15th of Winter, mid-morning
Thunderherd Pavilion
The mare's black coat was shining under Syna's rays this sunny morning. It had taken Ashka quite a few chimes to rid her of the dirt and grasses sticking to her skin, but the result was worth the time. Ash took a couple of steps back to admire the beauty of the jet black coat gleaming in bright light.
'Look how we got you sorted there, beautiful !'
A nonchalant snort answered her enthusiasm, as Valdis' nose went back to rummaging the grass stalks at her feet.
'You would thank me if you could see yourself, really' Ash continued with an amused smile. 'With this look, no stallion in the Sea of Grass could resist you !'
She patted the mare on the back, satisfied. An ear twisting back at her was the only reaction she got from the indifferent animal, but she was happy with her work anyway. Grooming the horses was good for their health, and would definitely help in sales as well, but overall, Ashka found much satisfaction in spending time with the herd.
She left Valdis at her grazing to take care of her next task : two yearlings had to be taken for a stroll, out of the city, and groomed. Working with the younger horses was challenging, but very rewarding ; their energy and playfulness always uplifted her spirits. The redhead walked to a row of hanging halters and, after choosing a small one that would fit a year old animal, hung it over her shoulder. Her tutors had advised her to use a lead early in training, to create closer contact with the animal ; the lead could be removed later on once the horse understood orders more easily.
The colt was playing with an elder Strider, jumping around excitedly under the warm sky. His long legs, seemingly out of proportions with his yearling head, stamped the high grasses with carefree energy. Ash smiled at him as her hand reached for his neck. Greetings were signed and the horse's nose was soon snuffling in her hands, as a reciprocal salutation. She gently poked his lips under his warm breathe, teasing him playfully while he checked for a tasty treat in her palms.
'Soon, boy, soon. After work,' she answered to his inquisitive rummaging.
The Drykas woman then took the halter off her and presented it to the horse in a slow gesture, reassuring smile on her face. She knew how important it was to move through each step of the training slowly, following the animal's own pace of learning. If a task or a lesson was forced upon them, they'd become frightened and defensive, and all of the trust built between the mount and trainer would be ruined.
An interested snout met the rope. With short snuffles, it inspected the object. The curious nostrils recognized the smell, associated with humans, and the sensitive skin recognized the texture, the memories of a bond on his face, but not in a spooky way, no, in a way that demanded a game, a distraction, with a potential reward at the end.
Word count516
Thunderherd Pavilion
The mare's black coat was shining under Syna's rays this sunny morning. It had taken Ashka quite a few chimes to rid her of the dirt and grasses sticking to her skin, but the result was worth the time. Ash took a couple of steps back to admire the beauty of the jet black coat gleaming in bright light.
'Look how we got you sorted there, beautiful !'
A nonchalant snort answered her enthusiasm, as Valdis' nose went back to rummaging the grass stalks at her feet.
'You would thank me if you could see yourself, really' Ash continued with an amused smile. 'With this look, no stallion in the Sea of Grass could resist you !'
She patted the mare on the back, satisfied. An ear twisting back at her was the only reaction she got from the indifferent animal, but she was happy with her work anyway. Grooming the horses was good for their health, and would definitely help in sales as well, but overall, Ashka found much satisfaction in spending time with the herd.
She left Valdis at her grazing to take care of her next task : two yearlings had to be taken for a stroll, out of the city, and groomed. Working with the younger horses was challenging, but very rewarding ; their energy and playfulness always uplifted her spirits. The redhead walked to a row of hanging halters and, after choosing a small one that would fit a year old animal, hung it over her shoulder. Her tutors had advised her to use a lead early in training, to create closer contact with the animal ; the lead could be removed later on once the horse understood orders more easily.
The colt was playing with an elder Strider, jumping around excitedly under the warm sky. His long legs, seemingly out of proportions with his yearling head, stamped the high grasses with carefree energy. Ash smiled at him as her hand reached for his neck. Greetings were signed and the horse's nose was soon snuffling in her hands, as a reciprocal salutation. She gently poked his lips under his warm breathe, teasing him playfully while he checked for a tasty treat in her palms.
'Soon, boy, soon. After work,' she answered to his inquisitive rummaging.
The Drykas woman then took the halter off her and presented it to the horse in a slow gesture, reassuring smile on her face. She knew how important it was to move through each step of the training slowly, following the animal's own pace of learning. If a task or a lesson was forced upon them, they'd become frightened and defensive, and all of the trust built between the mount and trainer would be ruined.
An interested snout met the rope. With short snuffles, it inspected the object. The curious nostrils recognized the smell, associated with humans, and the sensitive skin recognized the texture, the memories of a bond on his face, but not in a spooky way, no, in a way that demanded a game, a distraction, with a potential reward at the end.
Word count516
Pavi Grassland sign | Common | Nari
