A Spring in her Step (open)

[Aishe Tigani]

Aishe walked into White Oak Barn, a smile decorated her pretty face as she headed down to the stall that house the beautiful brown tobiano Gypsy Vanner mare that she owned. "Hello, Titania." She greeted the mare when the mare stepped forward and pushed her muzzle into the Gypsy woman's face and breathed deeply. "I have missed you too."

When the woman had first taken up a position here as first the school nurse, then a guidance counsellor and now the nutritionist, she had decided that it would be best for the young mare that she was surrendered as a school horse and added to the ones that the Academy assigned to students needing them - of course with the agreement that Aishe approved of the rider and she got to ride the mare when she wasn't being used in lessons.

Grabbing the pretty horse's salmon coloured halter and lead, she entered the stall and slipped the halter over her head. "Come my love." She whispered as she led the mare out of the stall. Titania had been trained in true Gypsy fashion, and she didn't need the halter or the lead, but Aishe used them anyway because it was the done thing. Once the mare was groomed and saddled the mare - in a light synthetic saddle and bitless bridle - she donned her helmet, led the mare out of the barn, tightened the girth and easily vaulted onto the mare's back. Taking up her reins, she closed her legs against the mare's sides and turned her toward the path that led to the trails.

Entering the Rocky Ridge trail, she followed the path until it turned off to the one that led toward the bay. She was tempted to drop the reins all together and just use her legs to guide the mare, as she was already doing, but she knew that too many things could happen to spook the young mare so she held the reins - albeit at the buckle - and let the mare find her on footing on the trail. The weather was quite pleasant for early spring, and the woman hoped that it was a good omen for summer.

[Deleted]

It hadn't been even a day since the thirty year old arrived at the academy. Figuring he would let his horses stretch their legs. He saw pastures and decided to turn Lulu out by herself and take Coal out for a trail ride. Once he was sure that Lulu was fine in her pasture, Aaron made his way back to White Oak barn to tack his gelding up. Taking a brush over the equine to get the traveling dust off. Situating his saddle and then sliding on his bridle, the farrier tightened his cinch. Making sure everything was where it should have been Aaron took Coal and led him out of the barn. The man checked the cinch once more and pushed himself up into the saddle. Coal took a side step accepting the new weight on his back. "Good boy." Patting the horse's neck, Coal took a step forward as he was ready to go.

Trying to follow the signs, Aaron really didn't know where he was going and saw the sign for Rocky Ridge trail. "Sounds fun, 'ey boy?" It was a little longer walk than Aaron excepted to get to the actual trail. Riding the trail a little bit, it did seem like a harder trail, but Coal didn't seem to mind and therefore neither did Aaron. There was a fork in the trail and Aaron turned his equine onto the Bay Trail and continued to follow it. Letting Coal pick up a trot they covered more of the trail. The gelding slowed and neighed, the sound echoed around the trail. "Feel better Coal?"

[Leander Hastin]

Lee flipped the sign in the door to the side reading 'Out of the office', under which was listed his cell phone number, just in case of an emergency. He checked his pocket and had a momentary panic when the lump of his phone wasn't there. His dark eyes scanned the room before he remembered where his phone was. Leaving the waiting room, Leander walked towards the office, snagging his phone from the charging cradle where it had been laying. Sticking it into his pocket, he walked back towards the waiting room, flipping off the lights as he went. He whistled to Akamu and opened the front door, holding it for the border collie mix to exit before him. Pulling the door closed behind him, Lee locked the door, then stuck his ring of keys back into his pocket.

Before he entered the barn, Lee left Akamu under a tree outside, to wait for them to head out to the trails. Once the tri-color had settled down, Lee headed into the barn, where he grabbed Lenore's grooming kit and tack before he made his way out to the pastures. Finding Lenore in the pasture where he had left her, grazing by herself in the shade of the tree, Lee set down the tack on the fence rail and walked into the pasture with only the grooming kit. As he worked to get the mare cleaned up, he whistled quietly. After his work was done, Lee walked towards the fence where he had left the tack, Lenore following behind him. After a few more moments, Lee had the big Belgian cross saddled. Leading her out of the pasture, Lee vaulted into the saddle, then used his legs to steer the mare while he used his hands to fiddle with his helmet strap.

