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Description

Hand on my heart, I'm down on my knees
I'm asking you nicely
I'll take the blame, I'll take a bullet
Would you take one for me?

YONAKA - Fired Up

My Lady's Manor

Date: March 2019
Placing: TBD

Starting Number: 1
My Lady's Manor | (5+) | 24 furlongs | $30,000 | TIMBER

Horse: If Inconvenient, Come Anyway
Rider: Henrik Mansfield
Stable: Iron Horse Stud

Extra Images: nobody likes a sore loser
Featured, #6 DeWitt

Storyword count, 974

Henrik couldn’t help but be nervous. He wasn’t exactly sure how he got roped into riding, again, but he’d had the most experience with the seal gelding and Muirenn insisted.

So here he was, tucked up on the gelding’s back, circling him through the grassy field. There were a scant number of riders around him, and he recognized the infamous DeWitt, ready to make his mark in the jump world and the gold mare aptly named Goldformylady. Cecily was there with Cane, of course, she was just mounting up to work the gelding through his paces. The paint was looking sharp and focused, barely disturbed by the commotion around them.

Henrik’s mount on the other hand, affectionately called “Shergelding,” paced restlessly beneath him. The gelding’s ears were pinned back and he was working the bit uncomfortably in his mouth. His neck was already damp and dark to the touch, his skin warm beneath Henrik’s gloved palm. This did not bode well. Indy was notorious for being difficult, from the day his hooves touched down. It was unsurprising given his sire, one of England’s best, and nastiest hunt stallions. Indy had inherited an equally as angry personality and there was nothing anyone could do. He’d been cut as soon as they’d realized of course, his pedigree not worth the suffering of lost fingers (however, Beetle’s was? Henrik could never make any sense of it) and he was given time to grow.

Indy, however, terrorized everything. It wasn’t the savage brutality of Beetle, but a crude calculating demeanor that spoke to intelligence far beyond that of the average horse. He made no decision unless he was sure. You were simply along for the ride, you asked nicely and prayed he’d let you in on his plan.

The higher intelligence was what scared people off, jockey after jockey without avail, until finally Henrik got saddled with another problem horse. Literally.

Indy tossed his head, pawing the ground and threatening a rear. Henrik could feel the gelding’s muscles contract, bunching together beneath his dark hide.

“Easy,” Henrik soothed half-heartedly. It was a fruitless attempt to make it look like he was trying. If Indy wanted to rear, he would. Sure enough, he did, with a scream as he threw his head to the sky. Henrik brought him down, circling again and keeping the gelding moving. Indy flicked his ears in annoyance but didn’t try again as Cane and Cecily sidled up.

“You know I’m going to beat your ass, right?” She teased.

“Only in your dreams,” Henrik retorted, pushing down the actual fact that Cane had a good chance of besting the entire field.

Cecily cocked an eyebrow, “your horse is already spent.”

“That’s what he wants you to think,” Henrik replied with a grin. “The Shergelding always has a plan..” He wished he had been joking when he said it.

This was the first race he and Cecily would clash in since her accident and it left Henrik with an uneasy feeling in his gut. It was all part of the job, the danger, the nerves. But it was something he swore he'd never let happen again, yet here he was. It was all the more beautifully ironic when one realized that his mount of choice, or not choice, was the son of one of Europe's most talented - whose owner's brother had met his demise after his mare went down over a fence and crushed him beneath her.

Henrik tried not to think about Rowan's death that often. He'd been there, he'd seen it happen. The mare, Sailor, had somehow miraculously survived and was a thriving broodmare as far as he knew. But the screams still haunted him, as he was sure they haunted everyone.

Henrik had kept riding even after that, it was the job he loved and that's why all the jockeys were here today. There was something freeing about thundering over fences at top speed, that even the worst of injuries couldn't keep the adrenaline junkies from.

Indy brought him down to earth again, snorting and pawing the ground, threatening to take a chunk out of Cane's neck as they stood that. Grumbling quietly, Henrik hauled the gelding away, circling him off to the side. The field was beginning to line up for the start, it wouldn't be long now.

"Keep it together bud, we got this," Henrik soothed, rubbing his gloved hand down the gelding's neck. Indy flinched but settled for a minute, and Henrik took the opportunity to catch his breath.

"Good luck," he told Cecily with a curt nod, riding out further to give the gelding some space. It was time to get his bearings and prepare for the race that lay ahead. Indy didn't have much experience, definitely one of the longshots, but he'd started picking up over the last couple months, winning a couple of the smaller American hunt races, or at least running well in them. This would be the first substantial challenge against horses of the likes of Cane, probably for most of the field, all of whom were relatively new to the national hunt scene.

Henrik knew that Muirenn was half hoping to ship the gelding overseas to run in some of the big money races in the UK and the rest of Europe. Henrik was half expected to go with him, but he wasn't sure if he was going to accept. On the other hand, Indy would probably take out anyone else who came near him, but Henrik still wasn't sold.

The shouting of the starter drew his attention, the field was beginning to line up at the wire. It'd be a walk up, as was typical, and Henrik was grateful. He couldn't imagine having to squeeze the gelding into a small confined space, only one of them would probably make it out alive.

Comments

Tried a lot of new things on this, playing a lot with a more painterly style and I actually quite like it.

For the first time, Shergelding is actually getting some love - he's been deserving of it for so long.

artwork + IHS characters, oTapirus
DeWitt + Nicholas Nace, Victorianaa

refs - i.pinimg.com/564x/a7/93/14/a79… , vimeo.com/265311253 (2018 running, screenshots from 2:54 and 3:00 specifically) Video originally found here

Description

Hand on my heart, I'm down on my knees
I'm asking you nicely
I'll take the blame, I'll take a bullet
Would you take one for me?

