Post by LK on Aug 1, 2014 17:40:32 GMT -5
Adelaide – “Mav” Harris
“To know, is to know that you know nothing. That is the meaning of true knowledge” – Socrates
Maverick led the bay mare out to the track for their morning warm up. It was the first time he had ever been on this mare, and he couldn’t say he was not excited to test her out. She was hope of Oceanic View. Perfect with both dirt and turf, Felicity had big plans for this filly. Her first race was in a week and he was going to be her jockey since Bella would be riding Reliance in the same maiden race. Mav and the colt had a history of fights. Felicity thought it would be best that he rode Adelaide from now on.
Maverick mounted the filly on the back stretch, walking her for a while to warm her up. Addie was calm and collected. Mav found it hard to believe she was only a yearling. But her build was all baby still. She walked with dignity and grace, a trait not that many fillies had. Or at least until she tripped on a ‘stick’ and almost went down on her knees. A classic Adelaide moment if any of the grooms had much to say.
Addie only threw her head up once, when a tractor in the next pasture backfired. She snorted and stopped, watching as it made its current round around the field. The “monster” as other horses would see it, didn’t seem to be advancing. So deciding it was not an immediate threat, Addie continued walking. Impressed, Mav coaxed her forward into a trot, eager to get the filly to work. Not a lot of yearlings would be so unbothered by a heavy piece of machinery.
After doing canter and trot transitions both directions around the track, Maverick decided it was time to see what Addie could do. He started her at a slow canter just after the quarter mile mark, gently easing her into a gallop. The filly sped up smoothly, no jerks or bolting in the process, and was soon in a rhythmic stride. Mav breathed a sigh of relief, no tripping so far. This could be one of the easier horses he’s ever ridden.
Adelaide was speeding up, Maverick could feel it building inside of her. Without any encouragement, the filly had hit all of his marks on the nose. Every pole that flashed by, Mav never had to slow her down or click to speed her up. It was like Addie was running the race by herself, with an imaginary field of competitors beside her.
By the time they had reached the three-quarter mile mark, Maverick started to pull her up, sure that she had exhausted herself at the speed she was going. But Addie grabbed the bit and refused to slow up. Getting the hint, Maverick gave her, her head, and let the filly go. Almost immediately Adelaide kicked into her left lead and took off towards the mile marker. Maverick let out a whoop as they gunned the rest of the way down the homestretch. This horse had some go.
Flashing past the pole, it took Maverick sometime to pull up Addie. She just wanted to keep running. He hadn’t ever seen anything like it. Most yearlings would slow down before the wire, knowing that they had grain waiting for them back at the barn as soon as they crossed it. Not this filly though. She seemed satisfied as he walked her back to the barn. Before they left the track, she glanced up at the stands, almost as though she could hear the crowds cheering at her amazing performance.
“To know, is to know that you know nothing. That is the meaning of true knowledge” – Socrates
Maverick led the bay mare out to the track for their morning warm up. It was the first time he had ever been on this mare, and he couldn’t say he was not excited to test her out. She was hope of Oceanic View. Perfect with both dirt and turf, Felicity had big plans for this filly. Her first race was in a week and he was going to be her jockey since Bella would be riding Reliance in the same maiden race. Mav and the colt had a history of fights. Felicity thought it would be best that he rode Adelaide from now on.
Maverick mounted the filly on the back stretch, walking her for a while to warm her up. Addie was calm and collected. Mav found it hard to believe she was only a yearling. But her build was all baby still. She walked with dignity and grace, a trait not that many fillies had. Or at least until she tripped on a ‘stick’ and almost went down on her knees. A classic Adelaide moment if any of the grooms had much to say.
Addie only threw her head up once, when a tractor in the next pasture backfired. She snorted and stopped, watching as it made its current round around the field. The “monster” as other horses would see it, didn’t seem to be advancing. So deciding it was not an immediate threat, Addie continued walking. Impressed, Mav coaxed her forward into a trot, eager to get the filly to work. Not a lot of yearlings would be so unbothered by a heavy piece of machinery.
After doing canter and trot transitions both directions around the track, Maverick decided it was time to see what Addie could do. He started her at a slow canter just after the quarter mile mark, gently easing her into a gallop. The filly sped up smoothly, no jerks or bolting in the process, and was soon in a rhythmic stride. Mav breathed a sigh of relief, no tripping so far. This could be one of the easier horses he’s ever ridden.
Adelaide was speeding up, Maverick could feel it building inside of her. Without any encouragement, the filly had hit all of his marks on the nose. Every pole that flashed by, Mav never had to slow her down or click to speed her up. It was like Addie was running the race by herself, with an imaginary field of competitors beside her.
By the time they had reached the three-quarter mile mark, Maverick started to pull her up, sure that she had exhausted herself at the speed she was going. But Addie grabbed the bit and refused to slow up. Getting the hint, Maverick gave her, her head, and let the filly go. Almost immediately Adelaide kicked into her left lead and took off towards the mile marker. Maverick let out a whoop as they gunned the rest of the way down the homestretch. This horse had some go.
Flashing past the pole, it took Maverick sometime to pull up Addie. She just wanted to keep running. He hadn’t ever seen anything like it. Most yearlings would slow down before the wire, knowing that they had grain waiting for them back at the barn as soon as they crossed it. Not this filly though. She seemed satisfied as he walked her back to the barn. Before they left the track, she glanced up at the stands, almost as though she could hear the crowds cheering at her amazing performance.