Yay or Naaaay? (Solo)

[Dimitri]

Spring 2, 511 AV

Dimitri woke up in the pure darkness of the Squire's Dormitory. He could hear the shallow breathing of the other squires and figured that as usual he was the first to rise. He slipped out of the bed and quickly made it, his hands slipping along the sheets in the darkness. After returning from the latrine he pulled his shield and sword from the wall and unwrapped them. Working efficiently, he had them sharpened and polished without waking anyone. He got dressed in his simple white, open shirt, breeches, and boots. He strapped his sword into the inside of his shield, then strapped the heavy combination to his back.

He stepped out into the hall and began his self appointed regimen. He began by stretching. He did as he was told previously, and stretched high to low. He first rotated his neck, around to the left then around to the right. He then rocked his head back and forth, and then side to side. He then began work on his shoulders. He would rotate his arms forward windmill style, then backwards. He then interlocked his fingers and inverted his arms in front of him, then above his head, and finally behind his back. He then locked his feet, shoulder width, into place and began rotating his back at the waist. After his muscled back was stretched, he then pulled his feet together, straightened his knees, and bent over, reaching for his ankles, stretching his hamstrings. After doing this for a bit, he flexed his ankles and rolled them.

After finishing his stretching, he decided to head down to the stables. He strode through the darkness of his dormitory, into the lit hallways. He eventually made it out to the stables and the fresh air that came with them. He wandered if any jousting matches were going on. He walked over to the barn that housed the 'finished' and for sale horses.   

[Dimitri]

Dimitri stepped into the barn and saw the many different horses, of different shades and hues. The barn was filled with nays and whinnies, and the odor that naturally cames from housing animals. He was enjoying the sounds as he meandered through when he heard a thud followed by a louder thud. He looked behind him and saw a younger squire laying on the ground in obvious pain.  Dimitri walked over to the boy as another squire walked out from the open stall. "I told him not to startle it. You mind watching after these three horses while I take him to get some help? It's really easy, brush them, feed them and walk them. You can ride them if you'd like, they are older so they can't run anymore.  Need any help there are quite a few people around who can assist you." He picked up the boy and disappeared leaving Dimitri standing there dazed and confused.

He wondered if he should brush them all, then feed them all, then walk them all. I think I'll try staggering it.
He walked into the first stall the boy mention and found a white and chestnut horse. He had no idea what breed it was, or what gender even. He approached it calmly and so it could see him. He grabbed a brush and started stroking the animal downward. "What are you doing?!?!" Dimitri looked up and saw the angry face of Serena, the proprietor of the stables. "I-" "You are brushing it wrong! Put that brush down and grab the curry brush. The round one! Circular motions like when you polish your shield there. Polish on, polish off. Now do it." Confused he began brushing it in circular motions. "Do the neck, then the body, don't use that one on it's face or legs." His circular motions he noticed was picking up dirt from beneath the hair. He finished on side, then walked around and did the other, all under the watchful eye of Serena. When he finished he looked to her. "Not bad now grab the dandy brush," she said pointing to the ovular one he had been using when she arrived.

He grabbed it, "Now make flicking motions, like sweeping a floor. You should see a cloud of dust after each flick." He made a couple of attempts, when she gently grabbed his hand and ran him through the motion. He did this down the neck and back and on it's shoulders and haunches. Now grab a body brush, and smooth down the hair on it's body." He grabbed the brush she was looking at and began to smooth down the coat. He noticed this got out small amounts of dirt, and made the hair shinier. After brushing it down the horse looked good and Dimitri thought he was done. Then Serena handed him a comb, "Mane and tail, I already did the feet today." He quickly combed out the long hairs, and turned when he was struck in the face by a towel. "Rub it down and your down." He rubbed down the horse smiling the whole time. "Now feed and walk it, always do one horse at a time, and good job Squire, for a first time."   

[Dimitri]

"Check to make sure this Kavika Paintedmount has full water, then give him two scoops from the corn barrel. You can the take him to walk and ride. I'll leave these to you, don't fail." Dimitri saw the water trough and saw that it was low. He looked around dumbly for water and squires pouring buckets of water into other troughs. He followed a boy to a small clear pond. The boy dipped his buckets, then lugged them back. Dimitri went back inside and found four buckets. He grabbed all four, figuring they would be light enough on the way back. He arrived at the pond, the other squires giving him strange looks. He dipped the four buckets and lifted them out, straining from effort. He held them out precariously and slowly began back to the barn, his arms burning. His balance was off so when he stepped on a smooth rock, he slipped, sending water splashing everywhere. He sighed audibly and made his way back to the pond, filled the buckets once more, and slowly began back, being sure to watch his footing more carefully. He arrived at his trough and set his buckets down. He then proceeded to pour his buckets in, one at a time. The water barely rose as he finished the four buckets. He repeated this for another halfbell, until the water was full. His chest glistened with sweat as he watched the three horses in his care drink almost appreciatively.

