PM to join [Windmount Stables] Sprains and Stallions (Ellenwyn)

[Garland]

Summer 42

The season had been harsh, some days were hot as if Syna's light was right next to Syliras, and then other days were filled with storms and rain that seemed like it will never lighten up.

Today, people were having trouble with Sera Mona, she's been a rather eccentric one her entire career in the knights, pitting squires against regular civilians in spars and taking the victor as a squire.

Garland would have joined in with Sera Mona, maybe even challenge her to a spar, he was confident enough to at least hold his own. The knight had been reaching her twilight years, but her skill and experience still trumped most young knights in spars and training.

Today, he needed to learn how to ride. Well he already knew how to ride, but to rider better, to learn how to better control his mount. Before, his mount was a smart one, usually knowing what to do even before Garland could grab the reins.

Not all horses are like that, his horse was special. Tryn was a horse that could trump a Tiaden Warhorse in bravado, but he was very small compared to the Warhorses.

Tryn was a wild mixed breed horse taken a few years back, he was young back then, around 5-6 years old and had enough energy for two other horses. Garland and Tryn had a rocky start, a very rocky start, but Garland was determined to have Tryn.

Now the two were very close, Garland was the only rider Tryn didn't outright try to buck off. Though Tryn still tried to kick Garland off from time to time. This season he'd been neglecting his training on horseback, today he'd decided to dedicate his time on learning how to ride.

The day was rather cool, not too hot, and no heavy dark clouds overhead. Just a large number of white fluffy clouds. Garland was brushing Tryn's coat, he didn't really need to do it, but Tryn seemed to like it.

The track had a few riders on it, but not a lot, and a few horses were grazing here and there. Overall, it was rather peaceful today.

[Ellenwyn]

Ellen was grateful for the break in the weather. It had been an unpleasant summer full of blistering heat interrupted by violent storms, with little relief in between. Today was one of the rare days. A nice wind blew through the breezeway of the stable as she led her mare to their stall. The sound of shod hooves echoing in the barn made the redhead smile; it was music to her ears. Better than any tune a bard could sing. She locked Lady in for a few chimes as she fetched their tack and a grooming supplies.

Upon return she stacked everything carefully in the sawdust and began their pre-ride ritual. The grullo mare always loved to be brushed. She stood quietly as the stiff bristles rasped against her muscular hide. She wasn't very dirty from her time in the pasture but Ellen was thorough nonetheless, more for the horse's own pleasure than any need to actually clean her off. When the dust and loose hairs were gone the redhead switched the brush for a pick.

Starting with Lady's front legs, she ran her hand from shoulder to fetlock. The mare lifted her foot and Ellen braced it on her leg, quickly scraping out a flat disk of mud before placing the hoof back on the floor. Her other three feet were relatively free of pasture debris and they moved on to tack when the dirt was dug loose.

Blanket first, then saddle. She secured the girth just tight enough to hold everything in place, then switched the mare's halter for her bridle. Lady licked the bit, moving it around in her mouth and bumping it against her teeth until it finally settled on her tongue. A bad habit. All Ellen could do was shake her head and push the door open. Horse followed rider out of the old box stall and back down the aisle.

The sun warmed her freckled cheeks as they stepped out of the shadow of the barn. Pausing for a moment, Ellen turned to tighten her saddle's girth before making the short walk to the arena. Lady grunted as the cinch tightened, eyeballing her the way that only a mare could.

"You don't scare me," the redhead retorted, sticking out her chin. The horse snorted in her face and Ellen flinched; not out of fear but to dodge the spray of snot. "You know, sometimes I wonder why I ever decided to call you Lady." Big brown eyes looked down at her - maybe a little too innocently - but who could really tell? The mare was otherwise silent as usual. "I'm on to you..."

[Garland]

Tryn nickered and shook his head, whipping his mane back and forth, hitting Garland in the face a few times.

Garland was taken aback by Tryn's sudden mane whipping and bummed into someone that was right next to him. A person that was taking care of a mare, very much the same way Garland was brushing Tryn, though she was much more thorough.

He admired the mare, she was a strong one by the looks of it, and she a certain air that most stable-bred horses didn't have, like she was cared for, and trusts her owner very much, she was loved and taken care of.

Not to say the horses in the stables were not taken care of, but they weren't exactly loved, they were to be used for the knights, beasts of burden or sold.

He looked the horse up and down, and said. "Aren't you beautiful." He hadn't really noticed the person he bumped into and he did just blurt out a compliment. It wouldn't be strange if the person in front of him takes the compliment directed to the horse.

