Guess Whos Back (Open)

[Admin Maria]

He's A Pirate || Richard "Ricky" Johnson Ricky was up early this morning, something that was usual in the Ferndale Farms family. However the dreary morning was rare for Florida, over cast and muggy, he was not looking forward to working the horses. Once more chipping in to get all the horses worked within a reasonable time, he’d been up for two hours so far when Lee came up and asked him to work Will. Hah, ya that’d be a sench. While Will wasn’t aggressive like his sire, or half siblings he was still a handful. Sighing he made his way back into the barn, gaze falling upon the familiar sight. Will had been inducted into the Hall of Fame the year before, as well as winning several awards. Some say a horse doesn’t know, but Ricky? He says a horse knows. Will tossed his head, nearly ripping the rein from the grooms hand. ”Hey Trevor” He greeted the younger man as he took the reins and easily swung up onto the stallions back. ”Hey Ricky, Hes full of piss and vinegar this mornin.” Trevor informed him, causing him to chuckle. ”When arent Dies foals, eh?” Will pranced in place, tossing his head and snorting obviously sick of this small talk. ”Alright boss. Lets go.” Ricky teased, noddin towards Trevor as he urged Will off at a trot, heading down the road to the practice track. Lee had said this would be Wills last year, his last hurrah before retiring to stud. With so many accomplishments under his belt Ricky could understand it. Will had certianly made both his sire and Lee happy, Hall of fame as well as champion older male and Horse of the year? Yea, he’d proved his worth. Ricky turned the black behemoth onto the track and glanced both directions before turning him towards the starting position. Lee had told him to simply breeze Will, but he doubted that would be enough for the stallion. It had been a few weeks since his last work out, and he was basically quivering with anticipation. This was gonna be one hell of a run, that’s for sure.

[symphony]

Welcome || Staff || Stable Yard || Studs || Contact Us

Vanquished
Session #4; Selena Hassen; 5f sprint

Selena held on grimly as Netta baulked and bounced under her, propping in the mud and splattering herself further with the thick sludge. The chestnut hated the mud, absolutely loathed it, and so had been in a bad mood all the way through the last few days of bad weather. She didn't even want to go out into the pasture when the rain let up occasionally during the afternoons, unlike her sister Eidolon, who was loving the storms.

Tugging the wild mare to a halt, Selena took a moment to gather herself and then steered the mare down the track again, letting her cling to the outer rail at a jerky, awkward walk, Netta too busy picking and dancing her way through the mud to fall into a rhythm. Her rider sighed; she just needed the mare warmed up enough for it to be safe to push her into a gallop. All she needed was to get her running - she was confident that Netta would forget the mud once she was running. If she had some competition, it would work even better as a distraction for the freak filly.

With that thought, Selena glanced around at the other horses and riders out on the track, looking for someone with a mount suitable for what she had in mind. Nothing slow would do, not against Vanquished - she'd put them away at less than cruising speed and then go right back to fighting the footing. No, for this mare, she needed some real competition.

[Admin Maria]

He's A Pirate || Ricky Johnson Ricky hadnt been on the track long, simply letting Will walk along the rail while he watched other horses rush past him. Will didn’t care, he was having fun in the mud feeling it splash up onto is onyx pelt. Ricky rolled his eyes at the stallion, someone would think a turf horse wouldn’t be fond of mud but nope, Will loved it. He would often roll in it in the paddocks, much to the annoyance of his groom. A cruel smirk spread across his lips as he thought of Chad when he first saw the big black stallion covered nearly head to hoof in mud. Oh it had been priceless. The sound of another horse trudging – rather awkwardly – through the muck drew Rickys attention, causing his gaze to settle upon Selena from Kings Park and.. Netta who was the one trudging awkwardly. One brow raised as he watched the chestnut mare, and he chuckled. It amazed him how horses could be so different, yet still be well..horses. Of course after so many years as a jockey he supposed he shouldn’t be surprised anymore. However just Breezing Will wouldn’t work, and the younger colts and fillies would be beat by Will with ease. No, he needed someone with experience, someone who could match Will. Netta, she fit the bill perfectly. Both were the same age, and while the two had never met – different surfaces and distances – she would have just the speed needed. Nudging the big goof forth he directed him towards the Kings park jockey and horse. ”Hey Selena, taking Netta out today?” Obviously she was but it was small talk. ”Bit of a dreary day, hope it lets up soon.” He added, pulling Will to a halt a few feet away from the duo. Will snorted about being just out of reach, who was this new horse. Tossing his head he shuffled a step closer, ears pinning when Ricky quickly pulled back on the reins. Asshole.

