Solo Riding Lessons Revisited

[Seirei Dawnwhisper]

Timestamp: 77th Day of Fall, 515 AV


Rytira chuckled at the determined look in Seirei's eyes as she put a yvas on Drelah.

"Have a good ride, you two. And don't worry, Seirei. You're doing much better than you were earlier in the season."

Gratitude, need to do better. Seirei signed, knowing her friend was being generous.

Seirei grabbed a handful of Drelah's mane, and placed her free hand near his withers. When she was ready, she hopped up, and swung herself up onto the gelding's back. Mounting a horse was getting easier for her to do, despite her rapidly growing belly. She rarely needed to make more than one attempt now. But her grasp of what to do once she was on a horse's back...that was what she really needed to work on.

Knowing that Seirei was uneasy about going out into the Sea of Grass to practice riding by herself, Teisaia often offered to come with her. Rytira offered as well sometimes, but she was more likely to watch the twins while Teisaia took Seirei out.

"I'm ready whenever you are." Teisaia said with a gently teasing tone.

Seirei took several ticks to settle herself into the yvas, before nodding. She made sure that she was sitting forward enough that her legs were resting along the crease between Drelah's barrel, and his shoulder muscles. It was a trick of sorts that Naiya had taught her. By using the crease as a reference, Seirei knew where she should put her legs so that she didn't accidentally send her horse or strider confusing signals when she rode. Her seat was more secure that way as well, so it was harder for her to lose her balance and fall off. And she didn't have to to grip Drelah with her legs as much as she would have to otherwise.

Ready.

Let's go, then."

Teisaia took the lead, and led Seirei out of the camp. The two friends rode in a companionable silence until they reached the edge of the city. Once they had reached a spot that was within easy reach of the city, but far enough away that they were unlikely to bother anyone, Teisaia grinned, and challenged her friend.

"Okay, Seirei. Let's see what you can do."

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[Seirei Dawnwhisper]

Seirei grinned in response to her friend's challenge. She requested a walk with a gesture, and Drelah obeyed, moving into a leisurely walk. Teisaia noticed that while her legs were positioned properly, her feet were not. Her toes were pointed down instead of her heels. Riding that way could easily lead to Seirei either digging her heels into her mount's sides, or her clutching at her mount with her lower legs. Both were cues that would tell the horse that she wanted to go faster. And Seirei wasn't ready for that yet. So she signed for her friend to stop.

"You need to keep your ankles flexed when you ride. And your heels need to be lower than your toes. Otherwise, it would be very easy for you to clutch at the horse you're riding with your lower legs, or dig your heels into their sides. Both of those cues will tell your horse that you want to go faster."

Seirei's eyes widened. She had already survived a ride on a run away horse once. She had no desire to repeat that experience. Teisaia saw her friend's expression, and reassured her.

"A horse won't panic and run away with you if you give them confusing signals. But you might accidentally tell the horse to trot, or even canter if you give them the wrong cues. If you repeated the same cues while they were moving at a faster pace, you might even bring them up to a gallop. And you won't be ready for anything beyond a brisk walk, or perhaps a trot for a good while yet."

Seirei nodded firmly. She had no illusions of being able to control a horse moving at such speeds. Teisaia showed her the proper way to hold her feet by moving them into the position they should be in. This too was something Naiya had taught her, but she had forgotten it. The position of Seirei's feet felt awkward, but she knew that with practice, it would feel more natural.

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[Seirei Dawnwhisper]

Seirei gestured Drelah into a walk again, wanting to practice what she had just learned. But Teisaia stopped her with a frown.

"What did I do wrong this time?" Seirei asked with frustration at her lack of skill.

Teisaia shook her head.

"It isn't something you did wrong, exactly. Gesturing with your legs like that will get a walk, or trot...or any other pace you want from a horse, or strider. But there is a simpler way that is less likely to send accidental signals. For a beginner like you, especially, it is usually best not to use your legs to signal your mount to move."

"Then how should I do it?" Seirei asked curiously.

"By leaning with your torso. If you lean forward, the horse will walk. Lean forward again, or lean farther forward, and the horse will move faster. And when you want to slow down, or stop, you lean back."

Seirei nodded to show that she understood. Then she leaned forward. She was trying to request a walk, but she must have leaned forward too far, because Drelah broke into a brisk trot. Seirei was so startled by the unexpected jolting, and speed that she lost her balance, and fell. Teisaia ran over and helped her to her feet.

"Are you okay?" her friend demanded anxiously.

Seirei took stock of herself, and nodded shakily. She was shaken by the fall, and her body ached. She would likely have bruises where she hit the ground later. But aside from that, she felt fine.

"Do you want to stop?"

"No. I need to learn this. And next time, I won't lean forward that far, unless I want to trot."

