|
Post by daine3 on Oct 16, 2012 12:37:42 GMT -6
Lukas whistled as he worked the curry across the blue roan’s coat. He didn’t know how the horse had gotten so muddy, but Deuce had… and right at a time when Luke was dying to hit the trails and explore them. The young instructor wasn’t upset with the animal, he was only doing what nature told him… but still. The horse being so muddy had cut off about an hour’s worth of riding-time for the man… but finally, at long last and lots of elbow grease later, the stunning coat color was back to normal instead of looking like mud and the four socks and bald face were once again white. The man stepped back to study his work, nodding in appreciation as he eyeballed the gelding’s light coat. Deuce wasn’t like your typical blue roan. For one, his coat color never seemed to darken, staying a really light, almost periwinkle blue color year-round. Add that with the horses’ bald face, dark chocolate eyes lined with natural eyeliner, and four socks… Deuce was an eye-catcher in the competition ring, or anywhere really. Luckily it didn’t take long to tack up. Lukas was a speed demon when he wanted to be, and in only a few minutes he’d tossed his western saddle over Deuce’s back, cinched it up, and buckled up the breast collar and flank-strap as it should be. He debated on riding the horse in a rope halter, but chose, in the end, to go with a simple snaffle-bridle, which was quickly put into place and the throatlatch buckled. The man didn’t forget the SMB boots, though. Not at all. Those were too important to forget… nor did he forget to grab his helmet as he left the crossties with the horse in tow. After riding with a helmet all his life, it was second nature to always wear it. Luke stepped into the saddle right outside the barn and, after a short warm-up in the grass, he asked for an immediate gallop in the direction of the trail-head, which was given willingly as the powerful Quarterhorse took off, kicking up dirt as he bolted in response to his owner and rider’s cue. The trail instructor let the horse run for a few, dropping the reins over the saddlehorn and sitting back, enjoying the wind that whipped across his face. He picked up the reins as the two neared the beginning of the trail and asked gently for a stop, grinning is pleasure when the six year old gelding immediately brought his hindquarters underneath his body and executed a sliding stop in the grass and dirt, sending clumps and clods flying, his hooves leaving indentions in the dirt. “Atta boy, Deuce.” Lukas praised, petting the barely hot horses’ neck and scratching under his mane.
|
|
|
Post by Brian Tyrion Setliff on Oct 16, 2012 16:01:03 GMT -6
Brian sighed as he walked through the aisle of the Brown Orchid barn, he had no mount of his own, so he had been slowly working his way through the school's stallions, figuring out which ones he would trust to behave around others, and which ones he wouldn't. So far, he had quite a list going, with Tjaard and Stay at the top of one, and Morn heading the other one. He smiled as he passed the white stallion, who trumpeted out a challenge. He walked to a horse he had heard would be gentle, and held out a hand to the large black Hanoverian, "Hey Barry, how are you?" The stallion regarded him, rather lazily, and Brian shrugged, "You're coming out with me today, we have some trails to explore." He hurried to get the stallion groomed and tacked, putting a yellow bow into his tail as the final touch. He buckled his helmet into place, then took the stallion's reins and led him out into the sunlight.
Swinging up into the English saddle, he tapped his heels to Barry's sides and they headed off towards the trail. He arrived just in time to see a quarter horse executing a sliding stop at the front of the trail, with someone who appeared to be a student on his back. He stopped Barry a bit away from the pair and called, "Did anyone let you know where the reining arena is, or did you just decide this would be more fun?" There was a hint of sarcasm in his voice, although he did wonder about the choice of location for the exercise.
|
|
|
Post by daine3 on Oct 16, 2012 18:18:29 GMT -6
Deuce shook his head, his mane flying with the movement. He snorted during the process, clearing out his nasal passages as well. While the mane was not terribly long, it was still long enough to get all over the place on both sides of his neck. Lukas patiently pushed it to fall back over on the correct side before glancing over upon hearing the slightly sarcastic tone of another mans voice.
