Post by sam on Aug 12, 2011 2:16:23 GMT -5
The bay colt between my irons trotted forwards. His head bowed over the bit in a graceful manner, his top line slightly exaggerated; always a show off. I chuckled slightly when he pinned his ears when a horse passed him. He was never aggressive. He just knew his job and hated it when other tried to distract them, even though they were doing no such thing. I think the truth is he just wants something to be mad about.
He was like his father, the great Impassionate Wind, in many ways. Luckily though, his soft mother toned down his father's brutality, though it didn't knock out Tim's belief that everything in Tim's view was his and that everyone should respect that.
He snorted and trotted along, his stride characteristically large and smooth. Gliding over the turf effortlessly, the tips of his aluminum shoes slightly and soundlessly brushing the tops of the blades. His head stayed steady, with his ears half pinned and his gaze focused straight ahead.
His usual silliness seemed to have disappeared with his winter coat this summer. Where had the colt who ran with a bucket on his head gone? Why was he suddenly so serious? I wasn't sure if I liked this or not. I liked the new seriousness, but I miss my old Tim.
Moments later we continued our warm up around the track at an easy canter. Every now and then I spotted the other bay, Tim's fierce rival; Dudley.
Dudley came with an ok record and his previous season shown his true colors. In the past year he placed in every race. The first race this year threatened that perhaps we wouldn't have as such a good year. I decided to blame it on the new jockey; Jake Jones.
The two didn't hit great at first, but slowly the two are starting to figure it all out. Just a bit more time and they'll become quite a team; though they may surprise me and turn out to become something greater before I even register it.
Eventually I found myself cantering easily next to Jake and Dudley. The two colts almost reveled in the constant competition between the two of them. They seemed to like each other for the sake of hating each other.
Slowly, the two colts began to race each other. At first it was just Dudley gain a bit a head then Tim, arguing that he needs to lead would pass Dudley, and thus starting the spark.
Before I knew it, Jake and I were racing down the back stretch, holding back the two galloping colts, each thirsty to steal the win from their stable mate. Their pace was unrelenting and neither seemed tired nor willing to give in.
The corner came around faster than expected. With flying tails and flying hooves, the two colt charged around the corner, their head ducking and darting in front of each other. Normally, the race would start here, but with these two against just themselves, the race started as soon as they stepped on the track and spotted each other.
The stretch leveled out in front of me between the two dark bay ears. Without a moment of hesitation, Tim spurred himself to a full out sprint. I simply crawled up his neck and gave encouragement, but there was no real need.
The bay colt beside us was stride for stride, his eye rimmed slightly white to which gave a slight crazy look about him. Jake seemed just as surprised and simply tried to stay with the flying colt, trying his best to simply stay out of the colt way and just letting him run.
Tim dug deep with his hind, his hooves rooting up the grass and he struck at the ground. His powerful hind end firing his hooves to the ground with every stride, sounding almost like a shot gun every time his hooves dove the ground.
Without warning, the wire had passed but the colts continued on, their battle never ending while Jake and I tried desperately to bring them up.
It was a crazy mess of soaring manes, wild eyes, and lathered necks. I couldn't have told who had won their little race better than I could have told you when the world is going to end.