hell's angel
Photo by Allison L. Janezic
This is the first time readers will meet The Devil's Touch's first foal. Introducing The Devil's Hourglass:
Ripley Marsh opened the rounded wooden doors to enter the broodmare barn. Warm smells drifted toward her and immediately helped to combat the early morning spring chill. Her green eyes swept over the neatly swept barn aisles and the spider-web free ceilings and stalls. Her hard work last night after returning Mastermind and Indian Darling back from the races had paid off. Even if she might have missed a few during her late night sweep.
She had a pep to her step this morning as she went to the feed room, much to the delight of the four broodmares and the yearling filly at the end. Ripley was too busy contemplating the successful past weekend to answer cutely to their welcoming noises. Much to her annoyance, she was still stuck in the maiden ranks with Indian Darling and Mastermind, after having been disqualified from the Dirty Duck Stakes. However, she was pleased with the little bay who had run so courageously in her first start at The Wire. A close second place finish was nothing to sneeze at when even your owner had worried about your inability to race a straight line.
Frozen Motion was also his consistent self, starting off his three year old season with a second place finish in the Ameliorate Stakes at The Wire. He had relaxed a little bit but there had definitely been some room for improvement.
Ripley emerged from the feed room to begin dumping grain in the stall buckets. She was nearly attacked by The Devil's Touch, but brushed it off. The mare was a sweetheart to Ripley under most circumstances, but pregnant and hungry wasn't too good of a combination. Ripley could hardly blame her for her moodiness. She rubbed Finale Slew and Ashanti's heads softly, pushing their forelocks back to get at their favorite itch spots."All my pretty ladies are wide awake today."
Ripley stopped at the last stall on the left to have a moment with El Sol del Mar. The mare's small head lowered immediately when Ripley approached, not to grab at the food, but for the kiss that had awaited her every single morning since Ripley had brought Sunny back from Akita Rose Stables. The small chestnut mare squirmed her soft lips over Ripley's fingers for an itch not a treat. Her eyes rolled delightfully and she moved her overly plump body towards the back of the stall. Ripley dumped the grain and gave her hungry, very pregnant cohort a pat.
She moved on to the single stall across from Sunny with a bucket filled with grain. However, she didn't dump it just yet into the stall. She had business to take care of with this next horse. The grain would be fed to the horse eventually, but would be used as a bribe to get the filly over to the race string barn. Today was The Devil's Hourglass' moving day to what would be her home for the next four years of her life.
Ripley snagged a light blue rope halter off the rack to the side of the horse stall and looked inside. Hourglass was curled right up in the shavings, her small head resting on her forelegs. Her whiskers twitched with her breathing and Ripley took a moment to enjoy the sight of the filly. Even in the low light, Hourglass' body was a gleaming lake of near black. Her dark color came from her dam, The Devil's Touch. She had a strong physique for one so small and so young. That too, Hourglass could thank her mother for.
However, when the dark eyes opened up they betrayed none of their mother's spitefulness or annoyance toward humans. That trait, Ripley thought, was certainly not inherited from her mother. Hourglass' sire Sand Storm was the one to thank for that. Ripley waited for the flashy filly to climb fully to her hooves before entering the stall.
Hourglass was still growing and she was a measly 15 hands at the moment. Based on her mother's and sire's sizes, Ripley was thinking the filly had some growing left to do, but not much. Ripley took handfuls of the filly's thick black mane and pulled them into gentle braids. Hourglass stood still, confident that she was safe under Ripley's watchful eye. There was no fighter spirit whatsoever in this little filly. So opposite was she of her dam that Ripley was beginning to grow worried that she wouldn't have her dams racing ability either.
However, she pushed these negative thoughts away and just busied herself by picking the shavings out of the mane that nearly curled and the tail that was showing signs of sweet itch. Ripley left and returned with some skin softener lotion and rubbed it on the dock of the dark bay's tail. A chamomile clothe was used to rub the dark coat until it gleamed. Hourglass turned around constantly to watch Ripley do her work. The filly was always so curious about Ripley, had been since that fateful day in the stall when The Devil had nearly killed after just being born.
