Learning the Ropes

by **Arundel** on August 25th, 2013, 11:54 pm

513 AV, 50th Day of Summer

Her day had been rather quiet, which she never liked. Arundel had grown restless for something to do, but every time she asked a sibling or her parents if there was anything, they kept saying no. She was on the verge of yanking her hair out at the roots when her father finally called on her to do some work. She'd been so relieved that she practically skipped out to their horses' pasture grounds where he'd told her to meet him. Almost, but not quite. She wouldn't be caught dead skipping. She had a mature reputation to live up to. But she was giddy when she met her father in the late evening, and he handed over one of their yearlings. "She follows along well, but I haven't had the time to come out and work with her on much. Get her used to the yvas, blankets, and so on, will you?"

Arundel ran her hands along the young Seme's sleek neck, unable to not smile. Young horses were her weakness. She was putty in their hands - or rather, hooves. When she didn't answer, her father smiled. "Arundel?" Her head jerked up and she grinned sheepishly, quickly signing an apology. "Of course, father. Sorry. I'll work with her." He thanked her, and then left her with the filly. Occasionally a horse nickered, and a few come up to investigate, but quickly lost interest when they realized she had no treats. They were enjoying their down time as much as she'd been going crazy during hers, and couldn't be bothered at the moment unless something delicious was in it for them.

Her father had brought along everything she'd need, thankfully. Arundel wouldn't have wanted to trek all the way back to the pavilion to retrieve the equipment. There was the yvas - a small one - with its blanket, some ropes, a pair of yvas bags, hoof pick, and to her amusement - a few apples hidden away inside the shoulder bags. He'd tucked them inside so the other horses wouldn't get to them. She was glad, because a horse deserved a good reward for good work, and she was confident the little filly would do fine. If not, though, then they'd just have to keep working at it until she met expectations. Since Arundel would only be desensitizing today, it should be easy. It didn't really take any work on the horse's part. Only patience from the trainer, and repetition.

by **Arundel** on August 28th, 2013, 5:13 pm

To begin with, Arundel examined the filly's head. She pulled the horse's lips apart, so she could examine its teeth. No permanent incisors. The filly shook her head free, obviously not liking the unfamiliar sensation. When it tried to turn and trot off, Arundel grabbed it 'round the neck and held fast, keeping her in place. She stroked its face reassuringly, mumbling sweet praises and nonsense. After making a show of stomping its back feet, which were considerably smaller than that of the full grown Semes but still intimidating, she finally settled back into semi-compliant obedience. "Good girl," she crooned, scooping an apple out of one of the shoulder bags and letting the youngster take an eager bite. Quickly she hid it again, while it was chewing the first mouthful. It nuzzled her hands questioningly, looking for more.

She stroked the filly's velvet soft nose, smiling as her lips wiggled against her fingers. Next she moved along the horse's developing body. Down her neck, across her shoulders, along her back and sides, then to her flanks. She felt her young but strong muscles, and the healthy downy soft hair. Everything seemed perfectly in order. She appeared to carry herself well, and was well conformed. Arundel had a good hunch that the filly would make a fine mare. Gently, she patted the little round rump, scratching right at the base of the tail. She swished at a fly, narrowly missing Arundel's face with the whip-like hairs, and she flinched away. Occupational hazard number one would be getting an eye put out by a horse's tail.

She puffed a sigh, moving back to the safe zone at the filly's shoulder. "Let's try not to get me hurt today, ok?" Her fingers scratched gently at the base of one its small ears.

by **Arundel** on September 4th, 2013, 4:52 pm

The filly nosed around at the gear, and Arundel let her. She watched while the youngster rooted and snorted, shoving things around with her velvety muzzle. "Ah, ah!" the Drykas suddenly chastened, as the horse kicked up the yvas bags with her teeth. "No, little one," she said with a smile, carefully prying the leather from its mouth. "That's enough looking around." She laid the bags aside and picked up a neat coil of thick, soft rope. Arundel held it up for the filly to examine, feeling the warm breath and wet nostrils tickle her skin.

After a moment she took one end of the rope and tossed it gently over the horse's dark back. Her flesh twitched and flinched against the sensation, as if it were a pestering fly. When that didn't work, she turned around to bite at it. Arundel stood patiently until she finally settled back down. Her big eyes peered at the Drykas in what looked like accusation, and her ears were pinned back uneasily, an obvious complaint against this foreign sensation.

"I know, it's horrible," she joked, but couldn't help signing an apology and reassurance. When she started to slide the rope down toward the filly's round flanks, Arundel crooned praises and kept a reassuring hand on her body, which intentionally placed the rest of the coil on top of her dark back. For a moment she was afraid a hoof would go flying; the filly stomped once in protest. Thankfully, that seemed to be all it was going to do for now. Before moving on to the legs, Arundel trailed the rope up from its flanks and back toward the shoulders. She looped the material around the Seme's neck and slid it up toward the top of the throat.

