Natural Horsemanship Class

[Ω-Admin-Cara-Ω]

Anastasie stood in the middle of the small field she was using for her class, with a rubber curry comb in her hand. Beside her, stood a large bay Standardbred gelding the only white markings on him was a line of iodine burns that resulted in white spots down his near foreleg and the half coronet band on his off hind. The gelding released a heavy sigh as he lowered his head, jumping as the lead that had been slung across his withers slipped down his neck. “It’s okay, sweetie.” The woman said as she gently took the rope off his neck, unclipped it from the blue rope halter he wore and placed it on the ground behind her own feet. She would clip the lead back in place once their students started to arrive – more to keep the gelding in his safe place than in worry that he would attack anyone.

She went back to running the rubber comb in circles down the gelding’s back and over his rump. Pushing the comb in between the belt she wore and her jean jods, she used the tips of the fingers on her right hand to scratch just to the side of the gelding’s dock, laughing as he stretched his neck out and pulled his top lip back in sheer enjoyment as he leaned his hindquarters into the scratch. “You are such the goof.” She told him, but didn’t stop scratching.

She took this time to think over what she planned to do with the students who showed up today. She had been more than a little surprised with the interest toward her class, and was keen to meet the students and their horses. Today they were going to work on getting to know each other, and the students were going to work on getting to know their horses more than they already did.

She finally stopped scratching the gelding’s dock as she arm began to cramp, and she laughed as she stepped away and Cedar moved his hindquarter over to that the other side of his tail was now in her reach. “Later, bub.” She told him as she pushed his rear end away. She then scooped up the blue and white lead, and walked toward his head and laughed as his ears flattened – a defense mechanism he had when someone approached him. “Silly boy.” She whispered as she lifted her hand and took hold of the loop on the halter that the lead attached to. She had now had him for six months, but she didn’t think he’d ever stop flattening his ears when anyone walked up to him. “We have company.” She said as she clipped the lead to the halter and turned around so she was standing at his side, her arm circling his face and her hand running up and down his nose. She smiled as the gelding relaxed, his head getting heavy on her arm, his eyes blinking softly.

[sepia]

"Shhshh, c'mon girl," Ethan crooned, as Flay decided to take exception - for no particular reason other than that she was bored - to a gate. The Morgan mare danced sideways, Ethan used to her enough by now to just let the leadrope lengthen between them, delicate limbs lightly flicking over the grass as she went. Reaching the end of the leadrope, she snorted, flinging her head high, red-gold mane a stark contrast against her dark coat, before abruptly dropping herself back onto all four hooves again, tension draining out of every limb as she walked forward again. She flicked an ear at Ethan as if to say 'What are you looking at?', and strode past the previously scary bush as though she'd never given it a second glance.

Ethan rolled his eyes, and lengthened his stride so that he was once again walking by her shoulder. Mares. Who'd have 'em? Hoping that he was heading for the right field, he was gratified when he spotted a horse and a person standing in the centre of the small paddock that he'd been aiming for. Looked like he'd been right, then, he decided, satisfied, and spared a brief thought for what his brother would be doing currently. The older boy hadn't signed up for the classes, not being such a proponent of alternative training methods, and remarking with a grin that he could just get Ethan to teach him everything he'd need to know. This left Ethan without the safety net of his brother, but given that it was a class - even if not in a classroom - he wasn't too worried.

Flay still holding her head high as they approached the gate, remaining in a walk, even if it was a rather prancing walk, Ethan gently indicated to her that they should halt. "Should we come in?" he asked of the woman currently cuddling her horse, tone quiet but loud enough to carry, as Flay briefly stopped beside him, before deciding that this standing still business really wasn't for a lady of her caliber, and choosing to spin around Ethan, instead, hoofsteps light as she forced him to turn as well to avoid getting himself caught up in the leadrope.

Knowing full well that Flay was just being a prissy show-off, he didn't bother trying to make her stop - that, he'd learned from experience, would only make things worse, fuel the fire of her self-image - and so merely twisted around a few times until Flay came to a halt of her own accord, disappointed that no-one had paid her display a great deal of attention. Turning his attention back to the instructor, Ethan assayed a tentative smile, hoping that she wasn't going to think that he couldn't handle his horse, and waited for further instructions.