[symphony]

Welcome || Staff || Stable Yard || Studs || Contact Us

Vanquished
Session #4; Selena Hassen; 5f sprint

Selena turned at the new voice, grinning when she saw Ricky and He's A Pirate from Ferndale. She always enjoyed seeing the other jockeys out on the track, especially those she raced against but didn't get a chance to talk to often, being from different stables and all. Netta had other ideas though; snorting loudly, she danced away from the black Daemon colt who towered over her, brushed against the rail and lunged away from it again, making Selena grit her teeth and hold on tight, pulling the mare up again with sheer willpower. "Unfortunately," she said finally in response to Ricky's question, turning the silly chestnut to face Will instead. "Jay somehow managed to get Eidolon and stick me with this idiot, and she abosolutely hates mud."

She ran an eye over Will, noting the calm - happy, even - expression; odd for a Daemon colt, but not entirely unheard of. She'd never actually raced against the bad-tempered stud when he was still on the track, having only been an apprentice around the time he retired, but she'd heard plenty of stories about the champion runner, and many of his foals now that they were out racing. She had raced against Will though, who seemed to be a good deal calmer than his sire, a fact she was grateful for on a day like today, when the last thing she needed was a bad-tempered horse anywhere near Netta.

"From the looks of it, you aren't having my problem," she joked, halting her tiny mare as she tried to sidle away again and giving her a pat when she stopped. Will was huge when compared to Netta, she was realising now, a full two hands taller and then some; between the mud and the colt, no wonder Netta was on edge. The mare needed to run, if only to curb all her nervous energy.

[Admin Maria]

He's A Pirate || Ricky Johnson It was not unusual for other horses to be skittish, but when Netta basically leapt away from Will and into the railing he blinked, raising a brow. He’d seen Netta before, and had never seen her pull such a move, perhaps pent up energy had to do with it – Lee had halted training when itd been pouring rain – over the past few days. Once Selena had the mare settled, he nodded his head smirking at her comment. ”Nah, Will loves the mud. Takes after his dam in that sense.” He remembered how Ferndale horses basically owned the tracks when those two were racing. Die was nearly unstoppable almost like a freight train on the track, nothing got in his way and if it did it better move or be moved. Will often took on a similar mindset on the track, during the races. Practice however he was more relaxed, almost toying with another horse if worked with them. Luckily his sires nasty temper skipped him, too bad the same couldn’t be said for some of the half siblings they had like Freddy Krueger. Now that Die foal lived up to his name. Ricky knew that Selena knew Wills parents well, having started her career back when they were racing. Seems she did well for herself, for he’d seen her in races against Will. Will snorted and pawed at the ground, hoove easily sliding through the mud. He was bored and wanted to run, this standing around wasn’t fun. He wanted to go! Tossing his head he tried to get his bit between his teeth so Ricky wouldn’t be in control for a moment. Ricky however knew what he was doing and pulled back on the reins, backing Will a step and circling him. ”I gotta work Will out, Hes gotta be in top fighting shape for the upcoming races.” Here he smirked at the joke. Will was always ready to go. ”Wanna work them out together. Im guessing Netta there has some energy to burn, and these younger horses out here well he’d do their egos no favor.”

[symphony]

Welcome || Staff || Stable Yard || Studs || Contact Us

Vanquished
Session #4; Selena Hassen; 5f sprint

Selena almost jumped right out of her saddle when Ricky suggested working the two together - it wasn't every day that you got the chance to run two champions from seperate divisions together. This particular pairing had never been seen before, in fact, the two being complete opposites in terms of race preferences; but that wouldn't stop them from working together.

"Sure," she said with an easy grin, faking nonchalance, though inside she was as excited as she ever had been, still just as excitable as a young racing fan. Picking up on the excitement, Netta danced sideways a few steps until Selena pulled her up again. The jockey took a deep breath then, calming herself; horses were always quick to pick up on your emotions, and Netta was already as jumpy as she needed to be. Any more, and the chestnut would probably dump her headfirst into the mud.

