and then just be retired to breeding. Alot of the time, when we retired our racehorses, they took a while to adjust to the quiet life. Some of them, when their race performance wasn't good enough for the track, but they were too energetic for the paddock, were kept in full fitness to help with training the youngsters until they got racing out of their system. Others, however, adjusted easily and were ready to breed right off the track. Still others we sold on, when they hadn't been much on the track. It wasn't as though they never got to have any fun again; they were ridden out on the trails, to keep reasonably fit. And of course the mares had their own little herd, which resided in a large twenty acre paddock to the left of the training oval. needless to say, Rising Fury was their leader.

Rising Fury had been a particularly hard one to adjust. we'd had to keep racing her a little into her fifth year, and she'd kept winning. Racing had been everything to that horse, and I'd hated taking her off the track. I was sure she could have kept racing for another few years and still kept winning, but everyone was deperate for her foal, and we were worried about serious injury in a leg that kept coming up lame after some races. Now Fury had just sprouted her second foal, and she was still wild. Her new baby was a crazy little beast. A colt this time, he was incredibly fast, and quite aggressive for one so young. I shook my head a little, smiling as I remembered the colt playing, or rather beating up, the other foals in the crop.

Sure. I tapped my heels to the filly's sides, enjoying the feel of her making the change instantly to trot, then sitting to the bumpiness

.

[S u N f r O s t ~]

I clucked to my mount and tapped my heels lightly to her side as soon as Striking was in the lead. Onya broke into a fresh trot, each step full of spring and energy, but there was a calmness about her that came in her non-racing mood. I could tell by her quiet neutrality that she knew relaxing was today, and that racing was tomorrow, and I praised her thinking with a quick pat on her muscled neck.

Her trot was by no means overly bumpy, or overly fast, so I chose to post to it. Posting was just far more comfortable for me than sitting. I relaxed a bit more as we went on, Striking and Sarah ahead and Onya and I behind. I had broken off the conversation just by letting Striking lead, and I didn't see any reason to talk and disrupt the wonderful sounds of nature. Birds chirped in the trees, and all around us chipmunks and squirrels and other small animals scurried around, doing their regular routine for a beautiful spring day.