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Post by .*.Brandy.*. on Sept 30, 2008 18:22:07 GMT -5
That's a boy.
I murmured as we rounded the first turn. Cadet around the barn was like a lesson horse and quite honestly, he was a cinch on the track. His nav skills were excellent anyway and he always contributed his intelligence to where he thought he should go. With a rider on his back, he listens every single nano-second. I couldn't imagine why Cadet hadn't raced more before we got him. He was currently having great success as a two year old and was well on his way to being crowned a champion. I focused back onto the task at hand as we breezed down the backstretch. The colt took leaps and bounds with his strides, covering a large amount out ground without even exerting himself. He leaned slightly on the bit to get more contact with my hands and I gently half halted with my ring fingers. The dappled grey settled into the pace I had set, bearing down. We finished the back stretch in a matter of moments and flew around the turn up ahead. Cadet's traction was excellent as well. Only problem was he didn't have the burning desire to overtake horses like some did. He would go where he was directed but only understood the technical aspect of racing. I pushed him forward and I leaned further onto his neck. The muscled coltine shot forward, his hooves colliding with the ground with the sheer force that could only be a thoroughbred racing. Auds pricked forward, he noticed the finish line approaching after we finished the turn. I encouraged and egged him on and he slowly increased his speed so he wouldn't go to full blast. I sighed inwardly. I needed Cadet to put everything forward in races but I wasn't sure yet how to do it. I guessed that Cadet was a one person horse and once he found the rider, he would give everything for him... or her. I slowed the coltine and sat back in the saddle, gently gliding to a stop. The colt snorted lightly and I patted his sweaty neck. He was only two, he still had time.
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Post by .*.Brandy.*. on Oct 11, 2008 19:18:40 GMT -5
 [ x ]monica stevenson. ~*~
Atta boy.
I cooed to the gray two-year old thoroughbred as we breezed around the first turn of the practice track. I smiled in spite of myself as I massaged his neck lightly, leaning a little farther forward into my jockey crouch. Cadet's auds flickered back to me briefly as he continued to focus on his running style and energy conservation. This horse was so ridiculously logistical, it made me giggle. He was very mathmatical with his running style... If he knew that he could get the win or one of the top placings, he would calculate how to get himself there in the home stretch. But also if he knew that he wouldn't be able to reach the front in time, he'd measure it out first but then drop back to last or close to it. He galloped along easily and calmly now, nostrils flared ever so slightly. I couldn't help but smile as I thought of what Roger had said to me this morning when he saw me grooming Cadet for an hour and a half before bringing him here. "You baby that horse way too much, Monica!" I gave him an eye roll and a little shove but it was true. I loved this guy with all my heart. He had so much potential and drive but wasn't obnoctious about it. I, of course, am the only CCI-er that was terrified of horses and Cadet was the only horse (well, there are a few others too, I guess) that makes me feel safe around him. Pretty amazing considering he's only two. We breezed down the back end and turned my eyes to look around the final turn. Cadet pressed his ankles further into the dirt for better traction as we went along. See what I meant about really being logical? I leaned further down onto his neck, turning my head so slightly to make us more aerodynamic. Cadet took his clue, using his momentum and extra traction to propel himself forward faster than I thought would ever have been possible. I grinned lightly into his mane as he charged towards the back stretch, seeming to battle with the invisible contenders beside him. That was a part of him that only I knew. Every time we practiced, he battled with his contenders. A little immature maybe but hey, he's only two! I smiled lightly as we powered past the finish line and I sat up nice and tall, allowing Cadet to slow slightly. I eyed the entrance of the track. I think we needed a little competition.
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Post by .*.Brandy.*. on Dec 7, 2008 17:37:13 GMT -5
 [ x ]monica stevenson. ~*~
Auds pinned, I could tell that Cadet knew what was ahead of us. It was the biggest race we have done before and the definite biggest for me. I was nervous to say the least but I was lucky that Cadet didn't mind my anxiety. Some thoroughbreds (like Preston for example) would pick up on that fear and run with it, not in a good way but Cadet was such a gentle soul, he understood why I was nervous. Cadet loaded easily into the gate, throwing an excited kick at the back of the starting gate, the metal clanging sound unsettling me a bit more. I glanced over my shoulder at Roger, ready to clock us. If I was nervous now, how nervous would I be at the BC?
The gates opened with a buzzer and Cadet shot ahead before I had even had a chance to recognize the change. He always broke well. The gray leaned slightly on my hands as we settled into an easy but quickened speed as if to settle with the competitors on the track. I bit the inside of my cheek, eyes glancing around the first turn. Cadet was easy to navigate but I was sure that he would win the race, not me. I didn't have the skills yet. We were considered the underdogs but I knew that we had it us to pull a win in the difficult field ahead of us. Cadet pulled more speed with each stride, slowly catching up with the clock.
Cadet steadied himself around the turn, his auds pinned against his skull. His eyes focused on the path ahead of him, my eyes focusing on the turn ahead. I was so glad that Cadet at least helped me navigate the races. I lacked experience and Cadet had great common sense so it balanced out perfectly. I bit the inside of my cheek as Cadet's breath became shorter. We rounded the second turn, his exertion really impressive as the finish line came into sight.
