Solo Practice Makes Perfect

[Gianne Basete]

75th Day of Winter, 512 AV Afternoon The Sanctuary "Shift your weight more, Will." Her tone had grown strained and dripped with barely controlled exasperation as the lesson she'd been holding drug on. Will, a boy from Riverfall who she'd given several lessons to already, was not in a riding mood today. But his mother had insisted, and it showed in the way he sat astride Gill, her own horse. Maybe she was just nervous because her horse was being ridden by someone else. Gianne gritted her teeth as the gelding's stride faltered once more, his trot hindered by Will's stiff-backed seat. "Will! You know by now to relax your hips. Move with his trot, not against it. You'll both be more comfortable." The words were sharp, and his shoulders slumped defensively. Quickly, he yanked Gill around to face her. "I know, okay! Stop stating the obvious, because I'm not stupid! I didn't even want to be here." The yelling between the both of them was spooking Gill; his ears pinned back and he sidestepped rapidly, blowing air through his nostrils and tossing his head. Then Will made the biggest mistake to date. He smacked the crop that he and Gianne had argued over against the gelding's neck and twisted the horse in a few sharp circles, hissing a fearful curse through his teeth. She hadn't wanted him to have it, but he'd insisted. He knew Gill wasn't one of the more placid horses at the Sanctuary; that the gelding wasn't a fan of being ridden by others except his owner. But Gianne had argued that Will was ready for more of a small challenge, and that Gill knew better than to misbehave beyond any control. Gianne's eyes narrowed and her teeth ground together, grating like stones. That's the last straw for today, boy. Wind snapped her hair up into her face as she purposefully strode to her gelding, and after she yanked it back behind her shoulders she slapped Will's foot from the stirrup. She moved the leather out her way and tugged fiercely at the knot tied into the girth strap, then pulled the strap loose so it sagged, loosening the entire saddle. With a two handed shove against the pommel and cantle, it tipped precariously and spilled Will over the side, right onto the dirt. She heard the whoosh of air as he landed on his back, and she smiled with satisfaction. No one hits my horse with anything. Quickly, she pulled the saddle into its proper position on Gill's withers, straightened the blanket underneath, and re-tightened the girth. It happened too fast for the gelding to even react fearfully. He just looked at Will with one large eye, lying as he was on the ground, slowing catching the breath he'd lost. Gianne's face with distorted with an angry frown as she moved around Gill to the boy now sitting up at her feet. She picked up the crop he'd dropped and threw it across their riding area where it clattered against a building. She'd go get it later. "Don't ever use a crop in my sight again. A horse never needs whipped. No animal ever needs whipped, for that matter. Don't you dare take your frustration out on a defenseless creature, just because you can. Or there will be bigger problems between you and I." She was able to smooth her angry expression into a placid mask, though annoyance still tightened her stomach. Gianne held a gloved hand out for Will to grab, and he did, sheepishly. Shame made him unable to meet her eyes, and his breath rattled slightly from his unexpected unseating. But he was on his feet again, and his lesson was learned. "I'm sorry, I won't do it again." She peered at him for a few long moments, and finally she sighed, smiling slightly. "Alright then. Now tell me, why are you bent on making this class miserable? Why don't you want to be here today? You're usually excited and willing to learn." This made him look up. His cheeks were flushed, two bright spots of color on his pale face. "I was gonna' take a girl out."