Fleeting Choices

[Kim]

Kim had no sooner steped into the barn, when her stomach began to flip flop. This choice was one that she had made suddently, and she was hoping it didn't come back to bite her on the butt. She had seen the announcement to the Agression Cup on MHS and had decided to enter the lovely bay mare Dreaming Of War in it.
At the moment, the mare in question stood in her stall, ears perked and looking out eagerly. Step by step Kim walked to her stall, once she reached it, all doubts of loosing and humilation were lost. Dream was as fit as could be, after her long break, she had been put back into training, and had entered a few smaller races, racing at the G1 level and winning. Almost five, she was at the top of her game, and alert, as if she knew that what awaited her, would be a large part of her future. The well oiled Lether halter that hung beside her stall was chewed, a sure sign that boardum had struck. They had worked her everyday, but had only worked her lightly yesterday, in preperation for today, this was the consequence for their actions. Shaking her head Kim quickly walked to the tack room and grabbed a spare halter and lead. Looking around she spotted some of the acomplishments of Dream as well as Dreams mother, this settled her a little, but until the day the race was over, nothing would completly calm her. Walking back out she shook away the thought of just skipping over this race. After all, she wasn't ready to reitre her, and it wasn't fair for Dream to only be put into small races just because her owner was a chicken, after all, their was the breeders cup comming up as well. Dreamdeserved to prove herself, and Kim wouldn't let herself stand in the way, she would help the little mare to make the best of herself.
Putting the halter on Dream, she lead the mare out to a pair of cross ties, sighing at the task ahead. Yeaterday in the paddoc, it seemed the mare had rolled, and the grooms had put her away dirty. On top of the dried mudd, the mare had shavings from her stall in coat as well as the long flowing tail, and silky mane. Kim walked to the tackroom once more, grabbing the box of grooming supplies, she had just planned to groom the mare out with a soft body brush, but that wasn't fezable now, now it was going to be a long grooming session before the workout. She started with a curry, rubbing it firmly on the mud, getting it loose. Next she used the soft body brush and cleaned all of it off, before moving on to the gruling task of the mane and tail. LSS had recently swiched to shavings, and they were nice in many ways, but when they got in the mane and tail, they had to be taken out by hands mostly, as they were small enought to just go through the teeth of the combs. Kim started picking, counting to ten to keep her temper with the grooms for not doing their jobs. She loved to spend time with her horses, but the mudd in the mares tail was just rediculas. Dreams patients was wearing thin as well, she arched her neck in a streching motion, then began to paw the rubber mat under her. Kim pushed her over, making her put weight on her front feet, then gave up on the tail. She ran a brush through it getting the tangles out, then moved to the mane. She ran a brush through it as well, then grabed the hoof pick. Dream snorted and tryed to pull her feet away, she was done standing, and apparently didn't feel as though this was nessecry. Kim stood and looked point blank at the mare.
This sucks for me to chick, but we do have to do it, sorry, but you arn't goin anywere until your feet are clean.
Bending down again she picked up the mares foot once more, this time, getting it clean. Dream was no dumb animal that was for sure.
Once her feet were done, Kim moved on to taking her up. This was done with ease. The saddle was a small saddle, great for workouts. Dream gobbled the bit into her mouth, prancing in place as Kim tightned the saddle. After a quick once over of the tack she unclips deam and leads her outside. She stoped just before the entrence of the track and checked her cinch. Tightning it just a notch she mounts the mare via mounting block and gets her feet in the stripps. After being fully situated she lets the eager mare out into a swift walk, making sure she stayed on the outside rail on the track. Dream kept her neck arched, alert to every sound, especially those of the other horses breezing on the track that morning.
