Nova

Australian cheecker

" sure this is going to work?" I ask as I watch Willifred attack the dark green Australian cheeker's to Nova's bridle. " your colt he's manged to sideline Anna and has sent every other rider sky high so he needs some equipment changes and your riding him" Willifred tells me. He's already attached a set of white fleece tubes to the sides of the bridle that he told me are winkers and a dark green shadowroll. " how come he's referred to as my horse whenever he's bad?" I ask Willifred as he hands me the bridle. " BD could have been on a rage in New York City and all you cousin had to do was get in his way and not budge and he would settle down instantly. Nova he tolerate ' s us but your the only person he really accepts" the ageing trainer tells me. I can't help but laugh at the idea of a multi million dollar racehorse lose in New York City. " please tell me that never happened." I tell the trainer once I get myself together. " lucky no but he had a habit of getting lose on the tracks" Willifred tells me. I leave to go saddle and bridle Nova. " isn't this your job ?" I grumble at my cousin as I try to bring Nova under control. " that monster broke my arm" Anna tells me. " please tell me you didn't bring a camera ?" I ask her as I finally get Nova to stand still. " take him out for a mile then bring him back " Willifred tells me. " I'll be surprised if I'm still on him after a quarter of a mile" I tell the trainer as I try and adjust the short stirrups of the workout saddle. I'm used to the long stirrups of a western saddle and the short stirrups are uncomfortable already. " glad I have my phone then" Anna comments. " Just do your best " Willifred tells me. I roll my eyes unsure of how to get a young racehorse to respond. " give him a nudge" Anna suggests already having her phone out. I give the massive colt a light nudge knowing how sensitive he can be. As if by magic Nova takes off. I try my best to copy what I've seen Anna, Lilca, Jake and the other exercise riders do but it's goes against everything I've learned especially having to use two hands. Nova doesn't seem to mind my presence on his back but I can tell that he's very aware that I'm on him just I simply don't bother him. And why should I bother a animal nearly as tall as myself at the shoulder and weighs hundreds of more pounds then I do? I feel like a outsider in a world I can't begin to understand. By some stroke of luck I mange to stay on him for the full mile and Nova responses just as well as Salem. I let my feet out of the stirrups and unconsciously swith to having only one hand on the reins and set the other on my knee as I walk Nova back to Willifred and Anna. " are you sure he needs all this tack? He's a dream" I tell the two. " I don't believe it" Anna mumbles as I dismount Nova. I lead Nova off the track and past them. " great job bud" I tell Nova as I put him in the cross ties. Nova snorts as he headbutts me. " let's get you cooled down then treats" I tell him as I undo his bridle. I put it on the post before taking Surrender ' s halter from around his neck and put it on him. It's surprising the only halter he'll wear. We've tried other leather halters and he broke them no problem, cheap nylon halters only last minutes at best and rope halters also stand no chance against him. I saddle him and put both the saddle pad and the saddle on the rail before I start grooming him. Once I put Nova back in his stall and his tack up I walk to the barn that mainly houses broodmare's and not just thoroughbreds since Arabins, American quarter horses, American paint horses, Apploosa's, gyspy vanners and standardbreds also call Piperson farms home. " afternoon Salem " I tell my four year old palomino appaloosa filly that stands at 16 hands.