Teisaia grinned as she helped her friend back up onto Drelah's back. The gelding had stopped a short distance away, and turned to look back as if asking why his rider had done such a silly thing. His expression caused both girls to giggle, which only confused Drelah even more. He snorted in exasperation, as if to say "Humans!" This only made Seirei and Teisaia laugh even harder.

When Seirei was ready, she tried again. It took her a few tries, but she soon got the hang of how far she needed to lean forward to get Drelah to walk instead of trot.

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[Seirei Dawnwhisper]

"Okay, come back towards me, now!" Teisaia called after Seirei had practiced walking for a while.

Seirei turned her body the way she wanted to go. It worked, but when Seirei and Drelah got back to Teisaia, she was frowning again. It was obvious by the look in her eyes that Seirei was doing something wrong. Again.

"You don't have to turn that far when you want to get your mount to change direction. In fact, you don't have to turn your torso at all. Simply turning your head in the direction you want to go is enough."

At Seirei's confused look, Teisaia continued.

"What you're doing isn't wrong. But as inexperienced as you are, turning that much might cause you to lose your balance. Maybe even enough that you can't compensate. A fall from a walking, or even a trotting horse won't cause severe injury, but it is going to hurt. To avoid necessary risk, you just need to turn your head in the direction you want to go. Both horses and striders are sensitive enough that they will feel it, and know what you want."

Left unsaid was the fact they knowing what was wanted, and obeying were two different things. But Seirei had learned from painful experience that a stubborn, or willful strider wasn't going to obey you just because you wanted them to. Kairi was the perfect example of that.

"Try that again."

Seirei signed a quick agreement. Then she leaned forward, requesting a brisk walk from Drelah. When they had moved a short distance away, Seirei turned her head to the right. Sure enough, the gelding turned obligingly in the direction she had turned her head. To be certain it wasn't a fluke, she turned her head to the left a few ticks later. Drelah felt the change, and turned to the left.

"I think you've got it, Seirei!" Teisaia said excitedly.

Seirei grinned. She really was starting to get the hang of riding. It would take a lot of hard work, and practice, but she was starting to think that with the help of her sister, and her friends, she might master it someday. Or at least become completely comfortable with riding.

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[Seirei Dawnwhisper]

"Do you want to try trotting now? I think you're ready for it...but only if you think you are ready for it."

Seirei considered the idea. She was starting to gain confidence in being able to control a horse or a strider as long as they were walking. But could she manage to control one that was moving faster? She would have less time to react if she needed to change direction suddenly, or if something moved into their path. On the other hand, she needed to be able to ride quickly. What if her pavilion was attacked by glassbeaks, or zith as they traveled along the Run? She wouldn't stand a chance if she couldn't flee faster than a walk. Being able to stay on a trotting horse wouldn't help her much under those circumstances either. But it was the next step in being able to handle a horse or strider at a full run.

"Yes. I want to try." she said after a few ticks.

Her hands betrayed her uncertainty, but her expression was firm, and her eyes were determined.

"Great! Do you know where to start?"

It was a test. Seirei knew that. And it only took Seirei a few ticks to realize that yes, she did know what to do. To get a horse or strider to move forward, you had to lean forward. Getting them to move faster was an extension of that. You simply had to lean forward again if you were already walking, or lean forward further if you were not.

So Seirei leaned forward slowly. When that didn't get the response that she wanted, she leaned forward a bit more, and then a but further still until Drelah finally broke into a brisk trot. She barely had time to take note of how far she had needed to lean forward before becoming fully focused on staying on at the faster pace.

Moving at a trot was a bone jarring experience. And at first, Seirei was certain that she would fall off. But after a while, she began to notice a pattern in Drelah's movements. A rhythm of sorts. And by using that rhythm to help her move with Drelah's movements, Seirei felt more secure in her seat. Less likely to fall off. When she realized that, riding at a trot became easier for her to manage. Controlling Drelah at a trot became easier as well because she was able to focus on telling him what was required of him as well as just staying on his back.

"Am I doing okay?" Seirei asked as she passed Teisaia in a loose circle.

"Your seat needs more work, but you're doing great for a beginner!" Teisaia called back.

Seirei continued to practice for a while. Trotting was very uncomfortable, so she alternated both trotting, and walking, and practicing signalling Drelah to move back and forth between the two paces. She knew that she needed to practice trotting, but she couldn't do it for long without her bones beginning to ache. She was so focused on what she was doing that she didn't notice how late it was getting until Teisaia called for her to stop. Teisaia cautioned that Seirei would feel very sore the next day since she had been riding for bells, and wasn't used to it. But all in all, they were both happy with the progress Seirei had made.

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[Jasmine Stormblood]

A wonderful thread Seirei. Let me know if I missed any lore you would have liked

 

Seirei Dawnwhisper

XP

• Riding- Horse: 5 XP

Lores

• Riding: use the "barrel" as a reference
• Riding: keep heels down instead of toes
• Riding: lean forward to go, lean back to stop
• Riding: a simple turn of the head will do
• Riding: know your mounts rhythm