Equus Asinus

Posts : 4737 Join date : 2013-09-09 Age : 27

First topic message reminder :

Luna and Jules
horse people
in australia
yabba dabba do

Posts : 2923 Join date : 2016-03-13 Age : 28

"They were usin western and endurance on him. I got a stock cause chances are some of the boys would be riddin him also and some of them only ride in a stock." she told him letting the lead rope go as he held onto it. She stepped back and out of the way as to allow him full access to her horse. The gelding readily dropped his head and nickered softly.

Posts : 4737 Join date : 2013-09-09 Age : 27

He quirked an eyebrow at her words. "Interesting," he mused, and blew gently into the horse's nostrils to teach him his scent. "Boys, huh? What do you have on the farm that requires extra help?" He wasn't surprised that some of the men would only ride a stock saddle, he was exactly the same. They were much more comfortable for a long day riding. He gave the horse a gentle pat. "Well, he seems docile enough, obviously not completely untrained or unhandled like you were told. We'll just have to work out what was making him antsy." He glanced at her, mentally bumping up his price. "Reckon you can afford a small fortune on a half broke horse?"

Posts : 2923 Join date : 2016-03-13 Age : 28

Luna watched silently as he greeted the gelding smoothly and she shrugged at his question. "Not that much just a few thousand head of breedin beef cattle and growin steers. Last count was nearly 3 thousand steers to be shipped off this year and we are expectin a drop of 5 thousand calves any day now." she replied after thinking over the numbers briefly, "My grandparents left the farm to me. I mostly just do the paperwork and let Mark the foreman run the cattle. He knows them better than I do." When he asked if she was willing to pay a small fortune on the gelding she tilted her head and narrowed her eyes slightly. "How much of a small fortune are we lookin at?" she asked answering his question with one of hers. She knew what they could afford to spend on training the gelding if he was only going to be a working horse and she wasn't going to go above that by much.

Posts : 4737 Join date : 2013-09-09 Age : 27

He flashed a quick grin at her. "Ah so I was right. Little rich girl come down to inherit her grandparents farm. The land won't support that many cattle for long, sweetheart. You're grazing it dry with that many cattle, especially in this sort of land. I only run a few hundred head here, and my land size is about the same as yours. And unless you're buying those steers to fatten up, it's just plain uneconomical to be castrating all of them. Better to sell them off as weaners and get your herd numbers down." She really was a naive thing, but he shrugged off the topic. It wasn't any of his concern, though the town grapevine certainly had proven to be right. Thinking for a moment, he named a sum, and smirked at her. "If you decide to let me train him, he'll live here, and I'll work with him daily. The price covers feed and board, plus the training, and storage of his gear while he's here."

Posts : 2923 Join date : 2016-03-13 Age : 28

Lunas grey eyes narrowed when he called her a little rich girl, while she hadn't wanted for nothing, she certainly hadn't been handed anything on a silver platter. She had worked hard to get what she had and she certainly didn't like it when people tried to say otherwise. "We aren't that stupid ya know but we have an issue on our other property where most of the breeders normally are. We sell most of the claves off as weaners and the ones that are currently waiting to be sold where mostly dumped on our land and the owners couldn't be found. We kept them as it was only recent dump and they are almost ready to be shipped out." she told him angrily, "We only keep our show cattle up here normally." She knew that she still had a lot to learn about running the farm and a lot of her trust fell into Marks lap, afterall he had been with her grandparents for nearly 30 years. When he gave her a price she carefully considered how much over it was and if they would be able to work it in, also if he would be able to work it off before they had to retire the gelding. After a few minutes she nodded slowly. "I can work with that." Luna told him cooly still pissed off at his assumptions.

Posts : 4737 Join date : 2013-09-09 Age : 27

He pushed his hat up a little. "You're new in these parts, so let me give you a piece of advice. This land is hilly, and scrubby, and rarely suits show cattle. You keep trying to run a few thousand head of cattle here, you'll work the land to bare dust, and it won't recover. Then where will your money be, hm? And if you're willing to pass off those calves as a dump, then you're wrong. No one around here would dump that much money, we can't afford it. We're a tiny town, and we need all the income we can get. So you keep your snotty attitude to yourself when you talk to the people who were born and bred here, alright? You'll be much better off." He eyed her carefully, wondering whether he could be bothered to train the gelding now, but it was appearing to be a nice natured thing, and it would be too bad for him to go to the knackers. "Good, leave him here. Dump his gear on the verandah, I'll put it away later." He produced a scrap of paper and a pencil, and handed it to her. "Write down the account you want me to charge for the weekly payments, then you can bugger off. Unlike you, I have actual work to do."