He then found the barrel of feed and poured two scoops of corn into the Paintedmount's feed trough. The steed began eating happily, as Dimitri stroked it's head and neck. When it finished he stepped slowly into it's stall and opened it. He then climbed the stall and stuck his leg out awkwardly to mount the beast. He got his leg over the back of it and slowly eased himself down onto the calm horse. He sat there, shifting to get comfortable. He was unsure how to make the creature move forward. As he sat there thinking, he absentmindedly tapped his heels against the horse's sides. The creature began walking forward, and Dimitri smiled. He steered with his knees and finally rode the creature out into the yard.

[Dimitri]

Dimitri saw people standing around the yard. He wanted to try and avoid them, not just because he wasn't able to ride really well, but he didn't know how well the horse would be around others. He had it walk slowly around the yard, the horse breathing slowly. He rode near some girls his age, who all giggled as they saw him. He smiled politely and nodded at them. The giggling continued as he slowly wandered away. He walked it around for a while and took it back to the barn. He saw two squires finishing up the brushing and feeding of the other two horses he was looking after.

"We groomed and fed these two for you if you'd like to walk them." He nodded at the two as he rode the horse into the stall. They walked away to take care of something else. He slid off the horse, patted it gently and walked over to the next stall. Here he found a dull gray horse. It was a lot bigger and more muscular than the horse he just rode. He approached it gently. It turned his head and looked at him, and whinnied. Dimitri kept his hands up, as he inched closer. He then climbed up the stall and slid over the horse. He squeezed his knees and it started forward at a trot. He led it out of the barn and was trotting around the yard enjoying the change of pace. He lead it over to some dummies where other mounted men were practicing combat techniques. Dimitri drew his sword and shield. He was careful holding his shield in such a way that he didn't harm the horse. He stabbed, slashed, parried imaginary blows, his horse idling patiently. Dimitri punched with his shield and began blocking and slashing imaginary enemies, protecting himself and horse companion. As the chimes passed, and his arms began to tire he led the horse back to the stables. 

As he approached the last horse, a solid black, he knew it would be tough by the snorting and stomping he heard. He entered the stall very carefully. In a gentle voice, "Easy there... Easy..." Much to his own surprise he was able to get to it's side. He climbed the stall when the horse sidled over to him making it easier to mount. Maybe he's not bad, just bored. He slid down on the horse, got comfortable, and squeezed his knees gently. The horse trotted forward, when a loud metallic noise, like a hammer on a shield. The horse startled, began running around, despite Dimitri trying to stop it. He knew he could slide off and risk injury, or he could stay and keep trying to calm the horse. He found the horse would go in the direction he told it with his knees, it just ignored him when it came to slowing down. He calmed himself down and began having it run laps around the yard, help burn off some energy. It ran, and he rode, feeling the powerful muscles beneath him work together to give the smooth ride they both enjoyed. The wind blew Dimitri's hair back as well as the horse's mane. Eventually he felt the horse begin to slow down, and he steered it back to the barn. It walked into his stall and he dismounted, patting the horse and thanking it in a gentle voice for the fun ride. It began lapping up water as he strode out of the stall more confident. He saw the squire who helped the injured boy. The boy approached him and said, "Thanks for taking care of them, you really helped us out, and you looked like you enjoyed it. Come back and help out more often." Dimitri smiled and nodded, walking back to his dormitory, spirits uplifted, his gait joyous.

[Archon]

Illumination of Development Dimitri +2 Animal Husbandry +2 Horse Riding +1 Body Building +1 1-Handed Longsword Lores: Brushing down a horse, Working in a stable (Basic) Care to see more? : Most of your experience is split between Animal Husbandry and Horse Riding for your care and riding of the horses. Also a bit of Body Building for hauling the heavy buckets, and Longsword for your brief practice. Notes:A decent thread, and some nice thought put into it. The whole thing felt a little rushed, but not a bad little bit of training.