Post by satin.* on Jul 6, 2011 16:38:32 GMT 8
Serena led Ally from the pasture up to the barn, feeling confident that today would be the first day she would finally be able to ride the little black Arabian mare.
The round pen was flooded and slippery today after recent heavy rains - which was ok if you were using it for a horse that was not intended to be ridden, but dangerous if you were going to ride - so Serena would work in the indoor arena. It was the safest place, other than the round pen, to be working a horse that was a known bucker; the arena surface was soft and designed to cushion falls, so if Serena came off, it wouldn't be as nasty a fall.
Ally was nervous tacking up again, but by now, she usually settled once the saddle was on and the girth tightened. Serena was fine with that - the mare would eventually settle, and there was all the time in the world to get the results. Felicia had said she didn't expect Aaliyah to ever be rideable, but wanted a horse that she could at least handle. Serena hoped to achieve much more than that - Ally was a mare with amazing potential, just waiting for the right person to unlock it.
Rene tightened the girth slowly, as usual, and Aaliyah relaxed as soon as the young trainer's hands were away from her sides. Serena suspected that somebody had seriously abused the little mare, but of course nobody from the Arabian's past would admit such a thing.
Aaliyah accepted the bit easily, a bonus Serena hadn't even dared to hope for, and stood calmly, chewing the double-jointed snaffle Rene had specifically selected for the mare's mouth. It seemed the little mare was surprised about something - Serena suspected that it was the lack of a weymouth bit. Ally had been a winning show horse in her past, shown in a double bridle, and clearly had forgotten what a single bit felt like.
Leading Ally to the indoor arena, Serena allowed herself a smile. The mare was progressing a lot faster than expected - a testament to the incredible intelligence of Arabian horses. It was easy to teach them the right thing, but easier to teach them the wrong thing, and for that reason, Serena always recommended that novice handlers opt for a less intelligent breed with slower reactions - drafts were one favourite of hers, and she had several that she used in her lesson program for the adult beginners. One of her own personal horses was half-Clydesdale, and was her top dressage horse - better even than the Warmblood stallion her parents had imported from Germany four months before their deaths.
Rene led Aaliyah into the indoor arena, checked the girth, tightened it one hole, and pressed into the stirrup with her hands. Ally shifted nervously, but did not take a step forwards. "Good girl," Serena praised the mare, offering a rare - and much loved - peppermint treat, which Aaliyah lipped up in an instant. Peppermints were the little mare's favourite treat, after burger rings (which Serena refused to give to horses).
Serena put one foot in the stirrup and applied a little pressure, offering Ally another peppermint before she swung herself into the saddle. Aaliyah took a nervous step and then froze, trembling.
"It's all right, gorgeous," Serena soothed, scratching Ally on the withers. "You do whatever you need to. I can keep up." A light squeeze sent the little mare rocketing forwards at a fast canter. Serena made sure she was out of Aaliyah's way and allowed the little mare to settle herself down. It didn't take long before Ally settled into a lovely smooth working canter. Serena was pleasantly surprised at just how comfortable Aaliyah's movement was to ride. "Good girl," she praised again.
Serena dropped her weight just a fraction, and Ally fell into an uncomfortably fast trot. "Steady." The mare responded with a beautiful floating trot, surprising Rene with the power of it.
"All right, just walk now," Serena said, smiling, as she dropped her weight again. Again, Aaliyah responded instantly, though very nervously. Serena directed the mare with her legs and seat alone, putting her through a series of circles, straight lines and serpentines. "Someone trained you well, girly. You're not just a show horse, are you? Let's see what you can do."
Just as Rene was about to ask Ally for some lateral movements, the arena door opened and the mare froze in place. "Easy, girl."
-------------
Tag; open
Words; 755
Muse; random songs on the radio...
Outfit; beige jods, black boots and half-chaps, a green t-shirt and her grey at-home helmet. Ally wears a show bridle in brown, a bright red saddle pad, and an Australian stock saddle in black; Serena isn't fussed on making sure tack matches for horses that she only has for training purposes
Notes; hey-ho, Ally's going good!
