Post by april on Jul 21, 2009 11:08:42 GMT -5
Poker is full of young thoroughbred energy and the love of running that naturally goes with being a thoroughbred, and he dances under me as I warm him up first at a walk, and then at a bouncy trot. He’s never been trained in dressage, but the way he steps is almost like the passage, stepping highly with his neck and tail arched gracefully. Each step is telling me he wants to run and show what he knows he can do. I give him the signal once every muscle is limber, and he goes into his beautiful rocking horse canter. It’s so smooth, like his hooves never come close to the ground. He has a long, ground eating stride, and I know he’s capable of speeds almost as fast as a sprinter, but he also has the endurance to go the distance in the big races. I give him more rein and knead my hands lightly into his neck and he picks up the pace. He’s barely breaking a sweat, although he’s going at almost the speed he’d be going in a race. His pure pleasure at running is obvious, but when we cross the finish line he slows like he’s been taught, however reluctantly. I grin, pet him, and cool him out.