Off The Normal Tracks

[Sam]

Horses: The True Nut (Buckskin filly), Odd Nut (Palomino colt), and No Snow Angel (White colt)
Jockies: Samantha Lettington on The True Nut, Toby Lettington on Odd Nut, and Max Lettington on No Snow Angel
Purpose: A bit of fun and exercise


The buckskin, palomino, and white equines matched strides as they pranced forwards. The only filly of the three, the buckskin filly, would every now and throw an angry look at her brother, the palomino colt. A clear warning to mind her space.

The creamy colt would just snort and throw his head with each aggressive and dominating move she made. He was clearly use to it and didn't care much for it. The smallest, white colt however, barely flinched at the hostile interactions between the two. He seemed far too focused on the trail to even notice nor care about the sibling rivalry going on right in front of him.

Atop the buckskin filly sat a small woman. She was not only short but thin. Her dark brown hair was pulled back into a tight pony tail, revealing her dark brown eyes that would normally be covered by several thick locks of hair. Her hands were relaxed but the tension on the reins were firm and confident.

On the buckskin's brother sat a what seemed to be the opposite in the small woman. Size wise at least. The man was rather large, though not fat or chunky, but tall and more muscular then lean. His hair was dark brown as was his eyes. He seemed to match the woman's face in most features on his face.

On the smallest of the three perched a young boy who couldn't be past the age of sixteen. His messy, mob-like hair was dark brown like the rest of them. Unlike the two though, his eyes shown a small tint of green in the vast sea of dark brown. The boy handled the young white colt with care but firm authority. Many wouldn't think a youth such as this could handle a colt of any kind, but his elder sister, the one riding the filly, had taught him sense he was young how to work with the wildest of the horses. He had ridden the white colt beneathe him several times before. So far, he was his favorite mount and if allowed, he would jockey Jelly himself.

When will the race start? the boy asked as he posted up and down with the white colt's strides, not caring much for diangle. Jelly wiggled a bit more, now slightly visable as his excitment grew.

Soon, was the boy's only reply. The response came from his sister. The man on the creamy colt just huffed, clearly not happy with having to work out a horse that wasn't his. Let's get these guys warmed up then we'll figure it out. The woman said as the buckskin flew into a fast canter.

Joker, the creamy colt, quickly followed. His strides were nearly like whiplash to the man. Quickly he stood up in the stirrups to avoid the colt's large strided canter's violent rocking motion. His strides came slower then his sister's but with how large the were, the didn't need to go too fast to keep up.

Now the boy and Jelly were left behind. Can't they wait? the boy, Max, muttered himself as he let Jelly spring into a canter. The first stride pushed the small boy out of the saddle, helping him land in his stirrups so his knees could take the full spring of the white colt's canter.

Soon they caught up with his sister, Sam, and his cousin, Toby. With how willing the colt was to rejoin his compaions, it was pretty easy to catch up. The only difficult part was keeping him from going too fast, too soon.

They cantered on for a little while, each rider in their own thoughts of how this small, friendly race would turn out. Each had their own version of how it would end. Each seeming completely different from the other's.

Woah, Sam said, loud enough for her little brother and cousin to hear over the stampeding of hooves. She waited a moment before slowing her horse to a flying trot then a upset walk. The creamy colt followed suit, seeming nearly as upset as the filly. The white stallion, how ever, didn't seem to care much. His body still seem to vibrated with excitement though.

The female jockey pulled her horse to a stop at an old oak tree. The trail that was only wide enough for two horses to travel side by side opened up to a wide meadow. The girl's eyes watched the trees on the far side before turning to the others. We'll race to the tallest pine out there, she said nodding in the direction of the tall, still green, pine tree that swayed not too far from the group.

Fine with me, the man said as he pulled the colt up beside his sister with dark points. The filly nipped out at him, nearly forcing the creamy colt to scoot a step away from her.

The boy on the white Thoroughbred just nodded his head as he slowed the wiggling colt to a stop beside Joker, who was eying his "evil" sister as she pawed at the ground and chewed and pulled on the bit.

On three? Sam said, glancing at the other two to see them nod before edging into position. One, she started as the man pulled the colt's attention to him. Two, she said as the boy held his Jelly back. Three! And with that all three surged forwards with a silent cue to their mounts.

In a flurry of hooves and too soft words to be heard over them, the horses were galloping at their typical speed they normally held for races.

Nut took the lead with Jelly followering right behind her. Joker galloped steady beside him, waiting for his chance to steal the lead from his sibling. The buckskin seemed somewhat confused to why they were running in a meadow instead of the track but took to the extra room with graditude. The filly's stride grew slightly faster, being pressured by the colt behind her. Her experianced jockey, held her steady though. The filly's changed her attention to her creamy brother who slowly started to edge up on her.

Sam slowly slid Nut a bit in front of Joker, stopping his advances in Nut's pleasure. Joker threw his head, his lead switching as he edged father to the side to clear his sister's flying hooves that came out behind her with each stride.

The white Thoroughbred with the youngest jockey merely held tight to his short mane and wait for their chance, though it seemed that they would need to take it soon as their hooves now skimmed across the invisable half way mark though the meadow.

With careful precesion, not wanting to mess up the equine's built up momentum, the young jockey steered his horse around Nut to be galloping at her side. At the same moment, the colt also made his move. In a swift movement he bounded to Nut's side, allowing her to keep the lead for now.

The buckskin was clearly unhappy with her space being invaded. With a change of a lead, she galloped faster with the encouragement of her jockey. The white sprinter, raced after the filly while the creamy colt kept up with the two.

The three equines, each a rare color for their breed, raced neck and neck. None could seem to pass one another at the moment. Before any of them could pass one another for a good enough distance to claim the win without a wire and camera to decide.

The tall pine swept past them and on cue, each jockey and mount passively started to slow to a canter, then trot, then finally a walk each at their own unique way. The white colt who was jittering with excitement now was calmed and tired by the race. The buckskin filly who was declaring herself leader of the known and unknown world was drained of her energy (Though notably still had the air about her to be a self declared leader of all things known and unknown.) The creamy colt who was simply looking for a game and trying to bug his sister was worn from the afternoon race in the meadow.

Despite how the horses were beat, they each seemed to be rejuvinated from the race off the track. Perhaps this should be done more often.. The owner of the stables, the small female jockey, thought to herself as she gave a loving pat to the tired Nutters under her.

Word Count: 1,530