When she tried backing away, Arundel slid the rope back to the base of her neck and wrapped a comforting arm around her gangling shoulders. She murmured sweet nonsense and praise, stroking the horse's shoulders, neck, and back until it settled once more. "There's a goo-," she tried to say but suddenly broke off in a restrained gasp when a hoof came down on her toes. Arundel stiffened and bit the inside of her cheek, forcing a whimper back down where it came from. "Let's step away, ok?" she managed, offering a strained smile. Trying not to move erratically, while doing a poor job of ignoring the fact that her toes were slowly being crushed by a small draft horse, she pushed firmly against the Seme's chest. "Back," she ordered, then stared wide-eyed at the sky when more weight shifted onto that foot.

"For the love of the Gods, step back," she grumbled, shoving a tad harder. Finally, the filly stepped back. It was only two paces, but it was enough. Her foot came free and she whimpered with relief, shaking it fiercely but wincing as soon as she did. Arundel signed a relieved thank you to the horse, patting her neck gently. "Good girl," she mumbled with a sign. Occupational hazard number two.

by **Arundel** on October 16th, 2013, 2:55 pm

Arundel backed away from the youngster several yards, frowning as her big toe protested. She stopped and watched the horse speculatively, quickly deciding she wouldn't try to get her used to the yvas today. Maybe just the pad. She didn't want to overdo it, and instead wanted to end on an exemplary note. A short but good session was better than a long and trying one. The filly followed along after a few beats, snuffling at the Drykas' fingers with the hope of a treat. Arundel stroked her face and neck, down the shoulder and across her back to her round croup. Slowly, she ran her hands over the horse's developing stifle and down the gaskin to the hock. She squeezed the joint experimentally, pausing when the filly tried to shake her off.

Calmly, Arundel soothed her with a hand on her dark flank. "Easy there," she murmured encouragingly, patting and stroking until she stilled once more. Starting again at the coup, her hands traveled down to the hock. Instead of squeezing, she gently rubbed the angular bend at the back of the leg. There was no protest this time, so she moved further down. Once past the cannon bone her fingers circled around the pastern just under the fetlock. Arundel gave an experimental squeeze - the same amount of pressure she would if she were about to pick the hoof up off the ground. No reaction again. Still, she stood and patted youngster's side before once more starting over.

When she reached the pastern for the third time, she pulled the hoof up off the ground about a foot. Before the filly had time to protest, she placed it once more flat on the ground. Smiling, Arundel rubbed all over the horse's body. "Good girl," she crooned. She knew her father had worked a little with all of the green horses, so it couldn't be completely unfamiliar with the concept of its feet messed with. Still, it did good. Over the course of the next several chimes she lifted the other three feet for short intervals. The only trouble the filly gave was pulling away her opposite hind away and stomping. After a few more tries though, she settled well enough. They would work more on it at another time.

The two of them ended up back at the pile of tack; Arundel with the yvas pad in her hands. The filly had sniffed it curiously and snorted, but now watched it more or less comfortably. Slowly, she rubbed the pad across the youngster's flanks and over her coup on both sides. Her skin twitched violently in protest, but she stood for it. Without warning, she placed it on the filly's back. It watched her with indifferent eyes. Arundel cocked an eyebrow and stroked her dark neck, murmuring surprised praise. "That all? Not even going to twitch at me?" The horse stood there quietly, swishing its tail at an insect. "Alright then."

It had done good so far, but she didn't want to push it. Less was more, sometimes. At least with colts and fillies, she'd come to think. Just about the time she'd assume the filly would take the yvas just fine, it could explode in a spray of flying hooves and run off. She wasn't going to risk it. So after a few more chimes of taking the pad on and off over and over, she dropped it on the pile of equipment and gave the horse a few apples. "That's all for today." Arundel looked up at the sky, noticing how far the sun had moved. Time had gone gone from a crawl to a sprint. "Gone on," she ordered the filly - who just stood there blinking at her.

Arundel sighed, gently pushing its head away. Still nothing. "Get!" She waved her hands and clucked loudly, stomping a foot into the dirt. The horse tossed her head and squealed in excitement, prancing sideways in the opposite direction. Arundel followed, shooing at her. She bumped her dark butt in the air and twisted, pinning her ears back in a little show before taking off for the herd that grazed in the distance. She smiled as she gathered up their gear, and stayed to watch the other Semes welcome it back. They would probably work together again tomorrow. Her pavilion wasn't far, and she could feel her stomach beginning to churn hungrily. It took her no more than fifteen chimes to make it back home, recount the session to her father, and dig into some delicious venison.