Posts : 2923 Join date : 2016-03-13 Age : 28

Luna bit her tongue to avoid getting into a deeper fight with the man even though she wanted to go off at him for talking down at her like she knew nothing. She was aware this property wasn't suited for all the cattle they had on it briefly but with an outbreak of Anthrax on the property beside them they had moved the breeders over here for a few weeks while it was being cleared up. They had received word that they were good to go back late the day before and most of the men would go with them. As for their show cattle they were on feed and hay all year round to keep them in peak condition as grazing wasn't the best. Taking the paper she wrote down the account details set aside for horse care and she would make sure she put the needed money in there when she got home. "Thank you." she told him handing the paper and pencil back. Giving her gelding one last pat she walked back to the truck and grabbed his gear out, laying it on the porch neatly. Closing the ramp up she left to go organise the breeders transport back to their other property.

Posts : 4737 Join date : 2013-09-09 Age : 27

He tucked the piece of paper back into his pocket, and ignored her as she left. He turned his attention to the horse leading him to the hitching post that he used. Talking softly to the horse, he ran his hands gently over him, seeing where he was sore. He seemed fine to have his feet picked up, and Julian wrinkled his nose at the shoes, but did nothing about them. They seemed like they were to try and help his pigeon toed-ness, which could end up being a good thing. Content with the soundness of his feet, Julian moved on to the horse's back, finding the cause. The muscles were tense, and there were scabs and the horse even flinched, trying to move away from the gentle hands. Leaving him be, Julian gave a quiet sigh, and led him to one of the smaller paddocks that he kept free for his training horses. Hanging the halter on the fence, he went to the gear, going through what had been put there. There were a few unnecessary bits and pieces, and he wasn't happy with the bridle, but that was alright. He had a spare bridle that might fit him.

Posts : 2923 Join date : 2016-03-13 Age : 28

Luna travelled with the breeders back to the main farm to get away from the town for a fews days. The journey down took them 3 days with stops at farms to feed and water the cattle, thankfully they were all family friends and were happy to them stay for a few hours before leaving again. They managed to arrive and get the mothers settled before the calves started to drop. She left a few days after, driving back she reached town in less time than it had take to get the cattle back. With it being early afternoon she decided t head out and see how Major was doing since she had left him over a week before.

Posts : 4737 Join date : 2013-09-09 Age : 27

The gelding settled in surprisingly well, luckily not fussed by Ghost and Spotlight. Julian divided his afternoons between him and the golden mare, working with them both around his farm work. The mare seemed to be beginning to enjoy his presence and touch now, and the truck drove up just as he managed to finally slip the too tight halter off her head. As she tossed her head, he rubbed her shoulder in reward, and let himself out. He was done with her for the day, and next on the list was the gelding.

Posts : 2923 Join date : 2016-03-13 Age : 28

Luna pulled her car up and climbed out seeing Julian leaving the golden mares pen. Making her way over she brushed her blonde hair back from her face. "Hey, I was just passing by and thought I would come see how Major was doing." she said reaching him. She had calmed down and seen his reasoning and was determined to make amends if he would allow her too.

Posts : 4737 Join date : 2013-09-09 Age : 27

Wiping his hands on his jeans, Julian eyed her carefully. "Fairly well. He was definitely handled and trained before you got him. Quite happy to accept the halter and bridle I found. Yours wasn't good for his mouth - the bit's too harsh for him. He's an easy going thing, you struck lucky temperament wise. Haven't backed him yet, he needs more ground work first." He kept walking, picking up the gelding's halter and opening the gate to catch him.

Posts : 2923 Join date : 2016-03-13 Age : 28

Luna nodded as Julian told her the bit she had was to harsh for her geldings mouth and she made a mental note to get a new one for him. She followed after him and watched as he picked up his halter and she stepped up onto the railing as he went in. "What bit should I swap him to? I don't want to cause damage to his mouth if I can help it." she asked as the roan gelding picked his head up to watch them.

Posts : 4737 Join date : 2013-09-09 Age : 27

He halted the horse in a quick movement, tying the rope halter in a simple knot before coming back to answer her. "We'll have to wait and see. Whoever taught him the bit hardened his mouth. I've only bridled him once to see how he went, been using just the halter with him." He closed the gate behind them, and continued on his way to the round yard. "He's not too sure footed, won't be much good for farm work in these hills. You want a horse who doesn't have to think about where he's going all the time. Might be worth considering just selling him on to someone who needs a school horse, or works on flat ground."

Posts : 2923 Join date : 2016-03-13 Age : 28

Luna nodded and jumped off the railing to follow after him. "Our other property is fairly flat, would it be worth sending him down there?" she asked laying a hand on the geldings shoulder and scratching lightly. She had taken a liking to the young horse and didn't really want to sell him if she didn't have to but if it was advised she would give it some serious thought.

