a true nut [O P E N]

[forte]

One-two-three.
Ba-da-bum, ba-da-bum, ba-da-bum.
The staccato triplet beat of the canter beat a tattoo on the sand, leaving behind a trail of little dips where the hooves had touched. The horse was a red stain against the earth, His head was bend downwards elegantly, and a novice might think that he really looked rather nice, all things considered. A short red mane caught the air and the feet hit the ground in time. But the pair of ears sitting atop the horse's back knew far better than to think that this was in any way an acceptable gait. The paces were uneven, falling far too fast and spread out across the earth. Yann was sitting tall, trying to get the horse to round out. One ear flickered towards him, and, then, magically.... collection. In an instant the hindquarters rounded out, the crest arched. The head fell directly on the bit. The strides were even, amazing... A dream.

Then, about four seconds later, while Yann was murmuring his praises to the horse, Kat suddenly let out a buck and took off at a full gallop around the ring. Yann was temporarily thrown off balance, just a smidgen, a blip in time, at the sudden acceleration. The head was not even close to vertical now, stretched out with neck too high, ears up, like some freak of nature thoroughbred chasing the wind. Kat, a second ago seeming so promising and clean, bucked again before falling to Earth and slamming on the brakes, hard. Yann had been expecting it this time, and as usual he wasn't at all moved by the display.

"Oh, come on now, Kat," he murmured, unable to avert a slightly chastising tone as he collected the horse again and made him walk. Every few strides Kat would leap forward, excepting to canter again. Oh... the things stupid children did to young horses! Of course, most horses weren't so darn stubborn. Yann half-halted every time Kat tried to surge forward, forced him back into a nice, forward walk with decent collection. Of course, there was no way that Kat could collect at the walk. Very few horses really could, and this half-trained, slightly nuts gelding was not one of them. "Now that's my good boy, easy does it, take your time." Yann was talking more to himself than the horse, but that hardly mattered.

Thank God none of his students were around. Any other horse at this school he could coax a good pace out of. But not Kat, not today. He had tried everything he could think of with the horse and then a couple of things that he couldn't, but with only moderate results. Patience was the only thing, he had finally decided, that would help the young gelding now. Yann could be patient. Half of what he did was patience. Or even more. Teaching required a level temper, a mind that could stay calm while always adapting. Really, it was a lot harder than it had been made out to be. But he didn't mind. And besides, here in America he wasn't pestered all the time about why he had quite competing.

With a nudge, barely perceptible, to the sides, Kat half-leaped into a flying extended trot, completely disregarding the fact that Yann was still asking him to collect. Yann drew him back into a walk and collected him again before asking for a nice trot, with an even lighter nudge. It seemed that the good twin had returned, because this time Kat didn't jump off, although he didn't quite keep his collection. Praising him as he corrected the gait, Yann allowed himself to feel a little relief. At least the horse wasn't a true nut - he could learn. He could improve, and be reborn.

[Ω-Admin-Cara-Ω]

Cara led her Avengelise mare toward the indoor arena. The mare's mane and tail were pulled back into tidy French braids and in her head she wore a shiny chocolate brown bridle with plaited reins. In her mouth was a gentle joined snaffle bit. Other than that, the mare was naked, no boots, no bandages, no saddle.

The mare had been having a break from work as Phoenix had been very irritable since her return to the Academy so the young owner had guessed that the small horse was feeling a little over-used and had given her time off. However, over the past week the mare had been bugging the girl. When she was in the pasture, Phoenix would trot around behind her young human. So, today, the girl decided that it would be time to see how the mare felt to have a gentle work-out.

"Gate." Her English accented voice carried gently across the arena, even though it wasn't raised much higher than the normal whisper that she spoke in. She waited a moment before she opened the gate and entered the arena with her mare and secured the gate behind them. She walked Phoenix into the centre of the arena to keep out of the way of the man and his gelding who were already working around the arena. She studied the gelding's face for long enough for her to get a handle of his personality. The story the chestnut horse told her was both contradictory and flattering, the gelding was a fast learner with average to high intelligence, but he was also as stubborn as a mule and could play dumb if he felt the time was right.

