Natural Horsemanship Class

[sepia]

Nodding in agreement that Flay was definitely having him on at the moment, Ethan let the rest of Miss Chevalier's words wash over him - taking them in if not listening intently - as he contemplated his recalcitrant mare. Now... how to get her to view him as the boss, that was the question...

His answer came almost immediately as Flay began to show signs of slowing down, clearly wanting to break back into a trot. Now! Ethan thought, and squared his shoulders at her, staring her down aggressively right in the eye and taking an abrupt half-step towards her. These measures had the desired effect, and Flay leapt forward again, breath huffing out through her nostrils as she maintained the canter. Keeping his body solidly pointed at her, having read and realised through experimentation that body language was incredibly important with horses, and that a confident demeanor was more likely to result in his horse actually respecting him, Ethan kept Flay cantering on, forcing her to realise that he was calling the shots here, thanks.

After a few more circles, he noted that Flay now seemed to be paying for more attention to him, both ears fixed firmly in his direction, and her attention no longer being grabbed by the antics of other horses. "Oookay the, girl," he crooned, "Slow down, tro-ot," relaxing his body at the same time and forcibly letting go of the tension in his limbs. Flay dropped back to a trot almost instantly, and looked like she was about to walk, but Ethan squared his body to her again and kept her trotting forwards.

"There we go," he found himself saying, talking almost unconsciously to his horse, figuring that him making noise would keep her attention on him. "Much better... now if you just focused, we could get back to doing what everyone else is doing, instead of making a scene up here."

[lottii]

Callum hurried towards the field, with Black Champagne by his side. Callum's face was bright red, through embarrassment that he was late. His first class with this new horse as well! He knew that this class would do his relationship with Black Champagne good, he was sure once he has a bond with the horse then he would improve.
Hovering near the gate Callum watched what was going on in the field in front of him. He saw a beautiful horse being lunged on the far side, and the other members of the class were touching their horse's all over. He wondered if Champagne would let him do this, after all he had only brought the horse the day before, and didn't yet know if he would regret it.
Just as he was deciding whether to wait for someone to notice him, or if he should just try and blend into the crowd and copying what the other were doing, he spotted someone walking towards him, just about to start speaking.

[Ω-Admin-Cara-Ω]

Cara watched as the Morgan mare was led away from the others and let out on the long line to remind her of her place in the pecking order. She had done the same thing numerous times with a number of different horses and ponies in the past. The technique was great at shows when you didn't have the option of free lunging. The idea of it was to keep the horse on the outside of your personal bubble until you decided that the horse could enter your space. Everything had to be clear though, you had to make sure the horse knew that you were in control and that the horse wasn't picking when to do things.

She ran her hands over the skewbald mare she was working with and grinned when Titania allowed her to run her hands over her flanks without any objections. "Good girl!" She praised her as she rubbed the mare's face affectionately.

---

Ana watched as Ethan worked with his mare. "Good work." She encouraged, "Just make sure she knows that she's doing this because you are telling her to, not because she chooses to."

She turned when she heard Cedar blow out through his nose cautiously and spotted a boy and a black Thoroughbred. With a welcoming smile, she walked toward the gate. "You must be Callum." She said, remembering the note she received just as she was getting Cedar ready for the class. "I am Miss Chevalier, welcome to the natural horsemanship class." She opened the gate wide to allow them to enter. "Find a space and just begin by running your hands over your horse's body. If he has any areas he doesn't want you to touch, just go back to a place he really enjoys having scratched."

[jillaroo]

Lightning stood patiently, while she stroked his shoulder and neck. Samantha didn’t know if she was doing the right thing, but Lightning seemed happy and she was pretty sure that was all that mattered. She ran her hand over the horse’s broad grey rump, and swapped to the other side. Lightning put his head down, and she scratched him under the chin where she knew he liked to be patted.

The horse’s bottom lip wobbled, and Samantha giggled. She imagined the look on her dad’s face when he saw what a pet she’d made of Lightning, and Samantha felt a strange pang of regret. Soon the year would be over, and she’d have to go back home. “I reckon you like it better here than boring old Nevada,” she told the horse. I know I do, she added silently, and she couldn’t help but frown at the thought.

Lightning shifted his weight lazily from foot to foot, and gave her a shove with his nose. “Oh alright you pest!” Samantha exclaimed, rolling her eyes as she let the lead rope drop from her hands and into the grass. “I guess it’s my fault for not paying enough attention to you.”