Posts : 4737 Join date : 2013-09-09 Age : 27

"Stay off the railings," he said absently, leaving her outside the round yard. He looped the lead rope over the gelding's neck, and tied the end back in a secure knot at the clip before he sent the horse outwards. He rarely worked with equipment in the beginning, preferring to use pressure and release to teach his young horses. He used the same principles with any horse that he trained, and seemed to be working in his favour. "Depends on how good a head he's got for cattle work," he told her, keeping his eyes on the horse as he kept him trotting around the ring. "Gotta work out if he's worth me to keep training him just in case he can think on his feet, or just selling him off and lessening your losses."

Posts : 2923 Join date : 2016-03-13 Age : 28

Luna stayed on the ground at Julians comment but leaned against a post beside the gate as she watched him send her gelding out into a trot around the outside edge. She enjoyed watching him quietly work him and she took the time to admire his figure before he spoke again. "How much longer before you think you will know?" she asked curiously.

Posts : 4737 Join date : 2013-09-09 Age : 27

He didn't answer for a while, watching critically as he sent the horse into a canter, quickly bringing him back to a trot as he began to stumble. "He's not sound enough for work yet," he finally said, letting the horse slow to a stop for a rest. "That can be fixed by turning him out into a hilly area for a few months, but I wouldn't say it's worth the effort with him. In regards to cow work, I'll know as soon as I back him and take him through a herd. Say a couple of weeks, maybe a month." Turning the horse around the other way, he sent him back into a trot, warming him up completely before doing any more work.

Posts : 2923 Join date : 2016-03-13 Age : 28

Luna nodded as he spoke up again after a while and her gaze was on the gelding have notice him stumble. "Alright then. And if he is good for cow work would it be worth turning him out? Or would I be better off selling him still?" She asked feeling like she was pestering him but if they had to sell him she needed to start looking at how to minimize losses on him. Most of which was in his training at least and not him alone.

Posts : 4737 Join date : 2013-09-09 Age : 27

Julian shrugged, stopping the horse again and running his hands gently over the horse's legs. "In all honesty, probably not. His breed aren't known for being stock horses. They're good for endurance and dressage, and improving breeding lines. He'll be useless for dressage - he's got too many faults to do well." Finished with the legs, he rested his hands on the horse's back, holding the lead rope just in gaze, and kept a wary eye on the roan coloured ears. Moving carefully, he hoisted himself up onto the horse's bare back, settling himself comfortably, and waiting for the horse's response.

Posts : 2923 Join date : 2016-03-13 Age : 28

Luna nodded slowly feeling slightly sad that she would be selling the roan gelding. "I see." she said with a sigh as he got onto the horses back. Immediately she watched as the gelding started to paw the ground as his ears flattened slightly and she bit her lip with worry. "Oh god." she breathed as he took a few paces sidewards sudden before whipping around in a tight circle.

Posts : 4737 Join date : 2013-09-09 Age : 27

Julian held on, shifting in his seat as the horse moved. "Easy does it. It hurts, doesn't it, big fella?" It took a while, and plenty of work with the simple halter before he got the horse standing. Immediately he was, Julian slid off, patting the sweaty neck. "Well that makes it a little easier," he murmured, thinking through it as he talked to himself.

Posts : 2923 Join date : 2016-03-13 Age : 28

Luna watched as Julian held on while Major moved under him and soon he had him standing still. When he boots hit the dirt she let out a sigh of relief and relaxed her white-knuckled grip on the railing. Her tongue darted out and soothed her bitten lip, thankfully she hadn't bitten through it. Running a hand through her blonde hair she waited until he was starting to cool the gelding down before she spoke. "Are you alright?" she asked letting her soft voice carry across to him, "What would have made him react like that?"

Posts : 4737 Join date : 2013-09-09 Age : 27

"He's learned he can get away with it. Me being bareback on him shouldn't have hurt him like a saddle would, he's just being a dick about being backed." He tugged the leadrope sharply as the horse went to pull away, not letting him get away with it. "He'll learn he can't get away with it here, if I keep working him." He looked over at her, his green-gold gaze direct and almost blunt. "Are you wanting me to keep going, or will you just sell him on now?"

Posts : 2923 Join date : 2016-03-13 Age : 28

Luna frowned as he explained that the gelding had picked that up as a bad habit and she looked at him thoughtfully. "Keep working him please. He will sell for more as a rideable horse even with his faults." She said finally, "Unless you know someone who wants a horse to train themselves." She reached up to pull a knot from Majors mane and accidentally brushed his shoulder making her jerk back with a blush. "Sorry." She whispered.