I was brushing down Dutchess after the practie I just finnished. Her liquid brown eyes widened as I slipped her a carrot.
"Shhh we must not speak of this." I said the black mare and she bobbed her head. I dropped the brushes back into the bucket and then carried the bucket to the supply room. As I returned Ralph was standing next to Dutchess stroking her ebony muzzle. He glanced up and smiled.
"Hello Avery." he greeted as I sat on a stray feed bucket.
"Hey Ralph." I said and picked up a stray piece of hay off thr floor. I began to fiddle with it.
"I need somebody to put on some mock races with the younger starting horses and I figure you would want the practice?" Ralph said. "Another one of the older Jockeys said he'd do a couple and I was wondering if you wanted to race some of them?"
"Sure, I'll go grab a helmet." With that I hopped off the buckets and grabbed my racing helmet out of the loft. I trotted down the aisle to the track and four horses stood tied to the rail. A coal black filly caught my eye. Along with her was a bay colt, a chestnut filly and a smoky grey filly.
"Avery, this is Bernard he's one of our senior jockeys he will be retiring soon." Ralph gestured to a short man black hair, a few greys shining though. I shook his hand and he smiled warmly. "So, let's get started. Avery you can take your pick of the four and then Bernard will choose one and then you'll race. Gavin is in the stands and he will be clocking the horses." I nodded and Ralph motioned for me to take my pick.
I walked over to the horses and looked them over carefully. My top two picks were the coal black filly and the chestnut filly. I grabbed the black fillies reigns and looped them over my arm I slid my foot into the stirrup and vaulted onto the fillies saddle.
Ralph nodded his approval. "This here," he said patting the fillies shoulder. " Is Presious Moment. She's two and will begin racing soon. Does she look familiar." I shook my head no. "She's Dutchess' baby." he said and I smiled glad I had chosen her.
I looked over at Bernard and saw he had chosen the bay colt. I squeezed the fillies sides and she walked forward towards the starting gate. I had never done this before. I looked to the stands and seen Gavin there watching me a stopwatch in hand. He gave me a thumbs up and I smiled in return. I eased her into the gate and got into position readying myself. Ralph hit the button and the gate flew open. I let her go and she took off flying across the turf kicking clods behind me. I totally lost track of Bernard and looked under my arm to see where he was. He was a length behind me and gaining. I kept her steady knowing that Bernards horse would tire after running after me. I listened to the steady pounding of Presious's hooves. Bernard's horse pulled ahead by a nose and I let her out a notch so she sped away. We were coming around the last bend of the track it was about a 100 metre dash. I let her out all the way and she barreled down the track leaving Bernard in the dust. I pulled past the finnish and eased Presious into a walk her sides were shaking but a bounce remained in her step. She pranced back to Ralph who had a proud smile on his face.
"That was great Avery!" he exclaimed and Gavin jogged down from the bleachers. I hopped off of Presious's back and he enveloped me in a hug. I smiled he ruffled my hair. "Your are natural!" he carried on.
"Gavin we need to get back to work." Ralph said. " Avery take your choice again."
"I'll take the chestnut filly and Bernard can take the grey if thats okay." I said and they both nodded.
"This," Ralph said patting the sturdy fillie's side. "Is Carry Me Home. I think I'd like to race her dam next week in a small race since she's a pretty good horse." Ralph finnished and I smiled happily.
I pushed up into the saddle and trotted the lithe filly to the starting gate's and readied my-self. Bernard grinned at me and expertly guided the grey filly, named Guns R Loaded, into the gate. Within moments the button was pressed and we pushed the horses into a gallop. I guided her along the rail hugging it tight. Bernard pulled ahead of me on the rail hugging tightly, his leg almost brushing against the metal railing. We came around the last stretch just the two of us and the horses hooves pounding. I leaned towards the fillies' flickering ears and whisperd. "Carry Me Home." corny I know but it did the trick. She stretched out her neck and bounded past Guns and Bernard he stared at me in shock and I smiled back. Carry Me pounded past the finnish line and I threw my hand up in triumph I had won the two races and it was looking good.
"Ralph, I think she's a suitable enough replacement." Bernard said with a grin. He took off his helmet ran his fingers through his greying hair.
"That's great Bernard." Ralph said with a grin. "Avery, can you take Presious and give Gavin Carry Me's reigns. I'll take Guns and Bernard will take the other horse." I nodded and strode towards the sleek mare. She looked at me with big soulfull eyes and I stroked her black face. I began to lead her back to the barn as I neared a familiar face greeted me, or rather not. Raein Marshalls glowered at me from the barn entrance her boots were designer and she had a black coat on.
"What brings you hear Ava?" Raein said purposefully forgetting my name.
"I'm a jockey here, I live here.What are you doing here?" I said exaggerating the last part of it.
Her scowl remained permanent and as Gavin came up behind me. Presious strained on the reigns wanting ot get back to the barn.
" I'm trying out ot be a jockey." she said with a fake smile.
"What!?" Gavin and I both said at the same time.
"It's true." Ralph said coming up behind Gavin and I. "She called me and wants to get a job here as a jockey, she is the right size and weight. That dosen't mean that Avery dosen't get the job there are a couple jockeys retiring so your postion is safe." Ralph said and Gavin and I sighed in relief.
"Yeah," Raein said. "Are you going to test me today?" she asked with a pouty face.
"Yep, you'll be racing Avery, as she will most likely become one of our strongest jockeys. You can go pick your horses and get them tacked I'll help you Raein and Gavin will help you Avery." I nodded and two stable hands walked out and took the horses we raced earlier.
"Let's go choose a horse for you and then kick some Raein ass." Gavin said with a grin.
I nodded and we plunged into the barn towards the stalls.
A/N:
Hey guys, I may update some of my stories soon but my soccer team is going to nationals so I'm going to be super busy. When nationals are over things should die down so hope for more updates.
Contest!!!!!!!!!!!!: You can name two horses!
You can name the horses Raein and Avery will be racing against each other with!!
Rules:
Must be a thoroughbred
You must enter the name, colour, gender, racing name and barn name for the horse.
That is all questions and entries below!
M
YOU ARE READING
FLY
Teen FictionI had a dream but I was being held back. I had A life I wanted to live. I ran and I never looked back. I don't regret it, not one second of it. It was hard but I kept going. I failed over and over, but never gave up.
