Bloodless Day

Definition

"Do you wanna ride a racehorse? Or go biking through the halls?" Singing greeted me as I entered the classroom that day. A few people glared at Lilac, but she was too caught up in her rewrite to care.

"I think that's my song." I scowled playfully at her as I slipped into my seat, glancing at the clock.

"Go away Anna." Lilac whined, and we laughed. Then her question made sense in my mind.

"Wait, really? A racehorse? That's currently racing?"

Lilac nodded. "You're improving a lot, and we need more exercise riders. Of course, we're just trail riding, but every little bit helps."

"Which horse?" I asked. This was a conversation that begged for excitement, and it flickered inside of me, but I'd set my alarm clock three hours earlier than usual- twos look a lot like fives when the clock's face is shattered from an encounter with a spider- and was too tired to think about functioning.

"Take your pick."

That was easy. My favorite horse, the sweetest one in the stable, the one that waited patiently while Bloodless Day threw a tantrum on the track.

"Shamrock."

*****

The mare greeted me with her usual nicker as I entered her stall, cheerfully humming under my breath. "Are you as excited as I am? We're going for a trail ride. Lilac says we're staying at a walk- I'm really not that good of a rider- but it's going to be fun!"

It seemed she was as excited as I was. Shamrock stepped backwards and pranced in place, tossing her mane with a shake of her head as I slipped the halter on. Despite the energy coiled in her muscles, though, she followed me sweetly enough out of her stall and onto the cross ties. Holiday Break nickered anxiously from the stall next to us. Where are you going? Can I come?

Another horse was watching us too. Bloodless Day hung his head over the door, staring at us with his dark eyes. Cheerful at the prospect of a ride, I smooched at him. "Good afternoon, BD."

Insulted, he drew back into his stall, a snake deciding it was far too sunny out to leave its cave.

That morning, I'd spent half an hour in front of his stall, taking advantage of my early wake up. He'd reared and shook his head threateningly for a bit, but after a while seemed to remember our escapade at Aqueduct on Sunday, because he calmed down and sullenly ate a banana out of my hand.

Then he bit me.

All in all not a bad session, but I wasn't sure how much of that was improvement and how much was the Ace still in his system. He'd had to be given a little calming injection for the trailer ride back from Aqueduct two days ago, and though it didn't look like much, I was well aware how little I knew about horses. Maybe the Ace was still affecting his behavior.

I cursed softly as the hoof pick gave suddenly on a stone in Shamrock's hoof, snagging my recently obtained bruise.

"Watch your language, you-"

"What do you have there?" I asked, looking up at Lilac. She shifted herself slightly so I could see the saddle in her hands.

"Do you need help tacking up? Skip is ready to go."

"Oh, sure."

Together, we tacked up Shamrock quickly. Her bridle was slipped on, and Lilac showed me how the simple snaffle in her mouth worked differently than the kimberwicke Granite used. I hadn't even known there was a difference in bits.

"Ready?" Lilac asked.

I certainly was.

We set off. Within a few steps I could tell the difference between the filly and Granite- where Granite was long and low, with a swinging gait, Shamrock moved cheerfully, her stride short and bouncy. I sat lightly, testing her with the reins. She tugged at them when I tightened them and sped up a bit, bobbing her head.