the s p e e d of CuRlEr

[x.Ella Volter.x]

The young woman, owner of Sparrow Ridge Farm, led an excited colt and his soon-to-be jockey to the dirt track. She glanced at the jockey, then quickly turned her gaze to the black colt. He was very healthy looking in the face, but needed to lose a few pounds. His coat was sleek and healthy, with no rough spots to be seen. Curler's eyes were bright and alert with no glassy covering or discharge, and his mane was pulled to about four inches, and it was nice and full. His tail was long with a french plait on top and his forelock was braided and looped. This was a very nice looking colt to lay eyes on.

"Here we are. Sparrow Downs, as we call it. Just do what we agreed on in the barn," she said. She released her grip from the black laced reins and patted the colt's muscular shoulder. Ella was about to send them off before she remembered one key thing. "Have you ever ridden acey-deucey? You know, where the left stirrup is longer than the right one?" she asked hopefully. All of her horses preformed best when their jockey's rode like that, so she was hoping Robert could try it at the least.

[24keri]

Robert walked along as he followed the colt and female as the other employies watched him walk behind Ella and Curler. He watched the colt making sure no matter what that they colt wouldn't kick or else Robert would be hit. He moved off to the side and walked up to Ella's side and halted waiting for directions. He had ridden acey-duey before and would NEVER ever ride that way again. He hated it and he did his worst when he rode that way. " Yes, I have and I'm not a big fan of it. Why? " he asked hoping she didn't mke him ride that way. Because if she did he would leave the place and never come back nor would he ride for ehr again. He hated that type of riding, but sense he was a hall of fame rider he did his own way of riding. That was the normal and old fashion way. Both sturipps even. He liked it that way and would always, no matter what ride that way. That was one reason he always, mostly choose Aly's horses to ride in races other then the other trainers he works for because Aly knows what he does and she doesn't need to tell him any thing., he does what he needs to. The only way Aly tells him to do something is if she is changing the workout plans and racing plans and the scheldule for that horse he is riding.

[x.Ella Volter.x]

The smile left her face. Robert didn't like this style... Well, maybe Curler could change a little. He never was ridden a lot acey-deucy, so that could be okay. "Well, most of our horses race best that way, except for Curler. So we're lucky, you'll just ride Curler a lot. Do you mind?" she asked. Bambi and Ben could be ridden normally in a small race. She rubbed the colt's nose for a second, then tightened the fleece girth a little and set the stirrups to a normal length. Curler pricked his ears and looked around. The racetrack was empty except for these three. He flared his nostrils; he was ready to run, and run fast! He had been out in his dirt pasture this morning, but he still had lots of energy to burn.

[24keri]

Robert smiled and listened while watched the colt with ferious eyes. He waited for ehr to help him mount up and give him a leg up. " Well, I can ride acey-duey but I end up not riding well...I loose my sturrip all the time. And no I don't mind. We will hopefully get along and hopefully bring in some money for the farm." Robert walked over to the colt and reached up scratching his black pelted coat. "Right boy, huh?" he asked in a willingly voice. Robert rurned after smiling at the cvolt to glare at Ella waiting for her to tell him what to do.

[x.Ella Volter.x]

The woman nodded. There were few jockeys left who could ride a decent race with uneven stirrups. Well, she would see how good a time Curler would get with his jockey doing the regular way of riding. She bent down and gave the light jockey a leg up. The colt crabstepped a little as Robert was getting settled. "Easy now, Curler," she said and kept hands on both of his reins. She looked into his dark brown eyes, trying to calm him down. "Good..." she whispered. "This track is exactly one mile around, so there are white poles at quarter miles and red poles at furlongs. Do you remember what we planned?" she explained. She looked up at the jockey while petting the horse's long neck.

[24keri]

Robert lifted his leg as she helped him mount up. Robert grabbed ahold of the colts mane and pushed himself up onto the saddle as he took his seat. He placed both feet in each sturrip and gathered the reigns in as he buckled the strap on his helmet around his chin. He looked down from the back of the colt smiling at Ella. "I can't ezactly remember. You will have to remind me. " he said giggling as he smiled down at the beautiful girl. He sat up straight, his feet in sturrips and the reigns pulled in as his hands gripped around each reign. He rubbed the colts next and then took his seat back again before glancing down at Ella ready for her to give him the directions again. " The ebst time to tell me is right before I get on the track, when I'm up on the horse. Then I can rmember them because now sence I'm older..I'm getting hard of memory." he laughed smiling as he always joked around with girls he ahd a crush on. Well, now that his secret was out...he might as well just leaned downa dn kissed her but he didn't. He wanted to wait to see if she wanted the same thing as he wanted. And he also was waiting untill they were both on the same ground. That may be easier.

