Circles in the sand (open)

[Ω-Admin-Cara-Ω]

Cara led Ember into the outdoor arena, the mare wore nothing more than her bridle as she shoved the girl in the back as she barged through the gateway. Cara shook her head as she turned the mare around and walked her back out the arena before they walked back through the gate, the mare remembered to keep the respectful distance between them this time. Cara had been working with the Welsh cross for a couple of months now and the pony was slowly getting better until she fell back into her nasty habits of barging, kicking and biting - though she didn't bite all that often.

Leading the mare over to the mounting block, Cara stood the mare by the block and made her stand there while the girl stood on the block and examined her nails. Happy that Ember was content to just stand there, Cara jumped up and down a couple of times. "Sorry baby." She gushed as the silver dun shied to the side. Stepping off the block, she led the mare in a circle and parked her beside the block again - repeating the earlier of just getting the mare to stand there, she'd work on the jumping thing later.

Pleased that Ember was happy to just stand without fidgeting, the girl stepped off the block and led the mare away from the mounting block. Flipping the reins over the pony's head, she asked she to halt in the middle of the arena. Gathering the reins and a handful of the pony's silver mane, she took a deep breath and vaulted into the air, using her left hand to pull herself up and her right hand pressed against the mare's back to hold herself in the air for a good ten seconds before she lowered her gluts onto the pony's back gently. "Good girl." She praised as Ember stood still. "Walk on." She took up the reins and gave the smallest amount of pressure against the Welsh's sides. "Easy." She soothed as the mare shot forward. The young rider sat deep but kept her lower legs off the pony's sides as she used her seat and upper legs to get the mare's attention and get he to slow down to a gentle walk. "It's okay, easy."

During the time that Cara had spent working with the mare, both in the saddle and on the ground, she had found out a few things that upset the mare easily. Ember hated having the area where the girth sat - and a rider's legs - touched, she reacted at the smallest touch on her flanks. The vet in her came out and she checked the pony for any signs of abuse, but didn't find anything visible to the naked eye. So, now she was going to work on getting the pretty pony to do as she was asked without adding pressure to parts of her that didn't like being touched. And she figured that all the mare's bad habits were a result of bad handling.

[Onzyy]

ninety-nine red balloons ,
FLOATING IN THE SUMMER SKY
panic bells it's red alert !

Chuck entered the barn, and made a first stop in the tack room. He lifted the dressage saddle, saddle pad and double bridle with ease and walked towards Horea. He had christened the Horatio as a stable name, Horea just not sounding right. The white blazed face looked at him eagerly, and he spent a few minutes just allowing some time to give the horse some love. Chuck had bought Horatio from an auction about two months back, around the same time that he had met his daughter. Next to Horatio was Konani, the palomino that belonged to Lissa. As always he looked bored, but he was actually very chilled.

With long, easy strokes, Chuck brushed any dust from the black gelding, who blew through his lips in enjoyment. When he was done he placed the bridle on first. The flash was done up, and next the throatlatch. The navy blue, sheepskin blanket was next followed by a black Wintec dressage saddle. Chuck then knelt to to put on the white polo wraps that stood out with Horatio's black legs. When all the tack was on and checked, Chuck led out the gelding. His movements were easy, and strides long. Horatio wasn't small, and had the potential to go far in Dressage and Show Jumping. The history had said that Horatio competed in Advanced dressage, so Chuck was working on the more advanced movements, such as Passage.

With the arrival of fall also mean't that people didn't use the outdoor arena as much as the indoor. So Chuck went to the Outdoor, appreciating the quiet that area had. Inside, was however, one of his students. He recognised the form of Cara and watched as she rode the pony. It was strange that he hadn't seen Phoenix around, but then he remembered that both Phoenix and Arlette had been taken away. He shook his head in dismay. " Gate, " he called, as to alert her to his presence, and he entered, walking towards the middle of the arena to mount up. " It's looking good Cara, " he complimented the young student.

you are thinking !

" you are speaking ! "

" someone else is speaking ! "

WORDS ,, how many?
TAGGED ,, Cara
OUTFIT ,, coming!
NOTES ,, I did my best
CREDIT ,, PANIC! ITS LAUZ @ CAUTION[/size]

[Ω-Admin-Cara-Ω]

Cara walked the mare around the outside track of the arena, moving her hands forward as the pretty silver dun stretched out her neck - now it was no longer with the threat of a buck - and blew out through her nostrils. Once the mare was warmed up, the took took up the reins a little and sat deep, asking the mare to make a transition without using her lower legs. "Good girl!" She praised as the mare moved forward into a floaty trot.

