First Ride of the New Year (Open)

[John Ahearne]

John whistled slightly as he made his way towards Lilja's stall, his jeans and grey sweatshirt wrinkled slightly, as always. He had just come back from a few days at home, and while he had tried to bring the mare with him, his mother had said that she couldn't drag the trailer up. For the first time in the new year, John saw his mare's beautiful head, sticking out of her stall. He smiled and rubbed the snip on her nose before picking up her inchworm-green halter and buckling it on the mare's head.

After grooming the mare and tacking her up in her customary tack, John led her into the powdering of snow that was the campus, towards the outdoor arena. It was a bit chilly out, but he didn't want to work in the indoor arena, which would probably be fuller anyway. He was glad to see the outdoor arena empty, although he had planned on it being that way. After entering the gate, he latched it and then left Lilja standing, ground-tied, as he walked to the shed and pulled out three of the barrels that were stored in it. Eyeballing the distances, he set up the barrels, then walked over to Lilja. While he was planning on warming the mare up before he started working the barrels, he didn't want anyone coming in thinking that they would be able to claim all of the middle of the arena. after checking the mare's cinch, he swung into the saddle, gripping the reins and asking Lilja to walk around the perimeter of the arena at an easy pace.

[Christopher Reed/ Mia Reed]

Mia sat against a fence post on a blanket, she had brought down, while Crystal and the other two mares grazed around her in a small semi-circle. Standing up and shaking off her blanket, her mare stopped and lifted her head, as if to ask what now?. Well to answer that Mia reached through the gate she grabbed the leather halter that showed a nameplate that spelled out Crystal[/b]. "C'mon girl." A lazy walk was set into pace as the mare moved towards the six year old. The equine's blanket shifted around her as she moved, when the two were muzzle to face Mia slid the leather halter up onto the horse's head and clipped into shut. Opening the gate the six year old took a quick survey as to where Freedom and Dreamer were the two were soon enough on the other side of the gate. Walking back up to the White Oak Barn, the little girl undid the latches on the blanket and pushed it off. Folding it up the way her daddy taught her Mia placed it in the tack room in the box and grabbed the grooming kit.

Even though it wasn't even close to her favorite part it had to be done and so the girl set off with the task. Curry comb flew across the equine's body, while Mia had to move her step stool it did take some extra time but not much. Brushing off the mare the six year old replaced the kit and grabbed Crystal's western tack. With the halter on her shoulder, the young child heaved the saddle up onto her arms. Grabbing her hands together they served as a rack that the very heavy saddle rested on. Setting it on the real saddle rack Mia adjusted the woven blanket on the mare's back. While the saddle was still on its rack the six year old slid the halter off and the bit into Crystal's mouth. The mare stood still when Mia walked away to the get the saddle. Placing it on the mount's back she knew from their making sure it would be in the correct place wouldn't be such a problem. For the most part it was set correctly, making sure the horn was lined up with the Paint's withers. Tightening the cinch, finally the duo was ready for some riding.

Walking the mare to the outdoor arena, it wasn't that cold and they could both deal with it. Seeing a much older boy with a horse riding barrels, the child's face light up a bit, for two reasons; one she didn't have to set up the barrels and two she was happy that there was another person she could observe doing what she loved the most. Walking over the gate of the arena, "Gate.", it was something that was starting to become an automatic thing for her as her father had taught her. "May I ride the barrels too?" Her voice quiet as the six year old's shy side set in. Hoping his answer would be yes Mia watched for the reply.