Lukas stilled the horse completely, dropping the reins back over the saddlehorn and twisting around slightly to see the other rider. He nodded his head in greeting, idly noting that the man rode in an english style. Lukas didn't really care, he himself knew how to ride english just as well as he rode western. "Oh yeah," he answered the comment, "I just figured this would be more fun. You got it." He looked young, he knew, but his vocal tone proved him to be older than he looked. He answered with a bit of friendly sarcasm himself, though his smirk let it be known that he wasn't being cruel. Cruel was one thing the man was definitely not and never would be. "Nah, we're just hitting the trails."Lukas had a friendly grin on his face. He was the type of person who never met a stranger and didn't make enemies unless it was in extreme conditions. "Name's Lukas."
|
|
|
Post by Brian Tyrion Setliff on Oct 17, 2012 17:22:13 GMT -6
The other rider turned towards Brian and responded, and the man nodded just slightly in a form of approval. This kid at least understood sarcasm, and seemed able to take it. He could hear that his first assessment of the person on the Quarter Horse wasn't quite correct. The man sounded to be older than any student, his vocals deeper than the average eighteen-year-old. Brian chuckled, keeping his hold on Barry's reins, although the lazy horse would probably not be going anywhere. As the young man conceded that he was actually going on to the trails, Brian smiled, "Would you and your, admittedly talented, steed mind some company?" He didn't exactly feel like going back to the barn, or going down to the easy, Green Hill, trail. As Lukas gave his name, Brian nodded and returned the favor, "Brian, Stallion Handling teacher." He looked the kid and his horse over, while he didn't favor any type of horse, he could see that the stocky horse would have good stamina. Murmuring more to himself, he spoke, his words catching the breeze and flying, so he wasn't sure if Lukas could hear them, "Nice horse, looks like he'd keep up a pace well, on the trail." Yes, his eye had caught on to the gelding's conformation, and he knew that, if he was looking for competition on trails, this horse would be a model of what he wanted.
|
|
|
Post by daine3 on Oct 17, 2012 18:51:26 GMT -6
"Sure!" Lukas responded enthusiastically, nodding his agreement upon the question of him possibly wanting some company on the trail. He wasn't one to turn down an offer to ride with another person. The young man eyed the horse the other was riding, immediately recognizing the breed, as he'd ridden a fair few himself. He smirked upon hearing the man's name and job, his smirk turning into a lopsided grin, "Oh, sorry, I didn't know us staffer's were supposed to introduce ourselves by name and job title." He said sardonically, "Let me try again. Lukas. Trail Class Instructor." Luke let the grin on his face widen, hoping the man understood sarcasm as well as he spoke it.
The young man noticed the other eyeballing his equine companion and he faintly heard the words Brian spoke, nodding his agreement. "He's a rising champion… well, actually not 'rising' any longer… I just still call him that due to his age… he's an old pro in trail competitions and obstacle challenges, especially for him to only be six." It was true, the blue roan horse was easily recognizable to anyone who followed the trail competitions or obstacle challenges. He'd won several competitions, even against seasoned horses and competitors, and the horse had also been the featured horse in several magazines since he was a three year old, much like Lukas' mare had been, before her injury and retirement.
"So, my new riding compadre." Lukas mentioned with a grin, nudging Deuce on at a relaxed, loose reined walk down the start of the trail, which was wide enough at the moment for the two horse and rider duo's to ride side-by-side if they so wanted. "Hows about we check out and explore some."
|
|
|
Post by Brian Tyrion Setliff on Oct 17, 2012 19:29:55 GMT -6
Brian grinned at the other man's try at ignorance at how he had introduced himself, "You don't have to, but it helps each other." He raised an eyebrow as he heard 'Trail Class Instructor'. Taking another look at the blue roan horse the man was riding, he remembered an article about a similar, if not identical looking horse. As Lukas spoke about his horse, Brian remembered the article more clearly, and smiled as he placed the name to the horse, "Would I be correct, then, in assuming that this is The Right Formula?" He had read about the up-and-coming champion some while ago, "I don't think I've ever had the pleasure of seeing him at a TRC in person, though."