[Ω-Admin-Cara-Ω]

Ana raised an eyebrow as a young Korean boy stood at the gate with is mare taking objection to being asked to stand still and danced around him, pulling the boy with her. "Yes, please enter." She replied, her French accented voice soft yet it carried well across the space between them. "I wouldn't want for her to wind you up too much like a spinning top." There was humor in her voice that showed she wasn't fazed by the mare's actions and didn't hold the horse's impatience against her handler.

"Hush, Cedar." She told her gelding as the bay horse flattened his ears at the people on the other side of the gate. "Please ignore his rudeness. He has a few issues we are working through."

She waited for them to enter. "I am Miss Chevalier and this is Cedar Reba. Please find a space in the field and make yourself and your mare comfortable while we wait for the others to arrive."

[sepia]

Ducking his head with a somewhat embarrassed smile as Flay finally decided she could stand to stay still, Ethan was glad that Miss Chevalier didn't seem to take offense at her willful little display. "Flay has a few little rudeness issues of her own," he replied as he worked the gate open, said mare eying up Cedar in a speculative manner, "So I'm sorry if she causes any disruptions. She shouldn't," he hastened to reassure as Flay tripped in neatly beside him and he turned to close the gate again, "She normally just tries to gain attention, but being a mare, she has her moments."

It was only fair, he felt, to warn his teacher of that in advance... though given that they were working on communication with their horses, he was fairly sure that she'd be understanding. Right, now to find a good spot... Well, given that they had the whole field to themselves other than Miss Chevalier and Cedar, it wasn't like there was a lack of choice. As he began to lead Flay to what he'd deemed as a suitable spot, he realised he was forgetting something. "Oh, and I'm Ethan Kim, and this is The Flame of Shadows... or Flay." Which is less of a mouthful, he added, mentally, not feeling comfortable enough to adopt such a joking tone out loud.

Introductions made, Ethan and Flay chose their spot, and waited, Flay deigning to graze as Ethan held the end of her lead-rope, dark eyes carefully watching Miss Chevalier, and looking for the rest of the class.

***

Next to arrive, in fact, was Jessica, Acorn dutifully walking alongside her. Ever since Cara's advice, that afternoon when she'd dispensed wisdom in large chunks to an intent Jessica, the girl had been diligently using the remedies she'd suggested in her pony, and was ecstatic to discover that they were having a very noticeable effect. She massaged him before and after riding him, dropped the rescue remedy into his water, and sprayed the complex mix of herbs into the corners of his stall - and it was working! Acorn was regaining a great deal of his zest, and seemed to be improving day on day, too.

This was apparent in the eager way he swung along, ears pricked and eyes bright as Jess pottered down towards the field. He snuffled, gently, nudging Jess, and she turned to grin at him, brown hair hanging down her back in a single neat braid. "Bit different, I know, boy," she said, "But it'll teach me how to really know what you're talking about. And I know Cara could teach me that, too, but I can't impose on her that much, really, so this is extra backup, so to speak!"

Realising they must be quite early, as there was only one other person in the field in addition to their instructor, Jess halted, briefly, before the gate, much as Ethan had done. "Hello," she said, "I'm Jessica Brown, and this is Acorn. This is the natural horsemanship class, right?" Miss Chevalier should be the teacher - she'd read the notice very carefully - but she didn't try the name in case she'd ended up in the wrong place, and these two were merely standing in this field with their horses for some other reason.

Acorn nickered, friendly as he always had been, to the two horses, and Flay responded with a louder whinny, exuberance buoying her tone as always. The older gelding remained unimpressed at the mare's display, though, merely flickering an ear towards where she'd stopped eating, and was now standing posed, every muscle taut.

[Onzyy]

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Can we pretend that airplanes
In the night sky are like shooting stars?
I could really use a wish right now
Wish right now, wish right now

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Jemma pulled back her hair into a messy ponytail, but she was in a rush and she needed to hurry, otherwise she would be late for her first class. She was wearing black jods, a sleeveles show shirt in beige, paddock boots and chaps. Overall her appearance was neat, but she would rather have been wearing jeans and strap top. Jemma had decided that she would need to make a good impression, as it counted for everything.