Ripley still remembered the terror that had coursed through her veins when she'd seen The Devil's Touch launch herself at the weak filly who was still covered in after birth. She didn't remember grabbing the twitch from off the wall beside the stall, didn't remember hurling it at the disgruntled mare. But she had according to the cuts that had bloomed on The Devil's shoulder. The mare had been wary of Ripley for weeks, but it had been worth the mare's pain for Ripley to save the filly's life.
In time, The Devil had grown used to allowing the foal to be around for nursing. She had taken care of her, but not with the fierce motherly love that Sunny had displayed with her twins and Mastermind. She allowed the filly to march around as she pleased. Ripley had taken it upon herself to work more with the weanling than any other foal of the past, Battle Brook or Witch Creek. What she had done was imprinted on the filly.
Hourglass was pretty easy going, but she was always fearful with new people and especially the new mares. Ashanti and Finale Slew had terrified Hourglass even if they were grazing peacefully in another paddock. Hourglass would eventually have to get over that, but with no other yearlings for company, well that just wasn't possible. Her race filly Indian Darling might accept her as a paddock mate, but it could be too dangerous for either of them to try it.
Ripley brushed back the filly's thick forelock to reveal the large rounded star. It was like a moon, a bright spot in a dark world. Ripley had come to think of this filly as her angel. Hourglass was a promise for the future racer's of Witch Creek. Ripley spent some time stroking the filly until a grumbling stomach prompted her to move on. The filly was too willing to let Ripley do as she pleased to consider her own needs first. A wild horse, Hourglass would never be.
The 5 ft 2 woman slipped the gentle rope halter over the filly's head and picked up the bucket of grain."We're going for a walk today pretty girl."Hourglass was pretty easy to deal with on the ground. She wasn't spooky or flighty and her first name wasn't Run Away. She allowed herself to be led right on by the mares and her dam. She tossed her head jubilantly, carried her tail with pride. She was a cute filly.
Hourglass reached for the bucket countless times, sending questioning looks every time Ripley drew it away from her."Few more minutes little lady."No one could accuse Hourglass of being thin. Besides sleep all the filly did was eat. She played only when Ripley played with her by running up and down the fence like. More of a pet than an athlete. With regret, Ripley sighed. It would change as soon as this move was complete.
Hourglass would have to learn the racehorse life. It was quite away between the Broodmare barn and the Race barn. They had to pass the barn that housed their sole stallion, DW Flamekissed. The stallion had a paddock that connected to his stall. He was currently pacing in it beneath the early sunlight. He called to them as they passed."I'll be back to feed you soon."Hourglass' ears were perked right up at the bulky stallion.
Flame had certainly put on weight since he'd begun his stallion days. He looked primitive and tough. He was a fascination even to the little filly who had been rejected initially by her dam. Ripley gently pulled on the lead rope to break the contact. DW Flamekissed was staring back at the foal with an intensity that Ripley didn't want to turn into something more, like jumping the fence.
Ripley ushered the filly along at a keen walk, sometimes trot. Hourglass was more interested in returning to Flame than in the journey. Boys before girls any day. Ripley laughed pet Hourglass' neck as they entered the already open door to go into the race string barn.
She felt bad for the filly on the end of the lead who suddenly stiffened up and looked as though she were about to keel over at the sight of Frozen Motion, Darla and Mastermind. The horses had scented their arrival and were more interested in pacing their stalls while they waited for food, than in the newcomer. Hourglass' eyes rolled white and she danced to the side. Ripley moved with her, stroking her soft coat."You're okay pretty girl."
It took five minutes of coaxing and shaking the grain bucket to get the filly to move past the now curiously jealous horses. Hourglass tossed her head, repeatedly flashing her white star at the trio as she skittered on by and into the stall. There was a spirit after all in the filly, thought Ripley as she closed the stall door. A scared one, but a spirit nonetheless.
Ripley dumped the grain, watched as Hourglass seemed caught between her nerves and the enjoyment she found in her food. Her trainer smiled when she chose the food. Ripley patted the filly's soft shoulder one more and exited to feed the rest of the horses.