The round pen was flooded and slippery today after recent heavy rains - which was ok if you were using it for a horse that was not intended to be ridden, but dangerous if you were going to ride - so Serena would work in the indoor arena. It was the safest place, other than the round pen, to be working a horse that was a known bucker; the arena surface was soft and designed to cushion falls, so if Serena came off, it wouldn't be as nasty a fall.
Ally was nervous tacking up again, but by now, she usually settled once the saddle was on and the girth tightened. Serena was fine with that - the mare would eventually settle, and there was all the time in the world to get the results. Felicia had said she didn't expect Aaliyah to ever be rideable, but wanted a horse that she could at least handle. Serena hoped to achieve much more than that - Ally was a mare with amazing potential, just waiting for the right person to unlock it.
Rene tightened the girth slowly, as usual, and Aaliyah relaxed as soon as the young trainer's hands were away from her sides. Serena suspected that somebody had seriously abused the little mare, but of course nobody from the Arabian's past would admit such a thing.
Aaliyah accepted the bit easily, a bonus Serena hadn't even dared to hope for, and stood calmly, chewing the double-jointed snaffle Rene had specifically selected for the mare's mouth. It seemed the little mare was surprised about something - Serena suspected that it was the lack of a weymouth bit. Ally had been a winning show horse in her past, shown in a double bridle, and clearly had forgotten what a single bit felt like.
Leading Ally to the indoor arena, Serena allowed herself a smile. The mare was progressing a lot faster than expected - a testament to the incredible intelligence of Arabian horses. It was easy to teach them the right thing, but easier to teach them the wrong thing, and for that reason, Serena always recommended that novice handlers opt for a less intelligent breed with slower reactions - drafts were one favourite of hers, and she had several that she used in her lesson program for the adult beginners. One of her own personal horses was half-Clydesdale, and was her top dressage horse - better even than the Warmblood stallion her parents had imported from Germany four months before their deaths.
Rene led Aaliyah into the indoor arena, checked the girth, tightened it one hole, and pressed into the stirrup with her hands. Ally shifted nervously, but did not take a step forwards. "Good girl," Serena praised the mare, offering a rare - and much loved - peppermint treat, which Aaliyah lipped up in an instant. Peppermints were the little mare's favourite treat, after burger rings (which Serena refused to give to horses).
Serena put one foot in the stirrup and applied a little pressure, offering Ally another peppermint before she swung herself into the saddle. Aaliyah took a nervous step and then froze, trembling.
"It's all right, gorgeous," Serena soothed, scratching Ally on the withers. "You do whatever you need to. I can keep up." A light squeeze sent the little mare rocketing forwards at a fast canter. Serena made sure she was out of Aaliyah's way and allowed the little mare to settle herself down. It didn't take long before Ally settled into a lovely smooth working canter. Serena was pleasantly surprised at just how comfortable Aaliyah's movement was to ride. "Good girl," she praised again.
Serena dropped her weight just a fraction, and Ally fell into an uncomfortably fast trot. "Steady." The mare responded with a beautiful floating trot, surprising Rene with the power of it.
"All right, just walk now," Serena said, smiling, as she dropped her weight again. Again, Aaliyah responded instantly, though very nervously. Serena directed the mare with her legs and seat alone, putting her through a series of circles, straight lines and serpentines. "Someone trained you well, girly. You're not just a show horse, are you? Let's see what you can do."
Just as Rene was about to ask Ally for some lateral movements, the arena door opened and the mare froze in place. "Easy, girl."
-------------
Tag; open
Words; 755
Muse; random songs on the radio...
Outfit; beige jods, black boots and half-chaps, a green t-shirt and her grey at-home helmet. Ally wears a show bridle in brown, a bright red saddle pad, and an Australian stock saddle in black; Serena isn't fussed on making sure tack matches for horses that she only has for training purposes
Notes; hey-ho, Ally's going good!