Play Ball

[Bruce Ropata]

As it was the first class for the year, Bruce had brought the ponies for his class out to their yards. The students from the year before had been messaged to let them know, and the new students were just told to come here dressed to ride and with their helmets. The gear he had also brought out and stored in the open shed that he had at his arena for this reason; this way nothing would get damp from being on the ground for too long and if the skies did indeed decide to open up, nothing would get rained on.

The Maori man then walked into the arena and began setting it up for that days lesson: After setting up two lanes of four bending poles, so that the students could use them for warming up, if they wished to do so. He then brought out nine cones and placed them in between the lanes of bending poles, and on the far side of the poles, sitting so that if you drew a line the cones would be between each of the poles. He then grabbed a bucket and placed a tennis ball on top of each cone. The next things he pulled out of the equipment shed were three poles that were cemented into a tyre, with a net at the top of the pole. These he placed on the 2 yard (1.8m) mark at the changeover end. The nets were at a height where the people on the taller ponies/horses would be able to just throw their ball in, whereas the riders on the smaller ponies would have to stand in their stirrups and really aim and pitch the ball, to get it in.

As the students began to arrive, he smiled and motioned for them to gather around. "Welcome to mounted games, Tamariki. Ko toku ingoa ko Mr Ropata. My name is Mr Ropata. Right, this is a riding lesson, not one on language. He clapped his hands with a bright smile as he gestured for them to follow him closer to the yards. "Pony assignments! Andrea, you will be riding Glory. She is the dun tobiano, Paint. The biggest thing you need to know about her is that she doesn't always stop easily and does not like her mouth yanked. Pull too hard and she runs backwards.
"Chase, you will be on Bonnie, the flaxen chestnut, New Forest." A smile played on his lips. "She is very fussy about her tack, it must be clean, and her permission must be asked to get her to do anything.
"Elba you're on Star, the bay Connemara.
"Eloise, you have Jo, the dunskin, Quarter Pony. He is a very quick study, and will spend the entire warm up getting a read of you, and seeing what he can get away with, so the first time you let him get away with something naughty, be prepared to have him test it everytime.
"Khalid. you already know Ish, the brown silver dapple, Rocky Mountian.
"Kekona, you will be riding Pop, the buckskin tobiano, Arabian, Pony cross. He has a competitive nature, but he is a good judge of his rider's abilities, and won't push you any more than you are ready for. Which means he will push you when he feels you're ready.
"Lucy you have Yoko; she is the grey, Highland Pony. She stubborn and doesn't always listen, but more often than not, she is a remarkably well behaved pony.
"Stefano; you are already familiar with Pixie, the rose grey Welsh.
"And last, but surely not least, Sina; you are working with Mo. He is the Flaxen chestnut, Welsh. Mo loves everyone and knows lots of tricks. He also has a pet cat; Dolly so animals don't worry him." He fell silent as he allowed them to go to their assigned mount. "Their gear is all in the shed. Once you have them tacked up, take them to the arena and get to know each other, then we can get started. He whistled softly as he walked back to the arena.


Calling:
✔ Andrea Valentine - Glory
✔ Chase Valentine - Bonnie
- Elizabeth Phillips - Star
✔ Eloise Spring - Jo
- Khalid Al-Kuwari - Ish
✔ Kekona Hanson - Pop
✔ Lucy Woodhaven - Yoko
✔ Stefano Rice - Pixie
✔ Sina Aleardi - Mo

[Stefano Rice]

With riding lessons over for the day, and taken care of Bear. He thoroughly enjoyed working with the dunskin and was looking forward to learning from the gelding as much as from the teachers. With his helmet tucked under his arm, he made his way over to the mounted games arena. "Hey Mr Ropata." He greeted.

Once the instructor had given the welcome, Seth impatiently bounced on the balls of his feet, keen to get to Pixie and get her groomed and ready to ride. As soon as he was given the cue, he raced to the shed for the mare's gear and then walked to her yard, offering the Kaimanawa in the yard next to her one of the cubes he had in his pocket, before giving one to Pixie.

Once the mare was tacked up, he led her to the arena and once she was ready he mounted up and began to work her through her paces, gently warming them both up in preparation for the lesson to begin. As well as putting the mare through her gaits, he did two touches and other exercises; as mounted games required them both to be warmed up and agile.

[Andrea Valentine]

Andrea arrived for class with her brother, dressed in riding clothes, as instructed. Since she'd figured out how to French braid the night before, her hair was done in that fashion - albeit a bit clumsily. She'd be wearing the helmet anyway, she wasn't worried about it. She bowed her head at the teacher and paused to listen to his instructions.

"Glory, dun tobiano." she repeated. Once they were allowed to tack the ponies up, she rushed to get the gear on. "Don't worry," she whispered to the pony, "I won't pull your mouth too hard." She led her to the arena and mounted, then nudged her into a walk. She'd get to know her from there.

