A Trail Ride {Open}

[24keri]

Aly rode Ghost quietly along the start of the Brookside trail. She had finished her jobs for the morning, the colt needed exercise and the weather was perfect for a trail ride. They had reached Brookside from smaller trails leading off from Shadowbrok Racing Farm.

The colt jogged and tossed his head excitedly but Aly kept his reins short. She had to ride him in a dutch gag on the lowest hole because he was very strong, especially on trail rides and it gave her extra leverage on his head. He was also wearing a figure 8 noseband and a standing martingale. When they began to climb the first slope of the mountainous trail, Aly gave Ghost an inward nudge with her heels and they began to trot. She started off posting but when the slope became steeper she took a jockies trotting position.

When they had come off the steep ridge, they rode down beside the brook and Aly let Ghost out into a canter and then a short hand-gallop. After this she brought the colt back to a walk to rest and gave him a slightly longer rein although still had enough of contact on the bit to be in control. She rode him to the edge of the brook and let him take a drink and then let him step down into the water for a paddle and a splash.

[Keelin Lennox]

Keelin decided to take a long ride on Vinny that day, her most valuable stud. So they decided to take a trip down their own longest trail that eventually merged with the brookside trail. She had him in a western saddle that day; all her horses had both styles of tack. Her western straw hat sat atop her head. It had clips of all her horse's tail in a braid along the top part of the hat. It was Keelin's favorite.

When Vinny and Keelin reached the Brookside trail, another horse and rider were up ahead. The horse had strong tack on, so Keelin decided to approach them carefully in case the other horse spooked. Vinny had a simple tom thumb bit on his western bridle. He never really needed anything harsh on the trails when there were only a few people. On group rides though he required a bit with a longer shank and higher port because of his want to be in front.

Carefully, once the trail widened up to the bank of the brook, Keelin and Vinny approached the other girl and her horse. "Hi there, nice looking colt you've got," Keelin said quietly. She wasn't very outgoing, but wasn't afraid to make new friends either. Vinny tossed his head, and his rider let him have loose rein as they stood and watched the pair in the water. The bay Thoroughbred bent his head for a sip of water before resting a back leg to wait on his next command. Keelin smiled softly and patted his shoulder gently before resting her hands on the horn of the saddle.

[24keri]

Aly let Ghost lower his head to get a drink from the brook. Aly reached down as she rubbed the chestnut colts neck and spoke soft words to him. Soon, Aly turned around to the sound of horse hooves behind her. Smiling weakly, Aly turned her attention back to Ghost as he sipped water, little by little. " Why thank you." Aly responded as she gave the other young woman a soft smile. Aly looked back to her colt before pulling his head up with the jockey reigns and made sure he stood where he was. Ghost knew his commands very well hwever, he was a colt so he did have a mind of is own. Ghost took one last sip of water before he brought his head up to normal position on cue. Ghost nickered friendily to the stud beside him and he reached his nse out and snorted a tad unsure. Aly giggled at her colt as she pulled his head back to normal position. Ghost pulled against the bit but soon turned is head back, as the bit began to pull harder and harder on his mouth.

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OOC: No muse. Soz

[Keelin Lennox]

She smiled as the other girl did. Keelin watched the chestnut colt sip the water and test his limits. He would pull on the bit, then get a soft tug. The girl seemed to know exactly what she was doing with her mount. Vinny reached out his nose to sniff the other colt, but drew back suddenly when the younger horse snorted. The Thoroughbred tossed his head, but lowered it again when he received a bump on the side by his rider's heels.

Because the other girl seemed nice enough, Keelin decided to venture out a little more. "I'm Keelin Lennox. I own Blue Grass Stud," she said, trying to spark some sort of a conversation. There wasn't much to talk about between strangers out in the woods. She debated asking the young horseperson about herself, but was still too shy to do such a thing. Vinny sensed this and took a step back. Keelin smiled, but asked him to move up two steps which he did, but was rather confused. The girl patted her horse's neck and then dropped her stirrups, letting her jean-covered legs stretch down and loose.

[24keri]

Aly turned to the girl as she intrduced herself. "Nice to meet you. I'm Alyce Carr. Call me Aly. My sister owns Shadowbrook Farms. I just jockey for her." Aly grinned as she sat upon a still chestnut Thoroughbred colt. Ghost lowered his head and relaxed back into a nice position as he sighed and puffed his stomach out in boredness.

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[Keelin Lennox]

She nodded. The stable's name sounded familiar, but Keelin probably had just driven by it or something. Vinny pawed his hoof, ridding his leg of flies. "I know, sweetie," the Irish girl said and reached down to pet his neck. "That sounds nice. Do you race that colt?" she said, motioning to the chestnut the girl was riding. He looked athletic enough to race. Keelin decided not to take Vinny into the water, not wanting to be eaten alive by mosquitos on the way home, so to speak. Even as she made this decision, the bay stallion swished his tail around his hocks to shoo the pesky insects away.

[24keri]

Aly smiled at the girl and then turned her attention back to Ghost. Aly sat attop her colt, as he stood patiently waiting for any cue or commannd from his rider. "Good boy." Aly said to the chestnut colt. Turning to Keelin as she spoke to Aly, Aly grinned. "Yes. Well my sister races him. I just ride." Aly giggled a bit as she scratched Ghost's neck and he did funny looks with his tongue as in pleasure to the neck scratching. "Silly boy, arn't you?" Aly started laughing as Ghost tossed his head and acted silly. Alu picked up the colts reins as she squeezed him forwards and he walked into the water ten turned around and came out. "Atta boy." Aly said as she praised the chestnut colt wh stood, tail swishing.

