And I Will Tell You Who You Are

[Tobias Xayarath]

Just a note: This is going to be as if it were a continuation of previous classes. If you need any clarification about what 'the students have been doing', please feel free to PM me (either Tobias Xayarath or Stern ). Feel free to invent what things the foals have problems with.

Tux grinned as the printer finished spitting out the last of his 'test', they would be working with their foals that day, the yearlings specifically. Hopefully the students had been keeping up with their tasks, and had come out to work on the obstacles he'd already introduced... They'd need the background to play with the things that he'd set up in the arena that day.

Grabbing the tests, which was really just the list of obstacles and a roster, Tux grabbed two clipboards and then made his way out to the arena to make sure that everything had been set up the way he'd intended. It was nice, having other people to help out, and Brian had even agreed to come and score some of the students, so that two tests could be run simultaneously. With only five students per class, that would speed up the process immensely, and then they'd be able to move on to the next step, which was introducing the weanlings to tying.

Reassured that everything was as it should be, Tux made his way to the classroom where he'd be meeting his class, stopping briefly to grab the halters from the walls and bringing those along. Once he was in the classroom, he sat down and waited for the students to arrive. While he waited, he removed the name tags from the halters and held those separately, while the halters were handed out to the foals' respective students as they entered.

Finally, when all students were present, Tux stood, smiling, “Welcome to your first exam, of sorts. You've been working with your kids on lots of different things, clipping, washing legs, grooming, and the tarp. Today we're going to combine all of that and see how well you do, as well as having a bit of a test for your handling skills again afterwards.” He set down the small pile of name tags on a table, and then looked at the gathered students, “We're going to be doing this two at a time. The other three of you are welcome to do homework, play on your phones, or do whatever while you wait. You must stay in this classroom, so that you do not have prior knowledge of the test when your turn comes.” He glanced down at the papers that he held, “Cara, you will be with me. Martijn, you will be scored by Mr. Setliff. Isaiah and Danielle, you will be after that, and Tinsley, you will be the third round.”

He led the two students he'd named first out of the door and then shut it firmly behind him, after which he started talking, “This test has five parts to it. You will be timed in catching your foal from the yard, after which you will bring them to the arena. Grooming kits have been provided. You will groom the foals, a full grooming, and then proceed through the rest of the obstacles.” He paused by the arena, pointing them out one by one, “At those four cones, I would like you to halt your foal, squarely, and then I would like for you to step outside of the cones, while your foal stands inside of them. Mr. Setliff or myself will time the thirty seconds we would like them to stand and then release you. When you approach the barrel,” he pointed out a blue barrel, standing upright next to a cone with another cone ten feet away, “You will knock the barrel over and then kick it towards the other cone, where you will stand it upright again, accompanied by your foal. And lastly, you will walk your foals across the tarp, there, lengthwise.” The tarp and standing were both things that the students had already encountered, and if they'd worked with their foals enough, they would have few issues with the barrel, although the obstacle was a new one to everyone, “The three obstacles can be taken in any order. Once you finish, please bring the yearlings into their stalls.” He looked at the two students, “Are there any questions? You may begin.”

(Once those two have gone, the next two can post as if they got the same speech, etc., etc.)

Cara-Jean Kitchi
Cassian F. De Fiore
Danielle Green
Gretchen Holmes
Martijn van der Berg

[Cara-Jean Kitchi]

Cara massaged her temples as she made her way toward the Evening Primrose barn. Her headache wasn't there, but the memory of one was always present, which was more annoying than anything else, at least she knew what to do with actual pain, this echo of something that wasn't there, was just there. She finished the half of the granola bar she had been nibbling on and pushed the wrapper into her bag as she entered the barn.

All it took was a breath, and she was ready for anything as she circled her shoulders and walked down to the classroom. She bowed her head and accepted the proffered yellow halter, which told her she'd be working with Rain that day, and she walked over to take her seat, pulling out her notebook and pen in case they were needed.

At the word exam, she felt her cheeks pale, but she obediently rose to her feet and followed the man and Martijn out of the room. She nodded as he spoke, her eyes moving from each obstacle he was speaking about, quickly shaking her head when asked if she had any questions.

