by Windcall
(Missouri)
Hi! Windcall here. A few months ago, I submitted a description of a book I started, RACE HORSE. Well, I finally decided to post the first chapter of that book! Hope you like it!!!!!! *:-)
Believer arched her neck grandly as a crowd began to gather around the door of her stall. Nuzzling the newborn foal at her side, she pondered the name her owners had given him: Reckless Eagle, in honor of the colt's grandsire, Eagle Flight.
“My very first foal to Sprint! Such a stunning little thing he is,” she thought complacently as she nosed her alfalfa with an disinterested air. "No, you don't have to eat this stuff yet!" she reassured her hesitant, curious colt.
Sprint nickered gently from the neighboring stall. “Oh, Believer, I'm so proud of him!" he exclaimed, tossing his head in ecstacy.
“So am I," she murmured sleepily, yawning as she reminisced to the grey colt at her side. “I remember like it was just yesterday that I met Sprint in the parade to the post. I’d do anything to relive those wonderful moments. Well, everything except give up you,” she assured a dozing Eagle.
(Believer goes back in time here.) *:-)
“How long to wait?” Believer inquired impatiently as she stomped towards the starting gates. It seemed to her as though the two-minute parade to post had lasted an hour. Sprint, another two-year-old in the race, trotted up gaily beside her.
“Me and you, being the fastest two year-olds in this race, will be the ones to beat!” he winked jovially, adding, “And besides, you're already in the gate--it won’t be long, darling!”
Believer harrumphed and glowered at the track as the brilliant chestnut colt teased his handlers. It would be an easy run, since the track was nice and smooth and dry…
Every starting gate flew open without warning, and Believer plunged down the track in attempt to outrun the furious starting speed. Her jockey madly seesawed on the reins, slowing the dark bay filly at every stride. As a flash of blinding red thundered past her, Believer broke away from her jockey's choking hold and strove to refute the distance between Sprint and her. Believer gained a length, but lost it when Sprint regained and held his ground at a matching speed. Immensely weary from her unwise early speed, Believer closed her eyes and prayed that her heart would run the remainder of the race.
The crowds grew faint as colt and filly struck track past the finish line, and a camera's gentle "click" broke through the eery silence. Then the crowds were screaming again, and Believer sagged in a sudden halt that nearly sent her rider headfirst out of the saddle. An announcer shrieked over the tumultous crowds that the record-breaking race was a thorough tie. Feeling disappointed at not actually beating Sprint, Believer groaned inwardly and sought the crowds in high hopes for her groom. Sprint began to provoke her happily. “Why did you have your eyes closed?”
“I did not, I was just resting for a moment.”
“You did too have your eyes closed. Why didn’t you slow down and just take second place when I asked you to?”
“When did you ask me that? If you did, I didn’t hear you at all. Now please be quiet, there is enough noise around without you yelling at me over it all!”
(Believer returns to the present here.) *:-)
Sprint snorted softly, an rough chortling sound. “I didn’t say you had to remember it all out loud, my girl. But you always have been funny about things like that.”
Believer shook her mane in embarrassment, catching a glimpse of the endless stars outside the stables' thrown-open doors as she did. For a moment, the mare thought she could see Reckless Eagle, rangy and swift, dashing ahead of all the competing horses in a race. A black stallion stormed in from behind, pursuing her oblivious son with fury. Then Sprint bugled his challenge to any horse foolish enough to think of beating his grey colt, and Believer watched as the black fell into a vortex of swirling stars. Sighing with relief, Believer fell into a profound, dreamless sleep.
Click here to read or post comments
Return to Horse Training Stories.
by Windcall
(Missouri)
Note from Windcall: Here it is! Chapter 2 of my book RACE HORSE! It's a big relief to finally get Chapter 2 on here, but now I need to rewrite Chapter 3 and write Chapter 4. I hope it doesn't take too long! Here's hoping that you enjoy my story, and please comment if you do!!!!!!
?I never would have thought that being in a race with such a fine, strong stallion so close would feel so strange. Why am I afraid? Is my heart speaking the future without allowing me to hear? The Owners often speak in low tones, and they seem to be on the verge of something new and suspenseful for the Red One and I. What could it be? Don?t they know how frightened I am??
Believer shook her mane at the infuriating crowd grouped about the entry of her stall. Intense cameras were flashing relentlessly, people were chatting stridently, the few babies present gave the impression of a hundred babies howling at deafening volume, and the air was so scorching she could scarcely breathe.
Hearing footsteps, Believer shoved her head over the partition to see who was coming. 'No way. Surely, he isn?t stalled next to me, she thought, groaning silently. I?ll just have to act like I?m some sort of an introvert who prefers masticating that? stale grain, putrid hay, and? Oh well, I prefer drinking that?. mosquito-infested water? Okay, I?ll chat to him!'
The deep bay filly snorted eagerly, pretending to be delighted to see the red stallion. Sprint peeked at her diffidently, and then glanced away in the direction of the people. He posed numerous times before the trainer finally contended that Sprint return to his stall.
By the time the horde of people and newspapermen had left, the sky had become incredibly black. The colt and filly were in both their favorite relaxing stances, with muzzle lightly resting on the dividing wall?s window ledge and left hind hoof cocked up lazily. Neither spoke until the racetrack grounds were thoroughly soundless. Believer began the conversation with a livening nicker and a vigorous shake of her black mane.
?That was a pretty good run today. Where are you from??
Sprint yawned and alertly flicked both ears forward, but did not lift his head. ?I live in Lexington, this state. It was an okay run, I guess.?
?Whadda you mean it was ?an okay run, you guess?? What kind of a comment on a good race is that??
?Okay, listen, Believer, here?s the truth. I heard our owners talking while we were in the winner?s circle and it?s bothering me.?
?What horrid things were they conversing that could bother a great colt like you?? Believer turned twenty diverse shades of crimson as the words flew from her mouth before she could stop them. 'Oh great, now what is he gonna think of you? A great colt, huh? And you thought that someday you two could be best racing buddies. Oh sure, sure, maybe now he?ll get your owner to breed you to him!' A little voice inside her head nagged at the filly as she pretended to attack the decaying alfalfa to hide her apparent mortification.
Sprint stared hard at Believer, frowning suspiciously, before pronouncing the compulsory message unhurriedly and unquestionably. ?Your owner and my owner shook hands on the deal that when we were finished with our racing career, when we turned four, that your owner would go into partnership with my owner and they would breed us!?
A rapid blackness closed over Believer as she felt herself hit the floor, hard. A suspended red shape zoomed in and out of her view before she utterly fainted.