Working On It [Brad/Sync]

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Walking around campus classes had all together come to an end. Academic and equine alike were done for the day. Now it was time for the eighteen year old to work with her spooky mare one on one. Seren was getting better at new people and new horses, but she still wasn't able to focus on what she was being asked to do, which was jump most of the time. Moving into the Red Willow barn the Sport Horse, like every other time, was standing towards the back of her stall. Usually she wasn't the horse to greet anyone with a friendly nicker or a face to pet.

"Hi mare. Do you want to do some jumping." With that her ears flickered a bit but nothing more than that. With a small sigh Belle walked into the tack room and unlocked the tack locker and grabbed the grooming kit and halter. Returning to the stall the mare was now at the front of her stall but her head was still tucked away inside. Haltering the mare Belle then took led her out into the aisle at hooked her into the cross ties. Grooming the mare, she shied away from the brushes. In Belle's eyes Seren was like a delicate flower.

When the eighteen year old was done she replaced the groom kit back into the tack locker and grabbed the saddle, its pad, the mare's bridle, her boots, and Belle’s helmet. Tacking up the mare, Belle hung the mare's halter on her stall door and pulled on her gloves. Walking to the indoor, she really just wanted to get the mare moving. Once there she checked the girth and boots one last time. Leading the equine over to the mounting block, the senior found herself in the saddle. Not even collecting her stirrups she instructed the mare to move forward.

Belle could feel the hesitation in Seren's movements. She was tense and very alert of what was happening inside the arena, which was really nothing. Surveying the two or three jumps that someone had set up before her, two were about two feet up and another one was about three. Not very tall ones but just enough to make the mare think about it.
Tagged- Nevaeh Lincoln

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Bradley huffed softly as he finished setting up the jumps for himself and Lemon. While he'd much rather be out on the cross country course, he would just have to make do with some jumps in the indoor arena. Once he was satisfied with the jumps, he left the arena to go and collect Lemon. His Palomino Tobiano thoroughbred had arrived a day ago, and he'd exercised her lightly once she had. The mare had shown no signs of fatigue yesterday or this morning so Bradley decided to get straight back into training. Besides, the quicker he got Lemon used to her new surroundings, the better.

It didn't take the boy long to tack up the 17 hand mare, and he was soon leading her toward the arena. He murmured to her softly as they walked, Bradley looking completely content for once in his equine companion's presence. The boy frowned when he heard the gentle thud of hooves already in the arena, a deep sigh escaping him. He couldn't kick the rider out, it wasn't his arena. As much as he would like it to be. Leading Lemon into the arena, he stood to watch the girl on the quite obviously nervous mare. Lemon, disinterested with the situation, cocked her back leg and shifted her weight to one side, leaning against her owner.

"Sorry to interrupt, but if you don't mind I'm going to come in and ride too. I set up the jumps." He flashed the girl a charming smile, and made sure they were far enough from the gate so that he and Lemon could enter safely. Closing the gate after them, he walked his thoroughbred over to the mounting block. He adjusted his stirrups before getting on, and tightened Lemon's girth a couple of holes before mounting Lemon swiftly. Checking the girth again, he tightened it once more when Lemon gave up her trick of breathing out while the saddle was put on, he then asked Lemon to walk on a few steps and circled her a couple of times as he made sure they were both comfortable. Then he asked her to go large, her strides lengthy and elegant as they warmed up.

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Finally situating her feet in the stirrups, the balls of her feet were placed on the metal of the stirrup as she had done many times before. Encouraging Seren to lengthen her steps, the mare took almost stutter steps around the rail. "Seren it's okay. No one is going to hurt you." The mare was still tense but her steps become longer with each step. Soon enough they had rounded the arena two times and Seren was pulling for a trot, but Belle just kept her at a brisk walking pace. Almost as soon as the mare was settling down, the eighteen year old caught a slight movement out of the corner of her eye.

Seeing that it was a boy and his horse, Belle guessed the mare saw them to and side stepped, not completely jumping, but the blond could feel the mare bounce. Stopping the mount her rider patted her neck to reassure her once more. Turning her attention to the other pair, Belle listened to his words. Realizing these jumps were actually meant for someone to use today, not have been used before. ”Okay, that’s fine. And I’m sorry about that. I just assumed someone wasn’t using the jumps.” Seren tried to move off to the opposite corner of the arena, but her rider wouldn’t let her. Giving the boy an embarrassed smile she let her equine walk on.

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Bradley rose a brow at the girl's steed, it's nervous behaviour a complete contrast to Lemon. His steed stood tall, her frame giving off an air of high class. Bradley smiled proudly. The girl's words made him nod. "That's okay. It's not my arena. We'll keep out of your way as much as possible." He told her with a slight, lopsided smile. Though, you should keep out of mine. He thought to himself, shaking his head slightly. He watched the flighty mare for another moment before focusing back on Lemon.

The mare loosened up before Brad asked her to trot, her strides even. Circling at one half of the arena, Brad asked the mare to canter in the corner and kept riding half the arena. Lemon soon grew bored, her strides growing choppier and lazier. Changing the direction they were going, Bradley started her toward the first jump. Immediately she brightened, her head raising and her ears perking forward. She took off earlier than needed, anticipating a different sort of jump she was used to on the cross country course but soared over it with no trouble. The first two footer was left behind as Lemon landed smoothly, Brad soon turning her toward the next. Approaching on the angle the jump was set up, Brad did not allow the mare to take off as early.

They landed the next jump as neatly as the first and they started toward the three footer. Lemon snorted in anticipation, throwing in a small buck as she grew closer. Brad chuckled but his concentration did not falter. Again, she took off too soon, causing her to clip the top pole of the jump. However, it did not fall so Brad deemed it a success. The hazel eyed boy circled the mare after the last jump in canter, the both eventually slowing to a trot and then a walk. Patting her neck, he allowed Lemon to have her reins as she caught her breath. "Good girl." He praised her softly.

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Listening to the boy and his saying that he would try and stay out of her way, Belle gave him a smile and went back to her mare. Squeezing her legs, Belle wanted to turn the mare's attention back to the work at hand. Sometimes the eighteen year old got irritated with the equine's shyness towards any and almost everything. Her gaze settled on the mare and her movements. Belle really didn't pay much attention to the other horse and rider in the arena other than the couple times she passed them. Pushing Seren into a trot, the mare's gait was bumpy but that made it easier to find the posting rhythm. Slowly the girl felt the Sport Horse loosen up, getting comfortable with her surroundings.

Patting her neck to let her know that she was doing something good, the mount broke into a very collected canter. If they were alone Belle would have let the mare move around the arena at a canter, but they weren’t so she slowed Seren back down to a trot. Getting into the posting rhythm once more the eighteen year old surveyed the situation and decided that she would try the jumps in the same style that the other rider did. Moving the horse into a canter they were off to the first two foot jump.

It seemed as if the pair had the same idea, up and forward. With that Seren took off right on time and her legs easily cleared the twenty-four inches and then some that were under her. Taking off a little too early on the next two foot jump the mare still cleared the jump but landed a bit shakily. Finally the three foot high jump, completing it just as she did the very first jump. Truly this was the only thing that Seren was confident in.