As Lukas moved the blue roan away, Brian let Barry fall into step beside him, on the alert for any sign that the placid stallion might want to lash out. However, no such sign came, and Brian let them keep pace, "Exploring sounds good, as long as you're as good as picking your own trail as you and your companion are at keeping the pace on marked ones." He kept Barry's reins rather tight, although he didn't pull the stallion's head up, just ready to react should the Hanoverian show any signs of wanting to maul his trail partner.
|
|
|
Post by daine3 on Oct 18, 2012 11:26:00 GMT -6
"I shall endeavor to remember that, then." Lukas grinned, "I bet you thought I was a student at first, didn't you?" It was a rhetorical question that didn't really warrant an answer, and from the way he said it, his tone implied that he wasn't upset. The man was used to it and had actually gotten into an argument with a trail competition judge over his age once that had ended up with him having to show his ID in order to compete in the adult classes, because the official had thought him to be under the majority. It was quite funny, looking back on it, but at the time he'd been beyond upset.
Lukas's smile widened as the other man correctly identified his horse after a moment, and he nodded, "You'd be correct." He said with the smile still in place. "His barn name's Deuce, though." He reached down a and patted the horses neck lightly as the Quarterhorse flicked an ear back upon hearing his name called out. The horse did, though, attempt to swing his head around to see the other horse as the other rider brought him alongside. A slight twitch from the reins, though, had Deuce's mind back on the trail.
The man atop the western saddle laughed softly, "I don't know about how good I am at picking a trail. I like to 'rough it' and head off-trail at times. My horses are all-terrain animals. I thank you, though, for the compliment."
It was odd how Lukas could go from completely at easy and 'young' to more mature sounding, but it was simply from his upbringing in a wealthy family. That and he was young still, and didn't plan on ever becoming a 'stuffy old man', but he did know the merits of being polite and gracious.
|
|
|
Post by Brian Tyrion Setliff on Oct 18, 2012 11:59:13 GMT -6
Brian inclined his head, "Caught in the act." He had no problem admitting it, especially since Lukas didn't seem to be too mad about it. He recognized the rhetoric, but ignored it, leaving his reply at that little sentence.
He could see the other man's smile as he identified the horse and smiled slightly in response, "Deuce seems like it works for him." He could see the gelding's interest in Barry and, wondering if he should introduce his mount as well, decided that he might as well, "This is Barry, one of the academy's stallions, since I currently have no mount of my own." He hadn't had a horse to call his own since he had outgrown his first pony, and since then, hadn't ever found a reason to buy a horse.
As the other man confided that he wasn't sure about picking trails, but preferred off-trail, Brian shrugged, "We can try that. I'm not sure how Barry'll do, but he can try it out." As Lukas thanked him for the compliment, Brian inclined his head again, but said nothing, since he had just meant to compliment a fellow trail rider, not curry favor with anyone.
|
|
|
Post by daine3 on Oct 18, 2012 12:09:22 GMT -6
Lukas eyeballed the horse the other man rode once more, nodding upon hearing the name, a small smile playing at his lips. “I haven’t yet managed to meet and greet all of the academy horses.” He stated, “Though I didn’t expect his name to be so… unsuited for a breed such as his.” It was said lightly, showing that he meant nothing by the comment besides a passing view into his own mentality.
“Why don’t you have a horse of your own, if you don’t mind me asking…?” Lukas liked people. He was very much a ‘people person’ and enjoyed talking and getting to know new persons, so for him, the question wasn’t anywhere out of the norm. “We don’t have to go off-trail, I was just saying that I usually explore wherever I feel when I trail-ride. I probably should stay on-trail, at least until I get more used to the landmarks around here, so that if I ever get lost while exploring, I can hopefully manage to make it back.” He grinned, joking slightly, though there was also a serious undertone to his words.