Walking down to the barn, her growing angst threw her heart into a beating frenzy. Instinctively, Jemma knew that Spartan wouldn't behave. The horse hated her, and it didn't matter how many times she tried to join up with him, or what herbal remedies she tried, he wouldn't accept her. She saw his refined thoroughbred head over the stall door, and she was taken by how well he had filled out in the last two months. Spartan was badly abused when she and her mother had found him, and that same night her mother died.

Seeing Jemma, Spartan pulled back his ears, and tried to grab hold of her. She dodged, and quickly reached for the rope halter hanging on the other side of his stall. Jemma had trouble putting it on, but she managed in the end. Spartan realised his defeat, but still gave Jemma no end of trouble. The field that was assigned to the class, seemed very far away, but they got there in the end. Jemma saw a Korean boy and a female that she assumed was the teacher.

Jemma walked over to the female, Spartan fighting her the whole way, finally lunging and throwing himself into a half rear. Jemma was embarrassed, but was grateful that she had taken the lunge rope instead of a normal lead rein. Sorry about that. I'm Jemma McLaughlin. she said quietly. Why couldn't Spartan just behave?

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Yeah I could use a dream or a genie or a wish
To go back to a place much simpler than this

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

This is written for Cara, Sepia Openand contains ... words. I used the following lyrics Airplanes:BoB ft. Hayley Williams and my character is wearing the following will create outfit later.

[Ω-Admin-Cara-Ω]

Ana smiled as the boy, Ethan introduced himself and Flay before they found their own little spot in the field. Cedar's raised head alerted her of the arrival of another student and a Connemara pony. "This would be the class you're looking for, Jessica." The woman replied as she ran her hand down her gelding's nose as his ears flattened again, not too sure about the arrival of new people and horses. "I am Miss Chevalier and this is Cedar Reba. Please come in and find yourselves a space."

Once the young girl entered the field, Ana turned to her horse and made a kissing noise. She nodded once as the gelding took a couple of steps backward. She stepped to the side so that she was in line with his shoulder and pointed her finger toward his girth and she nodded as he gave a yield of the forequarters. Next she pointed at his hip and he did a hindquarter yield. "'Atta boy." She praised as she stepped forward and rubbed his forehead.

She turned toward the gate again as the gelding looked toward the gate and flattened his ears, he was becoming a good warning system. She smiled as a girl entered with a rather reluctant horse. "Easy." She cooed as Cedar danced back a few steps, wanting to get away from the other gelding. "If you and Spartan go and find your own space in the field, we'll wait for the others to arrive and we'll get started." She remembered the gelding's name from the signup sheet.

~*~*~*~

Cara left the barn, leading the young Gypsy Vanner mare. Her cheeks had an almost grey complexion to them, which came from her spending the last few moments leaning over the toilet. It seemed that since her mares had been removed, the mare thought of getting close to a horse churned her stomach.

It didn't take them long to arrive at the field where the class was being held and she waited at the gate until the woman in the centre with a large bay gelding gave her a nod of entrance. "I am sorry we are late, Ma'am." She said softly, keeping her head bowed. "This is Faerie Realm, or Titania and I am Cara-Jean Kitchi."

~*~*~*~

Ana smiled as another girl entered the field, this one leading a skewbald mare. "You aren't at all late, Cara-Jean." She said as the child spoke up. "If you and Titania find your own space in the field we'll wait for the others to arrive."

~*~*~*~

Cara lowered her head even more in acknowledgment to the woman's words as she clicked her tongue and led the young mare over to a space in the field not too far away from where Jessica stood with Acorn. She gave the younger girl a quick smile before she began to get the mare settled into standing nicely.

With delicate fingers, she carefully adjusted the way the yellow rope halter sat on the mare's pretty head. She turned her head as the woman teacher began to speak again.

~*~*~*~

Ana spoke up so that every one in the field so far could hear her. "I'd like you all to just run your hands down your horse's body. The next hand picks up where the one before it finished." She scratched the crest of Cedar's neck. "It's part of what we are going to do today, but it'll also help to reduce the tension that your friends may be holding while they are being asked to wait for so long."