Even though it was spring, small puffs of air could be seen from Dreams nostrals, which were flared with anticipation of the run ahead. At the half mile marker, Kim let the mare out into a trot, poasting the best she could in the small racing saddle, trying to give the mare as much room to move as she could. As another youngster flew past them Dream put her ears back arching her neck further, a small sweat already breaking on her neck and chest. It had been a long time since she had been on this mare, and she had apparently forgot that the mare got herself worked up. As the next horse came around, only at a canter this time, Dream threw her head against the bit, trying to pull the reins out of Kims hands. Kim felt something pop, not good. She pulled back, counteracting the mares force, keeping the mares head were she wanted it, so she couldn't run away. This granted her a reward of a small rear, but then the mare decided it best to continue her brisk trot. After the lap was up, Kim let the reins slio through her fingers a little, rewarding the mare with a lope, and rewarding herself with a little less tension on her arms.
While at the lope she moved the mare to the inside rail, taking her time and moving over little by little. The top of the dirt on the track was a bit wet from the morning due, but under the small bit of wet it was dry and soft. It took almost a quater mile for them to get to the inside rail, there she let the mare into a small gallop. Even though it was a restrained gallop, Dreams legs ate up ground swiftly. They came to the starting point of the breeze in what seemed like a blink of an eye to Kim. Standing up in the saddle she readyed herself for the thrust of power that would come.
As soon as the marker hit she leaned foward and loosened the reins, pushing her hands on either side of Dreams neck. Dream surged foward, ears going immedatly back, legs moving in the way they were ment to. The mare picked up sped with every stride, body riding itself of the tension of being held back, and just running, the way she was ment to, the way her whole family had. The ground eating gallop at racing speed soon took them a quarter of a mile, now for the real test.
Kim leaned in on the mare more, grabing a handful of hair, just to make sure, then showed the whip to Dream. Dream saw the flash in her eye and reacted as if she were being passed by another horse, and that was NOT going to happen. With another gear found the mare flew foward with grace, the change of speed only noticable with the speed, she never missed a beat, perfection. Kim felt her heart race as she watched the next quarter mile pole come into view, did the mare have any left? Only one way to find out...Kim showed her the whip again, but this time reached back and gave her a little tap with it, not a hit, just a tap, and Dream responded. To Kims suprize, she responded a little more than Kim had thought, surely she hadn't had that much more in her? Well did, she few past the half mile still gaining speed, head down and ears pinned Kim let herself go into one of those slow motion moments. The mares strides taking them ever faster and further away from everyone else, the thrill of running to the moon, moving faster than the speed of light. Sun shimmering on the buckles of the bridle and Dreams smooth muscles, coated with white foam and swat, the foam falling with ever stride, Dream not noticing that she was sweating, the love for running taking over in her body and mind...her soul was soaring, taking Kim with it.
All too soon Kim came back to reality, they had run almost a quarter mile more than they had planned on going today. She stood a little higher and began to pull back on Dream softly. Although the speed reduced, Kim could feel the mares hesatation, appearently she hadn't been the only one to get the feeling of freedom, and love of running. Finally she felt Dream slow down, as smooth as she had sped up, she slowed down. By the time they were at a just a fast gallop they were back to were they had started. Kim pulled a little harder, siting back down, she didnt want the mare to wear herself out, tomarrow would be another light workout, especially because they had gone another extra half mile or so at a neck breaking speed.
As soon as the mare was down to a trot Kim peeled off her glove with her mouth and pated the mares neck, checking to see just how sweaty she was, the answer, exteamly, it would be a good houre to cool her out, then bath her, but it had been worth it. As they stoped at the gate she smiled at the spectators, the looks on their faces told her all she needed to know, and also gave her a great feeling about the upcomming race. It wasn't that she now felt positive that Dream would win, it was the simple fact that she was positive that the mare would run her heart out trying. Dismounting she wraped her arms around the huffing mare, she could tell it had taken alot out of Dream, because she just stood and let herself be hugged. Kim also knew though, that Dream would have done it twice over just to please her. The heart of gold for sure. She kissed the wet muzzle and felt the sweat soak through her shirt. She pulls the rins over Dreams head and shakes her head at a groom who offers to take the mare and cool her out. It had been her who the mare had worked so hard for, it would be her who cooled her out, bathed her, and gave her a nice long grooming, then perhaps a bath for herself..but first...she looked at the stobern shavings still in the mane and tail of Dream, she would take care of THOSE in Dreams bath..