Santana; no REGRETS

[Melissa]

This love will have no regrets
As long as when we're
Stepping on the dance floor
It's me and you

The two year old filly shook out her mane as she followed me calmly at a walk over the racetrack, the dew still coating the outside rail. Serenity, that's what I liked mostly about taking a early morning walk. Ana's eyes followed a pair of sparrows as they flew overhead. After a grueling breeze with Stryker two days ago I was letting Santana gain back her energy but it wasn't like she needed it. Santana was notoriously good with regaining her strength, and she shook her head with a low whicker as she shoved at my arm with her nose. I could probably blow her out again and she'd be the same, spunky Santana she was before the work after she was worked. I, however needed a walk even if it wasn't all that necessary with Ana. After working the chestnut with Stryker and Jewel I had worked Faith with Grave Digger. Talk about fun, well for Kyle it literally had been but I'd been wiped out and had crashed and burned on the floor of the living room after watching one of the racing videos where Atalanta and Intuition had raced against each other and taking the occasional note on the pad of paper I had in my lap. Skip and Jassy had been at my side the entire time the video was playing and Skip was still with me the next morning when I had woken up.

"Will you be ready for the Juvy Fillies Ana?" I murmured as she pushed up between me and the track rail and rubbed one ear against my shoulder, grunting a bit as her itch was resolved. I had no doubts she wouldn't place well in the race the papers were calling the 'race of the century' between the three top juvenile fillies, Intuition, Atalanta and the chestnut filly. Train Wreck had narrowly beaten Santana for a second place finish in the GHF BC Juvy Fillies and the bay Locomotion filly had a great lineage that would give the speedy and very energetic Man O'War granddaughter a very good shot of stealing the victory. Swatting away the thoughts about the upcoming race I rested one hand against Ana's neck, heart swelling with pride at how well the filly had turned out already. I just wanted to jump up and down with excitement over how well she had done as a racer. I didn't regret asking to purchase a breeding to Xenophon, not for a split second, Santana was everything I wanted personality wise in a foal by him. She was by no means of the word perfect but she was damn good in my opinion and bound to get better with age.

Stretching her head out she watched the racers breezing and galloping out towards the inside of the track. Changing the lead shank to my left hand I grasped the ring where the shank attached to her halter wanting to prevent the filly was bolting off. She was well-disciplined but loved to run, and sometimes her speed-loving side won out over the disciplined side. Santana looked longingly after a breezing pair, a steel grey and the other a striking blood bay with a white face and two hind stockings. Rubbing my left hand over Ana's face and letting it linger on her muzzle I strolled along, half-tempted to trot her bare-back. With a crazy impulse I gave a soft pull on the shank and Ana stopped obediently, her head craning around to eye me as I gripped a hunk of her recently pulled mane in my hand and bounced lightly on my feet just enough to where I was lying on my stomach across her back. Twitching to the side I swung my right leg over her and shifted into position.

We had walked a good half-mile and she felt good and warmed up so I nudged her lightly in the sides and she flicked back one ear before picking up the trot. I hadn't ridden her bare-back since the day at the beach and she felt no different here on the track than she did on the beach. It was absolutely amazing how smooth her strides were, I couldn't even tell she was trotting unless I looked down at her legs. After two laps of the track at a trot I decided to call it a day rather than try a canter bare-back. The faster pace might mean a gallop was coming and Ana wouldn't be galloping again until Wednesday. Shifting backwards I murmured a soft whoa and the chestnut filly jerked down from her easy trot to a steady walk for her cool-down before I took her back to the barn for a rub-down.