[houndish]

Cash was moving quickly, trotting next to his mare. She did have a pretty, flashy air about her. The mare was a sweetheart, but she also was pretty opinionated. Misty was at his left side, in a perfect heal position. It was clear which girl was better trained, even though the mare was only about six months younger than the puppy.

His boots went from crunching on the gravel to springing on the grass and he slowed back to a walk. The big thing was that he didn't want to look late, even though he clearly was. Misty had gotten sick, again. It didn't look like anything wanted to stay in her system, and he had some clean up to do. It was also why she sauntered at his side, looking as sick to her stomach as she was.

Sorry I'm late y'all. Um, Mis' isn't doing too hot right now, would she be able to stay if she's quiet? He directed the second half of his words towards the teacher, standing with her own horse. If Cash was to tell the girl to be quiet, she would. He adjusted his sunglasses, finding a spot with Tat away from the group. She had been quiet on the run over as well, which surprised Cash, but maybe today would be a good day. The boy saw Ethan and grinned, giving him a friendly nod, and surveyed the rest of the class. No one else he knew, but that wasn't surprising. Not like he really knew anyone anyway.

Outfit/Halter/Leadshank

[Ω-Admin-Cara-Ω]

Ana followed Cedar's lead and turned back to the gate to see a boy standing there with a buckskin mare. It was only when her bay gelding took a step forward with his ears pricked, stretched his neck out and blew out through his nose that she spotted the canine standing at the teen's feet. The woman frowned a little when she looked at the dog. She shook her head as the teen spoke. "Come on in, you aren't late." She said. "And it's not a problem. Find a space of your own in the field. We are starting by just running our hands along our horses. This no only helps establish the bond between you and your friend, much like the way a mare creates a bond with her foal, but also allows you to learn where your friend will and will not allow you to touch them. I want you to keep a note on where they will not allow you to touch, as we will work on that." The last bit was addressed to the entire group of students.

[jillaroo]

Samantha’s thoughts were miles away as she walked to her next class, and Lightning followed quietly at her shoulder. She was thinking of next summer when she would finally graduate high school. It seemed like forever, but she could feel a flutter of excitement. There would be no more pop quizzes, homework or big exams. It would just be her and the horses. She didn’t think anything could be better.

A slim, brown-haired woman was standing in the middle of the field when Samantha arrived, and she jiggled the lead rope to get Lightning to hurry. She hoped she wasn’t late, but she’d forgotten her watch in the rush to get here. “I’m, uh, Samantha Hale and this is Lightning,” she said breathlessly, pushing her bangs back out of her face. “Sorry for being late, but I had to borrow someone’s halter since mine got stolen. I’ll just go find myself a spot,” she added quickly. “I don’t mean to hold you up.”

There were already a couple of students standing with their horses. Some of them looked a bit unhappy, and Samantha made sure to pick a spot where she would be out of the way. Lightning gazed around calmly, his nostrils flared and eyes shining. Samantha gave him a pat, and then quickly looked around to see what everyone else was doing.

Lightning rested his nose on her shoulder, and Samantha giggled when he snorted warm air in her ear. “I’m supposed to figuring out how to talk to you!” she exclaimed, giving him a playful shove. “Not the other way around.” Lightning bobbed his head and Samantha could swear he was agreeing with her. “Anyways, you have to promise not to make me look like an idiot,” she told him. “This is one class I should at least get an A in.”

[Ω-Admin-Cara-Ω]

Cara stood at Titania's shoulder, running her hands down the mare's strong neck. She had the inside of her lower lip trapped between her teeth, making sure not to push her teeth together too hard as she didn't want to go through the tender flesh on her lip. She wondered if she had made a mistake signing up for the class, but knew that it was the best place to help the young mare she was with to calm down around other horses. She released her lip and blew out a long breath, trying to push the tension from her body, knowing that she wouldn't be helping the mare when she herself was wound up as tight as a spring.

~*~*~*~*~

"Settle, petal." Ana said as her gelding tried to run backward at the approach of another horse. The woman smiled as another student approached her and gave their apologies for being late. Ana looked at her watch. "You are actually all still a couple of minutes early." She said. "It seems that you all think you're late because we're all outside and already doing things. Find a space and we'll get started."