YONAKA - Fired Up

My Lady's Manor

Date: March 2019
Placing: TBD

Starting Number: 1
My Lady's Manor | (5+) | 24 furlongs | $30,000 | TIMBER

Horse: If Inconvenient, Come Anyway
Rider: Henrik Mansfield
Stable: Iron Horse Stud

Extra Images: nobody likes a sore loser
Featured, #6 DeWitt

Storyword count, 974

Henrik couldn’t help but be nervous. He wasn’t exactly sure how he got roped into riding, again, but he’d had the most experience with the seal gelding and Muirenn insisted.

So here he was, tucked up on the gelding’s back, circling him through the grassy field. There were a scant number of riders around him, and he recognized the infamous DeWitt, ready to make his mark in the jump world and the gold mare aptly named Goldformylady. Cecily was there with Cane, of course, she was just mounting up to work the gelding through his paces. The paint was looking sharp and focused, barely disturbed by the commotion around them.

Henrik’s mount on the other hand, affectionately called “Shergelding,” paced restlessly beneath him. The gelding’s ears were pinned back and he was working the bit uncomfortably in his mouth. His neck was already damp and dark to the touch, his skin warm beneath Henrik’s gloved palm. This did not bode well. Indy was notorious for being difficult, from the day his hooves touched down. It was unsurprising given his sire, one of England’s best, and nastiest hunt stallions. Indy had inherited an equally as angry personality and there was nothing anyone could do. He’d been cut as soon as they’d realized of course, his pedigree not worth the suffering of lost fingers (however, Beetle’s was? Henrik could never make any sense of it) and he was given time to grow.

Indy, however, terrorized everything. It wasn’t the savage brutality of Beetle, but a crude calculating demeanor that spoke to intelligence far beyond that of the average horse. He made no decision unless he was sure. You were simply along for the ride, you asked nicely and prayed he’d let you in on his plan.

The higher intelligence was what scared people off, jockey after jockey without avail, until finally Henrik got saddled with another problem horse. Literally.

Indy tossed his head, pawing the ground and threatening a rear. Henrik could feel the gelding’s muscles contract, bunching together beneath his dark hide.

“Easy,” Henrik soothed half-heartedly. It was a fruitless attempt to make it look like he was trying. If Indy wanted to rear, he would. Sure enough, he did, with a scream as he threw his head to the sky. Henrik brought him down, circling again and keeping the gelding moving. Indy flicked his ears in annoyance but didn’t try again as Cane and Cecily sidled up.

“You know I’m going to beat your ass, right?” She teased.

“Only in your dreams,” Henrik retorted, pushing down the actual fact that Cane had a good chance of besting the entire field.

Cecily cocked an eyebrow, “your horse is already spent.”

“That’s what he wants you to think,” Henrik replied with a grin. “The Shergelding always has a plan..” He wished he had been joking when he said it.

This was the first race he and Cecily would clash in since her accident and it left Henrik with an uneasy feeling in his gut. It was all part of the job, the danger, the nerves. But it was something he swore he'd never let happen again, yet here he was. It was all the more beautifully ironic when one realized that his mount of choice, or not choice, was the son of one of Europe's most talented - whose owner's brother had met his demise after his mare went down over a fence and crushed him beneath her.

Henrik tried not to think about Rowan's death that often. He'd been there, he'd seen it happen. The mare, Sailor, had somehow miraculously survived and was a thriving broodmare as far as he knew. But the screams still haunted him, as he was sure they haunted everyone.

Henrik had kept riding even after that, it was the job he loved and that's why all the jockeys were here today. There was something freeing about thundering over fences at top speed, that even the worst of injuries couldn't keep the adrenaline junkies from.

Indy brought him down to earth again, snorting and pawing the ground, threatening to take a chunk out of Cane's neck as they stood that. Grumbling quietly, Henrik hauled the gelding away, circling him off to the side. The field was beginning to line up for the start, it wouldn't be long now.

"Keep it together bud, we got this," Henrik soothed, rubbing his gloved hand down the gelding's neck. Indy flinched but settled for a minute, and Henrik took the opportunity to catch his breath.

"Good luck," he told Cecily with a curt nod, riding out further to give the gelding some space. It was time to get his bearings and prepare for the race that lay ahead. Indy didn't have much experience, definitely one of the longshots, but he'd started picking up over the last couple months, winning a couple of the smaller American hunt races, or at least running well in them. This would be the first substantial challenge against horses of the likes of Cane, probably for most of the field, all of whom were relatively new to the national hunt scene.

Henrik knew that Muirenn was half hoping to ship the gelding overseas to run in some of the big money races in the UK and the rest of Europe. Henrik was half expected to go with him, but he wasn't sure if he was going to accept. On the other hand, Indy would probably take out anyone else who came near him, but Henrik still wasn't sold.

The shouting of the starter drew his attention, the field was beginning to line up at the wire. It'd be a walk up, as was typical, and Henrik was grateful. He couldn't imagine having to squeeze the gelding into a small confined space, only one of them would probably make it out alive.

Comments

Tried a lot of new things on this, playing a lot with a more painterly style and I actually quite like it.

For the first time, Shergelding is actually getting some love - he's been deserving of it for so long.

artwork + IHS characters, oTapirus
DeWitt + Nicholas Nace, Victorianaa

refs - i.pinimg.com/564x/a7/93/14/a79… , vimeo.com/265311253 (2018 running, screenshots from 2:54 and 3:00 specifically) Video originally found here