As they trotted around, Cara began to apply a little pressure with her lower legs, just checking the mare's reaction, and smiled when Ember did no more than flick an ear backward toward her rider. As they got to H, Cara turned the mare down the diagonal and as they hit X she asked the pony for a shoulder in and grinned as she got what she asked for.

Her head turned as she heard a voice outside the arena and she laughed when Ember dropped down to a walk and turned in the direction she was now looking. They both watched as Mr Bass entered the arena with a black gelding. The young rider bowed her head graciously to his complement. "Thank you, Sir." She replied as she asked the mare to return to the track and they picked up the trot once more.

She ran her hand down the pony's neck as they trotted along, the girl was able to feel every movement in the mare's body as she put her all into the gait they were moving at. At the next corner, Cara shorted the reins slightly, sat deep and applied a little leg. "Easy." She said as the silver dun shot forward into a gallop as she had obviously used too much pressure. "Easy." She moved her body with the pony as she dropped her head launched herself into the air in a good buck. "No you don't." Moving her inside hand to her knee, she pulled the pony around in an unbalanced circle and once Ember dropped to a choppy trot Cara worked her on a 20 meter circle. She now needed to work on getting the softness that they had had only moments earlier.

The girl could feel the mare's heartbeat through her legs, her own heart was beating rapidly. She could feel her cheeks heat up with shame as she refused to look over and see the disappointment that was bound to be on the face of the equestrian team coach's face.

[Onzyy]

ninety-nine red balloons ,
FLOATING IN THE SUMMER SKY
panic bells it's red alert !

Chuck watched Cara as he was adjusting his stirrups. The pony obviously didn't like leg pressure, but Cara worked well around it. Then the pony pissed off, and then threw in the buck for good measure. Most people would have been left behind, albeit not on the pony, but Cara sat it well. She turned the pony in a circle and then back to a trot. They both looked a little shell-shocked, but already in his analytical mind, he was trying to work out a solution. He wasn't disappointed in Cara, but rather proud that she could sit something like that.

" Cara, once you've both calmed down, try it again, but just give a little less pressure with your legs. " He hadn't mean't for it to become like a lesson, but rather, he wanted to help. No stirrup work might help, but he didn't want to try it if it was going to be the pony's reaction to run off every time. It would also have helped if Cara had a saddle on, but bareback was one of the best ways to anticipate a horses movements. He had tried it several times with Smacks, and the last time he rode smacks bareback he broke four ribs, an arm and almost his collar bone. Some horses just weren't made for bareback riding. Horatio didn't mind just standing, but Chuck was mounted so he wondered what he should do just standing in the middle if the arena. So he started stretching the horse. He bought the horse's head towards his side, both ways, and then down, by means of playing with the loose hanging reins.

you are thinking !

" you are speaking ! "

" someone else is speaking ! "

WORDS ,, how many?
TAGGED ,, Cara
OUTFIT ,, coming !
NOTES ,, Crappy =/
CREDIT ,, PANIC! ITS LAUZ @ CAUTION[/size]

[Ω-Admin-Cara-Ω]

Cara concentrated on getting back the harmony that she had with the mare before she asked for the canter, her mind was going through what she had done wrong when she asked for the canter. She allowed her arms to moved forward as the pretty pony stretched her neck forward - her back was tense enough for her to be dropping her head to buck. Putting the reins into her right hand she circled her left shoulder which had gone stiff after the mare had turned into a bronc. She knew that she needed to do some serious work with her shoulder as she couldn't have it mess around with her with the upcoming gymnastics display.

She glanced over as Mr Bass spoke up. She nodded once. "Yes, Sir" Her words came out at barely more than a whisper as she felt shame wash over her once more. The ride had been going well when they were alone. Now that they had company, why had she done something so stupidly wrong?

she drew in a shaky breath and rested a hand on the mare's shoulder, seemingly drawing in he pony's calmness. She closed her eyes as they trotted around, just feeling the movement beneath her as she tried to slow her own hammering heartbeat - to no avail. She asked the pony to return to the track and asked for a couple of the less advanced dressage movements, a flying change, a half-pass and then just asked her to trot again. Once they had done a complete circuit of the arena, a few strides away from the corner, the young rider shortened the reins, sat deep, gave the pony the smallest of pressure - a unseen request - and kept her upper body motionless as the pony shot forward into a rocking canter, her lower body absorbing the movement of the pony.

Ember seemed happy enough, her head tucked in and her ears pricked forward.

As they got to the next corner, Cara applied the smallest amount of pressure on the bit and the pony dropped back to a choppy trot as she threw her head up and down in argument.