part 2/2 The best week of my life!

    It's another week and I'm still behind in my blogging :(. Being broke like most college students, Christmas break has not really been a break because Ive been working 5 PM to 1 AM at Steak-n-Shake in order to make a few dollars so I can continue on with my dream :).

   Prior to Christmas break, a NARA administrator pulled me aside and told me that he'd like me to meet someone. I followed him into the neighboring trainer's office and standing there was none other then Jean Cruguet, the jockey who rode Seattle Slue to the Triple Crown. This amazing jockey pulled off what most jockeys aren't able to achieve by winning the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes on one horse. There have only been 11 horses to achieve this with the first being in 1919 and the last being in 1978. Mr Cruguet conquered this feat in 1977. It was an honor and a pleasure to be able to meet Mr. Cruguet!

   Tuesday, December 6th started out as a disappointment. It was the last week of class.  When I woke up at 5 AM, it was raining outside which meant we would be riding inside. When I arrived at the barn and was about done mucking out several stalls, I was surprised when Chris told us to begin oiling the tack because we were riding outside even though it was raining. This has never happened, so I thought it was a little strange that we would be riding outside in the bad weather. After we finished, we went back to the classroom for our lecture and at around 10:30 Chris broke the awesome news to us. He casually announced that today we'd be doing things a little differently and we would be riding on the track!  My heart skipped a beat. I had been working so hard for the opportunity to ride on the track and the moment had arrived. We left for the barn and started tacking up the horses. So many emotions were running through me: excitement, joy, nervousness. I had never been on a horse on the track and didn't know what to expect. As I rode my horse, Ease, down to the track he was bouncing/jostling and getting more and more excited as we got closer. As Ease placed his foot onto the track, I felt a sense of awe.  I had done it!  Not only had I overcome the dragon lady, I conquered my neck injury! I had gone through so much and worked so hard for this. Although we only jogged the horses around the track. I couldn't imagine what it would feel like to let them fly!

   Things only got better the following day because we were able to let them gallop. It is one of the greatest feelings galloping a horse on the track. However it's not all fun and games. Ease, the horse I was on, is one of the fastest horses in the barn and loves to run. The problem is we weren't supposed to let them go all out and so keeping him in check was one of the most physically demanding things I had ever done. He would pull against me with all his weight and I had to muster whatever I had in me just to keep him at only a gallop.

   December 8th was the craziest day of my life at NARA. I was overjoyed that we were able to ride on the track again. As usual we would jog them the wrong way, going clockwise, then turn them around and go the right way, counter clockwise,  and let them gallop. I knew Ease would be pulling again, so I settled back, put my hands firmly down on his neck. When I turned him around to gallop, he pulled pretty hard so I tried to calm him down, but nothing worked. All he wanted to do was breeze. On my second lap around I was losing my strength and all of a sudden it happened. My energy was gone and Ease sensed it so with one hard lunge he grabbed the bit and away he went. I was out of energy trying to stop a speeding bullet. All I could do was sit on top of him and try to talk him down. My arms felt like jello and It was like they didn't even exist. As we were coming down the back stretch I new I had to pull him up; otherwise I'd have to signal for the outrider on the track to come catch me and my runaway horse. I felt helpless, because he had my number and was taking me for a ride. At the end of the back stretch I dug in deep and found a little bit of strength left. With that little strength and talking to him softly, I was able to pull him up and didn't need the outrider. Being run off with is embarrassing but the reality is, it happens to everyone at some time or another.

   December 9th was our last day before the break, a day that will never be forgotten. Mr. McCarron told us that we where going to jog them like usual then turn around and give them their head. We were going to get to breeze them going 35-40mph down the track. I totally lost it. I began high-fiving and hugging people Yeah, probably a little overdoing it, but I couldn't help myself.  I was about to breeze my first horse! I was one step closer to my dream :). All the time I was tacking Ease I was overjoyed and kept on saying "We get to fly today big boy!" Yes, it is a little strange talking to a horse, but it can settle them down or hype them up. As I was given a leg up onto my mount, I had the biggest smile on my face. All the way down to the track I couldn't help but pat my horse and smile from ear to ear. I was going to be the 6th rider to breeze.  As Ease and I saw the others go flying around our excitement grew and Ease began prancing and jumping. Then it was my turn. This was it!  This was the day I had longed for!   As I jogged my horse around the track and got closer to the place where we were going to start our breeze, my heart began to beat faster and faster. I turned him around and started off at a jog then went into a canter then a gallop. I then relaxed my hold on the reins and in an excited voice said, "It's time, boy. LETS FLY!" I couldn't hear anything but the sound of the rushing wind and the pounding hooves. As we approached where some of the students and staff where watching. I couldn't help but yell "YEAH BABY!!!!" Yes, it's kind of an unprofessional thing to do and won't happen again, but I couldn't control myself. I was having the time of my life. As I saw the finish line, I realized my ride was coming to an end. It all happened so fast.  It was the greatest experience of my life. I slowed my horse down, pulled him up, and whispered, "We did it big boy.  We did it" :). I then headed back to the barn and the smile never ever left my face the whole day. I will never forget this day or my buddy, Ease. Thank you Mr. McCarron for giving me the opportunity of a lifetime and helping me achieve my dream!. Later that day we found out we were the first class in NARA's existence to not only go on the track during the first semester but to be able to breeze them! What a way to end the semester and year. I couldn't have come up with a better ending!

   Check for next week's blog where I'll answer the questions that were asked a while back and will share two surprises. 

Have a great week

Jesse!