"It's okay," She whispered to the mare as she ran her hands down Phoenix's nose as the mare's ears flickered every which way. "It's just you and I." She took a few minutes to just run her hands over the mare's body so that the two of them could get the feel of each other - a process she went through before most of her rides, and then encouraged the mare to flex her head around to her girth on both sides. Once she was sure that they weren't going to be a problem for the gentleman and his horse who were already working, she gathered the reins and a handful of mane in her hand before she vaulted onto the mare's back with the ease of someone who had been doing so all her life.

She took a few moments to just sit on the mare's back, allowing Phoenix to get used to her weight - or at least what there was of her 78 pounds - before she took up the reins so she had the lightest of contact and gentle squeezed the horse forward. She smiled as Phoenix obliged and moved forward into a dainty walk.

[forte]

Kat flicked an ear to the gate at the girl's voice, but it looked like he was actually trying to be good this time, because the only thing that changed was a slight lift to the head, a barely perceptible shift in tempo. Yann smiled, almost despite himself, and let the horse shift out of the collected trot and into a regular working gait, the natural fall of his hooves. Kat tossed his head a bit eagerly, but this time he did not go flying away and stayed down to Earth like a good horse would. At least, Yann reflected, he was bending well today, and he seemed to be listening a good deal more than he normally would. Now that he had less to think about, though, Kat was eying the mare that had entered the ring with interest, his ears pinned forward and his nostrils flaring.

Half-halting him gently, Yann himself was also checking out the pair - Kat was really very sensitive to everything, if you moved your leg a fraction of an inch, even by accident, he would respond. Probably by bucking. Being new here, Yann didn't recognize many students. The one riding that little Haflinger around now seemed fairly young, at home in the saddle. The mare was short and stocky, but all the same had a somewhat benevolent look towards her. The slight girl and the little pony were a good match, he reflected vaguely at the back of his mind, at the same time urging just a fraction more form out of the gelding beneath him, who was really growing quite restive.

At that moment, however, Kat decided that he'd really had enough of this, and that he wanted to go check out that little mare, or at least be doing something different than being forced to trot at a regular pace. This time, Yann was paying attention and noticed the horse's ears shoot up slightly, his neck just arc a little bit more, the barely-seen malicious flash of an eye. Again, he half-halted, but right as he did so Kat decided to ignore the turn of the rein and only feel the slightest squeeze of the heels that was meant to tell him not to change pace. He did, bolting forward into a counter-canter, completely off-balance and, again, ignoring Yann's various attempts to at least slow him.

When they came back around by the little mare again, Yann shot the rider what he hoped was an apologetic look and did his best to give them a wide berth , looping around in a circle that Kat took all too literally. He was nearly thrown up on his haunches as he turned a good deal more severely than Yann had asked for, but at least it got him to stop his crazy-man canter. He tossed his head in annoyance as Yann again pulled him back into a walk.

"Don't mind us!" he said, with only the barest tilt of his head towards the other rider, "...still in training, you know, although that's not really an excuse for these kinds of things." Kat tossed his head at the bit, and for a moment Yann wished that he was riding someone more dependable. All of the Blue Ridge horses were fairly reliable when it came to dressage, he could have easily just ridden one of them... But, no. "Really, I assure you I am actually capable of teaching." He had no idea who the girl was, but he was at least twice her age, so of course she would know that he was a teacher... probably thought he was a right horrid one at this point, too. He'd never known a horse to be so sensitive at one moment and then completely ignore him the next - two distinct ways of dealing with a rider that you wanted to unnerve juxtaposed. Yann understood this, and it didn't bother him much, when they were alone. But if they endangered a student...

[.Rissa.]

A blonde haired boy led a tall Trakenher mare from her stall. He could already tell she had a wonderful disposition. The boy tied her up to the cross ties and started the bonding process by grooming. It was the first time for him to ride this mare. She stood calmly, though never relaxing a foot to park. Once that was done, Bay slipped the saddle pad over her bay back, the the saddle, thankful it wasn't a heavy western one to hoist up on her.

