Thing is, Street has come out of his race phenomenally well. He's eating everything he can get to, including ace bandages. Well, he wears aces on his front legs when he goes to the track, to help support his zillion dollar front legs and ankles. We take them off when we get back to the barn. This morning, he thought putting them in his mouth and flinging around was a la mode, so he did.
You just have to laugh. That horse is the greatest character, I swear.
The morning after the race, sure, the big guy was sleepy. He jogged that day, walked the next and walked again the following morning though, on that second day, I think he would've preferred heading back out to the dirt for a little gallop. The race just didn't take much out of him and he's feeling quite fine.
We have three horses entered Sunday, in races 2, 3 and 4. Should make for some whiz-bang action - there will be a lot to do. So much for Sunday being a day of rest.
But, it's been kind of nice, we've settled into a routine and haven't raced since Monday. That's allowed everyone to catch up on sleep, even go out for some fun (not me, my fun is hanging with Zoe, reading and getting plenty of sleep - I don't know how else to do this). Racing sometimes is like that - these sort of bunches of frenzied activity, followed by some "down" time. Don't get me wrong, I'm still washing all that stuff in the morning and handling 7, 8 sometimes 9 horses but, compared to racing every day, we've had a pretty relaxed pace.
Oh, yay for me! I got kicked today for the very first time. This 2 year old filly, Seemingly, who I actually really like, got me. I was grazing her after her bath this morning. She jumped once, I thought something had spooked her. Ooops. She settled back down, started grazing again and I continued to rub her dry. Then, she jumped again, I again thought she was spooking but, really, the sweet little angel turned her head to the left, saw where I was, took aim and BLAM caught me hard with her left hind hoof on my right thigh.
The shit hurt.
Horses are unbelievably quick, Carl has said faster than a rattle snake (he should know, growing up in rural western Texas). And she was a rocket. I've always been very quick, it was one of my only saving graces in the little organized football I played. I had no prayer with her. Carl was talking about how people will say a horse tried to kick them. He insists that those people are wrong - a horse does not try to kick you - if it wants to kick you, it will and you don't have much of a chance.
Except to be wary - Which I guarantee I will be next time.
But, though I'm sure they're will be a deep bruise, I'm walking fine and the thing only aches a little - there's not a lot of pain. I was lucky - that hoof didn't make contact with bone. That could've been quite the end to my Saratoga adventures.
Zoe's doing well. She's given up coming to the track in the morning - just not interested, it's too early. She wants to come in the afternoon, but it's been pretty skanky-hot here and she doesn't handle that well. But, we get to spend some time outside at the house where we're staying. I think the heat may break today or tomorrow, so perhaps I'll be able to bring her out some more.
Now, it's time to shut this machine off and head home to hound and bed.
Friday, August 3, 2007
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