*cough...splutter...cough*
"Gross." She spit out a bit of lakewater mingled with horse hair.

Even after a full day in the sun - the lake was still chilling to the bone. The jockey shirt stuck to her body as if a second skin - a cool, cold skin that burnt like ice. Like her hair, plastered against her head and face, it was soaked from when she'd been dunked under earlier.

It had been when Hollow, running over the shallows of the lake, had stepped across the edge to deeper waters. One moment she was fighting a nightmare kneedeep in the dark waters - the next horse and rider had, caught by surprise, plunged under the surface.
A few swimming steps later, and the stallion resurfaced. His body carried unaturally high in the water there was no deterring him. He kept a straight course for the centre of the lake.

Only being half kelpie, he couldn't run on the water...but it gave him an unnuatural boyancy while swimming - and doing so much faster than a normal horse. And now it carried him and his rider right into the middle of a deep dark lake at a foreign stable... all while the assembled humans by the racetrack stared, blinking at the unfolding events.

Gripping on to the stallion's mane, her hands slipped, strands of hair cutting across the stiff skin. It was all she could do to just hold on.

"Hollow!! BAD horse!!" Mae muttered, while trying not to swallow another mouthful of water.

Hollow's Fall didn't pay any heed. His attention was soley focused on his goal. Once there he swam around in a circle - reaching the end of the pattern only to start again. A forlown high pitched squeal issued from the nightmare's throat.
Another circle.

He cried out again - lower this time. A lonely sound, echoing over the still lake. Some people at the track shivered, it seemed to reach right into you and just vibrate there.

The stallion's movements became slower, less assured. Finally, his ears drooped.
"Come on boy...let's back on land. I think we've made enough fools of ourselves for one night."
This time, as she tugged on the reins to the bitless bridle - and for the first time wishing that it was possible touse a normal bit on the nightmare - he didn't fight her, but instead turned around and slowly made for the shore.

It was a drenched, rather sorry sight, that finally walked up to the starting gates at the The White Swan's Feather race held by Dark Lake Stables.

Not bothering to hide it...many it were that were shaking their heads, tutting and whispering...



Just a very quick image of something that happened before the race (seeing as the racing picture is next to be uploaded)

Darklight Stables [link]

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References:
my own
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challenge: 91 Drowning