Ripley Marsh opened the rounded wooden doors to enter the broodmare barn. Warm smells drifted toward her and immediately helped to combat the early morning spring chill. Her green eyes swept over the neatly swept barn aisles and the spider-web free ceilings and stalls. Her hard work last night after returning Mastermind and Indian Darling back from the races had paid off. Even if she might have missed a few during her late night sweep.
She had a pep to her step this morning as she went to the feed room, much to the delight of the four broodmares and the yearling filly at the end. Ripley was too busy contemplating the successful past weekend to answer cutely to their welcoming noises. Much to her annoyance, she was still stuck in the maiden ranks with Indian Darling and Mastermind, after having been disqualified from the Dirty Duck Stakes. However, she was pleased with the little bay who had run so courageously in her first start at The Wire. A close second place finish was nothing to sneeze at when even your owner had worried about your inability to race a straight line.
Frozen Motion was also his consistent self, starting off his three year old season with a second place finish in the Ameliorate Stakes at The Wire. He had relaxed a little bit but there had definitely been some room for improvement.
Ripley emerged from the feed room to begin dumping grain in the stall buckets. She was nearly attacked by The Devil's Touch, but brushed it off. The mare was a sweetheart to Ripley under most circumstances, but pregnant and hungry wasn't too good of a combination. Ripley could hardly blame her for her moodiness. She rubbed Finale Slew and Ashanti's heads softly, pushing their forelocks back to get at their favorite itch spots."All my pretty ladies are wide awake today."
Ripley stopped at the last stall on the left to have a moment with El Sol del Mar. The mare's small head lowered immediately when Ripley approached, not to grab at the food, but for the kiss that had awaited her every single morning since Ripley had brought Sunny back from Akita Rose Stables. The small chestnut mare squirmed her soft lips over Ripley's fingers for an itch not a treat. Her eyes rolled delightfully and she moved her overly plump body towards the back of the stall. Ripley dumped the grain and gave her hungry, very pregnant cohort a pat.
She moved on to the single stall across from Sunny with a bucket filled with grain. However, she didn't dump it just yet into the stall. She had business to take care of with this next horse. The grain would be fed to the horse eventually, but would be used as a bribe to get the filly over to the race string barn. Today was The Devil's Hourglass' moving day to what would be her home for the next four years of her life.
Ripley snagged a light blue rope halter off the rack to the side of the horse stall and looked inside. Hourglass was curled right up in the shavings, her small head resting on her forelegs. Her whiskers twitched with her breathing and Ripley took a moment to enjoy the sight of the filly. Even in the low light, Hourglass' body was a gleaming lake of near black. Her dark color came from her dam, The Devil's Touch. She had a strong physique for one so small and so young. That too, Hourglass could thank her mother for.
However, when the dark eyes opened up they betrayed none of their mother's spitefulness or annoyance toward humans. That trait, Ripley thought, was certainly not inherited from her mother. Hourglass' sire Sand Storm was the one to thank for that. Ripley waited for the flashy filly to climb fully to her hooves before entering the stall.
Hourglass was still growing and she was a measly 15 hands at the moment. Based on her mother's and sire's sizes, Ripley was thinking the filly had some growing left to do, but not much. Ripley took handfuls of the filly's thick black mane and pulled them into gentle braids. Hourglass stood still, confident that she was safe under Ripley's watchful eye. There was no fighter spirit whatsoever in this little filly. So opposite was she of her dam that Ripley was beginning to grow worried that she wouldn't have her dams racing ability either.
However, she pushed these negative thoughts away and just busied herself by picking the shavings out of the mane that nearly curled and the tail that was showing signs of sweet itch. Ripley left and returned with some skin softener lotion and rubbed it on the dock of the dark bay's tail. A chamomile clothe was used to rub the dark coat until it gleamed. Hourglass turned around constantly to watch Ripley do her work. The filly was always so curious about Ripley, had been since that fateful day in the stall when The Devil had nearly killed after just being born.
