Mounted Games Clinic

[Bruce Ropata]

Bruce stretched his back as he put the last pony into her yard and rubbed Fern's nose. The mare hadn't been at the Academy for long, but she was settling in perfectly. All of the ponies weren't being used, but he decided to bring all fourteen out anyway, this way in case he had paired up any of the non-games students with the incorrect mount, he could change them, and with his students, if he felt that any of them needed a new mount for the year, he could sort that out today as well.

Walking over to the arena, he set up three lanes of five bending poles and put barrels to the side of the arena with the rest of the equipment that he was going to use that day. He then walked back to his bag and pulled out the clipboard that had the names of the people joining his clinic today and their assigned horses:

*Adrianna Gibbson -- Gloria
*Aurora Chambers --Yoko
*Becca Walsh -- Chris
*Cortney Smit -- Mo
Erica Morgan -- Ripple
*John Ahearne -- Rocket
Niall Brennan -- Joe
Olivia Kwinn -- Pop
*Serenity Oliver -- Pixie

There was a star beside the names of his games students, not that he needed it. He was looking forward to meeting his newest student, Serenity, and was still having second thoughts about the mare he had paired her with, as Pixie could still be a little touchy with how her legs were handled.

He looked up as the first student arrived and it wasn't long until eight of the nine had gathered in front of him, and rather than wasting time waiting for the final student to arrive, he decided to start, Niall could be caught up when, or if, he arrive. "Welcome." He said warmly. "For those of you who are in my class, you know who your mounts are and can go an begin getting them ready. For the rest of you, follow me." He waited long enough for his students to separate themselves from the group and head to their assigned ponies before he led the remaining three toward the yards. "Serenity, this gorgeous Welshy's name is Pixie Rose." He rubbed the mare's forehead. "All of her gear is right in front of her yard, be warned that she can be a little mouthy when her legs are touched." He walked on. "Olivia, this Arabian pony's name is Pop, he will be your friend for today. Erica, this little Welshy is Ripple. If any of you need any help, the main rule here is to help each other, and I'm always around too. Once your mount is ready, go to the arena, mount up and begin to warm up." With that he left the students to get their mounts ready for the fun to begin.

The man entered the arena and remained near the gate in case any of the students needed assistance in mounting.

[Cortney Smit]

Cortney didn't muck around as she pulled on the clothes she had chosen for that day, her denim jodhpurs, fuchsia striped Tenini Rugby polo shirt and her black paddock boots. Pulling open her top dresser drawer, she took out the Candy Sprinkles Lip Smacker and applied it to her lips before she dropped the stick into the tote bag she was taking down with her and then headed out of her dorm room. She knew that it was probably a little odd for a cheer leader to be in a dorm with a shared room, but... she really didn't care.

Making a quick stop into the barn, she grabbed her helmet, checked Mo's stall and then headed out to the Mounted Games arena. "Hey Mr R." She greeted him with a grin. She was itching to head straight over to Mo, but as this was a clinic and not the normal class, she guessed that it was better if she waited for the others to arrive. "Hey Dolly!" She gushed as her mount's best friend curled herself around her legs. "What have you been up to?" She asked as she picked the feline up and cradled her like a baby, grinning as the feline broke out in a motorboat purr.

It wasn't much longer before the others arrived and the students who already had assigned mounts were sent off to get them ready. She didn't waste any time in heading over to the gelding's yard. Dropping the tote on the ground, she ducked under the rope gate, placed Dolly onto the flaxen chestnut's back and wrapped her arms around the gelding's neck.

It didn't take her long to have the gelding groomed and tacked up. Placing the helmet on her head, she scratched Dolly behind the ears and left the furball curled up on her jacket as she led the gelding over to the arena, vaulted on and began to warm him up.

[Deleted]

Aurora wiggled into her navy jodhpurs and pushed her feet into her black paddock boots, she then pulled on the canary yellow polo shirt and grabbed the jacket and riding helmet that were lying on the end of her bed. She then hurried out of her room and hurried down to the Mounted Games arena.

She was a little surprised that she was the second to arrive, but she didn't say anything other than offer the teacher and the Junior a bright smile.