“So, you teach stallion-handling, isn’t that what you’d said?” He knew it was, but asked for the sake of asking, “Exactly how do you teach it? Aren’t you worried about the students not listening?” He genuinely wanted to know, as Luke knew that dealing with stallions wasn’t something to be taken lightly.
|
|
|
Post by Brian Tyrion Setliff on Oct 24, 2012 19:28:34 GMT -6
Brian smiled as he saw Lukas looking over Barry, and shrugged noncommittally, "I made a point of getting to know all of the academy's stallions, so that I know whom I can trust with students, and whom I cannot." He raised an eyebrow at the comment about the horse's name. He hadn't thought much about it, but still, he had no hand in it, "I just call him what the paper I got said, and I think he responds to Barry more than he responds to his registered name, The Barron." The horse flicked a lazy black ear back towards him at the mention of his name, but otherwise continued plodding on. As Lukas asked why he didn't have his own horse, Brian smiled, "I don't mind the question. My life up to this point has consisted of traveling around the state of Virginia, helping people out with their trouble stallions, and I haven't found a horse yet that really made me want to give up helping people that much, and I would never want to neglect a horse with myself being constantly gone. When I got the job here, I was considering it, but then, I decided getting to know the other half of my students would be better than bringing another responsibility for the start." It was a lot, but it was better than the curt answer, that he hadn't found the right horse. He listened as his companion explained his 'off-trail' comment more, nodding as he understood his mistake, "Perhaps not, because I won't be too much help for you either." A smile twitched across his face for a moment, "I'm not exactly sure of the landmarks yet either, but sooner or later, it sounds like fun." As Barry plodded on, Brian listened more to Lukas. This youngster seemed to like talking to people, and that was okay. He wasn't as nosy as some people, sticking to very unpersonal topics, while still being relevant. Brian found that he was enjoying the 'kid's' company, although it went against the grain to admit it, even to himself. At the next question, he nodded, "I do." He grinned at the question, "Well, for the first class, we didn't do a lot of dangerous things. We actually just went over some safety things to keep in mind, and then at the end of the class, I assigned students to horses." He grinned, "And yes, I am worried about students not listening, but I only assigned horses that I knew would deal with a lot for a while, not the really high-strung ones." He clapped a hand on Barry's shoulder, "For example, this lazy guy was assigned to someone, he wouldn't spook unless you told him he had to to get a treat." He paused, then added, "It helps that the class only has six students, as well." Long and rambly, not sure where that came from... Sorry.
|
|
|
Post by daine3 on Oct 24, 2012 20:08:00 GMT -6
Lukas nodded to show that he understood, though in his mind, he still thought the name was quite unsuited to the Hano. But then again, he surmised, he had grown up riding horses whose names went along both their breeding and their bloodlines, and he was sure that here at BRRA he would find several horses whose name's didn't quite match… if he so chose to go searching.
The young man was relieved when the other didn't seem to take offense to his questioning and answered quite thoroughly, actually taking the time to explain why he didn't have his own horse instead of just responding with a one-liner. He shifted in the saddle slightly, grinning when Deice flicked a stray fly from his name with a shake of his head and neck. Even though it was cooling down, it was still warm enough for horseflies… but they'd be gone within another week or two.
"That sounds interesting. And nice… helping people like that." He commented, leaning over to check the cinch-strap and make sure it hadn't loosened any during his and Deuce's run up to the trail earlier. "My life up to this point has been hell… well, the past few years, at least." He said to Brian, giving the other man a small grin, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. Lukas still had quite a bit of love for his ex-wife, though she obviously didn't share the same feeling for him anymore, and he hated it when she still called him up screaming when she was in one of her moods. Of course, Lukas had done his fair share of screaming and yelling as well… "Lot's of things have happened over the past several years. Well, if you follow all the trail competitions and obstacle challenges, you probably heard through the grapevine about what happened to my mare… then my wife divorced me… it's been crazy. Hopefully this place will provide a completely fresh start." Luke didn't mind other people knowing so much about him, an eye for an eye, after-all.
Luke did enjoy talking to people, and he enjoyed being talked to by people as well. He was a huge people-person type of guy and had always enjoyed having friends to hang with and chat to. He listened intently and nodded every now and then as Brian explained how he handled his class. It sounded very professional, though Lukas had already seen that BRRA was quite a professional academy in itself. "Sounds kinda like how my first class went… though I probably lectured a bit more than what my students needed or wanted… and didn't really go over many safety things yet, because that'll come down when we start getting into the obstacles a bit more than just an introduction…" He said with a smile, laughing slightly and looking ahead at the trail just in time to have to lean low to duck a low-hanging branch.
|
|
|
Post by Brian Tyrion Setliff on Oct 26, 2012 10:00:12 GMT -6
Brian nodded, "It was interesting, at the least. Never a dull moment, although traveling does get boring at times." He had enjoyed the time, and hoped to continue with that work a tiny bit, but he had decided that having a real place to call home would be worth giving up a little bit of freedom. He raised an eyebrow as Lukas called his life for the past years hell, but when the other man started explaining, he nodded. He had heard some rumor about a bad fall, but it had happened during the years when he had been out of the competition, for more than just a season or two. "I think that this is a good place to start over."
