As the Roo Bounces

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

First topic message reminder :

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.

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

He sent her off with a nod, and headed to the stallion, haltering him easily. Not bothering with a saddle, he simply bridled the grey animal and got to work. Most of his attention was on the girl, thinking about her. She was a strange thing, obviously loaded, but she might end up being a passable rider. Putting her out of his mind until she was back again, he got down to the serious work with the stallion, getting him back in shape for the campdrafting competition they had in a couple of weeks.

As usual the weekend was busy and full for the stockman. Barely resting through the days, he finally got the last of his fences repaired, ready for the influx of foals that he was expecting in a few weeks time. Aware that the city chick was coming over the next day, he mentally planned out the lesson, and tumbled into bed without another thought. He was up early as usual the next morning, feeding the dogs when she arrived.

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

Luna was 15 minutes early to her lesson and she checked that she had the cash in her poket before she climbed out of her car. Looking around she saw him over with the dogs and to aviod them going off she stood by her car waiting for him to finish. Looking around the paddocks she could see she smiled at the horses grazing in the morning light and the younger looking ones where playing in the distance.

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

Hearing the car, he wasn't surprised when the dogs were set off, barking at the newcomer. A sharp word had them quietening down, and he finished feeding them before coming over. "Early, that's good. Go grab the gelding and brush him down. I have a few things to finish off before we can get started." He ducked back into the house, making himself some breakfast, and came out still eating to watch her and make sure she was working with the horse correctly.

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

Hearing footsteps approaching she turned towards Julian withba smile. "Ok." She said just before he walked off. She grabbed a rope halter along with a rubber brush and hoof pick before entering the paddock. The stallion was particularly in her way to Ned so she circled arojnd the grey while wedging the grooming tools into her back pocket to have both hands free. Reaching the bay geldin she swiftly haltered him and using the same circle route she lead him out and over to the hitching area after closing the gate behind them. She carefully tied him up and pulled the brush out to clean his coat swiftly.

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

Wandering over, he fed the last of his toast to Ned, watching her critically. Seeing which brush she'd got, he moved into the shed and brought out the soft bristled brush. "Wrong brush, kiddo. Use this one. The rubber's for when he's been hosed off." Humming quietly, he grabbed the hoof pick off her, and did the gelding's feet before collecting his tack, saddling the horse quickly. He wasn't in the mood for loitering around, there were things he had to do once this lesson was finished.

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

Luna blushed softly and took the body brush from Julian. "Sorry." She said softly. She ran it over the geldings coat with ease as he cleaned the hooves before tacking him up for her. As he put the saddle on she slipped Neds bridle on over his head and buckled it up and held his reins ready to go.

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

He grinned at her. "No worries. If you're not sure, just ask. I don't bite that hard." Indicating the round yard, he lifted an eyebrow at her. "Same place as before. See if you can get on him on your own this time." He walked with her, opening the gate so that she could go through. "Working on your balance again, maybe get him into a slow trot at the end, we'll see how you go."

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

Luna laughed lightly at his bite comment and walked towards the round yard. "Busy day?" She asked as he walked beside her. Once inside the yard she attempted to swing up onto Ned and had more success in the fact that her right leg just went over to his far side. Settling into the saddle she urged the gelding into a walk and it took her a few steps to settle into his walk and she focused slightly on relaxing her body into his saddle as they moved.

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

"It will be," he answered, watching her as he closed the yard gate. "Relax your shoulders, you're still too tense. Legs too. Actually..." He went over to her, tugging on the reins to stop the horse. "Let's try this." He removed the stirrups from the saddle, hanging them over his shoulder instead, and backed away. "Try that. It'll help your balance."

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

Luna looked down at Julian as he took the stirrups off the saddle and she was left with just the saddle to use as a balance point. "Ok." She said softly. She nudged Ned back into a walk and forced her body to relax as she sat in the saddle with her legs hanging down freely. She felt more balanced without trying to keep her feet in the stirrups correctly and it made it easier to relax.

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

"Grip with your thighs, not your knees or lower leg," he said critically, ignoring the ringing of the phone from the house. "Chin up, don't look at the ground, look three feet in front of the horse. He goes where you're looking." Finally, the house phone stopped, and he concentrated more on the girl. "Right, turn him towards me. Keep going to the other side of the ring, and go round the other way." Breaking off, he muttered a few choice words as his mobile rang, and answered it, knowing that it had to be important. "I'm busy right now, Tom." He went silent, frowning at the news. "Are you sure?" With a sigh, he agreed to come over, and hung up. "Right, lesson cancelled." He took hold of Ned's reins, putting the stirrups back on the saddle. "You're coming to the sales yards with me." Striding out of the yard, leaving it open for her to follow, he caught and saddled an older mare quickly, swinging on in an easy motion. "Come on."

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

Luna followed Julians instructions the best she could by tightening the grip she had on Ned with her thighs and fixed her gaze further ahead than she had been. She gently pulled the left rein towards her hip while applying light pressure with her inner heel guiding the gelding into the turn. She was just reaching Julian when he stopped her and she blinked at his words. "Whats wrong?" She asked urging the bay out of the yard after his owner. She had been past the sale yards before so she knew they were close but she didnt know why they were going. The only thing Luna could tell was that it was urgent.

