Beginner Western Class

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Sunlight shone down on the ring, a little chill in the air but nothing as bad as it could have been. The temp seemed to be on the higher scale of temps that day and there was a hint of snow smell on the air. A few birds where out chirping and making noise, while an hawk flew high in the sky lazily looking for any mice that ventured out of their holes. But all of it was something that the red head female was use to as she stood out near the fence trying to decide where to have her class. Most seemed to have opted for the inside arena but as it was a nice day, the nice weather made her decision to have the class outside.

Standing up and moving away from the fence she went to the barn to get her mare and track. Humming softly as she came back from the barn she stretched and dropped the reins to the ground knowing that the black mare wouldn't leave the spot. Dark brown eyes looked around, fully taking in the view as her mare nuzzled her side looking for a treat. With a laugh she said "Mid, no treats for you. This is a work day." She pressed a kiss to her mares forehead and gave her neck a pat. A strand of dark red hair falling in front of her eyes, making her take off her black hat and lean against her horse slightly while she started to put her hair into twin braids. Figuring it'd take a bit for her students to make it to class, plus she would find out who knew how to properly track up a horse or not with western gear, plus she had asked a couple stable hands to help out if needed.

The black mare merely stood still with her head up and dark brown eyes looking around, one ear trained to her rider and the other flicking and catching the sounds that she heard. Her tail swishing a little, shifting her weight a little wanting to move and run. With a snort she turned her head and looked at her rider before she took a small step away from her rider, causing Epona to stumble back a little, and shook her head.

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Oliver took care as he got his Appaloosa gelding ready for their class. Even though he had graduated out of the beginner English class, since the Western class has been so flippant in being taught, he was still struggling to grasp some of the concepts of it, even if he did enter in a reining class in the recent show.

Once Ollie was tacked up in his stylish western saddle and bridle, Oliver took the gelding's grooming kit back into the tack-room and came back out carrying his Charles Owen helmet. Placing the helmet on his head, he fastened it under his chin and then removed the cross-ties from the gelding's halter - which he also removed - and then led the spotted horse out of the barn and toward the arena.

As they reached the arena, he saw a young woman standing in the arena with a black horse. He halted his horse at the gate, a little hesitant now that he was here. "Excuse me, Ma'am?" He called softly. "Is this the beginner Western class?" He didn't recognise the female or her horse.

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Carlos sent up a silent 'thank you' towards the heavens as he placed the clunky western saddle on his mare. Clunky in his opinion, at least. It was big and ungainly to the boy who was much more used to english and bareback-riding. He studied the latigo strap and girth befor hesitantly taking the pieces in his hands and fumbling around a bit. finally he had the latigo knot tied off tightly, and he stepped back and grinned. It looked right. His first class had been a nightmare, but he'd made it through it. He'd heard that there was a new western instructor, but he didn't know who it was. Oh well, he'd find out.

Carlos was thankful, though, to his 'people' back home in Spain. Over his Christmas break, he had had a few short 'lessons' with one of his grandfather's trainers on the mans own western-trained horses. He had really struggled to grasp the concepts, but once it was time to come back to BRRA, Carlos thought he was a teensy bit better... and, he supposed, it kinda sucked that his Lusitano mare wasn't western trained at all. The trainer had told Carlos to just use the same cues and subtle touches and directions that he used when he and Lacera rode bareback and bridleless, but, in a way, Carlos felt as though that would be cheating.

He entered the arena, glancing around and feeling Lacera push her nose against his back, looking for a treat or an afffectionate scratch. Carlos rubbed between her eyes absent-mindedly, then looped the reins of the brible over the rail of the arena and going to her side, tightening the knot once more before simply standing still with the dappled grey mare, waiting for the class to begin.

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Running to the White Oak Barn, Belle had no choice but to use Penny for the time being for the Beginner Western Class. She was informed that a new instructor had taken on the job. The eighteen year old did enjoy working with Mr. Mattock, but things change, she had found that out earlier this year. Retrieving the reddish halter from the tack room, the blond led the dun mare out into the aisle and hooked her into the cross ties. Hopefully it wouldn't take too long to groom the mare and get her tacked up; class was going to start soon. Observing that only two or three small patches of mud covered the equine's body. Taking the curry comb over Penny's body the spots disappeared.

Next the brush quickly flew over her barrel, legs, neck, hindquarters, and head. Grabbing the hoof pick, Belle had made a habit that before every ride she would pick her mount's hooves and she wasn't going to break the cycle now. Running back to the tack room the eighteen year old grabbed the large and heavy western saddle, along with the breastplate, bridle, and thick woven saddle pad. Setting the saddle and saddle pad on the rack, she hung up the bridle and breastplate and ran back to the tack room. She had forgotten the mare's boots, which was just a thing that Belle thought, Penny worked better with them on. Finishing the process by tacking up the horse, they could finally get to the arena. Roscoe's Arena was where the girl had been informed to meet with the class.