[x.Ella Volter.x]

She smiled and giggled at his statement. He couldn't be that old, she thought. Her cheeks were pink as she remembered what they had figured out in the barn. "I think we said three and a half furlongs, full out. Give him his head a little after the second furlong, I'm guessing," she said. Ella normally told her jockeys about where to let the horses go, but she didn't mind if they modified her plan a little. Even though she was a trainer, riders could tell the best when a horse was ready. Especially the experienced ones like Robert.

[24keri]

Robert smiled once she did. her smile made his heart beat. "Okay... I'll try and do that.' he said smiling and giving her a significant nod before he gathered the reigns even more and squeezed with his calfs asking for a walk from the balck colt. Robert was going to modify his plan a little. If he and this horse were perfect, then then horse would tell him when he was ready. Not the jockey, but the horse. Robert knew that any horse that was going to be a great runner and champion they always told the jockey when they were ready to run..Not the jockies, because not all jockies got the right time to sent the horse on a fullb last run adn to get the horse to run their best on full blast.

[x.Ella Volter.x]

She smilled and gave the colt one last pat on the rump before she headed off with her stopwatch to the rail. Curler could get a good time. She knew it, and she felt it. Ella jumped up on the spotless white rail and got her stopwatch ready. She watched a little dreamily as Robert readied himself aboard her colt. He was antsy and did a prancing walk as his rider got situated.

[24keri]

Robert finally got soituated to where his seat wa sjust perfect. His hands low, heels down and his mind was totally set to business. The Business he love dand the type of business he was great at. He sat aboard the beautiful prancing colt as he finally rode the colt onto the track. The feeling of the track brought back millions of memories he had. About him winning the Triple Crown, Breeders Cup Classis, Dubai Cub and many other great dirt races. That was why he mostly raced on the dirt. Even though the turf he prefered, he was better on the dirt. Well, he was good at both. He tapped his heels together as he waited for the colt to pick up a trot as Robert started posting little by little, up and down in the saddle.

[x.Ella Volter.x]

She swung her legs absent mindedly on the shiny white rail as she looked to her stopwatch and back to the colt and jockey beginning a trot on the track. Curler tossed his head, eager to get running. He needed to stretch his legs out. His nostrils flared as his head bobbed with his stride. His pulled mane flapped on the right side of his neck. Even without cue, he started a canter while he could. He wanted to get going! Ella looked on from the rail, wondering if Robert had asked for that or not. Curler could be a stinker sometimes.

[24keri]

Robert checked in his reigns as his posting trot became a sitting trot as he kinda was pulled up and outta his seat. He finnaly stood up in his irons a way of showing that the jockey was fighting with the horse on slowing him down. Robert soon took his seat once more as Curler slowed just a tad. Robert checked the right reign as for they were going clokwise on the track at that moment and he checked the inside right reign as to tell the colt to bend his head tpo the inside. Ho[pefully Curler knew how to do that. Robert posted along as for now they ahd gone about 3 furlongs. Robert finally gave justa tad on the reigns, "Canter!" He said to the colt as he stood up in the saddle waiting for the black colt to pick up the canter. Robert looked real good ontop of Curler and Robert was justa hoping that the colt wouldn't burst cause then, if he was standing when the colt did he normally lost his balance and then you know what happens from there....NOT good!

[x.Ella Volter.x]

The colt picked up a more regular canter with his head bent neatly to the right. He was also trained in dressage to keep his balance and focus. It was a normal cross-training of all the horses at Sparrow Ridge. He put his nose out a little more, hoping to be allowed more speed. Ella noticed how Robert raised his position a little as Curler was a little naughty. She wasn't very suprised or disapointed. A little aggression showed good potention for an avid racer. That was sure to be Curler. He stretched his legs out, not with a sudden burst of speed, but gradually rising to a gallop. "Tell me when you're ready!" Ella called as they passed her again.

[24keri]

Robert nodded as he was able to overhear her as they lapped the track for once today. Robert tapped his fingers checking the reigns and pulling and tugging back telling the colt to slow down. They needed to get gonig in the other direction and go to the 3 furlong marker. Robert soon stood up once more in his sturrips even taller as he pulled with a force on the reigns of telling the colt to slow way down. Robert talked telling the colt a few words at a time. "Easy boy, whoa..... Easyyyyy.... now.... Whoaaaaaaaa .........." He drew the words out a tad longer hoping the colt would eventually slow.

[x.Ella Volter.x]

The black colt slowed his pace reluctantly but obediently, wanting to get the pressure off his mouth. He went to a medium canter, quite a comfortable pace. His muscles were warming and it felt good to exercise. "Looking good!" Ella called with a smile. She blushed a little, wondering how Robert took it. There was still that crush sitting in a nook of her mind. Curler tossed his head, wanting the pressure off. It wasn't techically bad, he just was annoyed like most horses would be. The slow lyrics entered his head, but knowing he already had slowed, he didn't pay too much attention to them but went into a slightly slower canter. He flicked his tail as a few bits of dirt flew up to his hocks and into his tail.