As the ambulance drove off carrying my one true jockey I began to tense and shudder under even the most familiar touch of Georges nose as he pressed his face into me, to comfort me. I was ruined, all thanks to one mare and my rash, angry, protective instincts. If I had paid more attention I could have knocked Sherline aside, leaving her hoof beats away from the thrashing legs of equine bone. Stupid, stupid, stupid...The jockeys mounted and moved off on their steeds to line up ready for the race. My jockey however was no longer someone I knew but someone I would all together fear. Leaping into the saddle the jockey grabbed a lock of my hair before I reared up thrashing around. He tugged on the reins and gave me a short punctuated kick which made me leap forward in a uncomfortable trot.
Lining up next to George we walked into the starting cage. I shivered and began to pace as the panic set over me. We waited, we froze and then we went. The bell rang in my ears and the smell of sand and rubber clogged up my nose. The first thing I did was buck and leap before galloping off after George who was trailing at the end of the pack. I closed up on George who was sweating and heaving as he galloped along the track. As we took the first bend in the track I could see in his eyes that he was panic set and afraid. I decided despite my jockey laying the whip on, to stay by Georges side throughout the race. We had made it to the halfway mark 14 lengths behind the pack when I turned my head to Georges and nickered, "run George, run". A light seemed to flick in his head and he bustled out a heap of speed and joined the pack as we crossed the 3rd turn and headed down the straight. I watched George over take each horse going from 6th, to 4th, to 2nd. Then he crossed the line a length behind the 1st place horse. My jockey yelled kicked and smacked my rump hard, over and over again, my anger spiralled as a flame of pain spread over my hind-quarters. My temper snapped and I planted all 4 feet into the ground, spraying rubber from the track everywhere. The jockey lay nestled into my neck from being vaulted forward. I reared up and bucked and leapt off the ground with a humped back before landing back on the ground and throwing myself onto the floor. After I sprung back up I shook before trotting away from the finish line jockey less. The race was declared over and so was my racing career, if I was lucky id be sent of to a rescue centre. If not... Dog kibble...
As I lifted my legs higher at each step, snorting and flaring my nostrils at every step I watched people wander around almost oblivious to me, a loose horse on the track. A voice spoke out over the microphone which made me scatter as the static shook the stadium. "There is currently one horse still on the track who is here to be claimed. No one has ordered a claim against the horse and therefore the owner J.I Williams has offered up that if anyone can catch him, they can have him free of charge." As the last word echoed all stood still and turned. Not a single eye looked astray as they all looked over me like meat, all they saw was free money but only a few would be brave enough to take me on. 1 by 1 people began to crawl over the barriers , some ran at me which I promptly trotted off, flicking my tail in disgust, some tried to coax me over with handfuls of grass and I dare say one tried to feed me meat! But every time someone got to close I just moved away, until I saw something. or someone.
A man, not much taller than 5foot and very skinny looking. He had old, dirty clothes on and a ancient farmers hat lain on his head. He just stood there looking at me, studying me. His eye didn't look the same as the others he wasn't a greedy looking person and is hands showed that he was gentle and kind for they bore no marks of shame or stupidity and his posture was relaxed and calm. He was like no other I had ever seen. I stopped and looked right back at him and began to lick and chew to express my respect for his own desire and oddly enough he sighed, changed his weight onto the other leg, relaxed and licked and chewed back at me. He respected my way of flight rather than fight and he showed no judgement over a stallion who would rather run than stand and fight. If I had to go with someone then he was the only one for me. He may be a man but he was highly respectful and seen as a respectful person to follow. That was when I galloped straight for him.
A rush of wind and I leapt the barrier and landed right beside him as I turned on my hocks and came to a halt in front of the small man. He reached out a hand as a gesture of kindness and I sniffed and inhaled his scent for I wanted to remember it forever. Slowly he rubbed my neck and pushed the dangling reins back up my neck before placing the stirrups over the saddle as to protect me if I was to run again. Then instead of taking the reins he just started to walk away from me. I stood and watched him intently before sighing and following him down the white barrier and back through a unlocking fence guard, back onto the track. With sweeping steps we walked side by side down the track past everyone else till we reached the finish line where the man who had offered me up was stood. He thrust papers into the other mans arms, got him to scribble on it a few times before handing him a little booklet, shaking hands and departing. My new owner walked up to me, rubbed my forehead and spoke clear as day "hello there little fella, I am Joe, Joe Filiand. How do you do Storm?" I blinked, stuck my tongue out of my mouth and snorted. He laughed, patted me and said "me to".