To be honest Belle was looking forward to meeting her new teacher; then again she was a bit nervous as well. She didn't know if the teacher would like the fact that she had an assistant, but she would have to get over it. Belle didn't plan on going anywhere unless she was assigned to another class. Penny moved in a brisk walk along with her owner. Boots and hooves alike thundered across the grounds of the academy. Getting to the arena Belle saw a red haired woman, maybe a little older than herself and two boys she had recognized from the classes before, Oliver and Carlos. Opening the gate, "Gate", another thing that she always did whether it was needed or not. Swinging Penny's hindquarters around Belle latched the gate and checked over the tack once more.

When she decided that the cinch was tight enough and her stirrups were the right length she mounted up. Left foot in the left stirrup and reins shortened the typical routine of anyone who was getting into a saddle. When she was comfortable in the large sat, Belle moved her mount over to the red haired woman. Just before she had come in Belle heard Oliver say something but wasn't she exactly what. "Excuse me Miss, are you the new instructor?" With that she sat in her saddle and waited. Having another female in this class would be refreshing, as oppose to Mr. Mattock and the whole class being made up of males.

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Ryan hurried to groom Sunny, but took the time to make sure that the mare's white coat didn't have any dirt in it. He had heard a rumor that there was a new beginner Western teacher, which seemed alright, although Ryan hoped that she was patient. He was still trying to get his feet under him, and while he was comfortable in the saddle at the gaits, he still didn't feel ready to actually start on a discipline, and he hoped to stay in the class for a bit longer, until he could decide on something.

After placing the heavy saddle onto Sunny's back and cinching it in place, Ryan put on the mare's bridle, rubbing her elegantly dished nose for a second before he took the reins. He grabbed his helmet and jammed it onto his head as he started walking, buckling it one-handedly.

As he approached the outdoor arena, Ryan saw that he wasn't the first person to arrive, although he hoped that he wasn't the last either. At the least, he wasn't late, which was good. He looked at the young-looking woman standing at the center of the arena with a black horse. He smiled at Oliver, who was standing by the gate, obviously asking something, and led Sunny into the center of the arena, where he checked her cinch, then stood there, watching the teacher, waiting for their instructions.

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Epona had just finished the first braid of her hair before someone was there. Without glancing up she replied "It's Miss not Ma'am and yes this is." She figured she would wait to introduce herself properly until all was there and she didn't have to repeat it. But she took the other lose part of her hair and started to braid it as she waited for the other students. When her mare gave a soft nicker she glanced up to see a boy enter with a dappled mare but paid no mind to him as he didn't say anything. Hearing the word gate she glanced up again as she finished her hair and put an hairband over the two braids to hold them back.

Putting her black hat back on her head she looked at the ones who where there and then towards the female who came over mounted. "Yes, I am. I take it you are my assistant." She said figuring that Annabelle was a female as none of the other names on her class list seemed female and her assistant name did. When her mare shifted she glanced over to the last person to arrive, although she had four students she has received a note was given that the other might not show up for a bit.

With a look around she said loud enough for them to hear her, "Hello I am Epona Markey, your new western riding instructor and this is my mare, Midnight Dance." Her brown eyes glanced over the students as she stood up straight and took a few steps from her mare. "I want you to introduce yourself and tell me about what you have learned from your previous classes." She asked of the students and her assistant. It was her way of getting to know them, she figured it'd be best to get to know them so she would know how to best teach them in other classes.

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Oliver ducked his head at her corrective tone. "Sorry, Miss." He said as he clicked his tongue and led Ollie through the gate and halted the big horse in the middle of the arena as they waited for the rest of the class. As they stood there waiting for the others, he took the chance to have a good look at the instructor's mare.

Once the woman address the class as a whole, well Oliver would guess that she was no more than possibly a year older than himself, if that at all. He fiddled with the bight of the reins - his were good old plaited reins as opposed to split reins - as he listened to Miss Markey speak. "I'm Oliver Patttersen." He said with more confidence then he felt - Oliver would never be a good public speaker. "And this is Challenge This, or Ollie. In the previous classes we learned about how to properly tack up a horse in western kit, how to mount and dismount and how to ask our horses to move forward, turn and stop." He shrugged slightly as he ran his hand down Ollie's spotted face, as there wasn't a part of the gelding's coat that wasn't spotty. "Though Ollie and I quite often have the opposite idea of what stop actually means."

