Riding

From Mizahar Lore

The skill of Riding is almost a necessity as a swift and efficient means of travel. Riding, the actual act of mounting a horse (or other animal such as a tiger) and getting the animal to safely take a person from one point to another, is an art form that requires a good deal of training. Very different than Horsemanship, which includes the training, breeding, and keeping of horses, the Riding skill encompasses a wide range of abilities that involve using horses for transportation.

History

Civilization developed and advanced upon Mizahar because of the horse. Some say that horses were a gift from Sylir to the people of the world to make their lives easier. Horses allowed advanced farming; suddenly larger crops could be produced than simple subsistence farming via individuals. Swifter travel became possible as people learned to ride horses over long distances. Messages were passed, armies moved around, and trade goods could be transported inland with ease. Thus, knowing how to ride a horse is an important skill - perhaps one of the most important a traveler can have.

Prerequisites and Related Skills

Riding has no prerequisite skills; however, it does go hand in hand with a few other important skills. Both the following skills are related to horses and should be pursued by the serious horseman or woman.

• Horsemanship
• Driving

Skill progression

Novice (1-25)
	At this level, a beginning rider needs to learn a few key points to interacting with horses. First and foremost, they need to learn how to safely place a halter on them, secure them, and then tack them up. Riders need to know the parts of tack, how to safely apply the tack to a horse, and how to safely mount. Novice riders learn how to hold the reins, how to sit properly in the saddle, and how to ask a horse to move forward, backwards, and sideways. They learn the gaits of walk, trot, and are lightly introduced to canter. Riders also learn how to safely dismount and lead a horse. They also learn Emergency dismounts so they can safely get off a horse in a dangerous situation. At this stage, a person also learns how to groom and care for a horse after the ride. This means cooling the animal off, providing food and water, and caring for the tack after it's been used. Only gentle, well-trained animals are suitable for riders at this stage.
Competent (26-50)
	Competent horsemen learn how to gallop, use more body language to control horses, and start performing challenging feats like jumping an animal or wading it through deep waters. At this point, the rider learns to have a better seat, control their balance, and focus more on uniting with their horse. More spirited and frisky animals are suitable for riders at this stage.
Expert (51-75)
	At this level, the rider is more or less united with their mount; they can perform tricks on horseback or execute complex combat maneuvers. They can also do everything they learned at the first two stages at top speed. At this level, the rider can ride difficult or stubborn animals with ease.
Master (76-100)
	At this level, a rider takes riding to a whole new level. They forgo the need for tack, a trained animal, and calm situations. Instead, they can ride as if united with the animal, anticipating its every move and feeling at one with it. Riders at this level can take wild, untrained animals and ride them as if those animals have been ridden all their lives. Strangely enough, horses and other mounts trust these riders, oftentimes letting that trust overwhelm instinct, making them formidable mounts.