[the menagerie]Horse riders do it better!

[Coren]

87th of summer 511 Coren walked through the emptying marketplace, enjoying the slightly frosty wind on his covered face, his morwen gnosis making sure that he didn't have any discomfort from the cold. Ignoring the many stalls and stores that tried to make a last few miza's this evening before they would close and go home. Just wandering around aimlessly on the market and trying to stretch the time he could stay away from home as long as he could. After some time he noticed that his wandering feet had brought him to the part of the market that the people called the menagerie. He was planning just to turn around and laze around in one of the parks or something till the sun went down when he suddenly saw a small herd of frostmarches walking or standing around in a pen, probably just waiting till they where sold to a new owner by the one who owned the shop. Walking closer to be able to get a better look at the horses, leaning down on the fence. “Can I help you with something?” Coren nearly jumped out of his skin at the friendly voice behind him, and quickly turned around as fast as he could, looking in the dark yellowish eyes of a cheerful vantha. “Hello, my name is Te'ren you looking to buy one of the horses?” Coren took a few moments to get his composure back, before answering. “Not really no, just watching them. I wouldn't have much use if I bought one of them anyway, I can't ride them.”Te'ren looked at him with a bit of shock for a few moments before smiling again. “Well that is to bad, but it shouldn't be to much of a problem for you to learn it.” He got an excited smile on his face. One that gave coren a bad feeling, whenever he saw that smile on a merchant's face he usually was going to be a few miza's lighter when they where done talking “Tell you what, I'm going to have to close down for the day soon anyway, so why don't I give you a lesson in riding for a small fee?” Coren thought over the offer, it would never hurt to try it out and he doubted the man would try to charge a lot for the short lesson. “Well why not? It couldn't hurt.” not to mention it would mean he could stay away from home longer, with an actual excuse! “Lets get started then! Follow me!” He said in a cheery voice as he lead him into the pen, looking over his shoulder at coren. “just wait a second here while I saddle one of the horses and lead it here.” Coren nodded and just leaned back against the fence, keeping an eye on the horses that where looking at the newcomer with curiosity.

[Coren]

Coren didn't have to wait to long before Te'ren came back, guiding an already saddled light grey horse behind him. As he stopped in front of coren he patted the horse affectionately, motioning coren to come closer. “Don't worry about anything, she is one of the nicest and calmest horses I ever worked with, so she would be perfect to start out with.” He said in a cheery tone as he handed the reins to coren. “We will start with learning how to mount and dismount. To mount a horse, you'll want to be on their left side. Always. Grasp the horn in the left hand, along with the reigns I just gave you. This will keep the horse from moving around to much. And grasp the other side of the saddle with your right.”He tapped the part of the saddle he was referring to as horn with his left hand to make sure coren knew what he was talking about. Pausing his explanation for a while, obviously wanting coren to follow along with his explanation. Coren obliged and walked over towards the horse. Keeping an eye on the large animal all the way, even though he was told the horse wasn't hostile at all he still couldn't keep out the stories of riders that where thrown of their horse or worse, got sent to the whitevines after being kicked. Grabbing the horn and saddle tightly enough to let his knuckles whiten from the strain. “Well relax a bit, the horse will feel it if your nervous and you'll make them nervous to. She isn't going to hurt you. Now put your left foot in the stirrups.” Coren shoved his boot deeply into the metal hoop hanging from the saddle, correctly guessing that they probably where the things they where talking about promting another correction from his teacher. “Hey don't stick them in so deep! If you fell off your horse while riding while having your foot so deep into the stirrups your foot could be stuck into it and you could twist your ankle or worse if that happened. You should never put your foot farther in the stirrups as your toe's.” Coren reluctantly nodded at te'ren's correction and awkwardly tried to pull his foot a little further out the stirrup. Te'ren gave a short look at the position and nodded, a smile on his face. “Thats a lot better, now just swing your right leg over the horse, it shouldn't be to hard you just need a short hop!” he said in a gentile but exited voice, hoping to encourage coren. Coren took a deep breath before trying to hop into the saddle and after some awkward struggling even succeeding in getting there, pulling his hand from underneath his leg he looked down to Te'ren a small smile of accomplishment on his face, hidden underneath his mask just like all his expressions. “So now what?” His teacher laughed at his sudden interest. “Well now you put your right foot into the stirrup and we will begin to work on your posture as you are riding.” Coren blinked once at the fact that he actually needed to sit in a specific way but he shrugged it off, it wasn't that much of a surprise. So he just put his right foot into the stirrups taking care not to push it further then his toe's.