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Carlos straightened up from his slouch againstthe arena railing as the instructor started speaking and he picked up the reins, looping them over his arm and walking to stand where he could see the instructor more clearly, moving up beside his mare's face and watching the woman. His hand ghosted over the mare's velvety nose to keep her from nudging him again and he felt Lacera's warm breath as she sighed.

Dark eyes looked to the student who spoke up first, Oliver, and then flicked to the othre boy's horse out of curiosity. Carlos listened as the other boy spoke, and when he fell silent, he waited a few moments to see if anyone else would want to speak up before volunteering. Carlos didn't like to talk in groups of people he didn't know and his voice was very low and he chose to not look at anyone, but looked past the instructor as he spoke.

"I'm Carlos Rodriguez." He stated simply, softly, pleased with his english now, though sometimes he still made mistakes. "This is Cordon de la Reina Ana. Lacera." He scratched the mare again, taking comfort in her being there, as he felt quite shaky having to speak up and with everyone's attention on him. "It is how Oliver said, senorita Markey. Our last class we learned to tack up and a little of the basics." Carlos felt his face flush a faint red and he hurried through his last few sentences, nearly stumbling over them. He fell silent, though, and turned his attention to his mare. Oh, how he hated speaking up in front of people...

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Penny nickered towards anyone else who would talk back to her. ”Great. It’s nice to meet you.” Figuring that she would have the class introduce themselves she waited to do so when asked. Listening to Oliver and Carlos introduce themselves and their horses, Belle nodded slightly when they said what the class had been learning last class. Guessing it was her turn, she smiled. ”I’m Annabelle Archer, but most just call me Belle and this is Beating As One or as I like to call her Penny.” Taking a deep breathe she nodded and gestured towards the other students. ”And like the guys said we were learning how to tack up and just the basics of western riding.”

Ending her sentence with another smile, Belle patted Penny’s neck. Tossing her head the mare was growing impatient. With that the eighteen year old made the mare side step away from Miss Markey’s mount, knowing that the dun Quarter Horse kicked out sometimes when she was bored or standing still for too long. Waiting for the last boy to introduce himself, although Belle already knew his name, he would be the last one until class would actually start and Penny could walk the length of the arena.

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Ryan looked up as the teacher started speaking to the class as a whole, listening intently as she introduced herself. She seemed pretty young, but of course, that was not an issue, and she seemed to be confident in what she was teaching, which was good. As she asked them to introduce themselves, Ryan frowned, but planned out what he would say. As the other males went ahead of him, as well as the teacher's assistant, Ryan found that they had already answered the teacher's question rather sufficiently.

When it came to be his turn, he decided to just introduce himself, "I'm Ryan Gallahill, and this is Sunshine Streak, although she's called Sunny more often." The mare pricked her ears at the sound of her name, and Ryan rubbed her shoulder gently as he waited for the woman to introduce themselves. Realizing that his answer sounded incomplete, Ryan added, "And really, Oliver and Carlos got it all." He ran a thumb over the leather of Sunny's reins and decided that it felt rather dry. He frowned, resolving to take the next weekend opportunity to go over all of his two charges' equipment and oil it all again, so that nothing happened to it while it was in his care.

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Epona's eyes went to the first boy, Oliver, to speak and gave a nod to his words about his horse and him, her eyes going to his horse before the next boy spoke. As she looked at the second boy she noticed that he seemed a bit like the first one in not wanting to speak in front of the class. Although she gave a slight nod to him when Carlos fell silent. Looking to the girl who spoke she gave a nod and noticed that Penny seemed to not want to stand still that much longer, it almost brought a smile to her face but she kept it back.

Her eyes went to the last boy, Ryan, and gave a nod to him after he had finished speaking. After they where done, she spoke up, "Alright, I will say this now but I do plan on giving a little bit of homework this lesson, it is to help me better understand your riding skill and how you learn best."

When her horse nuzzled her shoulder she ran her hand along her horse's face before she said "Double check your gear and then mount up. If you haven't been riding long then make sure to check your horse to make sure they aren't holding any air in to make the cinch loose any." She looked at her assistant and said "Ms. Archer, watch them mount to see if you spot them mounting wrong from your angle please." Her eyes looked back to her students as she gathered up her reins in her hands.

Midnight snorted as her ears turned towards her rider to pick up any cues that had been trained into her. Epona looked at her students to watch them carefully while she petted Midnight's neck both to calm her own nerves and to keep Mid from getting too restless.