Once Samantha and Lightning had found their own space, and Ana had to give her gelding the full length of his lead and got him to run around in circles to get him focused on her again, the woman looked around at the group of students as a whole. "Firstly, I'd like to welcome you all to my class. And also to thank you for wanting to take it." She made a kissing nose when Cedar got too close to her and nodded when the gelding backed up. "I am Miss Chevalier and this is Cedar Reba. As you may have noticed, he isn't the most friendliest of creatures. Cedar and I met each other at the first barn I worked in here in the States. The owner brought in a handful of traditional trainers to sort him out. However, the harder they got on him, the more he would fight back. I asked my boss for a chance to work with this guy rather than having him destroyed." She laughed as she broke off. "Sorry, but there is a reason for the story. While working with Cedar, I read lots of books on how other people handle horses who don't like being handled. Although I think he will always be wary of people, he is better than he was. He still has issues with me touching his ears, but I can now. And he is terrified of whips." She smiled as she rubbed his nose. "That's one thing we're not going to worry about, I don't much like whips anyway. I did however, work him through having a rope swung over his back." She held the rope in the middle and swung it around the gelding's legs and the flipped it over his back just to show them what she had accomplished.

"Today,i just want you to work on getting to know every inch of your friend. Run your hands, as you already are, all over them. Under their belly, between their legs, around the dock, the udder for those with mare's. Those of you with gelding's, I'd rather that you remained away from their genitalia." She looked around the group again. "Keep an eye on your friend's ears, as they will tell you what they think about what you are doing. If they don't like an area you are touching, stop and return to a place they really like to have rubbed or scratched." She turned to her gelding. "As I said, Cedar has issues with his ears." She raised a hand toward the bay's ears and he lifted his head out of her reach. "But he loves having his gums rubbed." She lowered her hand a little and slipped her fingers under his upper lip and rubbed her fingers against his upper gumline. "I believe strongly in the approach and retreat method. Ad contrary to popular belief, I am not going to teach you how to talk to your horses, I am going to teach you how to listen to them."

[Onzyy]

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Can we pretend that airplanes
In the night sky are like shooting stars?
I could really use a wish right now
Wish right now, wish right now

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Jemma led Spartan off to find a place in the field that was far enough so that he wouldn't attack other horses, but close enough so that she could hear the teacher. Spartan was being the way he always was when Jemma was around, and that was difficult. She heard the instructions and sighed quietly. Spartan wasn't going to like this, but she knew he had an itchy spot just by his wither, so she started moving her hands over his neck, keeping the same pressure each time. Jemma was surprised when she felt him relax, but his face clearly didn't show it.

Slowly more students arrived, and Spartan seized up again. He bared his teeth at every horse, and nearly took a chunk out of Jemma again. Tired of this routine, she carried on with her massage, ignoring the fact that Spartan was a badly behaved horse. He hadn't always been that way, but after the accident he had changed into a complete rogue.

The teacher spoke again, and Jemma stopped to listen. She listened to the instructions, and proceeded to start running her hands over his body again. This was going to be a long lesson, because Spartan kept moving once she reached his back. Jemma started the process again, and the same thing happened again. His ears were pulled flat back, no matter if Jemma was working on his neck or anywhere else.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Yeah I could use a dream or a genie or a wish
To go back to a place much simpler than this

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

This is written for Cara, Sepia Openand contains ... words. I used the following lyrics Airplanes:BoB ft. Hayley Williams and my character is wearing the following will create outfit later.

[sepia]

Taking up a place by the fence, Jess brightened as she saw Cara approaching - she hadn't been sure of the older girl was going to be taking this class, given that she seemed to know almost everything there was to know (to Jessica's mind, anyway) about talking to horses in their own language - expression falling somewhat as she realised quite how... drawn Cara looked. Acorn nudged her, nickering, as he picked up on the concern suddenly flooding the air around her as she took in Cara's grey face, but she managed a bright smile in response to the one offered to her.

Attention caught by the actual class, then, rather than her friend, Jess hastily focused herself on Miss Chevelier's words, nodding seriously as she took them in. Right; running her hands over Acorn... she could do that! Feeling that she was probably quite well started in this exercise given the amount of time she liked to spend with Acorn grooming and massaging - the latter as of recently, anyway - the gelding was pretty used to her moving around him. Taking a look around to check what other people were doing with their lead-ropes, she eventually decided just to let to hang straight down, not tied to anything and her not holding it - Acorn was usually polite enough to stand if asked like that.