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

He'd already got the mare moving, knowing that he had to juggle being quick to the sale yards, and keeping gentle enough for the beginner to keep up. "There's a guy at the sales yard, he keeps an eye out for horses that he reckons I might take in." He glanced at her, wondering how much of a strong stomach she had. Tom had said the mare was in a bad way. "I take horses out of the kill pens, Tom reckons this one is worse than normal." He nudged the mare into a faster walk, not quite a trot, but nearly.
Arriving at the yards, he didn't bother getting off, guiding the mare through the crowds. "Stay close," he ordered. Ned was a valuable horse, he didn't want him lost. Finally finding the kill pens, the unusual crowd told him everything he needed to know, and he slid off the mare. Thrusting the reins at Luna, he glanced at her briefly. "Hold those, don't let go. They shouldn't spook." Not waiting for a response, he pushed through the crowd to see what was happening.

Main account Posts : 13341 Join date : 2013-08-11 Age : 28

She was so sick of the harness, rubbed raw and extremely lightweight the ginger mare was muscled from years of pulling and how she hated it. Her mane and forelock had been shaved, meanwhile her tail was one big dreadlock made up of many smaller ones. Her feet had not been done for many years and her teeth sliced into her mouth whenever she tried to eat, with a halter on underneath the tight bridle and a thick leather strap to stop her from tossing her head up and rearing she was unwilling hitched up to a log the sellers idea to showcase how strong she was. Her only positive selling point was her strength after all, back feet in hobbles that allowed her to take steps but unable to kick there was yet a defiant dangerous glint in the mares brown eyes. She had a star and two back white socks, heavily caked in mud she almost looked like she was a bay with black legs. Standing there she refused to pull, angry and scared, men, women, they all wanted to hurt her, the cracking of a whip against her skin to get her going was loud but ineffective. She stood and stood until she was unable to take it anymore, beginning to pull, she knew they always won in the end but she made it her mission to refuse and retaliate as much as she could. Her mouth was hard, leaving them with little control as she turned and lunged at someone too close to her, her head was eventually wrenched around and she was forced forward.

None were allowed to interfere with what was happening as the 14.2 mare pulled the impressive sized log meter after meter. Fully clipped, her body was soon dripping with sweat, covered with lather from the ill fitting tack, all the while blood from her teeth cutting her mouth and foam stained red from it covered her lips and front legs. Ears were pinned flat against her head the entire time, continuously yanking her head against the strap trying to pull her head up she abruptly changed tactics. Keeping her head close to her chest she managed to preform a small rear, landing on her four hooves she tried again and this time got a proper one, victoriously calling out with a shrill piercing whinny she landed on her shocking hooves ignoring the commands and whip again. However on her next rear she over did it, tipping over onto her back, the human intelligence that had gleamed in her eye was extinguished as the animal completely took over, struggling to get up she ripped open her skin on the stone ridden ground. Each moment she couldn't get up the more fear coursed through her, legs flailing and wrenching her head painfully it felt like years before rough hands grabbed her by the halter and rolled her onto her side before pulled her up onto her feet again. Completely refusing to play ball now the mare turned on the man who'd dragged her up aiming to savage him.

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

Watching as the small mare began moving, his normally gentle eyes went hard with fury. He stayed until she reared over backwards, then turned and shouldered roughly through the crowd to the seller. The crowd was beginning to drift away anyway, unwilling to spend money on a clearly dangerous horse, and soon he was the only one left, with Luna hopefully still holding on to the horses.
Julian’s voice was cold and hard as he spoke, the words clipped as he tried to control his anger just a little. He didn’t care what the seller was saying, ignoring the advice that she wouldn’t respond to gentle techniques or a soft hand. Looking around for the girl, he beckoned her over. "Need the rope on Billie's saddle. Hand it over."
Turning back to the seller, they entered a fierce argument, the stockman coldly turning down every argument about him not buying the mare, sticking firm to his low price. She wasn’t worth much, not with her appalling condition and clearly dangerous attitude. Glaring silently at the seller, the other man finally mumbled his way into silence, and accepted the offer.

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

Lunas jaw dropped and her heart broke at the sight she could see before her as she gripped the reins that Julian thrust towards her. She nudged Ned towards the man tearing her horrified gaze from the sight when he told her to hand him the rope on the mares saddle. Stopping beside him she unbuckled the strap and handed the coil over. "How could anyone be so cruel to the poor darling?" she asked him once the seller had stopped talking. "Will she let you get close enough to free her, Julian?" The worry in her tone was strong as she kept her gaze flicking between man and mare.

