Yearning to Live

Race Time

I arrived at the new barn a week ago. I was led out and tacked up just outside my stall. Someone named Natasha, who is an exercise rider, came near me and double checks the girth. She then mounted my back. She steered me out past the stands and walked me out to the track. She tapped my sides with her heels and clucked at me once. I still wasn't totally sure what that meant, but I just started a trot. Natasha allowed this and led me around the dirt track once. She kicked with her heels a little harder. I cantered then galloped round the track for about 20 minutes.

I was walked around bit, then led to the barn. I was given a little less food then usual, but I ate it anyway. Later that day, I heard a roar slowly grow. I saw a lot of humans milling around the track and talking loudly.

I was led out of the barn and led out toward the paddock, and tied up in one of the big, open stalls. There Tom groomed me until I was super shiny and soft. All of a sudden I heard one distorted, loud, booming human voice above all others. "Good evening ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to a sunny Saratoga Springs for the Hopeful Stakes for promising two year olds.".

After being tacked up and led down the straightaway, with people cheering, something green loomed ahead. Someone took my rein, circled me twice and led me straight. I was led into a metal thing called a gate with the big number six written above it. I felt really cramped and other horses were pulled in beside me. I saw terror in some eyes, but in others calm. I didn't know what to think, so I stood there. A flashback came to me suddenly of the cage looming ahead of me. Yawning hole that may have been safety. I started to tense a bit at the memory. But I was quickly jolted out of my thoughts. A loud bell rung and Anna kicked me with her heels, hard. I thought, this is why I had a light meal and jog, they want me to run. My back hooves dug into the ground as I took off with the other horses, with a jab into my side from Anna.