A Racehorse's Story #3

Instructions

CLICK GREEN FLAG BEFORE READING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ~A Racehorse's Story~ Blinking open my eyes, I gazed around my boring stall. There was a feed bucket (Still empty, hurry up!) , me, hay, and, well, that thing on my leg. Ugh- the white, clunky, heavy, awkward thing on my leg is NOT funny. And no, it is stuck on and will not come off (I tried!). My leg still hurts a little, but probably because I can't properly move it yet. :\ An exercise rider walked a tacked-up thoroughbred down the aisle, and suddenly I itch to be out on the track again. Where's Katie? We're supposed to be out there by now! Right as I was ready to kick down my stall door in impatience, a groom came and let himself into my stall, and, unfortunately, closed it before I could shove my way out of there. He filled my feed bucket, and left. When I was done eating he came back with a grooming set and gave me a light brush and then picked out my hooves before leaving me to be bored all over again. Right as I thought I would go crazy, another groom walked into my stall and clipped a lead rope to my halter. I tossed my head up and whinnied, leaving the groom to fight me from bolting. I was led down the aisle, and into a paddock next to the track where he let me go. I neighed for all to hear, and before I could try and take a victory lap around the paddock, the track caught my attention. Four thoroughbreds were lined up, and then they all took off as one. They thundered down the track, heading in my direction. A powerful chestnut colt surged into the front, and easily put away the other challengers. Suddenly, my head snapped up and my ears pricked. The chestnut's rider-it was Katie! I whinnied and cantered up and down the fence, waiting for her to see me, but she just shot past me, astride the chestnut. She was still my jockey....Right? - - - As I watched the horses run right by me, my heart twisted. Why wasn't I out there? That was a question I'd never know the answer to. Sighing, I started to graze. A little bit later, Katie walked up and climbed onto the fence to sit. I whinnied a greeting and went up to her. She pulled a carrot out of her pocket and started talking while I was eating. "I hear you're making progress, is that right, Streak? I miss riding you, you know. None of those other colts are as good as you are." I snorted. Did she have any more treats? I nosed her pockets and yes! Pulled out another carrot and stepped away so she couldn't take it back. She burst out laughing, and I wasn't sure why. "You're so silly. You knew that was meant for you, huh?" "You haven't found another champion yet?" A gruff voice interrupted. The man in the white coat leaned on the fence next to Katie as he watched me through sharp eyes. "No, not yet at least. He could have made a big-time champion if not for the accident." Accident? I'd heard that word a lot around me, and once again I didn't know why. The man grunted in what sounded like agreement. "It's terrible how one misstep can lead a horse to being put down." He shook his head before continuing, "I never liked horse racing, hated it even, because of how many horses were injured. That's why I became a vet to help save as many as I could." "I guess...but I'll never be able to repay you for what you did with Streak." Katie sighed. "It was you arguing with me that made me wait another week. He's made such fast progress, sometimes-...No, I won't get your hopes up." He turned to walk away, but then stopped when Katie leaped down from the fence. "Sometimes what?" "Sometimes I think he might make it back out on the track, but then I remember how bad he was injured- we wouldn't want to be constantly worried about him straining his foreleg." "But there's a chance?" Katie asked, her mood suddenly completely changed. "There's always a chance." The man said, as he stepped around her and walked away. Katie whipped around to face me, and practically squealed like a child, "Streak, did you hear that? You might be able to race! And to win! Streak, you could be Winner's Spirit again!" Race? Race! That was all I heard in her excited blabbering. Finally, someone understood that I wanted to race! "Oh Winner's Spirit, I'll do whatever it takes to see you in the winner's circle!" I didn't need Katie to tell me this- I already knew. And I would do whatever it took as well. That's the end of Chapter !!!!!