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Oliver couldn't help the startled look he gave the teacher when she mentioned that there would be homework. How could any form of homework let her know their riding skill or how they would learn best? And worse, what if all their learning styles were different? Why couldn't she just teach them the way she knew? And surely this class would give her a good idea of there skill and he could quite openly tell her that he learned things best when he was shown something and then could give the hand's on approach - which is why he no longer had any issues tacking the gelding up or mounting, not matter whether he was riding Ollie or Cas.

Shaking his head, he set to work. Checking over Ollie's tack, the boy undid the cinch, straightened the gelding's pad and and then did the cinch up again. He then counted to ten, put his knee gently but firmly into the gelding's gut and tightened the cinch. He then put his left foot into the stirrup, put his right hand on the cantle, grabbed a handful of mane in his right hand, bounced off his right foot and boosted himself into the air. Swinging his right leg up and over the cantle, lowered gently into the saddle, slipped his right foot into the stirrup and gathered the reins in his left hand, right hand on his thigh as he waited for the next instructions.

He had heard Ms Markey's comment to Belle and hoped this didn't mean that they would have to address their classmate the same way. Sure, she was the teacher's assistant, but she was also their peer.

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Ryan blinked in surprise as he heard the word homework coming out of the teacher's mouth. It was the first time he had been told straight-out that there would be homework, although he wasn't quite sure how it would accomplish exactly what the teacher wanted it to accomplish. However, he wasn't one to question a teacher straight-out, so he just filed away the information of work to come and focused on what was going to happen now.

As he heard their instructions, he nodded slightly and turned to Sunny. Even without the woman's reminder, he would have checked Sunny's cinch, but he knew that the sweet mare wasn't in the habit of holding in air. Finding it normal, like he had expected, Ryan slipped his left foot into the stirrup and swung into the saddle. Shifting his weight, he fumbled around with his right foot for a moment, trying to find his stirrup, before he gave in and looked down, sliding his boot into the iron. As he gathered his reins, he looked around at the rest of the class, waiting for the next step, hoping that Annabelle, whom he would probably continue to think of in terms of her first name, wouldn't comment on his looking down to find his stirrup.

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Hmm.. homework? The eighteen year old thought to herself. In her basically half a year of assisting Mr. Mattock, the man hadn't ever given out homework. Then again all teachers, or instructors, were different in the way that they taught and Belle was completely fine with that. Once the instructions were clearly stated the blond made her way over on horseback to the boys. All three of them seemed to have little to no trouble getting situated into their saddle. Watching each other the guys individually there were no major malfunctions that she would have to help with.

Penny found it better to be able to move about as she pleased now that her rider was done speaking. The Quarter Horse walked and stopped allowing Belle to take a good look. Even though she was the assistant instructor her orders were to be taken from Miss Markey. Belle nudged her mare back towards the instructor. "Miss Markey would it be alright that when the boys warm up, Penny and I can do as well?" Now she was inferring some things with that question. It would mean that she thought warming up the mounts would be in full swing sooner rather than later.

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Epona petted Midnight as she watched the class, her eyes catching the bit of shock about the homework. As she figured it was strange but it would give her a better understanding of her students, plus assistant, and it'd just help her figure out what teaching style would work best for her. Hearing the question about warming up she gave a nod, she figured she might as well also see how her assistant was in the saddle too. She figured most of them where use to warming up their horses, which wasn't something that really needed in western riding unless doing an event. As she was just teaching the basics of riding she figured she'd clear that up.

"Alright, I take it most of you are use to warming up your horses. So lets start with that, although unless there is an event then it isn't really needed to warm up in western riding. As this isn't an event class and simply teaching you the basics of riding western and getting you ready for the event classes or giving you an idea for the western style." She said as she leaned against her mare's shoulder a bit.

"At least half of what I consider basic western style that is. Which the other half of what I normally consider basic there are other classes for. That is mostly due to the fact that I learned ranch basics which are a combine basics of working on a ranch." She added knowing that it was different what each considered basic. To her there was a lot more basic training needed but from what she learned about the school, they had different classes for what she considered basic training. Then again she was use to ranch basic trainings and leanings, she was having to recall the summers she spent with her mom helping teach kids how to ride western that had never been on a horse before.

Looking to her students she said "Also show me what you have learned in the past classes as you warm up. Then we'll go on to what you should have down by next class, which I expect what you learned in the past class to also be learned completely by next class. So I will want to see or hear about you guys working in the arena on what you learn here between classes. This will also help you understand your horse better and become a better rider." Feeling her horse shift she patted her mare's neck and whispered "Don't worry baby, you'll be showing them soon." She knew the best way she taught was to show from her own horse. That was how she had done it with her mom, although at that time her mother also was telling the ones who were in her camp lesson what she was doing on the horse.