[lottii]

Callum smiled quickly, "Yes, I'm Callum" he said simply in reply to the teacher's assumption. Champagne danced by his side, his ears flicking back and forth as he took in the horses in the field around him. Champagne pulled at the rope slightly, hoping to remind Callum where he wanted to go.

"Thanks, I think Black Champagne was getting a bit worried seeing all the other horses", was Callum's calm response, "That sound's great".
Leading the hyped-up horse away from the gate a little, Callum kept his distance from the other horses, unsure of how Champagne would react. "Steady boy, steady on", Callum whispered almost silently to the horse, who stood in a typical stallion pose, legs back and neck and head up. "Hey, hey, calm down Champagne, your gelded now, remember? Maybe that dealer was telling the truth when he said you were gelded late, at least you don't act like it normally! Callum sounded somewhat hopeful as he spoke to the horse.

Stroking the horse's neck firmly, Callum moved almost imperceptibly to do some quick, light T-Touch circles on the gelding's face, smiling when Champagne's head slowly started to lower, and his lip droop. Working his way around Champagne, Callum ran his hands over his neck, shoulders and legs, pausing to quickly return to his face before starting on his legs. Champagne's tail swished, and Callum wondered what he should do, his unfamiliarity with Champagne showing through, not knowing if this was a sign of unsureness, or the start of a panic. He decided to carry on working his way down the horse's foreleg, watching carefully for any other signs of the unhappiness of Champagne. Reaching the bottom, Callum moved back up to move easily over Champagne's back and hindquarters, before progressing more carefully down the hindlegs. Champagne took this better than his forelegs, which slightly confused Callum. Usually horses were happier with their foreleg's being touched, than their hindleg's. He decided to raise the question with the teacher next time she was close by. Satisfied there would be no major objection for the horse, Callum ran his hands more swiftly over the other side of the horse, with no problems. Returning to the horse's head he went back to his gentle T-Touch, wondering what would happen next in the lesson.

A sharp whinny from a horse turned out in the nearby paddock attracted Champagne's attention, and his head rose quickly. Callum reacted pretty quickly, speaking softly to the horse, "Nothing to get excited about, nothing at all". The horse started to calm, his ears flicking back and forth excitedly, but otherwise going back to how he was before. Callum looked up to see how the other horse's had responded, but in his quick glance no-one else seemed to be having any big issues. He noticed the teacher was wondering around again, and recalled his earlier question. Once the teacher came to him, Callum spoke easily, "Why would it be Champagne is happier with his hind-legs being touched, and not very please with his forelegs? I thought, if anything, it was usually the other way round?". Callum's voice held none of his usual shyness, but his eyes flicked to the horse with almost every word, barely looking the teacher in the eye once.

[Ω-Admin-Cara-Ω]

Once the newest student had entered the field, Ana closed the gate and walked back to where Cedar was standing. She smiled as she looked at his cocked rear hoof and his half-asleep stance, although she knew - from the movement of his ears - that he was still wide awake and would bolt if anything startled him. "Hey handsome boy." She said and shook her head with a grin as his head shot up and he flattened his ears before working out who she was and pushing his head into her chest. After scratching his poll, she kissed his forehead and left him standing again.

She slowly wandered around the students, just spending time watching them all. She paused as Callum spoke up. "I'd like to ask you to lay off the TTouch. As good as it is for calmness, it kind of defeats the purpose of what we're trying to accomplish here." She smiled. "As for his legs? There could be a number of explanations. One that comes to mind though is that he could be touchy about having his front legs handled because people had used his front legs to teach him lessons. If you hit a front leg, you aren't going to get it back as you would if you hit a back leg." She smiled again and continued on her rounds.

*~*~*~*~*

---

*~*~*~*~*

Cara was running her hands down Titania's front leg. Something she did daily so she knew every bump and dent in the Vanner's legs. She didn't mean to listen in, but since she wasn't that far away from where the English accented boy was standing with a Black Thoroughbred.

She looked up once Miss Chevalier had walked off, she spoke up, her clipped English accent strong. "He may have been rapped while being trained to jump." She suggested, as the gelding had the muscle tone of a jumper. It wasn't normally in her to speak up her opinions, especially to a male, but it was about the horse after all.

She looked at his face. "He's resentful about something."

