A New Challenge

[Deleted]

This class was probably going to be Murdock's favourite, considering that she was planning on letting him actually do some work today. She finished tacking up the tall Holsteiner, then grabbed her clipboard and led the gelding out towards the cross country courses, singing any song that came into her head. She would have loved to ride the gelding out, considering that it was quite a walk, but she hadn't wanted to worry about her helmet, and she knew it was frowned upon to ride without it, even for the adults.

Finally, however, she was at the beginner cross country course, where she had asked her students to meet her. She hadn't warned them of what they would be doing, but she had asked that they be prepared to speak about their mounts a little bit more in depth than what she had asked of them when they had first introduced themselves. Depending on who she had in the class, she might do the same for Murdock, or might not.

As her students arrived, she asked them to refrain from mounting and warming up, because it would be a part of the class this time. When most of the class was present, she called the group to order, and then smiled, "We're going to be doing something slightly different today, so I hope you all did as I asked. We're going to be talking about our mounts first, and I'd like to know their quirks. Is there anything you have to pay attention to while riding them? Are they spooky at anything that might be found on the course?" Perhaps some would be able to figure out what she was planning, but for the rest? Hopefully they'd just comply.

@anna
@brookem
@lifesgood
@faolan
@lukamason
Miranda Florin
Othello Buskirk

[Othello Buskirk]

Othello felt as guilty as sin as he stepped back and allowed the barn hand who had been hovering nearby pull the girth on Harry's close contact saddle tight. "Thanks." He said as the man stepped away from the gelding and left the boy to it. Things had started out so well, the nausea had somewhat dissipated as the day had gone along, and when he began to groom Harry, he could feel himself relaxing. It was only after he'd finished the grooming and had placed the saddle on the Suffolk Punch's back that the nausea washed over him again in waves. Leo had quickly ditched the warm jacket he had been wearing, but hadn't been able to fully recover before the barn hand came by and offered to take over.

He led the large gelding out to the cross country course, Jacket back on again. He nodded as they were asked not to mount up. "Harry here is a great teacher, as he's taught me how to ride, and not fall off. He has great manners, both when handled on the ground or while being ridden, though can act like a sulky toddler though if he doesn't get his own way, and retaliates with giving the person he's upset with a nip." He rubbed his Dark liver chestnut's nose.

[Miranda Florin]

Miranda finished grooming her pale mare's fur, giving Sye a carrot when she had finished. When returning to the tack room, she dug through the gear that had piled on top of her stuff from the previous week to pull out the mare's bridle, before she hung it over her close-contact saddle and then carried the pile towards where Sye was standing patiently in the cross-ties.

It was only a matter of minutes before she had finished tacking the mare up. Finding her helmet, she looped it over one of her arms, then led the mare out towards the cross country course. As she arrived, she spotted Leo and went to stand by him, nodding at Glen when asked not to mount up. She might have felt strange about using the woman's first name at first, but if she was honest, by the time she left class, she'd forgotten her last name, so it was definitely easier.

When asked to describe her mount, she looked at her palomino mare for a moment before starting to speak, "Sye, Golden Sunrise, is perfectly okay with anyone. She was taught to be a schoolmistress, even if she is young. She can get excited when there's a lot of commotion, like at shows, but that shouldn't be a problem here."

[Deleted]

Luka took a deep breath as he led Aleena from her paddock, squashing down any nerves that he was feeling. It was going to be his first cross country class, and not simply just a private lesson, but an actual class with other students. His fears of holding up the other students were resurfacing, and he didn't know if his fear would be realised. He just hoped that Aleena was on her best behaviour for the class. The mare had a habit of being a total cow, and fighting to be in control. Even as he was leading her, she pulled and danced at the end of the lead line.

Clipping her into the cross ties, he removed her rug and went to go fetch her tack. Pulling off the saddle cover off the old Pessoa saddle, he ran his hands over the soft leather. It had been a birthday present from his aunt and uncle a year ago, and the saddle may have been third hand, but it was the best present he ever received apart from his two horses. He also knew that the saddle was something that his aunt and uncle had saved up for, because although they lived comfortably, the move south had cost a lot, the Academy fees were steep, and buying a well-known name brand saddle like a Pessoa was considered a luxury. Even his dresaage saddle was a simple Wintec, and his GP saddle was simply another saddle. His close contact Pessoa on the other hand though, that was special to him.

Once all his tack had been gathered, he went back to Aleena and brushed her out before tacking her up. He knelt down and fixed on her brushing boots, securing them with a strip of duct tape. The hunting breastplate was adjusted and he when he was ready, he put on his GPA helmet. That had been a gift from his grandparents.

Leading Aleena down to the beginner's cross country course, he smiled slightly. It wouldn't be so bad. He hoped. He wasn't the last to arrive either, and stood with Aleena. He "listened" to everyone talking about their horses and then it was his turn. This is Aleena. She's a complete mare, very temperamental and can be quick to misbehave, but she is also very careful when jumping. She has a very sensitive mouth, and likes a light touch. She can get hot, and overconfident, but she collects and extends easily. She also likes to be given time to look at a fence; but when given the right amount of encouragement, she'll never say no.[/font]

Luka realised he was rambling slightly, and he fell silent, resting a hand against Aleena's neck and smiling slightly. At least his mare always took care of him, well. Almost always.

