Just A Game
Samuel Knight & Roundtable Rival
"Are you sure that's a racehorse?" The question was tongue in cheek, the young jockey perfectly aware of just what Alexia would think. "I mean, really, just look at him."
Across the yard the black juvenile was having far too much fun ragging an empty hay net around while the handlers tried to get it off of him to be bothered about anything else around him. It was typical Rio, all prance and energy. Alexia just grinned at him before shrugging. She'd always felt that the colt had some potential, but she could see why people would think otherwise watching him.
"Once we get him down there and on task it will be fine."
It was true enough. Once they got him focussed he would work just like any other horse, but they needed to get him with it. Sam just nodded, biting back the smart retort. There were times and places and like everyone else he was aware of how important it was to Alexia that they get back on track as quickly as they could. The juveniles were debuting late and it put them at a disadvantage that the trainer refused to discuss.
Eventually, Jason walked over and took the haynet from the colt, leading him away from temptation.
"You want him at the track, right?" He didn't even wait for an answer. He was one of those men that just had a connection with the animals and one of the few people that Rio seemed to listen to no matter what. Really, it was a shame he was too big and heavy to jockey - he might have been just the person for a horse like Rio.
Jason let the colt sniff and lick at the fenceline as they walked down to the track before spending a few minutes working with him to bring his attention onto the track. Note to self, make sure Jason handles him come race day. Sam thought, in awe of the man's skill as he walked over. Rio wasn't still for mounting - he never had been - and it took a few attempts to get into the saddle but soon they were at the starting marker.
Rio looked relatively alert, ears forward as the jockey gathered the reins and a moment later they were moving. Now Sam needed to concentrate - he needed to know exactly what he wanted to happen and how to make it happen. Rio wasn't always the easiest ride as he would get carried away and not always respond quickly to him - something which would hopefully improve with age.
That first furlong certainly was not the quickest, the colt totally relaxed as they moved forwards and seemed to have no care in the world. Sam was not about to sit back and allow a slow work, however. He worked to get the colt moving, which seemed to take a lot of effort initially but soon Rio was building up well and had good momentem by the end of the second furlong.
The third furlong, Sam really pushed. The colt was responding much better now and seemed to fly up the final furlong, each long stride carrying them a good distance as they ate the ground. Sam felt good as they passed the marker for the end of the work - he might not seem like a racehorse when you watched him, but he had some power once you had his attention.
Across the yard the black juvenile was having far too much fun ragging an empty hay net around while the handlers tried to get it off of him to be bothered about anything else around him. It was typical Rio, all prance and energy. Alexia just grinned at him before shrugging. She'd always felt that the colt had some potential, but she could see why people would think otherwise watching him.
"Once we get him down there and on task it will be fine."
It was true enough. Once they got him focussed he would work just like any other horse, but they needed to get him with it. Sam just nodded, biting back the smart retort. There were times and places and like everyone else he was aware of how important it was to Alexia that they get back on track as quickly as they could. The juveniles were debuting late and it put them at a disadvantage that the trainer refused to discuss.
Eventually, Jason walked over and took the haynet from the colt, leading him away from temptation.
"You want him at the track, right?" He didn't even wait for an answer. He was one of those men that just had a connection with the animals and one of the few people that Rio seemed to listen to no matter what. Really, it was a shame he was too big and heavy to jockey - he might have been just the person for a horse like Rio.
Jason let the colt sniff and lick at the fenceline as they walked down to the track before spending a few minutes working with him to bring his attention onto the track. Note to self, make sure Jason handles him come race day. Sam thought, in awe of the man's skill as he walked over. Rio wasn't still for mounting - he never had been - and it took a few attempts to get into the saddle but soon they were at the starting marker.
Rio looked relatively alert, ears forward as the jockey gathered the reins and a moment later they were moving. Now Sam needed to concentrate - he needed to know exactly what he wanted to happen and how to make it happen. Rio wasn't always the easiest ride as he would get carried away and not always respond quickly to him - something which would hopefully improve with age.
That first furlong certainly was not the quickest, the colt totally relaxed as they moved forwards and seemed to have no care in the world. Sam was not about to sit back and allow a slow work, however. He worked to get the colt moving, which seemed to take a lot of effort initially but soon Rio was building up well and had good momentem by the end of the second furlong.
The third furlong, Sam really pushed. The colt was responding much better now and seemed to fly up the final furlong, each long stride carrying them a good distance as they ate the ground. Sam felt good as they passed the marker for the end of the work - he might not seem like a racehorse when you watched him, but he had some power once you had his attention.