The seveteen year old slipped the bit into her mouth, and the black noseband over her muzzle. He then gave her a warm pat and led her over to the indoor arena, where he told Ms. Carr he was going to be.

Bay Cromwell entered the covered arena, and his blue eyes immediatley saw two riders. He knew one as Cara, everyone knew her, despite her timid and shadow-like ways. She was very popular. There was also a man on a chestnut whom he had never seen before. His brain perked with curiosity, he looked like an older man and the mount was all geared in dressage tack, "Gate!" his tenar voice alerted the ring.

The student led Daredevil into the ring and closed the gate securley behind him. He turned to face the riders, waiting until he was out of the way to pull down the stirrups. Once he did, he climbed into the saddle, "Good girl," he told the mare, "Feel like flying today?" he asked. He knew his blue jeans and western boots stood out highly on the English horse, but it didn't bother him. Luckily, there were two smaller jumps already set up at the far end of the arena. Students in staff were suppossed to disasemble equipment when done using, but someone must have forgot to do so.

Horse: Here (last one)
Outfit: Here

[Ω-Admin-Cara-Ω]

Cara's lower back moved in time with the mare's stride so that her upper body remained motionless, other than the give in her wrists as the mare stretched out her neck. The young rider kept half an eye on the other horse in the arena. She didn't recognize either horse or rider so she knew that they must be new - and no doubt the new dressage instructor and coach.

She lowered her weight onto the mare's back as Phoenix flattened her ears as it seemed that the gelding had had enough teaching for one day. "Facile." She whispered as the mare danced to the side. Things would have been fine if the other horse hadn't come too close, but the little mare protested to having a horse she didn't know so close and rose up on her hind legs. "En bas nous allons." The French words flowed out of her mouth with more ease than English ever would as she leaned forward. As soon as the golden mare's front feet were on the ground, Cara pushed her forward and then asked the pretty mare to yield her hindquarters before she moved forward again.

The fifteen year old student turned her head slightly toward the words of the other man, giving a respectful bow as she acknowledged his words. "Yes, Sir." Were her only words as she concentrated on getting her mare to concentrate on her rather than what was happening around them.

She turned her head as someone else announced their arrival, and watched as Bay led Daredevil into the arena. She herself had ridden the mare a few times and knew that the cowboy would have his work cut out for him today, not that she doubted his ability to ride the mare, she just knew that the mare could be a handful at the best of times, especially when you put a jump in front of her.

She began to work her small mare on a 20 metre circle, encouraging the flex and suppleness that she had achieved before she had mounted.

[racingbelle]

Stevie walked quickly down the barn isle to Lightning's stall. She had decided to ride Lightning today. Bareback. This was a train heading for disaster. She slipped into his stall and caught his halter. Then Stevie poked her head out of the stall to make sure that no one was leading their stallion out too. Seeing nobody, Stevie lead Lightning out of the stall, not even bothering with a lead rope. She snapped the stallion into the cross ties and quickly walked to the tack room to get Lightning's bridle. She quickly put on his bridle then lead him out of the cross ties and out the barn to the arena.

"Alright boy. Be good now. NO tricks." Stevie said firmly then called out "Gate!" Loudly to the other riders warning them about the open gate. She quickly lead Lightning through and then shut the gate once more. Then Stevie clambered up Lightning's side and onto his bare back. She savored the slick bay coat under her legs and hard muscles. "Alright boy lets move!" She urged him into a trot and to where two small jumps were set up. "Hi! What's your name? I haven't seen you yet I don't think and who's this?" Stevie asked the young cowboy. "I'm Stevie Hark the new horse trainer and this is Secret Lightning." Lightning strained his head at the mare. "Lightning!" Stevie scolded in a whisper. "Don't you dare." Lightning was normally pretty good around groups of horses. He only rolled his eyes and settled down a little.