[Deleted]

    Anna was having the most difficult time keeping Essie clean during the winter. It had always been bad, but now mud was more of a problem than snow. The snow in New England hadn't been terrible, but here is was mostly slush and mud, and Essie's legs were always an awful, stained, mess. Anna could hardly wait for spring, when she could begin bathing her mare again without having to worry about her catching a chill. Once she had done her daily thorough grooming, she tacked Essie up in her close contact saddle and usual navy pad and bridled her after putting on her helmet.

    Essie was her perfect, polite self walking down to the cross country courses, and Anna was all ready to warm her up once they arrived, and was a little disappointed when she was told not to mount. When they were asked to talk about their horses, Anna smiled. The pride in the voices of the other riders was evident, since of course everyone liked to talk about their horse. When it came her turn, she'd composed a short explanation about Essie. "This is Essie, who is about the sweetest pony you'll ever meet. She is a hunter and equitation pony, so she isn't completely accustomed to cross country jumps, but she does enjoy them, and will throw her heart into anything. She's very willing to please, but she will not tolerate spurs or a crop. She won't spook at anything and is very honest, but she'll sometimes become heavy on her forehand, so it's important to keep her settled on her hind end, especially when jumping her."

   

[Tyler Reynolds]

Taking his time to groom his horse this time around as when Tyler let the gelding out into the pasture, Roman decided he wanted to have his legs caked in mud. The melting snow didn’t help the boy’s cause. Once that task was completed it was finally time to tack up the horse. Cross country was Tyler and Roman’s favorite part of eventing, but it was always their weakest link. Roman was sometimes known to refuse an obstacle or do something else stupid. Strapping the gelding’s boots they were now ready to go to the class.

Grabbing his helmet, Tyler walked the gelding on foot to the cross country course. Seeing that there were only four people standing there, he figured he wasn’t late nor was he early. Following the instructions of the instructor, who was also his eventing instructor, he stood there, unmounted waiting for more instructions. Quickly coming up with something that described Roman pretty well he waited his turn. Once the other four people went it was his turn, ”This is For The Gods or Roman and he likes to get himself in trouble. If he was a person he would defiantly be one with ADHD. He is known to get in front of himself rushes jumps when is feeling cocky and over confident, which is five jumps out of ten.” With what he said about his horse, he felt it was enough to get the point of Roman was just a big baby across.

outfit

[Deleted]

It was to be his first Cross-Country class and to say he was excited was an understatement. Even though he had missed the very first class, Tori was confidant that he could catch up quickly and if need be, surely the class instructor could give him some help or another of the students could explain what they had done in the class or classes he'd missed. 

Entering the stall that housed the large Bavarian Warmblood, Torsten called to the gelding softly to get his attention before entering the horses' indoor home. Taking care to scratch in his itchy places, Tori took a few moments before clipping the lead to the leather halter and lead the blanketed horse out to the crossties, where he took several long minutes grooming the gelding's clipped coat until it shone. 

Picking up the folded blanket and grooming supplies, Tori left to take the stuff into the tack room and returned carrying Dachs' tack. Placing the close-contact saddle on the horse, the effeminate teenager tightened the saddle before turning his attention to the bridle. Dachs eagerly took the full-cheek snaffle in his mouth and waited patiently for Tori to buckle the throatlatch and figure-eight noseband. 

Kneeling down, Tori buckled the protective boots that Dachs wore when jumping or eventing around the horses legs and ensured their fit before standing and tugging his helmet on after pulling his long black and blond hair back into a low ponytail. Taking the reins, the teen tugged gently to signal the horse to walk with him. 

"Sorry, boy. We're going out today." He said when Dachs attempted to go towards the indoor arena. 

Leading the horse out into the cold, Tori took his time making his way to the beginner cross-country course, where he took a place standing alongside the other students, one hand on Dachs shoulder. Already the chicken of a horse was trembling from the cold. Torsten rolled his eyes. Dachs had always been super sensitive to the weather and shook like a leaf whenever the weather got below forty...

He listened patiently to the other students speak about their horses, wondering just what the first lesson that he'd missed due to not being at the academy had entailed, but got his thoughts back together when it was his turn. Giving the class and the instructor a smile, he said, "First off, I'm Tori and this is my first Cross-Country lesson here. This is Fukengruven, or Dachs. Before I got him, he was in training to compete in the Olympics and was used to hard work six days a week, but I don't get out to ride that often or that extensively. He gets fairly hot at times and can be a handful, but I've noticed that with me, he tends to drop his knees at jumps and gets messy at times. I can't seem to get one-hundred percent out of him. He's also a huge chicken and hates cold weather, which is why he's trembling. He's really sensitive to the weather changes and to his rider, so I try to not use excessive leg-cues when I'm working him."