As soon as they were dismissed to get their mounts ready, she sped over to Blossom's yard and gave a light groan when she saw that the mare was covered in grass stains. "I take it you spend the night outside?" She asked the Highland mare as she dropped her jacket and helmet on the ground outside the yard and grabbed the grooming kit as she ducked under the rope.

It took a bit of work, but she finally got the mare's coat back to its proper colour. She then took her time saddling the mare and led the mare to the arena. Even though she had been practising her vaulting skills, she chose to use the mounting block to get on the pony, she didn't want to end up on her arse and make a fool of herself in front of everyone.

Once on the round pony's back, she began to work Blossom through her normal warm-up routine.

[Serenity Oliver]

Serenity felt a little nervous as she got ready for the Mounted Games clinic. Today she would be meeting with one of the teachers that she would be working with for the rest of the year and she knew that she needed to make a good impression. She looked at her reflection in the mirror on the door of her wardrobe and nodded at the outfit she had picked for that day, Denim jodhpurs, a blue polo shirt and her comfortable brown paddock boots. She then headed down to Red Willow, where she grabbed her helmet and turned Red out into the pastures for the day. She then looked at the map she had folded in her tote bag and made her way over to the area where the Mounted Games arena was.

Walking up to the man, whom she assumed was the instructor, as there was only him and two students currently. "Hi, I'm Serenity Oliver." She said with a bright smile. "I'll be in your class once the school year starts in the fall." She gave him a smile as she stepped back to stand with the other two girls and then waited for the others to turn up.

It seemed that there were quite a few other member from the class once the clinic started as those that already had assigned mounts were sent off to ready their horses... well, ponies. She then followed the man and stopped in front of the yard of a rose grey mare. "Thank you." She said as she was told that this was the pony she would be working with. "Hi Pixie." She said softly as she offered her hand to the mare and then leaned forward as they swapped scents. "May I enter your yard?" She picked up the grooming kit and quietly entered the mare's yard.

The girl winced when she saw the scars that ran up her forelegs, chest and muzzle. "Poor baby!" She said as she put the kit on the ground and took the rubber curry comb out. "Don't worry, I'm just going to use this on your back." She handled the mare was care as she curried her coat, which was more chestnut than her own mare's, and then swapped the curry comb for the baby soft body brush.

After spending time getting to know the mare, and taking care with the pony's legs and chest, she tacked her up and finally led the mare over to the arena. After putting on her helmet, checking her tack once more, she vaulted into the saddle and gave a slight squeeze to ask the mare to move forward. "You've had a good teacher." She told the mare, who moved at her every subtle cue. "I'll need to ask Mr Ropata what happened to you." She then set to work getting the pony warmed us so that they were ready for anything.

[Becca Walsh]

Becca dawdled for a little longer that she probably should have in her room before her mounted games clinic. Her original intention of being up and at 'em early each morning in the summer was lagging and each day she was spending more and more time sleeping in and getting ready. Today, she was by no means late, but she had intended to get there early. Shifting through her closet, Becca chose a simple green t-shirt and a pair of black breeches, which she put on followed by her field boots. Grabbing her GPA and water bottle, she made her way down to the Mounted Games Arena.

When she arrived, she found that other students had arrived before her, but she wasn't the last, and she smiled at Mr. Ropata in greeting. She didn't stay long, as she and the other students who were part of the class were soon dismissed to go get their mounts ready. Walking over to find Chris in his yard, she greeted the familiar pony with a rub on the nose and got to work grooming him. He was fairly muddy, but it was only a light layer, and it came off easily with a curry comb. She tacked him up, taking her time since she knew that she had it since the other members of the clinic would be taking a bit longer.

Once done, she led Chris out to the arena and mounted him from the ground, vaulting up. She got to work warming him up, and though it had been a month or two since she'd last ridden him, it was still very familiar. She figured that it would give her a bit of an edge in competition, which satisfied her competitive side, though when split into teams she guessed that Mr. Ropata may put class members like her with riders who were new to their horses.