When released, she walked to the yard where the yearling's were and shook her head when the first thing the Welsh Mountain did was turn her back on her. "Come on." She said softly as she walked up to the pony's shoulder and slipped the rope around her neck, not giving the pony any time to react. With the halter in place, she clicked her tongue and walked the filly forward and out of the yard, softly praising her along the way as they walked to the arena. While the pony was lazy by nature, Cara had handled her enough without doing any real work with her, other than handling and grooming, that being caught wasn't seen as a chore to the filly.

Entering the arena, she walked the filly over and halted her by one of the grooming kits. With practiced ease, she went through grooming the filly, making sure to brush her everywhere, pushing her nose away gently when the pony tried to groom her back, after she had carefully picked out each of the chestnut's hooves, making sure that they were free of any grit and stones that could cause issues. Once the mane and tail were brushed out, she turned her attention to the last part of the test.

While grooming she had decided to leave the barrel till last, just because if the filly reacted badly to it, she didn't want that to reflect on the rest of the test. Confidently walking forward, they headed toward the tarp. She paused long enough for the chestnut to lower her head and inspect it before they walked across it. With that done she halted the pony and made a huge fuss over her before they headed to the cones and she halted the filly between them, asking her to step back so that she was square and she stepped outside the cones, forcing herself not to hold her breath as she silently willed the pony to stand where she was.

When told to move on, Cara led the pony toward the barrel, and allowed the filly to take the time to inspect it. "You ready for this?" She asked before she knocked the barrel over and nodded when filly skittered back before stepping forward again. Placing the sole of her foot on the barrel, she pushed it away from them and she smiled as Rain's ears pricked forward as she watched the barrel roll away and she pranced forward as they walked toward it, though she skittered away again as Cara righted the barrel again, but the filly happily stepped forward when the barrel was upright and no longer moving, her nose bumping it.

Releasing a breath, she stepped away from the barrel and bowed her head toward Mr Xayarath, pretty close to a dressage salute. Rubbing the pony's forehead, they exited the arena, headed toward the barn and released the filly into her stall, making sure to remove the halter. Exiting the stall, she hung the halter on it's hook and leaned against the stall as she tried to push her nausea down. After a quick stop in the bathroom, she returned to the classroom and slid into her seat.

[Martijn van der Berg]

Tijn walked into the Evening Primrose barn classroom, raising an eyebrow as he was handed Malone's brown halter. It wasn't often that they were given their halters, usually needing to retrieve them themselves, although as he examined the nylon, he found the nameplate missing. Perhaps that had something to do with it. As Mr. Xayarath started the class, Tijn felt his stomach sink. An exam? No one had warned them of this, although he didn't doubt Malone would do fine. The horse didn't really exceed expectations, but nothing seemed to phase him.

As he heard that he'd be in the first group to go, Tijn nodded and stood, following the teacher outside, where they met the barn manager, and were told of the 'exam'. This wasn't too bad, he figured. At least, he and Malone would manage. Once they were given the word to begin, Tijn walked out into the pasture, finding Malone standing lazily in the shade of the trees. He quickened his pace as he walked through the arena – of course the gelding had to be in the far corner – and soon had the Belgian haltered, and they were making their slow way across the pasture.

From there, they made their way to the arena, where Tijn asked the horse to stand and then tossed the lead rope over the gelding's shoulders. Malone would stand, and Tijn would have one less thing to fumble. He went through the normal routine of grooming, although he didn't worry too much about the stains on the gelding's coat. That would be more for a bath than grooming, at some point in the future. Once he had finished with that, he looked around at the obstacles, finally deciding that he'd take the standing first. He walked over to the marked box, halting the gelding with a 'Woah' and then stepping away to the end of the lead rope. Once Mr. Setliff had given him the nod, they moved around the edge of the arena, where he tipped over the barrel and then began kicking it, chuckling as it veered away, before he retrieved it and righted it by the cone, “Good thing you aren't judging us on our soccer skills.” After that, it was just a stroll over the tarp (did Malone even realize there was a tarp? No one was quite sure.), and then Tijn was leading the flaxen chestnut inside to his stall, patting the yearling on the neck before he removed the halter and stepped away.