[Chase Valentine]

Chase walked beside his sister in riding clothes, with his helmet under his arm. It was rare that he had a class with her. He wasn't sure how he felt about it. He also nodded at the teacher and listened intently to what was said. If his assigned pony was particular about her tack, they'd get along just fine.

He retrieved the gear and focused on grooming and tacking up. Thankfully, everything was satisfactory this time, but he'd have to make sure to take time and clean it. He let his sister go first, then followed into the arena and mounted as well.

[Eloise Spring]

Eloise was excited for this class. It would be something completely new to her but just as fast paced as her chosen discipline. She couldn't help the grin on her lips and the bounce in her step as she made her way down to the mounted games arena. She swung her helmet loosely between her fingers as she walked, picking up the pace again as they drew closer. She was eager to meet the pony that she would be working with.

Eloise quickly slipped into the arena behind a pair of what appeared to be siblings. There was one other student already there also. "Hello Sir." She greeted the instructor, glancing at the other three students. She didn't recognize any of them, which disappointed her but not for long. Soon she was being assigned her horse. She quirked a brow as Mr Ropata described the gelding she would be working with, her grin returning. That sounds familiar. She thought, leaving to retrieve Jo's gear and then heading to meet him. She seemed she wouldn't have much of a break whoever she would be riding this year. That suited Eloise though. Life would be boring otherwise. And Eloise did NOT do boring.

Eloise spent some time grooming out the gelding, talking to him softly as she did so. He was smaller than her usual mount which meant that she would probably look a little odd on his back. While Eloise was tall, at 6 ft, she was also delicate. So she wouldn't look too out of proportion. She hoped. "You ready to put me through my paces, Jo?" She asked the dunskin, smiling as he pressed his muzzle into her upper arm. "I'll take that as a yes." She finished tacking him up, then returned to the arena with him. She mounted the quarter pony quickly and began the warm up, making sure to remain firm when the gelding attempted to get his own way. "Ooh, you're going to be fun." She chuckled, already taken with him.

[Sina Aleardi]

Sina grinned as she left Vaxi's stall. Derecho's leash was tied around her waist so that she could grab her helmet, and then she headed out to mounted games - Since she'd been notified that their new ponies would be hanging out out there for the first class of the year. She approached with a grin and waved at the man, "Kia ora, Mr. Ropata!" Her summer had kind of paid off, hopefully!

She listened to the list, growing impatient as she waited to hear her name - Last, of course. But she got the best one! She and Derecho approached Mo, "Hey you!" She'd loved the gelding and his companion since the first time she'd come to Mounted Games - And Der and Dolly got along well. She left the dog sitting at the edge of the fence and then approached the pony, and his kitten, who was on his back, "Hey Mo, Dolly." She lifted off the cat, "How about you hang out with Der while I groom, and then you guys can take a nap in the shed?"

She did exactly that, and after settling Derecho and Dolly in the shed, led Mo out to the arena, where she vaulted into the saddle and then set out to warm up the gelding.

[Lucy Woodhaven]

Lucy waited with the other riders for her name to be called. After putting in great first lessons with her other two horses she was eager to met her mounted games pony. She had let her two and her other lesson horse out in the pasture. She simled when she heard it was stubborn. She could handle stubborn.When they were turned out to go get their ponies she headed over to met Yuko.



When she laid her eyes on the 13.3 hand highland she just beamed. “Hello there.” lucy said as the pony moved forward. Lucy grabbed the ponis halter and slipped her a mint. “If you don’t tell I’m not telling.” she said with a laugh as she tacked up the pony. She then lead the pony to the ring and swung on. It felt awkward to mount a pony.

[Kekona Hanson]

Kona swung her helmet as she walked over to the mounted games arena, excited to see what this class would hold. Her other classes that morning had all gone decently, but this one involved a pony, so of course it was better! She smiled shyly at the new teacher and waited for instructions, listening for her name to be called and then finding the pony named. "Hey Pop." That was an odd name, since she'd learned to call her grandpa that. But she could adjust.

After she'd groomed and tacked up the gelding, she leaned forward to whisper a request for an easy first day, and then led him to the arena, where she mounted and then started warming him up.

[Bruce Ropata]

Bruce supervised the students warming their horses up from his place outside the arena, nodding at the pairings.

He entered the arena and walked to the middle. Once there he gave a whistle - yes, pretty much as he would have to the sheep dogs back home - and waited for the students to gather. "I realise that you aren't sheepdogs, but I also couldn't see the point in yelling, and coaches use whistles - albeit whistles that hang around their neck." He gave them an apologetic grin and then pointed to the three lanes he had set up. "Since it's the first class of the year; I'm going to be nic, and you're working in pairs. When I call your name, can you please go and stand in a lane: Andrea and Lucy. Chase and Eloise. Kekona and Seth. Elba and Khalid. And Sina, because you are the odd one out currently, you can run by yourself. Yes, it means you have to go twice.