*~*~*~*~*

---

*~*~*~*~*

Ana once more stood in the middle of the field, Untying the horseman lead that was tied around her slim waist, she clipped the end of it to Cedar's halter. "Okay, you may be wondering why I have asked you to start by just stroking your horse. When a foal is first born, it's dam will spend the first half hour running their tongue over their baby. This is so that the baby can learn their mother's scent and also because it helps the baby feel safe and secure. As the alpha mare - yes boys, you are still the alpha mare - in your herd, you need your horse to feel as safe and secure as they would with their own dam." She paused for a moment, allowing the students to take in what she was saying and she rubbed the gelding's nose.

"Now, we are going to work on getting your horse to yield to a feel. Stand behind your horse's shoulder where the girth would be. Use the lead and ask the horse to move, When this is done place your free hand against his side roughly where your lower leg would be if you were on his back, turn or flex his head towards you. With light pressure from your hand ask him to move his hind quarters away from you while maintaining the flex to his head and neck. If he does not move ask a little harder with your hand if he still does not move you should give him a light smack .If he still does not move you will need to give him a sharper blow – keep asking until he moves. When he moves off your hand release the pressure and give him a loose rein." She lifted her energy levels and jiggled the lead she was holding, nodding as the gelding stepped forward. Asking him to stand again, she moved her hand and asked for a flex that the gelding willingly gave her. She then placed her hand against the gelding's side as she had said. Since the bay gelding had done this so many times and would happily yield to a suggestion, he moved his hindquarters away from her before she even pushed. "As you can see, Cedar has done this once or twice before."

[lottii]

"Thanks Miss Chevalier, I don't think I even realize I am doing it sometimes! I don't know anything about his history, poor guy, anything could have happened". Callum stroked the horse's neck as he spoke, not sure if he was reassuring the horse or himself. Going back to touching the horse, Callum jumped when he heard a quiet voice.

"He may have been rapped while being trained to jump."

Callum cringed, the idea of someone doing that to Champagne was horrible. Taking a quick look at the girl, he responded simply, "I don't understand why people feel the need to hurt animals, only for their own benefit." Callum wondered what the girl had meant when she spoke about him being resentful. "I don't know anything much about his history, only that he raced quite successfully as a youngster. I guess it wouldn't have taken much to upset him while he was being retrained, it must be pretty confusing". The girl, who he thought was called Cara, seemed upset about something and pretty shy. He wasn't sure if she was just upset about the idea of a horse being hurt, or something deeper in her. Somehow he didn't think it was right to ask, and he wouldn't want to pry.

Callum listened carefully to the instructions, he didn't want to do anything wrong. Placing his hand gently on Champagne's side, and carefully turning his head slightly, he applied a light pressure. Champagne shocked him by spinning almost a full circle and nearly squashing Callum in the process. "Calm down," Callum said lightly, slightly shaken but unperturbed. Trying again Champagne responded in a pretty similar way, although a bit less extreme. Ah well. Maybe Miss Chevalier could offer some enlightenment next time she came round. Callum tried again, putting the least amount of pressure of the gelding's side as he could. This time Champagne was even better, moving away a little too quickly, but not seeming outright scared like he was before.

[Ω-Admin-Cara-Ω]

Cara shrugged at what she knew was a rhetorical question. "Man is the only one to whom the torture and death of his fellow creatures is amusing in itself. James Anthony Froude." It was one of her most used quotes.

She turned her attention to listen to what the instructor had to say next. She sighed, once again wondering why she was taking this class as she flexed the mare's neck and gave the signal that she wanted her hindquarters to move away. This was something the girl did quite often when she did ground work so all the horses she worked with also knew hos to yield to a suggestion. Walking around the other side, she repeated the process.

~*~*~*~*~*

Ana once again left her gelding ground tied, which Cedar didn't complain about because it meant he could eat, and walked around watching the students working with getting their equine friends to yield. "I see you've done this before, Cara." It was a statement, not a question as she watched the small girl get the mare to move away from her hand.

"Yes, Ma'am." The girl replied.

Ana quirked an eyebrow. "Can you please come and speak with me after class?" At the girl's nod and another mumbled yes, Ma'am, Ana walked off.

She watched Callum try and get his horse to calm down enough to be able to yield nicely. She walked over to the gate where she had left a box full of supplies, taking out another Horseman's lead she walked back to Callum and Champagne. "I would like you to do the same thing I got Ethan to do." She said as she held out the rope. "I want you to clip this on his lead and let him run out. However, I want you to keep him running until you want him to stop." She stepped back. "If you need me, just call out." She glance toward Cara but carried on without a word.