I leaned further into his mane as we straightened out onto the home stretch and Cadet took the cue without a hitch. The gray two-year old stretched his sleek body to a far extent and galloped with his might. His auds pinned and muscles all working hard, he slowly increased his speed, beating whatever and whoever might come in his way. I grinned from ear to ear as we crossed the finish line, the wind rushing past my face. I loved riding Cadet and I knew he'd help me do well in the BC. We were a great team.
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Post by .*.Brandy.*. on Mar 12, 2009 14:21:09 GMT -5
 [ x ]monica stevenson. ~*~
Atta boy, keep it up!
I mumured under my breath as I dug my face further into Cadet's working and warm neck. It was the only thing that was even remotely comfortable in temperature on such a cool morning. Cadet was feeling the coldness in his joints and I took more precautions to warm him up longer. Now we breezed around the track, his second and final lap for today and I was just enjoying his heat and his perserverance. He snorted lightly now, hopping slightly onto his back haunches as he did so. He shook his head thoughtfully as I watched his auds flicker back and forth. He was extremely intelligent and acted more like a seasoned hunter than a racehorse. He had shown some jumping capabilities actually but was now a GI racer and had a year or two more of racing ahead of him. Cadet focused now as we rounded the back stretch, his hooves digging fiercely into the ground. He nickered lightly to himself as I felt his muscles bunch and loosen with each stride. My eyes up, I allowed him to do the work. In a real race, he would calculate where was the clearest place to gain speed for his closing finish style. On the track alone, Cadet was settled into an easy pace, not riled up by the lack of competitiors. I smiled slightly as we finished the final stretch and I pulled him up, raising my thin body back to slow him down. He slowed quickly and evenly. He came to a walk and sighed deeply, causing me to chuckle slightly. Cadet didn't need the work, I realized. He was in a great place before the big race.
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Post by .*.Brandy.*. on Jul 7, 2009 15:47:38 GMT -5
 [ x ]lily anderson-darton. ~*~
Poised and ready to strike, I felt very little movement beneath me from my gray coltine. Auds pricked forward, he was ready to go, allowing me to glance down the line. Patrick trembled as Dylan cooed to him quietly, rolling his eyes at his wimpy colt the whole time and next to him, the opposite, Nista, who was trying to misbehave in the small space and Josh sitting, merely ignoring her. Kayla and Callie were poised as Cadet and I were and I glanced over at my brother and his palomino. Preston had matured in his mentality and now looked like the seasoned competitor that he was, ready to pounce on us, even though it was an uneven match against everyone. Why won't Monica push the...? As I thought that, I felt the gates open and just as they did, Cadet shot forward without any help from me. I leaned forward onto his neck, carefully balancing myself so that he could be as aerodynamic as possible. He settled into the middle of the 'pack', Kayla and Callie at our shoulder, just behind us. Preston and Roger had broke cleanly and were leading the pack, as he usually did. Preston looked elated that he was in front, his ears pricked in a joyful face. He really did love to run. He even threw a little happy buck, almost in our face. I saw Roger crack a little grin at that, his dimples popping in his cheeks. I noticed a bay coming up on our left and watched as Nista and Josh took the second place spot from us. She tossed her head wildly, snorting fiercely. I doubted she could keep the spot but she may come in third. My eyes shifted now to Patrick, about a length behind Kayla and I. I had seen him trip at the beginning of the race and spook but Dylan now helped him get close behind us. He was not breathing hard so that suggested that he would be able to get farther ahead of us soon.
As we rounded the first turn, I felt Cadet lean into the astro-turf (a fair combination for those who liked turf and those who liked dirt), digging his hooves in to get better traction. Callie beside us stumbled slightly, allowing Patrick to get just next to her. She pranced lightly under Kayla's direction and the girl quickly jabbed her in the neck with her pointer finger. The buckskin focused back on the race again and I watched carefully as Cadet came up beside Nista. The bay filly tried to throw her head towards us but Cadet was unphased. Nista finally stopped trying to intimidate Cadet, aware that he was unaffected by any scary faces. As she settled, I watched Josh's face relax. I realized that Cadet should probably go to races with Nista once he retired to be a pony-horse. The two galloped together, coming up on Preston, who hadn't done so well on the turn. He also didn't love the astro-turf as much as he loved regular turf. Roger urged him on to try and get him excited but he was unaffected. Auds flickered backwards, Preston seemed to notice us passing him but could care less. He fell back into third, Cadet and I just ahead of Nista in first. Patrick had overtaken Callie and the buckskin was fighting Kayla to try and get near her boyfriend. We rounded the second turn, Cadet, Preston and Callie all taking the turn with better experience and strength. Cadet and I started to pull away from Nista as we straightened out to the home stretch. The filly behind us was pounding on the track, ready to stretch out. Josh held her for a few moments and then allowed her loose. The bay filly snorted as if to say "about time!" and thundered forward, coming up on us quickly. I leaned further into Cadet's mane and the gray coltine took us forward, overtaking Nista's attempt for first. We thundered down the homestretch, long strides eating the turf. We crossed the finish line first, with a few lengths inbetween us and Nista, who finished second. Patrick took third and Callie fourth while Preston was just behind her. He had burned himself out fighting Roger once he realized it wasn't his favorite, turf. I grinned lightly and turned in my saddle as I slowed Cadet to a canter and then a jog and then a walk. I stuck out my tongue at everyone and made the rocker hand thing, you know, with the three fingers. I grinned widely and yelled.