"Today we are going to play a game called High-Lo." Once the teams had sorted them selves out, he handed a tennis ball to a member of each pair and walked to the middle of the course so they could all see him. "When I give the word, the first person will charge down and rein in on the other side of the line down there and pitch the ball into the hoop. All four of your mount's legs must be over that line. You will then spin around and dash back to the start line, picking up a ball off one of the cones on your way past and handing it to the next rider. The name of the game? High is the hoop, low is the cone. If you miss the hoop and the ball hits the ground, dismount, pick it up and throw it in before you remount and then continue."

The instructor moved so that he was standing on the line before the hoops. "Ready? Set? GO!"

[Stefano Rice]

Seth patted Pixie's shoulder as the mare spooked slightly as another pony passed slightly too close to them. He released a breath as the mare seemed to pull it all together again. Everything about the mare's over-cautious nature, would probably make anyone who didn't know her worried that the fast-paced sport of Mounted Games wasn't right for the pony. However, as soon as Pixie was lined up waiting for a game to start, she seemed to transform into another pony, ready, chomping on the bit and rearing to go - at times literally on the rearing part.

He quirked an eyebrow at the whistle, but didn't comment as he brought the rose grey mare into the centre and halted her, making sure to rub the mare's shoulder as the other crowded around them to keep the pony calm and remind her that she was safe.

When they were split into their teams, nodded his head toward Kona and squeezed the mare forward as they rode over to the first lane taking the position of first rider, and accepted the ball that was handed to him. "Accuracy here, not speed." He cautioned his team mate. "I'm going to run like the wind, but all you need to concentrate on is accuracy."

He listened as Mr Ropata explained the game, his eyes travelling the course as the man spoke, and nodded to himself as he took it all in. He gathered the reins in one hand, standing in the stirrups, hand almost by the mare's ears as his eyes were glued on the man at the other end. At the word, he moved her feet just enough so that his heels touched the mare's sides and Pixie shot forward into a gallop.

Before they reached the changeover line, Seth was already cuing the mare to halt, and as soon as all four of Pixie's hooves were over the line and she had halted, he threw the ball and grinned as it went through the hoop and rested in the basket. He then wheeled the mare around and they took off. Leaning down, almost all of the way out of the saddle, using the skills he'd built from climbing trees, to keep him where he wanted to be. Snaking out a hand he grabbed the ball off the cone closest to the start line and sat up as they thundered toward the line, placing the ball in Kona's hand as he thundered past and then sat back as he pulled the mare up and rode her back to the start line. "Go Kona!" He yelled encouragingly.

[Sina Aleardi]

Sina waited patiently for her name to be called in the pairings, and grinned easily as she heard she'd be alone. Not her preference, but it couldn't be changed now. She'd have it by the second time, at least!

So as she'd lined up with the rest, and taken her tennis ball in hand, she patted Mo's neck and then urged the pony forward at the cue. They slid to a stop just over the line and tossed the ball into the basket. On the way back, she snagged one of the balls on the cones and then, once over the start line, whirled Mo around for her second go.

[Kekona Hanson]

Kona grinned at Seth, bringing Pop over to stand slightly behind him, although she could still hear him easily, "Sounds good to me!" She didn't quite know if she had the coordination for this game, but she would definitely give it her best shot. Pop seemed like a decent fellow, at least. She didn't have to worry about him.

She watched Seth run, impressed with his speed and how confident he seemed, although too intent on watching him to remember to cheer, and took the ball as he pressed it into her hand. She clutched it tight and urged Pop into a canter, reining him as they reached the line at the very end. Taking careful aim, she tossed the ball into its basket, where it stayed, and then turned Pop, urging him into a trot to grab the ball, and then up to a gallop once she had it in hand, passing the ball to Seth as she passed him and then slowing Pop again, grinning at him, "Thanks for the encouragement."

[Andrea Valentine]

While not totally sure who Lucy was, Andrea did as she was told and got in line. She glanced at her partner as the teacher explained the game. "Okay. I'm gonna give this my best shot." she said to Lucy, but she really wasn't sure if she could pull it off.

At the cue, she nudged Glory into a canter, gripping the ball tightly. Thankfully, it was still in her hand when they reached the line. She gently slowed the pony, but she must have pulled a bit too hard for Glory's taste as the mare stumbled backward. Sorry, girlie. she said sincerely, tossing the ball. She watched to make sure it went in the hoop and then urged the pony into a quick trot to grab the other ball. She snatched it up with a small amount of difficulty before crossing the start line and passing it to Lucy. "You can do it!" she grinned. it was easier than she'd thought.

[Lucy Woodhaven]

Lucy moved her pony into there spot. She nodded when she lined up first."You've got this." Lucy watched her take off down the field. When she got back she grabbed the ball and let her horse gallop forward. Lucy tossed the ball then spun around as it went into the hoop. The horse and her danced across the line.