[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 briefly noticed the arrival of the new students. She knew that she and Spartan had to sort out their issues on their own, but it made everything so much harder to accept. The teacher spoke like her mother, and she had learned everything from her mom. Since a young age, Jemma had watched her mom work with the wildest horses. Her heart broke at the thought of the legacy failing to be passed on. She had worked with a few horses herself, and Spartan just seemed to be the failure. She stopped the TTouch, and stood as Spartan's head. Jemma looked into that big, brown eye, as if it could show her what was wrong. Only her own memories were reflected back at her.

A stormy night. Two females were in a truck with a horse trailer attached. Inside the trailer was an abused black Thoroughbred. He was neighing and stomping in angst. A bolt of thunder, the truck swerves, and the next thing the teenager knows she's in a hospital ward. Her mother was dead, and the horse injured.

Jemma gasped at the memory. Everything clicked in her head. Spartan blamed her for the fact that he had been in that trailer. She realised that she should have waited till the next day. She would still have a mom. Rather than let anyone notice, she moved onto the next exercise. Spartan still didn't want to cooperate and refused to let Jemma touch him. Sometimes Jemma thought it a miracle that she could get on him at times.

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

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.

[lottii]

Callum listened to Cara's quote, he could see himself being friend's with her easily, although he knew he wouldn't be brave enough to go and talk to her, and from what he had seen, she wouldn't approach him either. Sighing internally, he turned his attention towards the teacher as she began to speak to him. Taking hold of the pro-offered rope, he clipped it onto the horse, and led Champagne slightly further away from the group. Once they were in enough space, Callum sent Champagne out on the circle as though he was lunging the Thoroughbred. Standing as tall as he could, he turned at what he hoped was the right angle to face the gelding to keep him on the circle, and just let him run out his energy. Sometimes Callum wished he could do the same, just run until everything felt better. The gelding kept running for what seemed like countless circles, before he slowed down to a trot, lowering his head and focusing his inside ear towards Callum. The boy relaxed and turned away, hoping that Champagne would come up behind him as he knew he was supposed to.

[Ω-Admin-Cara-Ω]

Ana watched as the boy had his gelding run out, but she walked away not wanting to interrupt the magic that was working between boy and equine.

She stopped by Jemma and her gelding. "May I ask that the two of you sort our your tensions before coming to the next class?" She said softly, not trying to be mean. "Yours more than his. It's not helping him relax with you so wired."

She walked back to the middle of the field when she saw that Callum seemed to be finished. "May I please have everyone's attention?" She spoke up so her voice carried. "You have all done really well today, and I would like to end it where things are. I will see you all here this time next week. Thank you all for attending. I ask that you please continue with what we have started here, and we'll see how well you can get your equine to yield from you next time."

~*~*~*~

Cara waited until the field had emptied before she approached Miss Chevalier, leaving Titania ground tied where she was as she didn't want her too close to the gelding who looked happier to be by himself.

~*~*~*~

Ana was fussing with Cedar as the students left the field and only turned around when the gelding flattened his ears, letting her know she had company.

She looked at Cara who stood ram-rod straight a good few steps away, the only thing that spoiled the girl's confident stance was that her eyes were on the ground. "Why are you in my class?" She asked. "From just watching you, I can see that you don't need help learning how to bond with your horse. Especially looking at the bond you have with an Academy owned horse." She arched her eyebrows toward the girl. "I don't need an assistant teacher. So why are you here?"

~*~*~*~

Cara opened her mouth to answer the woman's question, but snapped it shut as the teacher continued speaking. "With all due respect, Ma'am." she said softly. "I am here so that Titania becomes comfortable around other horses while she is being worked with on the ground." Her hands, which were clasped behind her back, she clenched and unclenched them. "I am not trying to be anyone's assistant. I am here to learn what I can from you and the others."

~*~*~*~

Both of Ana's eyebrows shot up at the girls words, they were full of respect and the woman couldn't fault the girl for them. "I don't see the point of you being in here, you already knew both of the things I was teaching today. And from the looks of it, so did Titania. You are dismissed."

~*~*~*~

Cara's head lowered even more. She could hear the unspoken words, she was no longer welcome in the class due to her knowledge. "Thank you for your time, Ma'am." She said. "I will not take up any more of your time." Dropping a quick, yet graceful, curtsy she walked back to the Vanner mare and led her from the field.