Ripley still remembered the terror that had coursed through her veins when she'd seen The Devil's Touch launch herself at the weak filly who was still covered in after birth. She didn't remember grabbing the twitch from off the wall beside the stall, didn't remember hurling it at the disgruntled mare. But she had according to the cuts that had bloomed on The Devil's shoulder. The mare had been wary of Ripley for weeks, but it had been worth the mare's pain for Ripley to save the filly's life.
In time, The Devil had grown used to allowing the foal to be around for nursing. She had taken care of her, but not with the fierce motherly love that Sunny had displayed with her twins and Mastermind. She allowed the filly to march around as she pleased. Ripley had taken it upon herself to work more with the weanling than any other foal of the past, Battle Brook or Witch Creek. What she had done was imprinted on the filly.
Hourglass was pretty easy going, but she was always fearful with new people and especially the new mares. Ashanti and Finale Slew had terrified Hourglass even if they were grazing peacefully in another paddock. Hourglass would eventually have to get over that, but with no other yearlings for company, well that just wasn't possible. Her race filly Indian Darling might accept her as a paddock mate, but it could be too dangerous for either of them to try it.
Ripley brushed back the filly's thick forelock to reveal the large rounded star. It was like a moon, a bright spot in a dark world. Ripley had come to think of this filly as her angel. Hourglass was a promise for the future racer's of Witch Creek. Ripley spent some time stroking the filly until a grumbling stomach prompted her to move on. The filly was too willing to let Ripley do as she pleased to consider her own needs first. A wild horse, Hourglass would never be.
The 5 ft 2 woman slipped the gentle rope halter over the filly's head and picked up the bucket of grain."We're going for a walk today pretty girl."Hourglass was pretty easy to deal with on the ground. She wasn't spooky or flighty and her first name wasn't Run Away. She allowed herself to be led right on by the mares and her dam. She tossed her head jubilantly, carried her tail with pride. She was a cute filly.
Hourglass reached for the bucket countless times, sending questioning looks every time Ripley drew it away from her."Few more minutes little lady."No one could accuse Hourglass of being thin. Besides sleep all the filly did was eat. She played only when Ripley played with her by running up and down the fence like. More of a pet than an athlete. With regret, Ripley sighed. It would change as soon as this move was complete.
Hourglass would have to learn the racehorse life. It was quite away between the Broodmare barn and the Race barn. They had to pass the barn that housed their sole stallion, DW Flamekissed. The stallion had a paddock that connected to his stall. He was currently pacing in it beneath the early sunlight. He called to them as they passed."I'll be back to feed you soon."Hourglass' ears were perked right up at the bulky stallion.
Flame had certainly put on weight since he'd begun his stallion days. He looked primitive and tough. He was a fascination even to the little filly who had been rejected initially by her dam. Ripley gently pulled on the lead rope to break the contact. DW Flamekissed was staring back at the foal with an intensity that Ripley didn't want to turn into something more, like jumping the fence.
Ripley ushered the filly along at a keen walk, sometimes trot. Hourglass was more interested in returning to Flame than in the journey. Boys before girls any day. Ripley laughed pet Hourglass' neck as they entered the already open door to go into the race string barn.
She felt bad for the filly on the end of the lead who suddenly stiffened up and looked as though she were about to keel over at the sight of Frozen Motion, Darla and Mastermind. The horses had scented their arrival and were more interested in pacing their stalls while they waited for food, than in the newcomer. Hourglass' eyes rolled white and she danced to the side. Ripley moved with her, stroking her soft coat."You're okay pretty girl."
It took five minutes of coaxing and shaking the grain bucket to get the filly to move past the now curiously jealous horses. Hourglass tossed her head, repeatedly flashing her white star at the trio as she skittered on by and into the stall. There was a spirit after all in the filly, thought Ripley as she closed the stall door. A scared one, but a spirit nonetheless.
Ripley dumped the grain, watched as Hourglass seemed caught between her nerves and the enjoyment she found in her food. Her trainer smiled when she chose the food. Ripley patted the filly's soft shoulder one more and exited to feed the rest of the horses.