Beginning with his withers, always a safe place to start, she felt, especially with Acorn, she began to follow the instructions, just gently running her hands across her pony's shining bay coat, trying to keep up the same light pressure. Though clearly a little bemused by the fact that they were doing this in a field, with a great deal of other people and horses around, Acorn settled to it quite quickly, angling his neck slightly so that he could keep an eye on her with one warm, calm eye. Seemingly wanting to prove to several of the more skitty horses that he knew how to behave and be a gentleman, he stood rock still like the schoolmaster he was, resting a hind leg casually as Jess settled in to the exercise.

Though initially nervous, as always when faced with new things like lessons, or teachers, Jess found that the repetitive movements were soothing, and relaxed herself. This had the knock-on affect that Acorn, too, began to relax, muscles slowly softening as she worked her way towards his hind-end, though he kept his ears pricked, and clearly some of his attention was on the other horses in the field. Feeling Acorn tense as she ventured down under his belly, Jess withdrew - as per the instructions - and worked on getting Acorn to accept her touch on his belly, somewhere she didn't usually venture.

***

Raising a hand in a slight wave, coupled with a friendly grin, Ethan returned Cash's gesture, glad that he actually seemed to be making some friends of his own accord, here, then had his attention grabbed by Flay as she choose to whinny shrilly at another mare in the field, one she felt was really getting rather close. Gently tugging on the leadrope to get the mare's attention, he engaged in a slight contest of wills for a few moments, before Flay chucked her head and decided to pretend that all she really wanted to do was stand there and look boredly off into the distance.

Listening closely to Miss Chevelier, and looking suitable impressed as she demonstrated how much progress she'd made with Cedar, Ethan turned to his own mare to begin the exercise. Flay, however, had other ideas, and resolutely did not want to stand still, even when Ethan started right behind her ears, in the place she loved to be scratched. Oddly enough, the high-strung mare really liked having her ears and head fondled, and usually Ethan could do anything if he started by working his way down his neck.

Today, though, excited by the presence of other horses in the field, Flay did not want to cooperate, and danced around - not avoiding Ethan's touch, really, just enjoying making him look a fool. Ethan sighed, and fixed her with a stern look. "Given how you're normally begging me to spend hours grooming you, this is very contrary of you." Flay responded with a pleased sounding snort, and chucked her head in the air as if to say: But of course I'm contrary - I'm me!

"C'mon, girl," Ethan said, raising his hands to the top of her neck and beginning to run them down across her tight muscles, "Work with me here, work with me..." Flay consented, for a brief while, to let Ethan stroke his way down her neck, but as soon as he started on her withers, she was off again, dancing away a few steps and fixing him with an amused expression. Whoever said, Ethan decided, that horses didn't laugh, had no idea what they were talking about.

It was clear from her demeanor that Flay wasn't at all stressed by the circumstances - not like some of the other horses, one gelding in particular who seemed to be attempting to take chunks out of his rider - she was just enjoying herself showing off in front of everyone. The presence of people did tend to go to her head, rather, and today was no exception as she continued to not be particularly helpful, sidling away from Ethan's soft touch at every possible opportunity, the action usually accompanied by a cheeky flick of her tail.

[Ω-Admin-Cara-Ω]

Ana watched as the students began to work on their horses. she took note of how Spartan reacted to Jemma, it seemed that there was a lot more to those two then they were outwardly showing, something on a much more personal level, but something that needed to be sorted out between them and them alone.

Her eyes worked their way around the group, she noted that some were doing really well with the exercise and others seemed to be having problems with horses whom were showing off.

Removing her gelding's extra long lead rope - knowing he'd stand like a rock - she walked toward Ethan. "This is where I suggest that you turn her dream into a nightmare." She offered as she held out the long lead. "If she wants to run, let her. But you tell her which way she is to go and when she can stop. Just a quick lunge to get her to centre herself with you being the head of your herd."