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[Keelin Lennox]

She had to laugh a bit as the pretty chestnut horse made faces with his tongue and lips. Vinny wasn't one to be very expressive, but her other stallion always did. "Do you guys want to go for a little run in the field?" Keelin asked, gathering up her stallion's reins. She placed her feet back in the stirrups; they had been hanging idly for the time being at the big horse's sides. Vinny raised his head and tossed his nose up, getting the pesky flies off. "I wonder who will win," the girl said in a joking manner. A nice, young colt against an old retired stud. Who knew?

[24keri]

Aly laughed at keelin who was laughing at Ghost. A nicker escaped from his parted lips as he tossed his head and then stopped. Misty, who was their other filly was also very expressive. She licked your face and whenever you were down she would make you laugh. "Sure..." Aly grinned as she placed her feet into the high up sturrips and gathered her reins. Ghost began to side-step and get a little impatient. Aly let him be. That was just Ghost for you, telling you he was ready to go. Aly spoke a few words to Ghst which seemed to relax the colt a little more and she ran her hand down his neck praising him. It was also what Aly did when she liked a horse she was riding. Always petting and stroaked him/her. "You're on." Aly smiled as she held Ghost back and turned him towards the stallin waiting for them to go to the field to race.

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[Keelin Lennox]

She smiled and rubbed Vinny's neck under his clipped mane. This relaxed him a bit as Keelin nudged him up to get a trot into the field. She knew that the colt would win, depending on if Aly let him go full-out or not. Keelin figured she wouln't, not wanting to waste his energy on a silly race for fun. "Ready bud?" the Irish girl whispered to her bay stallion. He liked random runs, as it kept his muscle tone nice and built-up.

[24keri]

Aly followed right behind Keelin and Vinny. Aly nudged Ghost's sides as he broke into a trot. Aly began psting up and down over the colts withers to the beat of his strides. Aly moved up close next to Vinny and Keelin. 'Canter." Aly said to the colt as she went into jockey position and cantered on the horse as she saw the opening of the field. "Ready when you are." Aly shouted to Keelin as the two horses cantered side by side and a nice rythemitic beat. Aly checked Ghost in as he began to pick up speed. Aly was going to let Vinny get a head start on the mini race becuase he was older then Ghost. Then Aly was going to stay about at Vinny's shoulder with Ghost and then make her move real slowly. This was going to be a mini exercise track practice for Ghost and his upcomnig race.

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[Keelin Lennox]

Keelin smiled as Aly and her colt approached her and Vinny. The stallion snorted, ready to get going. The girl let him go into a canter as Ghost did. "All right," Keelin said, "go!" Not wanting to cause any strain on Vinny, she eased him into a slow gallop. He eagerly put his nose out, taking advantage of the lack of a cavesson on the western bridle. Keelin got into a two point position to lift weight off his back. She kept a hold on Vinny, not letting him get too strung out. Keelin looked back, figuring Aly would be easing her handsome colt into it. "That's my boy," she murmured to the stallion as they galloped easily along the seemingly never ending field.

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[24keri]

Aly smiled back at Keelin as she held the reins in and stayed neck and neck with Vinny. Ghost pulled his head forwards wanting to go but the restraint on his mouth slowed him. Aly petted the slow cantering colt and smiled as she stayed in jckey 2-point. "Easy bud." She said to the colt as Vinny broke into a slow gallop. "Good boy. okay." Aly released the pressure on his mouth and squeezed his sides as he broke int a slow gallop and began creeping up in front of Vinny. Aly clicked her tongue and began let her hands go rythemeticly with Ghost's neck motions. Keeping Ghost under a controlled gallop, she let im go a little faster. "Good boy. Atta boy." Aly praised her colt as she softly let her hands move along his neck as he reached forwards wanting to go. She checked the colt in and kept him at a nice paced gallop, a gallop that wans't full out. Ghost's ears went forwards as his legs pounded the ground in a thud thud noise. His neck reached out as his ears flicked forth and what not. He looked like a star running, in perfect manner.

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[Keelin Lennox]

Keelin kept her bay horse at an easy gallop. She didn't want to wear him out, it wasn't worth it at all. It was cool to watch Aly and Ghost go faster though, and get a nice rythym going. Vinny snorted, and pulled at the short-shanked bit, but Keelin kept him at the pace they were going. A small log appeared off to the right a bit. Despite being in a western saddle, Keelin pointed Vinny towards it. He loved to jump; Keelin had even shown him a bit in the hunter circuit. He had received a reserve champion award, plus a few others. So the stallion slowed his pace to a nice canter and jumped the fallen log with ease. "Good boy," Keelin said with a smile as they resumed a bit faster gallop to get only a length behind Ghost.

[24keri]

Aly crouched down on Ghost and began checking him in as they entered the halfway mark in the open field. Stride by stride they cleared ground just flying by the grass and the wind in their faces. Aly loved it s much. As she saw the log, Aly veered Ghost to the left as he galloped around the log loosing a bit of ground. Aly peeked under her arm to see Keelin and Vinny right behind them. 'Easy boy."Aly said as she began pulling in n the reins and Ghost tossed his head but went int a slw gallop next to Vinny. "Easy Ghost." Aly whispered to the horse as she slowed him even more pulling a little harder on the reins. Aly wanted to slow him down just a bit. "Good boy." And that was exactly what she got in responce. Ghost dropped is head and cllected his stride as he slowed his fast flowing body to a slow gallop. Maybe even a fast canter, but he slowed. His ears were forwards and he was hopping a little as he galloped. He wanted to be let go yet Aly wasn't dare to budge. In fact she was lucky to even get him to slow down so easily. Aly was so proud of her partner. This meant he was starting to get ready for his race and he was in good condition. That was very good.

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