He laughed at Lukas' response to how he ran his classes, "I think most horse-related classes, especially the introductory ones, have to spend time on safety, because they are seven to eight times larger than most of us." He smiled, "Lecturing... I suppose as long as you don't lecture to them every time, they'll forgive you in a year or two." He looked onto the trail ahead, which branched out, "I don't know where either of those two lead, left or right?"
|
|
|
Post by daine3 on Oct 30, 2012 11:38:41 GMT -6
"I hope so..." Luke sighed, eyeing the trail up ahead once more and having to duck yet anotherbranch that had fallen down slightly. As he straightened, he asked the roan to stop and twisted around, snapping the slender limb cleanly off where it started to fall. "There. That should stop anyone else from hitting it." He said happily as he tossed the bit of tree to the ground beside the trail.
Lukas picked the reins back up and asked for a walk again, patting Deuce along the neck when he started off without hesitation. "Well, a trail class isn't a beginner thing." He said slowly, "If students sign up or show up for it, I kinda expect them to know their basic safety and I expect them to know how to ride and handle the horse they're on. I'm not here to teach them how to ride, I'm here to teach them how to navitate a trail course safely and in a manner than will get them, if not a win, at least a ribbon."
The man knew he probably sounded a bit stuck up by saying that, but it was true. Lukas wasn't there to teach kids how to ride. That was for the beginner english and western instructors. "Um... let's go left. It looks like it slopes upwards later on."
|
|
|
Post by Brian Tyrion Setliff on Nov 27, 2012 19:42:37 GMT -6
Brian stopped Barry as the man beside him stopped his mount, smiling as he saw what Lukas was doing, "You would hope so, at the least." He glanced down at the branch, "If nothing else, at least the next dog that comes along this way will have something to play with." He didn't think too much of dogs, stick-craving things as they were, but her knew plenty of students and staff at the academy had canines, and would probably bring them out onto the trails.
As they moved on, Brian listened to Lukas' explanation of why he didn't spend too much time on safety, inclining his head as the man finished, "You do have a point." He smiled easily, "My class is beginning, and I get to have students working with stallions, so I tend to be overbearing on the safety part of things."
As Lukas made his choice on the trails, Brian nodded and tugged on Barry's reins, getting the stallion to move behind Lukas and Duece, as he could see the trail narrowing up again. He fished around for other topics, but decided not to push anything, and instead see where the conversation went.
|
|
|
Post by daine3 on Nov 28, 2012 11:28:40 GMT -6
"Yeah, make a good plaything for a dog, sticks…" Luke agreed absently, thinking that out of the many students and staff who owned canines, one of them would probably find a use for the branch he'd broken off. He glanced at it once more as he kept Deuce moving, the horses ears pricked, showing his happiness at being out.
Lukas nodded his understanding to the other man, leaning forwards in the saddle slightly to get off Deuce's back at the trail began an incline, "Well, with stallions, it's better to be overly safe than not safe enough. It's completely understandable. I've never really liked handling stallions, too unpredictable for a trail challenge, if you ask me. Of course, there are some good ones, I've ridden some great ones, just… my personal preference is a good gelding or mare. Really, I like a mare. Seems like they try harder, and I can always be picky about breeding, if I have a need for a youngster to raise and train, which I've done before."
Deuce slung his head, clearly wanting to be allowed to trot as the incline grew a bit steeper, and Lukas glanced behind him, as the trail wasn't wide enough to ride side-by-side any longer. "Mind a jog?" He questioned. He was courteous, and wasn't the type to just take off and do what he wanted without consulting another rider first. He'd ridden with those types before and knew how frustrating it was.
|
|