[forte]

...This ring was really becoming too crowded.
"Shh..." Yann murmured, as Kat shifted uneasily beneath him as two more riders arrived. Sure, it was a huge ring, and Kat really should be used to riding in groups... But the gelding was just so darn ADD, he couldn't keep a steady enough head for any serious work with all these other horses around. He tossed his head eagerly as Yann nudge him into a working trot again, just trying to get him to settle down into his natural pacing and stay steady. Kat had a bad habit of changing his stride length with every step, and his trot was unevenly paced as a result. The gelding tossed his head slightly at the bit, but he actually settled down a little. Yann started a little bit when he heard someone speaking French behind him, for a moment chastened because the image of his mother flashed across the insides of his eyelids.

Kat, feeling the shift, started to crowhop, but Yann was too fast for him this time, and with a flick of one ear backwards he moved on forwards. Yann collected him with a barely perceptible shift in the hands, and suddenly Kat was paying him full attention. Yann was a bit caught off guard by this, but it seemed that the gelding had decided to cooperate this time. Maybe he was just a big ham, wanting to show off for the rest of these riders. Yann smiled softly to himself as they entered the corner to the short side, 50 meters across. Yann smiled bitterly as he judged the distance, estimating more than really knowing... He'd always really known on his horse. Of course, Kat was his as well, but not in the same way... There was no other horse that could be his in that way, his in bond and blood and mind and soul.

Strange, how finding that one horse made you so much worse on every other horse. It wasn't as if Yann was a horrible rider - he wasn't, by far. But he was no Olympic gold, no hazy dream, floating above the Earth like the fog... Really, truly dancing in a way that could not be compared to anything. Yann shook off the thought as they rounded the turn, continuing it gently and asking Kat to shoulder in a bit down the long side. Rounding out even further and keeping strong impulsion, the horse responded with a nice crossing of the forelegs, halfway down the short side before Yann released the pressure joyfully and they continued straight down the ring.

"Why, you big ham!" he said, stroking the gelding's neck as they pulled into a stop in the middle of the ring, "why can't you do it like that all the time?" he let the reins slip to the buckle and Kat stretched out his neck and shook his mane with a flippant sounding snort. Yann relaxed a bit, allowing Kat to do the same, and looked around at the other riders for the first time. That's when he noticed Stevie... riding a young stallion... bareback. He bit his cheek to keep from saying anything, knowing that this couldn't possibly end well. What the heck was that staffer doing? It was idiotic and dangerous and.... Well, he supposed he probably ought to say something about it. But he would wait. One eyebrow arched dubiously as he watched her greeting a young student on a horse that he barely recognized.

[Ω-Admin-Cara-Ω]

Cara relaxed into her mare's spritely stride as she asked her to pick up a trot. She had always loved riding the mare bareback and guessed that the feeling would never change. There was so much communication between horse and rider when there was no saddle between them. She shifted her position and sat deep to the bouncy trot as she asked for a figure of eight. She grinned as the mare executed a perfect flying change at the cross-over point of their figure.

She recognized the voice of the woman who called out her arrival, at that moment the mare she was riding lost her frame as her head shot up and she tucked her hindquarters in. Even though she couldn't see the mare's face, but the flattened ears let the girl know that the white's of Phoenix's eyes would be showing and her nostrils would be flaring as she tried to find a way out. All of this told the young rider that the woman entering was riding her young stallion once again.

Rather than just sitting there until the mare, who was getting more and more tense under her as the seconds passed, exploded into her normal style of corkscrew bucks when she felt trapped. The girl grabbed a handful of mane in one hand, placed her other hand just behind the mare's withers and in true gymnastics style, she pushed her weight into her hands and lifted her lower body off the mare's back and jumped to the ground. As soon as her feet were on the ground, she brought the mare around so that they were face to face. "You are fine." She told the mare softly as she cupped her hand around Phoenix's ear and rubbed it. "Let's go." With a respectful bow toward the man who was using the arena before they had arrived, she led the mare from the arena.

Phoenix followed the girl, her nose pressed into the child's shoulder and her tail tucked in.

[.Rissa.]

The blonde haired boy seemed rather one-track minded on his mare. It was the first time he rode her, and he wanted to get the feel of her down before he attempted the jumps with her. His blue eyes studied the jumps, and he longed to be riding Robby. Maybe it wouldn't hurt the thoroughbred...

