“How come every year we get at least one horse that’s always difficult?” Hailey asked as she and Brad watched Firebrand throw at fit. The gelding threw up his head, clearly not wanting to work today. But this was their last chance to get the workouts in, so like it or not, he was going to work. “At least Alice calmed down, and she’s not mean. All she ever really was, was a toddler who threw temper tantrums when she didn’t get her way. She only does that once a week now.”

“Thank God we’re not on him,” Bradley replied.

“The devil can have him,” Hailey muttered. “I’m okay with riding the difficult ones. They’re fun, more unpredictable. But Zachary? That’s one horse you won’t see me on.”

Firebrand was a horse Scotia had picked up at an auction. Like most of the horses on the farm who weren’t bred by the stable or purchased from more renowned stables, he didn’t have much in terms of a pedigree. Neither of his parents or grandparents had raced. Which was probably why Scotia had got him for so cheap.

“He is pretty to look at,” Scotia said from behind them as she walked up.

“Of course you like him because he’s pretty,” Hailey said.

Scotia shrugged. “It wasn’t just that. He has spirit. And look at what we’ve done with other horses that don’t have much of a pedigree. If it turns out that running’s not in his nature, he’s got a good life here.”

The poor, unfortunate rider who had to contend with Firebrand was Nicholas Peterman. Instead of being terrified like everyone expected, Nicholas seemed like he was enjoying the unruly gelding. Nicholas was new to the team, though he'd yet been on one of the horses. Unlike Hailey had been when she'd first joined the team, Nicholas was a licensed jockey. At least he knew what he was doing.

“Trial by fire?” Scotia asked Bradley. “You do realize this is the first horse he’s ridden for us.”

Bradley shrugged. “I didn’t put him up there. You’d have to ask George.”

Once the horse set hooves on the track, he became mild-mannered, as if he was a pleasure horse instead of the wild bronco he’d been just seconds earlier. His ears flickered back as Nicholas patted him on the neck. He cantered easily for a dozen strides before Nicholas let out the reins. The chestnut gelding surged forward, his earlier fit obviously taking nothing out of him.

It was a short workout, only about five furlongs. No need to tire the horses out just before their first start, even if that was only two weeks away. Nicholas let the horse have a bit more head since the horse obviously wanted more with the way he pulled against the reins. That was something they were going to have to talk to the rider about. Even if the horse was a frontrunner, he still needed to learn how to rate.

The horse lengthened his strides, eating up the dirt. His ears pricked forward, occasionally flickering back to listen for any cues his rider might give. It was obvious the horse loved to run, so they had no worries that he wouldn't make it as a racehorse. The five furlong poles went by in a flash, and when Nicholas went to pull him up, the gelding threw in a small buck. Apparently even on the track, he still wasn’t above pulling little stunts like that.