As the Roo Bounces

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Luna is discovering her passion for horses and riding, and is in need of a teacher willing to give her the basic idea. Julian, as always, is busy with his stud farm and training horses, but might have time to squeeze a student in.

Julian nodded, gathering out the saddle for Ned while she got the horse. Hanging it over the hitching rail where Ned liked to be, he went back inside the shed and came back out with the lunge lead and whip, as well as the horse's bridle, leaning the long whip against the rail as well. Waiting for the girl to finish grooming Ned, the man chewed absently on a piece of hay.

He leaned on the railing watching her. "Trotting," he finally answered, a little distracted. He'd had a call about other horses in the sales yard supposed to be coming in the next day, and he was planning on being there to pick them up. Word was they were from the same seller as the ginger mare.

"No just thinking," he said. "Planning for the week ahead, that's all. Let me grab that for you. Ned's a tall horse." He took the saddle and put it on the horse before pointing at the girth and kicker. "Your turn. Do it up, then I'll check. Girth first, kicker next. Leave the halter on him when you bridle him this time."

He checked the girth, tightening it another few holes. "Don't undo the leadrope until the bridle is on properly. For all you know, he could have been waiting to bolt." Picking up the whip and lunge rope, he nodded. "Yep, round yard again. Head on in and get on, I'll be right behind you to close the gate."

Closing the gate behind them, Julian clipped the lunge line to the gelding's bridle, slipping it through the inside loop of the bit, and clipping it to the outside one. Backing away to the centre, he clicked to the gelding, setting him off into a walk. "Right, ignore the reins today, I've got control of him. We're going to go faster today, so take advantage of his walk to figure out your balance and how you're sitting."

He eyed the reins, but said nothing as he was satisfied they weren't pulling on Ned's mouth. "Alright. He's got a steady trot. Might be a bit bumpy, but it's smoother than most others I got. Grip with your knees when he starts to go faster, don't be afraid to hold onto the saddle horn if you need to. I'd rather you bounce around and try to get back in place than bail and fall off. Watch his shoulders, pick one to rise on and make sure you do it when that leg goes forward. Ready?" He clicked to the gelding, lifting the whip a little in his left hand, and the gelding moved smoothly into his trot, continuing to go round the edge of the yard.

He grinned as he watched her, keeping the gelding moving steadily. "Relax your shoulders," he called out. "It won't be helping your balance. Use the horn to help you rise and fall, it's okay. Once you get the hang of it, you'll find it much easier." He kept her going round for a few more circles, then slowed the gelding and brought him into the centre. Swapping the line around so he'd go round the other way, he looked up at Luna. "How's it feeling? Any questions?"

He just laughed softly. "He's got a relatively smooth trot. You wouldn't want to learn on an arab, they've got very bouncy trots. Once you get used to it, it's easier to anticipate, and then you can begin experimenting with standing in your stirrups the whole time, or sitting to it the whole time, like you need to do in dressage. I tend to sit in these saddles, they're more made for it, but you can rise to it as well." Sending the gelding away again, he got him going in the opposite direction. "Let's try again." He didn't wait for her response, clicking to the gelding to get him going. As he truned, the man continued the explanation. "Different horses have different gait speeds. Ghost has quite a long stride, and so his trot is a bit less bouncy and more smooth. Ned it more on the average side, but it's not choppy like some of the youngsters I get. That happens because they're impatient to go faster."

"Nah, his is slower than most. Good for beginners and long distances, but that's about it." Seeing the horse begin to slow, he clicked to him, keeping him going. "Young horses just haven't installed brakes yet, nothing more. I simply teach them that brakes are okay, and won't stop them from going fast." Watching her critically, he reminded her again to relax her shoulders. "Always tense, sweetheart. It doesn't help the horse."

"Trotters are used in racing, so yep. Standardbreds have lovely trots, I've had a couple here a few times. They're lovely natured things, good for people wanting to learn how to break in a horse themselves - especially if they've come from the races." Watching her steadily, he nodded in absent approval as she began to get the hang of it. "Good, you're relaxing more." It seemed that talking got her to relax more, since she wasn't thinking about what she was doing. "Don't think about it, just follow what your body sees as automatic now."

He lifted a shoulder. "Not really. The thoroughbreds love their running, most of them. That's why they keep doing it. If they didn't like it, they wouldn't run. Standies are the same, they adore trotting." He clicked to Ned again, keeping the horse going. "Well, they're already used to harness and bridle. You just have to teach them how to be backed, and how to canter, really. Good beginner projects."

He shrugged. "Depends on the breeding. Thoroughbreds were bred to run, so that's what they do best. Standie were bred to trot, so that's what they do best." He grinned at her mention of him starting on a standy. "Gods no. I started on one of my other geldings here. He's 17. I was eight when he was bred and born here, my dad helped me train him from foalhood to being completely broken in. I'll show him to you one day, he's a lovely thing now. Ned was who I learned to ride on, he's 23 or so now. Nearly ready for retiring."