Calmed, she turned the mare down the track and set off, letting Will come up beside them and Netta adjust to his presence.

[Admin Maria]

He's A Pirate || Ricky Johnson Ricky knew that even though Selena had been around for years now, any horse person would be excited working with any horse. He still couldn’t believe he’d landed the job working for Lees parents and now Lee. He often missed her father, he had taught Ricky a lot of what he knew, and it had hit him hard when he passed. It reminded him of his own mortality – at even greater risk being a jockey – at his age. When she agreed to working them quickly, he smirked – just a quirk of the lips – and watched as Netta danced sideways, untill she was pulled up and directed down the track. Will tossed his head and half reared when Netta danced to the side, bobbing his head a few times before stopping when Ricky checked the reins. It took not but a second before Will was turned around and trotting up behind them until he came even, slowing to keep pace with Netta. Wills ears perked up and he seemed to have a slight spring in his step, eager to get back to work. Ricky had never seen a horse so happy to run in a circle in his life, but Will was always so peppy when he stepped onto the turf. Until those gates sprung open, then it was all business. ”So, Six furlongs good?” Ricky asked over his shoulder as he let Will have some slack, asking him to move into a trot. He wasn’t about to let this beast go without having a warm up, Lee would have his head and his nuts if Will got hurt. Out of all the Die babies they had, Will was the favorite in the barn. Even he had a soft spot for the big goof.

[symphony]

Welcome || Staff || Stable Yard || Studs || Contact Us

Vanquished
Session #4; Selena Hassen; 5f sprint

Letting Will move out in front, Selena left a length between them and then asked Netta to move into a trot as well, the mare moving out into the new pace eagerly. Her movement was still a little sluggish, hindered by the mud and her intense disliking for it, but at least she was eager to move now. Selena well remembered the work of the day before, also out in the drizzle and relative darkness; she'd fought with the mare all the way down the backstretch, Netta point blank refusing to do anything more than a canter. She'd managed to push the picky chestnut into a gallop for two or so furlongs in the end, but her breeze had been delayed to today, when she was so full of energy she could help but feel ready to run, no matter the mud she had to run in.

"Six is fine," Selena replied. Tally had instructed her to do at least five, and let the mare run on as she liked - she'd expected Netta to run six anyway. Once you got her running, there was nothing anyone could do to stop the steamtrain that was their famous Freak Pony.

[Admin Maria]

He's A Pirate || Ricky Johnson Ricky simply nodded when she agreed to six furlongs, moving will down the track at a trot until the turn just before the first furlong pole. Lee had told him to simply breeze the big black stallion, but he knew that she wouldn’t be too pissed for him giving Will a real work out. After all he wasn’t a two year old or yearling, he was a miler who loved distance at high speeds. A simple breeze would do nothing for him. At this point he urged the stallion forth, who had been moving at a trot with only slight hinderance due to the mud. Slicker than the turf, his hooves seemed to sink even more in the dirt when it was wet. Not that the big black stallion minded, infact he was thriving for it. ”Alright, to the 7th then.” Ricky said before giving Will his head. Will had been watching Netta out of his eye, watching as she moved up beside him at a trot and they moved down the track. Seemed to be sizing up this new horse who was on the track with him. Oh he was smart enough to know it wasn’t a race, but that didn’t mean it couldn’t be fun. His love for the mud had be inherited from his mother, a dirt distance runner. While he preferred turf, the mud didn’t bother him as much as other turf horses. The cool wetness on his legs, sometimes his chest soothed him and thrilled him at the same time. His ears twitched when Ricky spoke to the human on the mare, and then he was given his head and urged forth. Will took off, movin quickly through to a gallop and thundering down the track. He didn’t know where the mare had gone, or what Ricky was asking of him. The wind and mud seemed to call to him, urging him to go faster and faster despite that he could hear Ricky telling him to take it easy. Ricky of course knew he was in for a ride as soon as he’d urged Will and given him his head, the black stallion loved to run. Very rarely did his riders ever need the crop when he was in races, seeming to thrive off the challenge of anyone catching him, bettering them. ”Easy Will.” He said, knowing it was futile. Glancing back under his arm, he checked to see if Selena and Netta were anywhere behind them or perhaps beside.