Post by Ω-Admin-Cara-Ω on Sept 30, 2010 1:09:48 GMT -6
Katherine stood in the middle of the Roscoe's Arena, standing at her side was a skewbald American Shetland pony who went by the name JellyBean, or just Oliver when he was in the barn. Before coming to the Academy, he had been used as a Western pleasure horse to teach little children, since then the woman had retrained him to work under an English saddle and he had taken to the new saddle like a fish to water, even with him being twelve. The woman rubbed his chin as she waited for her young student to arrive. She grinned as she thought about the look that was bound to be on Aurora's face when the child arrived as she would be expecting to see Tonka, her trusty Sheltland.
"Good morning Miss Carr." Aurora's voice was bright and slightly squeaky as she arrived at the arena. "That's not Tonka."
Katherine smiled as she turned to face the girl, stepping aside so the girl could get a good look at her new pony. "You are correct, Miss Chambers." She said as she watched the girl enter the arena, helmet already firmly in place and clipped under her chin, tiny jodhpurs covering her legs and tiny leather boots on her feet. "This is Jelly Bean. I think that Tonka has taught you all he can. Come on, it's time to mount up." She led the gelding over to the mounting block and helped the four year old adjust the gelding's tack before she held the opposite stirrup while the child mounted.
"He's a little bigger than Tonka."
Katherine shook her head. "He is the same height, his legs just look longer as there isn't as much body to him. Sit deep and squeeze with your legs. He is a little more forward going than Tonka so just be easy with your aids."
Aurora nodded her head as she fumbled with the reins until she was sure she was holding them properly, had her feet in the stirrups, the right a little farther in than the left, and she sat tall - lifting her weight slightly out of the saddle - as she squeezed with her legs. "No!" She cried as the pony she was sitting on shot forward.
Katherine had the gelding on a lunge line and let it out as the pony moved forward a little faster than his rider planned, but as she circled him around, she allowed the girl to gather herself together and get control over the pony again.
Aurora drew in a shaky breath as she got used to the pony's fast stride. She bit her lip as a tear rolled down her cheek and she pulled herself together as she remembered to sit deep as she pulled back on the reins and the pony dropped back to a sedate walk within a couple of strides and tucked his chin in.
"Good morning Miss Carr." Aurora's voice was bright and slightly squeaky as she arrived at the arena. "That's not Tonka."
Katherine smiled as she turned to face the girl, stepping aside so the girl could get a good look at her new pony. "You are correct, Miss Chambers." She said as she watched the girl enter the arena, helmet already firmly in place and clipped under her chin, tiny jodhpurs covering her legs and tiny leather boots on her feet. "This is Jelly Bean. I think that Tonka has taught you all he can. Come on, it's time to mount up." She led the gelding over to the mounting block and helped the four year old adjust the gelding's tack before she held the opposite stirrup while the child mounted.
"He's a little bigger than Tonka."
Katherine shook her head. "He is the same height, his legs just look longer as there isn't as much body to him. Sit deep and squeeze with your legs. He is a little more forward going than Tonka so just be easy with your aids."
Aurora nodded her head as she fumbled with the reins until she was sure she was holding them properly, had her feet in the stirrups, the right a little farther in than the left, and she sat tall - lifting her weight slightly out of the saddle - as she squeezed with her legs. "No!" She cried as the pony she was sitting on shot forward.
Katherine had the gelding on a lunge line and let it out as the pony moved forward a little faster than his rider planned, but as she circled him around, she allowed the girl to gather herself together and get control over the pony again.
Aurora drew in a shaky breath as she got used to the pony's fast stride. She bit her lip as a tear rolled down her cheek and she pulled herself together as she remembered to sit deep as she pulled back on the reins and the pony dropped back to a sedate walk within a couple of strides and tucked his chin in.