After collecting Akamu again, Leander made his way towards the trails, holding Lenore's reins easily in one hand. As the mare's big stride carried them along, Lee decided to take the cut-off from the main Rocky Ridge trail, down to the sheltered bay for the day. As they made their way down the trail, Lee let Lenore have her head, knowing that the mare would find the safest way down. Above the rushing of the river, Lee heard a horse neighing, the sound magnified by the walls surrounding the canyon. Frowning, Lee looked forward on the trail, seeing a coloured horse further down the trail. Letting Lenore break into a shambling trot on the straightaway, which brought them up to the other rider, Lee smiled, "Good afternoon!" He took in the spotted horse, which didn't look like any of the breeds which he had gotten to know, "Pardon the question, but what breed is your mount?" As he directed his gaze forward again, he saw the flash of another horse, turning past the cliff where he could see them. "The trail seems pretty populated tonight."

[Aishe Tigani]

Aishe allowed her young and spirited mare pick her way along the trial, while she sat lightly on the mare's back and used her legs to guide the Gypsy mare when she needed guiding. The woman put pressure on the mare off-side and urged the mare to leave trail they were following, and turn up a narrow path, and she leaned forward as the mare skidded backwards when her hooves hit slippery ground. Rather than panicking though, the woman just allowed the mare to find her own footing and they reached the higher trail quickly. Sure, she could have continued following the path they had been on another hundred paces or so to reach the same trail they were on now, but she didn't see the point in taking the mare out if she wasn't going to allow the horse to use her muscles.

"Easy love" She whispered as the mare danced in a circle as the sound of another horse's whinny filled the air. "Nothing for us to worry about." She chuckled as the horse settled down and they continued along the path they were following.

The woman loved the trails that surrounded the Academy. They weren't exactly like where she had come from, but they allowed her to get close to nature, and she felt more at home out here than she ever did in her apartment. She looked at the trees as they ambled passed, it was amazing how nature seemed to know exactly when to wake up after the long sleep that winter brought. She also listened to the birds and animals, who chattered noisily about the changing seasons. Birds building nest and the chipmunks racing around the trees branches as they visited each other. "Steady." She soothed as Titania shied backwards, almost dumping her rider, as a Marmot ran across their path and vanished into the undergrowth on the other side of the trail. "I think he was more scared of you." She laughed as she patted the mare's shoulder as Titania danced to the side and then settled with a sigh as she stretched her neck out in the direction the creature had vanished into and let out a breath before they continued on the way toward the bay.

The other thing she loved the most about the trails, was the lack of human noise. Out here there was no need to try and carry on a conversation with anyone, and she only needed to talk to her mount every now and then, as the mare also seemed to enjoy the companionable silence.

[Deleted]

Tossing his head the equine took up a slow and lazy walk. His head was hanging low trying to find any bit of grass he could get his lips around. Three birds took flight right in front of the duo. Coal stopped and tucked his head back in an irritated fashion and waited for them to leave. The gelding took a deep breath letting it go a cloud appeared in front of his nose. Just as quickly as it came it disappeared. Pulling a hidden treat out of his pocket Aaron leaned forward and extending his arm to full length. In his palm half of a carrot sat, Coal turned his head and lipped it up. Sitting back up the thirty year old squeezed his legs and sent Coal on a brisk walk.

Deciphering another set of hooves from his, Aaron saw from the corner of his eye another male rider coming up behind them and slowed his mount to a lazy walk. "Why hello there." The thirty year old greeted the man. Taking notice that the horse the man was on stood very tall, defiantly a Draft Horse, Aaron thought to himself. The spotted mount turned sideways and nickered to the new equine. Chuckling slightly at the question, as it was one he got often, Aaron patted Coal's neck. "He is a Tiger Horse." Following the man's gaze Aaron saw another rider or what he could make out as one.

"Yes indeed," agreeing with the other rider's comment. Probably would have been a good idea if the other man knew his name. ”By the way I’m Aaron Wilson, the farrier. I just got here today.” Honestly Aaron really had no idea how to get back to the barns so he was glad that he had someone who hopefully knew the way back. In some situations the equine he was sitting on would have been trying to move forward or away, but the farrier figured he was too busy looking at the new scenery. ”Care to join us?” Aaron questioned the man.