New to You (open)

[Cara-Jean Kitchi]

Cara massaged her temples as she entered White Oak. Her head seemed to be beating to his own tune, and she wished it would stop as she wanted to have a ride on Mouse.

She still didn't know what had made her purchase the mare, but, although she was young, Cara had hopes that she would be able to use Mouse as her reserve mount for the equestrian team - or even her main mount.

Walking down to the grey mare's stall, stopping to give Ella a scratch behind the ears, she took the soft nylon violet-blue halter off the hook and stepped into the mare's door. "Hello beautiful girl." She said, smiling as the mare looked up, ears pricked forward. The girl let herself into the stall and easily approached the mare, slipping the halter over her nose and then fastening the poll strap.

Leading the mare out of the stall and down to the grooming stalls, she clipped her into a set of cross-ties and then went to gather her gear. All of her horses in the past had worn black tack, but tan seemed to suit this mare so much better. Walking back out, she began the process of grooming the mare, more to get the mare's circulation going than to get her clean, as the mare only had a smattering of dust on her anyway.

Once the grey mare was tacked and ready to go, Cara let her outside. Since the horse and handler were still new to each other, and the weather was being pretty reasonable, Cara had decided that she would work the mare in the outdoor arena rather than the indoor one - as she didn't know if the mare had been worked indoors before.

Walking into the deserted arena, she closed the gate behind them and then using the mounting block, vaulted into the saddle. "Good girl." She told Mouse as the Holsteiner stood rock solid while the gitl settled herself and put her feet into the stirrups. Cara knew that this was the biggest test of a horse, so she took her time getting ready and tightened the girth before she squeezed the pretty horse forward.

It was when she started moving that Mouse's true personality began to surface and she skittered to the side and danced around when Cara played with the reins. She wasn't being naughty, she was just trying to work out her rider - the same test that Cara had given the mare when she first sat on her back.

Once the mare was sorted out, and had worked out that her rider was in the saddle and in charge, Mouse settled down and walked forward with purpose. Cara liked the mare's stride and knew that she would work well in the dressage arena in shows, so she needed to teach the mare some dressage - a couple of low level shows and they would get there.

Asking the mare to halt, the small student dismounted and fixed together a simple grid of jumps, a mix of cross rails and verticals, nothing over two and a half feet, just a basic grid that wouldn't even cause the mare to sweat. She then vaulted onto the mare again and squeezed her forward.

[Erica Jane Morgan]

Erica was excited to have bought Coffee at the auction. She really didn't mind having a pony as a mount. It was the horse's personality and company that personally counted for her. She arrived at the Red Willow barn as the horse was boarded safely. She opened the stall door and let her self enter. She held out an outstretched hand to the pony. The mare pressed her nose to her hand and let out a warm breathe through her nostrils. She grinned as this was part of the trusting process. She petted the Welsh Pony's nose as she clipped the Yellow lead rope to the cob.

She lead the mare out and clipped her in cross ties, before starting to groom her down. It didn't take long until the pony was fully groomed, but ti was better to groom a horse, or pony, before starting any riding. She tacked the cob up with her leather set. Placing on the saddle pad, as always, before adding on the saddle. She was impressed on how obedient her mount has been. She was surprised. She patted the pony's shoulders in compliment and continued on with the bridle. After the mare has accepted the bit and she has placed on the bridle. She made a check to make sure everything was in place.

All the check were completed once she has untied the cross ties. She grabbed the reins and lead Coffee out of the barns. She thought maybe they could work on the pony's discipline. Hunter/Jumper. She learned the basics of the discipline already, and they could both use the practice. She mounted up the cob and asked for a smooth trot. The mare answered immediately as the pair heading into the direction of the outdoor arenas.

She let them in through the gates. Shutting them behind her as she entered. The noise from the gates were louder than expected. She glanced around the arena. Noticing some low jumps already assembled and a girl, who she has seen at the auction, getting ready to jump the horse. She knew the noise from the pair's entrance would get the rider's attention. "Sorry to interrupt your session. Hope you don't mind another pair." She didn't really have to say it so loudly, since her slightly soft voice echoed across the slight chilly wind of the outside.

[Cara-Jean Kitchi]

Cara was working on getting the mare moving forward and settled again when the suddenly launched to the side at the sound of the gate opening. the girl shook her head and opened and closed her hands on the reins, asking Mouse to settle down again and listen. Other than the mare's fear of the critters she was named after, she also wondered if the name was because she skittered about like a mouse - as her colouring was evident that she was dark at birth.

The girl bowed her head toward the other rider as she spoke. "We are happy for the company." She said as she once again asked Mouse for her concentration and to move forward. She took a moment to look at the other mount, and recognised her as the Welsh Cob from the auction, the mare that Cara had been tempted to look at but the girl sitting atop the mare had been with her at the time. With another animal in the arena,it would give Cara a chance to see what Mouse was like with company.

When she was happy that her mount was settled and supple, she circled her toward the fences. She rode toward the with confidence, and the knowledge that the mare was known for ducking out at the last minute, she kept her eyes firmly on the arena fence beyond the line of jumps. As she approached the fence, she silently counted down. Three, two.. and on one, she rose out of saddle as the mare popped over the fence before taking two strides and then popped over the next. It was the last fence that she tried to duck out of, and the fact that Cara had her fingers curled into the mare's mane was all that kept her in the saddle.

She rode the mare away from the fences and got her settled before she would try them again.