[Deleted]

Thanks to Will, Ria had rarely had a chance to miss her classes. Her uncle was still working long hours, despite the fact that school was out, because his job didn't depend on the students being in class or anywhere else. He took her along sometimes, especially when he was headed out to the further reaches of the academy. However, this morning, things had been different. Will had pulled Ria out of bed even earlier than usual, and had seen her on her way, with a small bag, which held a small lunch for the girl, just in case the clinic ran over.

As she reached the mounted games arena, following a very familiar path to her, she grinned at the people that she recognized, joining the group to listen to Mr. Ropata's introduction. As she was released to grab Gloria, she walked over to the pony's yard, "Hey girl!" She grabbed the grooming kit and let herself into the yard, walking right up to the mare and starting to groom her.

Soon enough, she had finished grooming the mare, and was just tightening up the saddle's girth. Once that task was completed, Ria buckled her helmet on, then led the tobiano mare out to the arena. She jumped into the saddle, something that she had secretly worked on, then moved the mare to the track, at a walk, slotting in behind another rider.

[Deleted]

John zipped up his backpack and slung it over his shoulder before he left his dorm room. He didn't want to be late for Mounted Games, which had been a class that he actually enjoyed being in every day. Now that the summer had begun, he hadn't seen Rocky in a while, although he had stopped by the gelding's stall once in a while, on his way to Lilja's stall.

Upon reaching the mounted games arena, he joined the group of students already standing there, quietly. He didn't really talk to any of them, since he was the only guy there at the moment, and the class itself wasn't much different. Of course, Mr. Ropata was male, but that was a different story. He was the teacher, after all.

Listening to said teacher, John smiled as he heard that they could go to work while the clinic kids were introduced to their mounts. He made a beeline for Rocky's yard, entering quietly and setting straight to work on the dappled buckskin. After brushing and tacking up the Connemara, he grabbed his helmet, leaving his bag by the gelding's yard, then led Rocky towards the arena. He jumped into the saddle and then started him around the track, weaving around the slower riders carefully as he warmed Rocky up.

[Deleted]

Olivia left Blue and Bar in Pasture 5. She wasn't going to be able to work the two mares until later in the day, but that meant either she left them outside, or kept them cooped up. Since the two were good companions for each other, Olivia had opted for the former, and now, with the gate latched firmly behind her, to make sure the ponies couldn't easily get out, she made her way back down the lane and across campus to where she knew the mounted games arena to be, although she'd never had reason to be there before.

Once she reached the area, she paused, glancing at all of the ponies that stood in the yards, with their tack apparently in front of each gate. Wondering briefly which mount she would be assigned to, although she knew she would be told at least by the time that class started. When Mr. Ropata started the class, Olivia listened quietly, watching the students that knew the ponies leave partway through. However, soon enough, Mr. Ropata had introduced her to a pretty buckskin tobiano, by the name of Pop, who looked to be about Blue's height. Olivia took her time getting to know the gelding, who seemed rather unflappable, and then started grooming him.

After finishing the grooming, she started with the tack. Pop stood, perfectly, which was a nice change from Barcinka's shuffling or Blue's constant curiosity. She didn't take all too long, and soon enough, she was joining the other kids in the arena, her helmet buckled, carefully mounting from the ground. She took her time stretching Pop out, getting to know the Arab pony's gaits, which were slightly different than her two mares'.

[Deleted]

Erica brushed off any wrinkles on her khaki breeches as it suited well along with her crimson tshirt and field boots. She was quite excited for her next clinic which was Mounted Games as she wasn't really in the class of the instructor, Mr. Ropata if she remembered his name correctly, but she was just pretty much estatic. She has been signed up to quite a  few clinics over the summer, but she enjoyed at least being out instead of cooped up in her room most of the summer. She didn't didn't want to be late so she quickly headed her way out of her dorm and towards the arena where the clinic was held.