[sepia]

Turning to face Miss Chevalier with an expression someway between rueful, embarrased and guilty on his face, Flay standing poking an inquisitive nose towards the woman and snorting with an angelic tilt to her head, managing to adopt an air that butter wouldn't melt in her mouth. "That's... probably a very good idea," he said, gratefully, "Thank you," accepting the proffered long rope and switching it with Flay's normal one, looping the shorter rope neatly around the nearest fence post. "

"I'll just find some space," Ethan added, not wanting to start lunging Flay around quite so near to everyone else - he didn't want to cause a riot, after all - and so he led her down the paddock, slightly, until he judged he was a decent distance away. Letting Flay have just slightly more rope, the mare took the hint, spinning away from Ethan with a high, floating trot, circling around him as he let the long rope extend until she was on a small circle around him. Breaking into a canter for no other reason than sheer exuberance, Flay flung herself forward, tail kinked up and head held high, preforming to her showing-off best.

***

Seeing the problems Ethan was having with his flighty mare, Jess gave Acorn a spontaneous hug. "Thanks," she whispered as she laid her head on his shoulders, "You're far too good for me." Acorn snorted, as if in smug agreement, then nudged her, clearly wanting her to get on with the exercise, and to stop hugging him. This wasn't quite as good as being groomed or massaged, but he was a very tactile horse, and did like to be touched.

Moving around to the other side of the gelding, Jess started again, beaming as Acorn stood like a rock, idly watching the other horses with an indulgent eye. Ah, how silly others could be, his demeanor said, very clearly, and he shifted his weight, resting his other hind leg as he stretched his neck down to the ground and shook his head, snuffling as he did so.

[Ω-Admin-Cara-Ω]

Ana followed Ethan and Flay, keeping out of the boy's circle so that she wouldn't be in the way when the mare was going around on the line. "Okay, from what I can see, she is still doing what she wants and how she wants to do it. Now is when you come in and say 'Hey! I'm the boss here!' Get her moving where you want her to move. Don't let her think that she's in charge." She smiled softly. Her voice lifted a little so that she was talking to the entire group. "The relationship between horse and handler is very fragile, and a bond can be built between the two of you without the use of whips or harsh bits. And that's what these gatherings are going to be about, working out that fragile balance between rider and partner."

She stepped back so that Ethan could work by himself, find out how to do things on his own. "Not every horse is the same, they aren't the machines that a lot of people treat them as. They have a brain of their own, so will all react to things differently. i used to ride with a girl who loved using the words "but horses don't do that" just because she grew up on a push-button pony. When she got her first real horse, it reared up on her, instantly shattering the image she had of what horses and ponies were like. Not every horse is going to stand like a rock while you groom or pet them." She smiled toward Jessica and Acorn. "Not every horse is going to like being touched." She looked toward Jemma and Spartan. "It is however, up to you, to work out a way to get beyond the reason on why your friend is acting like they are. And remember to breathe."

*~*~*~*~*

Cara closed her eyes and in her mind's eye created a bubble around her and the mare she was working with. Everything outside the bubble ceased to exist, though she made sure to allowed the teacher's voice to enter the bubble - a gift she had developed during her years of gymnastic meets. She would create the bubble so that she couldn't hear the sound of the commentators as they picked holes in everyone's routines when they had probably never done gymnastics in their life.

She ran her hands over the mare's body, keeping a careful watch on Titania's head and tail as she worked. As her hand's neared the horse's flanks, she flinched a little as the skewbald's thick tail whipped across the back of her hand. The girl's eyebrow lifted, wondering if the mare's perfect training hadn't always been so perfect as the flank was where most people liked to hit their horses - it was one of the places other horses went for in a fight so humans could pass off marks on an over-whipped horse as a scuffle from the pasture.

Moving her hands away from the mare's flank, she moved up to Titania's face and ran her hand over her head and ears until the pretty mare lowered her delicate head and blew a long breath through her nostrils as her ears relaxed again. Slowly the girl moved back down the mare's body, taking care to gently run her hand all over the mare's back but not going near the flanks again until Titania was completely at ease with the girl's hands on her again. As Miss Chevalier had said, the relationship between horse and human was fragile and the offered trust that a horse gave you could be extinguished as quickly as a flame if pushed too far too fast.