Tryn nickered and started stomping on the ground. He seemed agitated, Garland guessed he wanted to go riding. Tryn was also a very jealous horse, when Garland started admiring the mare, Tryn started nudging Garland, pushing him forward and brushing up against the person he bumped into.

"Oh, sorry. My horse started nudging me." Garland smiled and turned towards Tryn. He started petting and rubbing Tryn, much to Tryn's annoyance. The black stallion just wanted to run.

Garland climbed up on to Tryn and looked back to the mare. He wouldn't mind racing against her.

[Ellenwyn]

A great weight suddenly hit her in the back and sent the redhead face-first into the mare's shoulder. The horse hardly budged, for Ellen was of such meek size that she might as well have been a horsefly. Rubbing her smarting nose, she turned to snap at whomever had tripped on her, ready with a particularly smart and sassy comment, but was struck silent by the bold compliment. The stranger had some nerve! Blue eyes glared up at him; though he wasn't particularly tall, most anyone was at least a head higher than she. Her cheeks were flushed, and though that was because of her sore nose, he could just as easily mistake it as a reaction to his comment as she had, assuming it was directed at her in the first place.

"You have some ne-!" she started to quip, but was cut off when he bumped her again, seeming to stumble out of nowhere though it was his horse that had tripped him. With an offhand apology the young man climbed atop his dark steed and began walking off, simple as that. "Wait just a tick!" Lady, who never liked men, had her ears pinned back and tried to turn and kick as they rode away, but Ellen spun her around to distract her. Drawing the mare's attention away, she slid her left foot in the stirrup and jumped up into the saddle.

With a firm, quick bump of the redhead's heels, Lady jumped into a canter. They caught up to the stranger within just a few strides, and with a frustrated but mindful tug of the reins, swiftly cut off his horse. Her grullo mare twisted and stopped so suddenly that Ellen almost fell into her neck. She grabbed the mane in front of her with both hands to stop and steady herself, face pinched into a scowl. Lady tossed her head and flicked her tail, looking very sassy herself.

"Are you always this rude?" Sure, he apologized, but the redhead was more than annoyed and wanted to give him her two mizas. "You know, where I'm from there is a process for talking to a lady, and the men wouldn't dare behave like anything but utmost gentlemen. You could learn a thing or two about getting a woman's attention, and it doesn't involve knocking her over." Her face was quite pink now, both from frustration and her long-winded rant, though not nearly as bright as her tousled hair. Feeling that she'd made her point, Ellen took a page out of the stranger's book. Spinning Lady around, she nudged the mare with her heels and trotted away, toward the open arenas.

A bystander opened the gate for them as they rode up and she mumbled a quick thanks but was otherwise lost in thought, flustered by a lack of etiquette that seemed to be the norm nowadays.

[Garland]

Garland's initial reaction was that of surprise, he wasn't a chivalrous squire, but he did try to be respectful to anyone he comes across, at the very least, friendly. For the person he appologized to suddenly just rant at him for no reason was strange to put it lightly.

He just looked confused as she vented at him. Tryn was annoyed, very annoyed, he just wanted to run, he'd been cooped up in the stables too long and hated seeing the free field and the horses running around and him not being able to join.

Though to be fair, he did try to escape several times, he just enjoyed the chase, despite confinement in Syliras, at least here he was safe, had food, a warm place to sleep, he wasn't going to leave it.

Besides, he'll probably die within a few days if he ever decided to leave, it's not like he had a herd to go back to. So Tryn had to obey from time to time, and if his rider wanted to talk to someone, he'd have to obliged.

Garland just stared as the woman walked away. For one thing she had just ranted and berated a squire, he was wearing full armor, and he was very indistinguishable from a regular knight, and he was stunned, and impressed.

He waited a few ticks, processing what just happened. When she reached the gate, he shook out of his stupor and spurred Tryn towards the gate. "H-Hey! Wait up. I... Uhh..." He choked on his words a bit. He was embarrassed for what he did, even though he didn't exactly know what know what he did wrong.

"I'm sorry for... What exactly did I do?" He was just confused and intrigued by the girl. Tryn on the other hand(or hoof rather) just wanted to run, and after his blunder a few winters back against a much slower horse, he didn't really plan on losing anything. Ever. And he was itching for a run, eyeing up the mare, hoping for a race.

[Samuel Longwell]

Grading Complete Please edit your grade request thread so that it's obvious that it's been graded. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions/problems with your grade. Name: Garland XP Award: Horsemanship 1 Riding: Horse 1 Planning 1 Lore: Tryn: Size isn't everything Tryn: Loves to run. Notes: Ellen, grades withheld due to CS issues. I wish I could give you more XP for this thread Garland, but not much happened. If you spot something that I've missed feel free to let me know though! Enjoy your grades.