Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2012 10:17:52 GMT -5
A champion is not born a champion. A horse could be born with talent, but if that talent is not worked with and built upon that horse will never be all it could be. Such was a knowledge which many within the racing world possessed, and it was because of this knowledge that Silver Stride Stables had been working so intensely with many of their two year olds. Icee had definitely been born with talent, it was a fact which could not be denied. It was in her blood, it ran within her very blood. She was the daughter of two very strong racers, she was related by blood to many Hall Of Fame inductees, and she was ready to take her own place in that legacy. She was ready to become the next generation of greatness.
The filly had been out in the pasture for the majority of the day, which was nothing strange really. What was strange was to see the filly inside for long periods of time, for she hated to be confined for too long within her stable. Of course, she was brought in each and every night but most days she could be found strutting her stuff in the pasture. Or perhaps, more accurately, flaunting it. She was a show off, well and truly, and she loved to gallop. It was one of the many reasons that they were so sure that Icee would be a great racer. Horses that loved to run, and loved the track, usually did rise to greatness.
About an hour previously, the filly had been fetched in from the field by Matthias, who had then instructed the grooms to ready her. She had been brushed, her hooves cleaned, and generally tidied up. The grooming had served to increase her already great beauty, and the filly had been quite happy to pose and generally show off when she had been left tied to the post in the yard. Soon after, another groom had come to put on her tack and then she had waited, although not for long.
Alexia was longing to yet again ride the filly, and she had been nagging at Matthias until he had in fact consented to another workout. As she walked across the yard, Alexia was confident and more than prepared. Despite the fine rain which had started to fall she was in good spirits and the filly seemed glad to see her. Alexia ran her hand down the filly's muscular neck, and then checked each of her legs for heat. Finding none, she untied the filly and led her toward the track. Lucas soon caught up with them, and took the reins of the filly from her.
With the amount of time they had worked together, and from the time that Alexia had watched the filly in the pasture, they had started to build a bond. At the moment, it was fragile, but it showed great potential and it was hoped that in time the bond would help them to become an incredible force on the track. Where Icee had behaved quite well for Alexia, she now pulled against the handler, impatient for the chance to run which she knew was coming. Alexia laughed slightly at the change in behaviour and signalled to Lucas, jogging toward the track.
Icee moved into a bumpy trot beside the handler, her head held high and ears pressed forwards. She tossed her head and seemed to enjoy the faster movement and they soon reached the track. Lucas pulled the filly back down to a walk and finally a halt, something which she did not seem to happy about, in order to allow Alexia to mount and then he released his grip on the rein. Other than the surface, Matthias had not dictated a distance or whether or not to use the gates and he could tell that both Alexia and Icee wanted nothing more than to gallop so he felt no need to prevent them from doing such.
They moved quickly from standing into a trot and from their swiftly into canter and finally gallop. The black filly had a nice, smooth action and she moved well. Alexia smiled as they moved down the track at a pace which was not rushed or determined by a set goal. She enjoyed the moment of being free with a horse who was enjoying it just as much as her. The four-beat was a steady, constant sound as was the whistling on the wind within the jockey's ears. Her dark eyes gleamed as they moved onwards, flashing in the light.
They turned a corner, the filly changing legs and pressing herself toward the rail, she lifted her head and her tail rose as she continued to enjoy herself. Alexia pressed her forwards a little and the filly responded by increasing her pace. Stride by stride she quickened and then she settled into the faster pace. Alexia grinned, glad to see the filly responding so well to her and again drove her forwards. Now she wanted to taste speed, she wanted the thrill of the ride.
The filly responded eagerly. They moved at a higher and higher pace as the filly fought onwards at the urging of her jockey. As the filly sped up, her force upon the ground also increased the dirt began to kick up behind them. Stride by stride, they were fighting and Alexia stopped driving, allowing the filly to gallop for only a few seconds longer before starting to pull the grudging equine down through the paces one more. She did not wish to work Icee too hard, and enough had certainly been done now.
The filly had been out in the pasture for the majority of the day, which was nothing strange really. What was strange was to see the filly inside for long periods of time, for she hated to be confined for too long within her stable. Of course, she was brought in each and every night but most days she could be found strutting her stuff in the pasture. Or perhaps, more accurately, flaunting it. She was a show off, well and truly, and she loved to gallop. It was one of the many reasons that they were so sure that Icee would be a great racer. Horses that loved to run, and loved the track, usually did rise to greatness.
About an hour previously, the filly had been fetched in from the field by Matthias, who had then instructed the grooms to ready her. She had been brushed, her hooves cleaned, and generally tidied up. The grooming had served to increase her already great beauty, and the filly had been quite happy to pose and generally show off when she had been left tied to the post in the yard. Soon after, another groom had come to put on her tack and then she had waited, although not for long.
Alexia was longing to yet again ride the filly, and she had been nagging at Matthias until he had in fact consented to another workout. As she walked across the yard, Alexia was confident and more than prepared. Despite the fine rain which had started to fall she was in good spirits and the filly seemed glad to see her. Alexia ran her hand down the filly's muscular neck, and then checked each of her legs for heat. Finding none, she untied the filly and led her toward the track. Lucas soon caught up with them, and took the reins of the filly from her.
With the amount of time they had worked together, and from the time that Alexia had watched the filly in the pasture, they had started to build a bond. At the moment, it was fragile, but it showed great potential and it was hoped that in time the bond would help them to become an incredible force on the track. Where Icee had behaved quite well for Alexia, she now pulled against the handler, impatient for the chance to run which she knew was coming. Alexia laughed slightly at the change in behaviour and signalled to Lucas, jogging toward the track.
Icee moved into a bumpy trot beside the handler, her head held high and ears pressed forwards. She tossed her head and seemed to enjoy the faster movement and they soon reached the track. Lucas pulled the filly back down to a walk and finally a halt, something which she did not seem to happy about, in order to allow Alexia to mount and then he released his grip on the rein. Other than the surface, Matthias had not dictated a distance or whether or not to use the gates and he could tell that both Alexia and Icee wanted nothing more than to gallop so he felt no need to prevent them from doing such.
They moved quickly from standing into a trot and from their swiftly into canter and finally gallop. The black filly had a nice, smooth action and she moved well. Alexia smiled as they moved down the track at a pace which was not rushed or determined by a set goal. She enjoyed the moment of being free with a horse who was enjoying it just as much as her. The four-beat was a steady, constant sound as was the whistling on the wind within the jockey's ears. Her dark eyes gleamed as they moved onwards, flashing in the light.
They turned a corner, the filly changing legs and pressing herself toward the rail, she lifted her head and her tail rose as she continued to enjoy herself. Alexia pressed her forwards a little and the filly responded by increasing her pace. Stride by stride she quickened and then she settled into the faster pace. Alexia grinned, glad to see the filly responding so well to her and again drove her forwards. Now she wanted to taste speed, she wanted the thrill of the ride.
The filly responded eagerly. They moved at a higher and higher pace as the filly fought onwards at the urging of her jockey. As the filly sped up, her force upon the ground also increased the dirt began to kick up behind them. Stride by stride, they were fighting and Alexia stopped driving, allowing the filly to gallop for only a few seconds longer before starting to pull the grudging equine down through the paces one more. She did not wish to work Icee too hard, and enough had certainly been done now.