[Coren]

Te'ren took a look at how coren was sitting in the saddle before shaking his head. “Well First things first, if you are riding a horse you don't stretch out your leg's completely like you are doing right now.” He stepped a bit closer towards coren and slapped his leg. “When you are riding you should bend your knees, if you draw a line straight down from your knee your toes should come into play. It makes it easier to control your horse later.” Coren followed his instructions, a bit irritated by the fact he found it necessary to slap his leg, but kept his mouth shut and just bend his legs as he was told. “Well that is better, now always sit comfortably against the back of the saddle, there should be some space between you and the horn in front. As far as I am seeing you are sitting fine. So now just don't tense up, horses can feel that and they get antsy and nervous. Which makes the horse harder to controll and in extreme cases can lead to you falling or getting thrown off.” As soon as coren heard those words he gave te'ren a dumbfounded stare. How in morwen's name was he supposed to not tense up when he said that! His teacher quickly realized his mistake though since he almost dirrectly tried to reassure him. “Don't worry to much about that though, Elsa won't throw you off in any circumstance.” He gave the horse an affectionate pat on her side. “She is a calm horse and used to beginning riders.” How sincere those words sounded they didn't really calm coren down much and he awkwardly tried to relax, trying not to think about falling of or getting thrown off.

[Coren]

Coren didn't feel very safe on top of the horse, he felt awkward and he felt as if the horse could begin to buck any moment and throw him off or suddenly began to run away with him on still on her back. Te'ren let out a sigh and held out his hand. “Just grab the horn to keep yourself steady and give me the reigns. I think your still to afraid to start riding the horse by yourself.” Coren let out a relieved sigh as he handed over the reigns and made motion to dismount. Only to be stopped by Te'ren's outstretched hand. “I only said to give me the reigns, not to get off the horse. I'm just going to lead around the horse while you sit in the saddle trying to stay in the posture and calm yourself down.” Coren reluctantly sat back in the saddle and gripped the horn tightly, afraid that he would fall. Te'ren said a gentile word to the horse and gave it a light tug on the reigns. The horse obeying and slowly trotting behind its owner. Coren on the other hand let out a small yelp of fear and clutched to the horn for dear life. “Relax!” Te'ren said in an amused tone. “And keep sitting the way I showed you, its a very secure way of sitting so you won't fall of.” It showed that he was used to teaching people as he wasn't getting irritated at his students fear.

[Coren]

Coren had half a mind to yell at Te'ren that it was easier said to calm down. But found it was probably safer to just try and keep sitting on the horse. Trying to ignore the rather freaky feeling of shifting muscles underneath the horses skin and straightening up as much he could without letting go of the horn. Not thrusting his sense of balance to keep himself from falling of the horses back. Mainwhile, Te'ren just continued to slowly lead the horse around the pen, keeping his both on his new student and the slowly setting sun. He didn't want to let it become to late. The sun slowly continued to set as Te'ren lead his student around on the horse. Who's legs and buttocks slowly began cramping up. “Well lets stop for today.” Te'ren said as he brought the horse to a standstill. “Its getting dark already. But if you want to learn how to stear the horse yourself. You know where to find me.” Coren just grimaced as he clumsily clambered of the horse. Beginning to rub the insides of his thigh's trying to get the cramps away. “Sure I'll remember that. How much do I owe you for this little lesson anyway?” Te'ren quickly named his price and coren deposited the coins in Te'ren's open hand. “Also if you come home, you better put a cloth soaked in warm water on those leg's. It helps against cramps.” He said in a cheery tone before turning around and began leading the horse back towards the stables. While Coren began hobbling his way towards home.

[Cheshire]

Character: Coren Experience: Riding +3 Lore: Learning to Ride a Horse Ledger: -1 GM for the lesson Additional Note: Good solo! PM me with concerns.