They Say I'm Trouble [open]

[DOOM HERALD]

School was in session, so to speak, and various yearlings were arriving at the Palm Training Center ready to begin their race training. Nobody could say it was a boring time - the barns were loud and full of life as the various prospects arrived and introduced to their new environments. For the months which would follow, it was unlikely these barns would see a quiet moment although with luck some of the more wild among the youngstock would begin to tame.

Among those arriving, Doom had a bit of a reputation for being trouble. He wasn't beyond scare tactics and, being a well built youngster, he certainly had the strength to pull it off. For people who had never worked with him, the crimson-coated colt was an intimidating one and he was making sure to get noticed as he arrived at the center.

"WOAH!" A handler stumbled backwards off of the ramp leading into the back of the van, his face white as he stared upwards at a snorting thoroughbred who, behind the gate, was showing all the signs of aggression. Ivory teeth were bared as he tossed his head, moving away from the gate to lurk at the back of the box once more as another handler helped the first up. "Told you not to go in there too quick. He's soft really, you just have to know how to handle him." the man came from Stoneview Stables, where the yearling had come from, and had been working with the colt for several months. "Watch."

This man was much more confident than the first and stood his ground as the colt rushed forwards, maintaining eye contact as he rose his hand. "ENOUGH." the word was harshly spoken, the colt's audits slicking backwards as the man approached, taking a firm grip of his head collar and snapping on the lead rein before pulling - quite literally - the colt to the gate and down the ramp.

Doom snorted, head held high as he pulled away from the handler but the man had the upper hand now and as much as he stamped him hooves and made a fuss he wasn't getting anywhere. He seemed to settle, although his bright eyes betrayed a restless energy, and the handlers seemed to relax. The one who had fallen down the ramp even dared to pat the colt's shoulder although he quickly pulled his hand away when the great head turned to face him. He would need to toughen up if he was going to survive Doom.

[SHE'S GOLD]

golden heart, golden soul..

It had only been a week since Gold was brought to the Palm Training Center in Hialeah and already it was becoming a home to her. Out of all the farms she had been to in the last year, this one was standing still. If only it wasn't my color. The filly thought, snorting to herself almost silently in her stall. Her color had gained a lot of popularity and her sales were frequent. A lot of the humans had thought of just her color and not of her talent. Part of her was even worried that she wouldn't even get to see the track at any point of her life. Yet, here she was. Peering out of her stall, the beautiful dainty palomino gazed upon her surrounding happily. There were others here of her age doing the exact same thing she was. They were all learning the ropes. One sound however, caught her attention. The barn across from her was getting a new resident. Pricking her dainty ear, the filly wickered lightly noticing the colt that appeared giving his handlers a handful. She never understood the behavior, it never got anyone anywhere.

Pinning her ears back slightly the filly snorted once more watching the event before her fold out. Maybe it was just a show he was putting on or a way to make him seem above the competition but there wasn't any fooling Gold. She could see right through the colt's soul and new he wasn't all bad. Not any horse had to be bad, they just chose to. Maybe it was the nature of their wild heritage. Rolling her eyes at the thought, the filly settled into her stall with her head hanging out the door content with her surroundings.

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[DOOM HERALD]

Doom was already an impressively build colt, and while his chestnut coat was pretty average it was his markings which had drawn attention to him. That and his bloodlines. He had been purchased by Stoneview Stables at an auction not long after he had turned a year and had been settled in their barns until that morning and he was not happy. It had taken him long enough to establish his space and rules and now they were moving him again, meaning he would have to start over.

His audits slicked back, it was clear that while the handlers were in charge at that moment he wasn't particularly happy about it. He puffed out his chest, lifted his head and moved in that awkward, domineering way that stubborn young colts often did. Something training would see him out of, or at least so the stable hoped. His tail snapped impatiently at his rump as they led him forwards, past the stall of a particularly interesting filly and then he fought the handlers again, pulling backwards and tossing his head until he was stood by her box where he rooted his hooves.

"Hello, pretty one." he greeted.

[SHE'S GOLD]

golden heart, golden soul..

Ignoring most of the sounds coming from the newest arrival, Gold had contently settled back in with her stall. It was warm and cozy for the most part when the wind didn't get so high at nights that a draft bursted through the back wall. Her eyes flickered to the loose board knowing well it must have been caused by another of her kind getting rude by kicking the walls. Walls never fell so what was the point in kicking them? She began to think, making a small circle in her stall wearing down the flakes of bedding into her makeshift track. The sounds of hoof beats coming down the shed row quickly brought her attention forward, flickering her ears forward from the back of the stall she could see the chestnut. His dark shadow had casted out all of her light allowing her to see just his height alone. He was massive. Seeing he was causing a scene, watching as his humans had tried to get him to move on all she could do was shake her head. The colt would never learn.

Picking her head up from the straw she slowly made her way back over to her door fully exposing her golden color, her flaxen forelock nearly covering part of her face. Gold didn't know how to take the colt's adancnce, nor did she ever expect anyone to ever notice her. How would she react? What did she need to say? Flicking her ears back as if she was presenting a warning she could feel her speech coming out from within her chest. " I don't take kindly to rude strangers." The dainty filly snorted politely, not meaning to be rude herself but just to point out the situation at hand. The poor humans were having the time of their life and he was suppose to be giving them that journey and not making it hectic. "Now if you don't mind mister, I'd like to have my view back while you should be back on your way to wherever you are suppose to be going." She had a deep southern twang, it came natural as her mother had also had it.

Her breeding had been prominent in the south and so therefore she would keep her values close to heart. She had to make her momma proud. "No sense in giving your humans such a hard time when they want nothing but the best for ya." The filly smiled a bit, her ears coming up only to express her beauty more as the shadows of her stall revealed her massive white blaze on top of her already strange color.

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