PEOPLE: Kirsten Jade
PLACE: Akita Rose Stables Dirt Track
DATE: January 5 2014 (February Week One)
Speed Burst
sprint away
The chestnut mare flipped her mane and side-stepped away from the metal contraption. Kirsten checked the mare and turned her away from the starting gate for the second time. "Come on Soph, you can do it." By now the mare has mostly lost her fear of the gates but from time to time she will have some odd memory that made her a little uneasy around the gates. On the third try the mare easily slipped in. Kirsten patted her shoulder. "That's it. Good girl". She positioned herself upon the mare and nodded to her staff member controlling the gate. "Alright, let's see what you are made of."
The gates sprung open and Sophie's Voice and her rider burst from the gate in lightning speed. Kirsten nearly fell from the shock. It has been a longggg time since she has ridden a sprinter, since Speed Demon. She quickly repositioned herself and hunched over the mare's neck, asking for yet more speed. Another speed burst flew from the chestnut beauty as they rounded the turn.
Her ponytail flapped in the wind as Kirsten encouraged the mare on. She wanted to blow her out and see what she was made of. All these new horses needed a good test of skill before Kirsten could decide on a race for them. It was one thing to look at their past races and it was a whole new story when testing their previous training.
All too soon it was time to pull up. The feisty mare trotted with a spring in her step. She was lathered with sweat but she still had a lot of energy left. Kirsten felt like there was no reason not to find a good race for her on the weekend. It was good to have a senior sprinter back in their barn.