The sound of a woman's voice caught him off guard. His head quickly turned, his hands giving slack in the reins. From that view, it was hard for a beginner to tell a well-muscled gelding from a stallion. But the bay mare he was on, made it clear. The mare flattened her ears as the stallion stretched his neck out. He had no business being there, she wasn't even in heat. She opened her jaw and squealed, her hind quarters buckling underneathe her and her tail swished as her left back leg gathered momentum and kicked out at the young, unruly stud.

Bay grabbed on for his life, he never rode a mare before, and he didn't know how she was going to react. His adrenaline rushed through his veins and he scrambled to tighten the reins, "E-easy girl!" his voice was a bit shaken. He squeezed his legs to the mare's sides and moved her away from the stud, and she calmed down, a weary eye on the stallion, making sure he kept his distance. The seventeen year old looked the woman over, his hands a bit shakey. He turned to the other rider in the arena, he looked like an adult, Bay's eyes were confused and looking for help, looking for anything. Was riding stallions even allowed in the ring?

[racingbelle]

Lightning squealed, a bit surprised at her reaction. He was just going to touch her muzzle in a friendly greeting, nothing more but... Lightning craned his head around to look as his rider. But Stevie had kept him from doing so. The young stallion could feel Stevie's embaressment and dissapointment. He lowered his head, Lightning didn't like being scolded or making his rider think bad about him. He was a horse that wanted praise and approval from his rider.

Stevie patted her stallion. "It's ok, everyone will see how good you are after this. Don't make a lier out of me now." She murmured stroking the stallion and then circled the jumps. She hoped that the blond kid wasn't going to jump them first but oh well. Stevie gave a little tap of her heals and approached the first jump. Stevie in enjoyed the rhythm of Lightning's hoofbeats on the soft arena floor and whoosh! Lift off. Stevie gripped Lightning's barrel with her knees and lifted herself up. They soared as one. A few heartbeats later they did the same to the second jump. "Good boy. That's the horse I know!" Stevie dropped down and gave him a hug before straightening herself. "Alright come on. You'll be fine right?" Then Stevie trotted Lightning in small figure eights. She and the bay stallion forgot about the disaproving and "Is this allowed?", looks from the other riders. It was just horse and rider as it should be.

[forte]

Yann sat stock still, leaning back slightly with one hand on Kat's rump, in the center of the ring, watching the young staffer and her stallion. He thought that this was a quite unspeakably stupid idea, endangering the lives of the students who they were supposed to protect. Kat had stretched out his neck and was breathing out of his nose like he'd just been worked for hours, which Yann internally rolled his eyes at. He watched the nervous student on his bay mare for a moment, knowing that the entire session had just been interrupted because of this impudent staff member... Staff member, for goodness' sakes! It wasn't as if the girl was a student or anything, young and stupid. More like just stupid. Or at least rash, not bothering to think about anyone but herself and her horse. Already one student had left the ring.

Yann wouldn't go, though, not while the blond student was still here. It was against his conscience... Well, as a teacher if nothing else. Had he ever been this impudent? ...He couldn't remember. Probably he'd wanted to be, when he was younger... Probably he'd wanted to be bold and daring and probably he'd never cared much about anyone but himself, too. Oh, and maybe Abstractism, he'd cared about his horse. Now that he had lost that to care about, he supposed he ought to care about everything else. About this girl and her stallion ousting students who needed to use the ring. Although there technically wasn't a rule against riding stallions in here, it was a moral code, something that you just dealt with and didn't question. Although someone apparently did.

He watched the girl run the jumps quickly, internally chastising her for running the horse cold although he knew absolutely nil about jumping. He couldn't have said whether the run was a good one or not, but he watched all the same. After she was done he collected Kat again, bringing the gelding back to him as he picked up a walk over to her. "Excuse me," he said, not at all unkindly or disrespectfully, "I'm Yann Ritter, the new dressage coach. You may not have noticed that your stallion here is causing some problems for the mares in this arena... and the students... I'd ask you respectfully to leave and come back when the arena is empty and you won't disturb anyone." Her choice whether she actually listened to him or not, he supposed, but he wasn't going to sit and do nothing.