TAKE THAT!
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Post by .*.Brandy.*. on Jul 7, 2009 15:51:26 GMT -5
 [ x ]monica stevenson. ~*~
Come on, buddy! You got this...
I mumured into the gray coltine's ear. Cadet unconcernedly flicked an ear back towards me and a light smile graced my features. I had been injured from training a younger horse and I was happy to be back in Cadet's saddle. Although Lily had enjoyed riding him, it was my turn to help him get back on track. Her light and tiny frame had been a different thing for him and I needed to remind him what it was like to have a normal size human being on his back (no offense, Lily!). As I breezed Cadet down the backstretch, I felt him adjust to my tall, lanky frame and he leaned slightly onto the bit to get a feel for my hands. He had recently not been too mathmatical in his racing style. He had mostly just ran... Not really caring much for anything but as I rounded the track's edge, I could feel him ask for more. I grinned lightly. To know that he truly responded better to me than the owner of the barn was really a compliment, considering I had just started riding about half a year ago. As we rounded the far turn, a unsmearable smile appeared on my face and the gray coltine ploughed forward. The colt's auds flickered back and forth, his eyes targeting the invisible competitors ahead of him. He snorted now and we thundered past the finish line. I smiled lightly and patted his slightly sweaty neck with my manicured fingertips. We would train harder and be ready for the big races ahead. I knew that he could overcome the odds despite his being the underdog... I just knew it.
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Post by .*.Brandy.*. on Jul 9, 2009 15:29:52 GMT -5
 [ x ]monica stevenson. ~*~
I bit my lower lip thoughtfully as I waited for Lily to open the gates. Cadet had loaded without a problem, not surprising at all. He never caused waves because of his behavior. I patted his steel gray shoulder, my eyes focused ahead of me, my mind beginning to whirl. I was ready for this workout. I knew Cadet was raring to run today after a couple days off. He was back to his usual self after the jockey change halfway through the season and Lily agreed that I was a better fit for him in these tough races because she admitted to stressing herself and her mount out. I had never jockeyed in huge races like this so my nervousness was something that Cadet could overcome and balance out with his calm nature.
The gates flew open and before I had time to react, Cadet had taken the reins and exploded from the enclosed space. He easily gained footing, his gray auds pinned lightly against his head. He usually looked quite pleasant when he raced, not like my brother's crazy GIII filly, Fashionista. She always looked like she was going to kill somebody. Cadet focused in on the turn, using his conformationally correct hocks and ankles to spring off from the dirt that was leaving a trail of dust behind us. Some horses really didn't like the feeling of the easily moved dirt underneath their hooves but Cadet just bared down and dug into it with his shod feet.
We cleared the turn without a hitch and began our gallop down the backstretch. This is usually where horses settled into the race but Cadet always tries to remain in towards the front of the pack, not near the dueling leaders but maybe at the front of the big group that raced together. Even though we were alone on the track, I could tell he was thinking out what he might do if there were horses ahead. Of course there were the horses that could run at quick speeds for long periods of time but Cadet was one that liked to reserve his energy so that he could use his power and long stride for a come-from-behind victory. My eyes focused ahead, I carefully balanced myself for the final turn.
His chest flecked with a light sweat, I glanced across the way at my blonde trainer resting her head on the rail, just watching. She knew Cadet's potential and undoubtedly believed that I could rise up for the colt's big races. He would be retiring after this season and Lily would start looking for another horse for me, plus one for herself. Honestly, I enjoyed riding Cadet and the thought of racing another horse just really made me sad. We had bonded through my absolute fear of horses and his mathmatical, gentle personality. The logical mind of this colt was unrivaled by any of the competitors he's ever gone against. The reason that he might lose these last few races are two-fold; his smaller size and my jockeying skill. Well, I wouldn't let myself stand in Cadet's way.
As we headed for the final stretch, I leaned forward further into his whipping mane, my eyes low as I urged him on. He felt my confidence and shot ahead in blistering speed, his eyes focused ahead at the finish line. The strides of the shorter gray coltine got longer and longer until he was reaching forward with every step, his pillars moving at a rapid pace. He gently rested his mouth on the bit as we moved quicker and quicker, never pressuring me for more rein. I grinned lightly as we crossed the finish line. I allowed him to gallop down the long stretch and the next turn for a little more stamina work for his next couple of longer races and then I raised my seat, slowing him down. I was ready for these races, I assured myself and I knew that for Cadet's sake, I had to at least try my hardest. I knew that he would and I could at least do the same.
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