Upon arrival, she noticed she wasn't the first one to arrive as she gathered around the group of students that listening attentively towards the instructor. She did the same as some students split from the other four, including herself, as Mr. Ropata showed them to their assigned mounts. She heard her name being spoken as she stepped forward to greet her pony, Ripple, that was assigned to her. She gave a soft smile towards the Welshy as Mr. Ropata asked them to get their mounts ready and then head to the arena to warm up. She gave a nod towards those instructions as she held out a hand to the gelding. He seemed unsociable at first, but she just decided to set to work on him as she didn't want to waste any time.

Setting the last of the tack on Ripple, she felt the grey getting a bit nippy. She could tell that he wanted to get started as much as she wanted to. She slipped on her helmet and buckled it on securely as she lead the gelding to the arena. Mounting herself up onto the Welsh, she started to warm up Ripple as she got herself familiar with the gelding gaits with the time they were given.

[Bruce Ropata]

He watched the students as they warmed up their mounts, the ones from his class getting settled in their mounts and the ones joining him for that day, getting used to their mount's stride. He frowned a little as he watched Rory and his youngest rider, Ria. Both of them had improved so much in the last year and he felt that they had both outgrown the ponies that they were riding. "Ria, Rory, can you please both ride up to me?" Once they were both in front of him, he gave them both warm smiles. "Rory, I would like you to please return Yoko to her yard and tack up Ish instead. Ria, can you please do the same, and tack up Fern - she's the new dapple grey Kiamanawa mare, and then warm them up."

Once the two girls had done as requested and were settled on their new mounts, and everyone else had taken their mounts through their paces he knew it was time to start the games. "Riders! Front and centre please!" He called out, his voice carrying easily across the arena from years of teaching at Pony Clubs. Once they were gathered he smiled. "Cortney, Rory and Serenity, you are team 1. John, Ria and Olivia, you are team 2. Becca and Erica, you are team 3. If our MIA student shows up, he will join your team, otherwise one of you will need to run twice." He gestured to the three lines of bending poles. "I'm sure you all know how to do bending poles? First rider, carrying the baton, weaves in and out of the bending poles, turns around the fifth pole and returns, weaving in and out of the poles, to hand the baton to the next rider. Riders two and three complete the course in the same way. It is up to the rider to pick their speed." Giving the riders a chance to get to know their teams, he walked over to a barrel at the edge of the arena and picked up the three batons, he then handed one to each team.

Walking up to the start line, he waited for the riders to sort themselves out. He raised his arm. "Ready? Set, GO!" He dropped his arm on the words go and the first rider of each team shot away from the start line.

[Cortney Smit]

Cortney was settling into Mo's stride as she rode him around the arena in his normal swinging walk. She then squeezed him forward into a trot and then a canter. Once she had ridden him at each gait on both reins, she trotted him around on a loose rein, flexing him to the left and right before she began to ask for shoulder-ins and half-passes. She then felt cheeky and wanted to see if he still remembered his tricks. "Up." She said gently as she put slight pressure on the reins, and laughed as the gelding reared up, his forelegs waving in the air before he placed the back on the ground and tossed his head. "Good boy." She praised him with a rub.

When they were called into the centre, she asked the gelding for a walk and they walked up to join everyone else. She listened as they were broke into groups and she smiled at Rory before she looked around to find Serenity, which wasn't hard as she knew everyone in the class and Serenity was the only one who she didn't know. She used her seat and legs to get Mo to side-step to where the blonde girl sat on the rose grey mare. She then also noticed that Rory was on a new mount. "Nice horse, Rory." She commended before turning her attention to the new girl. "Hi, I'm Cortney and this is Rory. You and I are in the same House." She pressed her lips together as she took charge of the group. "I'll ride first, Rory you ride second and you can bring up the rear, I hope you can ride fast."

She accepted the baton as he was held out and she led her team to the start line. She could feel Mo tense up as he waited for the word and as soon as it was out of the man's mouth, the gelding shot forward into a quick canter, which Cortney was glad that she was ready for, otherwise she knew she'd be on the ground. She used her seat and legs to weave the gelding around the pole, not breaking stride once and leaned in as they rounded the end pole and then the wove their way back through the poles and charged toward the finish line, her arm outstretched, not letting go of the baton until she felt Rory's little finger graze her index finger. "'Atta good, good boy!" She cheered as she wrapped her arms around Mo's neck.

