Chapter 20 #2
I shook my head. “That bone broke for a reason, and maybe a metal rod was the reason, but bones shouldn’t be cracking like that, not with what should have been a rebuking strike.
There’s no evidence of bruise damage, and it was just done.
Don’t get me wrong, I would never hit one of my horses for causing me trouble.
Even when I use my crop, I do so with a light touch because I want to get the horse’s attention, not hurt them.
I barely have to touch Alligator Bait to communicate what I need from her.
This baby isn’t racing again, not this year—and probably not ever.
I’ll have his diet evaluated and figure out why he has weak bones.
If he does have weak bones due to genetics, I will geld him and he’ll live happily ever after in my pastures, being a good boy.
If it’s due to diet, that can be fixed, but if he doesn’t want to race, I’m not going to force him to.
He can join Buttercups in being a freeloader who is paid to have sex. ”
The vet snickered. “How tragic for him. He’s going to be forced to be beautiful in his retirement as a true pasture ornament, and he’ll be given opportunities to dally with the mares.
I’m sure he’s going to be fine with his changed fortunes.
But let me give you a piece of advice: qualify him for the races with the authority as they offered that as an option for you.
Race him in one race and give him a chance to have a proper start.
If he performs well, and the bone issue isn’t genetic, he’ll be a beautiful stud.
And since he came from the same farm that raised your mare, and she absolutely spanked the competition, he’ll have value for breeding.
The best revenge you can get on that unethical bastard is to make him learn, the hard way, he abused the rules and paid for it—and you profited from his abuses.
If he hadn’t tried to get revenge on you for riding a horse he discarded, he would still have his stallion.
The horse, however, would have paid the price. ”
Yes, he would have, that much I believed. “I don’t suppose there’s a spare halter I can buy for him, is there? I’m pretty sure that asshole kept the tack.”
The halter was the cheapest one money could buy, and I suspected one of the other owners had offered it to make sure Elegance in Moonlight had a halter.
“You aren’t wrong. You can keep the one on him. It was a gift from one of the jockeys involved with the race. He’d noticed the head tossing, and he actually reported it right after the race.”
“Please thank him for me,” I requested.
“That I can do. Now, while an angel has healed him, there are a few things that you’re going to need to do to make certain he doesn’t break his leg again, and that’s going to involve a short stall rest, a change in diet, and a few visits to your vet.
He’s safe to transport, so if you’re headed home, he should be in good hands. ”
“We’re headed home.” I smiled and patted the stallion’s shoulder. “Should I put him in a small stall?”
“Any size stall is fine, you just don’t want him running around a pasture for the next week to be safe.”
“I have stalls with short runs behind them, and I’ll set it up so he can’t run much,” I promised. “I prefer to limit stall rest as much as possible. It isn’t healthy for them.”
“Ah. I see. You don’t keep your racehorses at the industry barns because you want them outside in your pastures being horses when they aren’t training.”
I nodded. “Nothing saddens me more than a horse that has been put in a stall when the horse wants to be outside. I only force them into their stalls when there is a storm. At night, I bring them in, but there is a communal run behind the stalls where they can socialize and play near the barn if they want. I only close the exterior doors if there is a good reason to keep them in. Keeping Elegance in Moonlight from hurting himself is a good reason to keep him in, and I’ll put him on full stall rest for the first three days and then see how he handles the run.
I’ll likely keep his window open and keep all the horses with him until he can go outside and I have a pasture mate for him.
One day, he’ll share a pasture with the mares in foal and the foals.
I’ll have to be careful when I have open mares, but that’s my problem rather than his. ”
“I wish you the best of luck. That sort of diplomacy takes works. It’s great when it does work, but it’s a lot to manage.”
“They’re worth it.” I waited for Elegance in Moonlight to wake up enough we could move him, and while he hesitated, upon realizing his leg no longer hurt, he ambled along behind me, still dazed but able to walk.
I guided him through the network of barns, where hundreds upon hundreds of curious horses observed us go by.
I almost made it to Lucifer’s rig before Alex Dryden emerged from between two buildings and headed my way.
“I’m Alex,” he greeted, and he looked me over, extending his hand.
“You rode two great races today. I never thought I’d see someone fling a bridle in the Devil’s face. ”
I grinned at the jockey’s comment, took care to come around Elegance in Moonlight, put the lead line in my left hand, and shook with him.
To my relief, he didn’t try to squeeze the life out of my fingers.
“Thank you. I was originally going to kick him out of the saddle, but I figured weaponizing my bridle and reins was safer—for me. What can I do for you?”
“I wanted to confirm if the rumors were true about the ejection today.”
I gestured to the poor horse I’d rescued.
“I bought Elegance in Moonlight from the authority as part of the ejection. So yes, depending on what you heard, it’s probably true.
Alligator Bait used to be owned by the same gentleman, but he dumped her at a slaughter market, where I bought her.
I then joined the jockey club, maintained her registration, and entered her after testing her in a low stakes race. Her sale is what caused the ejection.”
Alex’s expression darkened. “That bastard.”
“Yeah, I wasn’t happy about finding her there.
She’s a great horse, and she lives to race.
She doesn’t tolerate a heavy hand, though.
” I pointed to where Elegance in Moonlight had suffered from the fracture.
“He had somebody beat this poor boy hard enough to fracture the canon bone. I dished out for an angel to heal it, but he’s done racing for now.
I might enter him into one race just so he has a chance to at least try.
It’s no surprise he placed last, trying to run with a break. That he finished at all is amazing.”
I wondered what the jockey would do; if I judged by reputation, he wouldn’t care much. However, reputations often told many lies, and his expression had indicated there were rules he refused to break.
Sending a horse to become somebody’s dinner probably crossed his personal line.
“He was ridden with a break?” the jockey blurted.
“He passed the entry checks, so I’m suspecting the break was a hairline fracture before the race and new; there wasn’t any heat or swelling,” Dr. Earl stated, and he also shook with Alex.
“Thank you for reporting the head tossing, by the way. Miss Culling preemptively requested he be checked, but your commentary would have guaranteed the break would have been found. The angel confirmed the injury was the result of abuse. As such, Mr. Harthing will have no legal grounds to reclaim the horse.”
“Good. Can I ask you a question, Crystal? You don’t mind me calling you Crystal, right?”
“I don’t mind at all. And sure, go ahead.”
“Will you be going for the Triple Crown?”
I smiled my best smile. “Not only am I going for it, I have every intention of sweeping the damned thing on a horse I bought for less than a thousand dollars.”
For a long moment, he stared at me, and then he returned my smile with a grin. “Should I lose to you, I won’t even be angry. That’s the stuff dreams are made of. Assuming you make it, know I’m cheering you on, even when I’m doing my best to force you to eat my dust.”
“The same goes to you, Alex.”
“Just as it should be. Welcome to the races, and may the best horse and jockey win.”