Main account Posts : 13341 Join date : 2013-08-11 Age : 28

Left alone as she was going to get still attached to the stupid log, the mares angry gaze swept onto the two standing next to the man she'd identified as her 'seller'. How she hated that man, she wouldn't hesitate at killing him and had often considered how she'd do it the past twelve hours, it was then she heard the word darling being used in reference to herself. Darling? what the actual fuck the harsh angry words sounded in her mind, darling was the small grey arab who remained kindly natured no matter what harsh blows and words were thrown her way. Rose was a fighter and proudly so, stupid humans, they could shove darling right up their asses, wanting to get free of the strap that kept her head down she began jerking her head to the side ignoring the pain of the harsh bits in her mouth. Finally she was able to grab it with her lips, mouth strapped shut with the flash, but with pigheaded stubbornness she got the leather strap into her mouth and wasted little time chewing through the stupid thing. Throwing her head up properly her ears that had remained flat this entire time, Rose snorted and began pawing at the ground angrily tension in every muscle in her body

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

Taking the lead rope, he slung it over his shoulder, pointedly ignoring the idiot seller now. Ducking into the area with the mare, he barely heard Luna's question, focusing on the mare, but he answered absently. "We'll see how she goes, she's upset and angry." She might not let him close enough to do anything but free her from the log, and snap the leadrope onto the halter, but that would be enough for him for now. Hearing the broad, thick scots in his voice, he paused, looking at the mare again. If she could talk, then it meant she had to be from where his once-foster child Claire came from. Leaving the rope over his shoulder, he approached her carefully, speaking softly to her. "Alright, ginger. I'll get you out of the idiot's hands."

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

Luna guided the two horses closer to the gate as she watched Julian approach but her gaze was drawn to the way the mare was chewing on the leather. His answer made her frown lightly but she guessed that even getting her free from the log would be better than nothing. Her hand drifted up and down Neds neck as she shifted in the saddle slightly.

Main account Posts : 13341 Join date : 2013-08-11 Age : 28

Hmph, watching him enter the arena she was trapped in, the feisty angry little thing eyed the man slowly approaching her. Blood stained the foam at her lips bright red, flicking her head around threateningly she warned him not to come too close. People they were all the same, all they wanted to do was hurt her and she was sick of being hurt sick of these hobbles and sick of the pain. Wishing he was in reach so she could attack him, she lowered her head a moment to rub the flash that strapped her mouth shut against her knee in an attempt to remove it swiftly lifting her head up again when she sensed he was getting closer. Her front feet weren't hobbled so she lashed out with one sod off, i'm not letting yet another human near me! she hated humanity, she threw her head around again snortng angrily

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

He paused at the warning, hoping that the girl had enough sense to stay where she was with the horses. "Easy ginger," he repeated quietly. "I'm not gonna hurt you." Finally, he got closer enough to her to grab the noseband of the bridle, preventing her from biting him, and clipped the leadrope onto the halter before moving to the log. Feeding out the rope to give her space, he worked on unhitching her from the big log. Backing away from her, he held the rope firmly, making sure that she wasn't going to pull it out of his hands, and looked over towards Luna to make sure that she was still in the same place. Turning his attention back to the mare, he tugged lightly on the rope. "This way now. Come on."

Main account Posts : 13341 Join date : 2013-08-11 Age : 28

As soon as she was unhitched the mare went for him with an intention to kill, jumping forward in an odd gait as her back pasterns were hobbled and with her ears flat back she had an almost stallion glint in her gaze. She wanted to hurt him, her tail lashed showing frustration in the copper hobbles that chafed and cut into her skin, they cut her speed and meant she couldn't move as fast as she wanted to. Come on take the hobbles off and make it a fair fight you coward the words were filled with hate and betrayed her opnion on the world. She'd never been an overly kind or gentle soul and now she'd endured so much that her first option was to attack before they could attack her

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

Lunas hands gripped the reins in her hands tighter as the mare moved forward with anger. She bit her bottom lip hard as she watched the pair in the ring and her eyes darted to the seller who seemed to be backing away from the ring slowly. She shook her head slightly with disgust as she guided the gelding and mare from the gate allowing the chestnut to see an open path out of the ring, not sure if it would help.

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

Luckily he was quick on his feet, and he kept out of range of the mare, almost lunging her as she moved to try and get close to him. Spotting the opening out of the corner of his eye, he sighed in annoyance, swearing under his breath. The mare was going to bolt for the opening now. Knowing there wasn't much he could do to stop her, since she was a strong little thing, he measured the distance to the mare he'd been riding, calculating how he'd get her moving and on her with the least amount of harm done to everyone else.

Main account Posts : 13341 Join date : 2013-08-11 Age : 28

As soon as she spied the opening she wheeled about and dashed for the gate in her strange gait that she'd picked up in order to move swiftly with the hobbles on. Running with her front legs and doing an odd hopping with her back legs she reached the gate in surprising time having had plenty of practice. Okay so she'd be stuck like this but at least she could get away from people and figure this out on her own, if she rubbed her head against something enough she'd be able to get the bridle off and the rest could be chewed off in its own time. No thought was given to the man holing the rope, the fact that he could be pulled forward onto his front and dragged didn't bother her in the slightest. How was she to know that they weren't just as bad as where she'd come from, she didn't want to take the chance