Sitting up she watched the younger girl's ride. "Go, Rory!" She yelled, sounding like the cheerleader she was.

[Deleted]

Aurora was just settling into Yoko's stride and was about to ask the mare to trot when Mr Ropata's voice broke through her concentration. She looked over at the man, instantly feeling guilty and wondering what she had done wrong. Turning the mare into the centre, and keeping out of the way of the other students, she rode up to their instructor and lowered her head, not looking forward to getting told off this early. She gave Ria a comforting smile and reached out her hand to the younger girl, in case Ria needed a little extra support. She was crestfallen when she was told to return Yoko to her yard, guessing that she had just been booted out of the clinic, but her eyebrows shot up at the words that followed. "Really? Thank you so much, Mr Ropata!"

After returning Yoko to her yard, stripping the tack and rubbing her down, the fourteen year old didn't waste any time in getting her new mount ready to be ridden. "Hi Ish." She said as she groomed the silver dapple's chocolate coat. "My name is Rory. I promise that I'll be a gentle rider and you have every right to dump me if I'm too rough." She knew that the mare had been trained by Cara, so she knew that Ish would move to the most subtle command.

Leading the mare to the arena, she tightened the girth, pulled the stirrups down and smoothly mounted the mare. She then spent the rest of the time she had getting used to the mare's page, relishing in the fact that Ish wasn't as round as Yoko was.

It was all too soon that they were called in, and when their teams were called out she followed Cortney over to the third member of their team and grinned when the Junior commented on her new mount and then nodded as she was introduced to the new girl. She was happy to let the older girl take charge of the team and followed her to the start line, lining Ish up behind Mo.

She had to sit deep and really hold the mare back as the gelding in front of them shot forward, and it seemed too soon before the flaxen pony was thundering toward them again. Part of her didn't want to drop one rein, as she could feel Ish dancing under her, but she had no choice as she stretched out her arm for the baton and closed her hand firmly around it, and then the mare flew forward at a break-neck speed. Rory leaned forward and held the reins and the mare's flowing mane as the Rocky Mountain seemed to take control of the whole thing. As the approached the last pole though, Rory got her wits about her and steered the mare the whole way around the pole before they flew back through the poles and headed straight for Serenity and Pixie. She let go of the baton too soon though and felt it slipping, but everything happened so quickly, she was sure the other girl had caught it as she headed off.

She sat on Ish, shaking as adrenaline still roared through her veins. "Go Serenity!" She cheered for the other girl before she leaned forward and hugged Ish's damp neck.

[Serenity Oliver]

The more she rode her assigned mare, the more Serenity was liking her. Pixie moved off at no more than a hint of what the girl wanted and could turn like the best Quarter Horse. She gently moved the mare through each of her gaits, checking her stride through each, as she couldn't stop thinking about what may have caused the scars on the mare's legs. As well as asking the teacher about how she got the scars, she also wanted to ask the man of she was allowed to spend time with the mare outside class.

When they were called in, she gently slowed Pixie down from a canter to a walk and rode over to the instructor. She listened as he called out the teams, and she hoped that her team members would find her as she didn't know who anyone was. She smiled as a vaguely familiar girl sidled the flaxen chestnut she was riding over toward her. She smiled as the girl, Cortney introduced herself and the other girl. "I thought you looked familiar." She said when Cortney revealed that they lived in the same House. "Pleasure to meet you both." She listened as the older girl took charge of everything. A smile played at her lips at the girl's final words. "I can ride as fast as I need to." She replied smoothly, unsure whether the other girl's words were supposed to be a challenge or a backhanded compliment.

She lined the mare up behind the other two riders and watched carefully as the flaxen gelding flew off through the course, and then the girl on the silver dapple did the same, though this time is seemed that the mare was doing the weaving with no help from her rider, something that could cost them dearly in an actual competition. She lined the mare up on the start line and watched as Rory got closer and closer, she could feel Pixie building herself up. As the other girl reached her and shot past, Serenity could feel the baton slipping through her fingers before she had closed her hand on it, but with a quick flick of her wrist, she managed to catch it and as soon as hand closed on the wood, she used her seat to give the mare the green light. She kept herself balanced in the saddle, her hands up by the mare's ears as she gave Pixie her head and used her seat and legs to guide the mare around the poles, circled the fifth and then wove their way back through. As soon as they were clear of the first pole, she closed her legs around the mare, asking her to go faster.

Her attention was so fixed on what her and the mare were doing, she didn't pay an ounce of attention to the other teams as they flew over the finish line. Standing in her stirrups, she punched the air with the baton and finally sat back and slowed the mare before they circled back to their team.

[Becca Walsh]

Becca continued warming Chris up, trotting him in both directions and then doing a bit of cantering. The gelding was eager and ready to go, and Becca was excited to start their game. The gelding wasn't as sensitive as Frye was, which meant that she had to give him more leg and make her aids stronger, but it was nice not having to worry about him taking off if she nudged him a bit harder than she should have.

She was about done warming him up when Mr. Ropata called them into the center. She trotted Chris until they were near enough, and then walked Chris up to a good spot, where she halted him before Mr. Ropata among the other riders. She listened to him name the teams, and wondered whether their only having two people on their team would cause them to be at a disadvantage. After listening to the instructions for the simple game, she found her way over to Erica, another senior. The other girl hadn't been in the mounted games class, so Becca suggested that she take the extra turn for the first game. "Hello! Shall I ride first and then last? For the other games we can switch off with the extra turn."

Taking the baton she'd been given, Becca positioned herself at the starting line, and was ready when they were cued to begin. Pressing her legs to Chris's sides, the gelding took off, and she wove him through the poles mostly with her legs, letting him have his head for the most part. Slowing him the tiniest bit to get a tight turn around the last pole, she returned through them at a faster pace, keeping it through the finish line where she quickly handed off the baton to Erica where she waited.

Waiting at the starting line until Erica finished her ride with Ripple, Becca sat in anticipation. The moment the baton reached her palm again, she closed her hand around it and sent Chris off, doing the same thing she' done before except faster, trusting the gelding. He was brave and he definitely knew what he was doing with all of the games. Whipping around the last pole, she flew back over the finish line, breath heaving. Circling Chris back, she patted the geldings neck.

Was it okay for me to put her second turn in this post or should I have waited for the next one? I can fix it if I should have done it differently.

[Deleted]

Erica asked Ripple from a walk into a trot and then into a canter. She could feel the gelding eager to get started as she felt him get nippy, again, under the saddle. She gave the horse a reassuring pat on the shoulder as she lead the Welsh around the arena one more time before being called to the centre by Mr. Ropata. She let Ripple go into a smooth trot over towards the instructor as well as the the other group of students crowded around as she listened to what the man had to say.

She listened attentively for her name to be called as well as the name of her fellow team members. She only heard one name after her as her and another girl, Becca, will be team three with only the two as the people on the team. She gave a kind smile in greeting as she met another fellow senior. She gave a nod towards her suggestion of riding first then last for the first game and other switching off. She wasn't in the mounted games class so she guessed that this would be best. "Hi! That would be fine with me!"

Getting herself and Ripple near the starting line for when Becca hands it off, she watched as the girl wove through the poles. When she saw Becca return at the fifth pole, she positioned herself and got ready. She could feel Ripple get anxious as she saw the girl near. She swiftly took the baton from her and shot off. She steered the grey through as she leaned forward as they were already at the fifth pole. Turning around it in a quick motion, but then she felt as they smoothly weaved through in and out of the poles once again to pass the baton back to Becca. She pressed her legs against Ripple's side as they gained a bit of speed to finish if off as she reached out her hand with the baton as she loosened her grip on it to let Becca take the last turn.

She let out a breathe she didn't know she was holding this whole time as she patted Ripple's neck. She could still feel the hustle and bustle energy of the games even though they just only started one. She was starting to enjoy it as she observed her other teammate run through the poles once again and seemed to have zoomed by in a flash back towards the finish line. When she circled back she gave a wide smile to the girl. "Great job, Becca!" She complimented the senior.