Ride, Drykas! Ride! [Closed]

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

8th Winter, 510 A.V. "I don't care if you know how to ride," Sama'el said. "You're here to learn, so do what I do. A well-trained Strider is one thing, but we're the horseclans, and we have to be able to train a horse from the beginning, know all the basics... otherwise you have no foundation." Again, he fitted the halter over Horse's head, then tied the lead to the ring at the bottom of his halter. Sama'el wasn't rich enough for finer trappings, but hopefully within the year, he would be able to afford metal clips and all. Not that he really needed it for Dohaina or Horse, but he did hope to have a herd at some point. "On the left," he reminded one young girl with a determined look on her face. She was the daughter of a Watchman who was determined to follow in her father's footsteps. He stood to the left of Horse's head, let his right hand slide about eight inches down the lead rope and began to walk Horse, who seemed bemused by all this. Perhaps he did remember his previous training before Sama'el broke down all the bad habits and raised him right. "Walk," he said, leading a bit with his hand, not tugging or pulling. With his left hand securing the end of the lead rope, careful that no loops went around his entire hand, a maiming waiting to happen, he took Horse for a walk, staying near his shoulder. "Good, Layla," he called. "Now see, this is why we're starting from the basics, Cal. If you spook that horse, it's going to take your hand off and it won't be my fault. Tap him on top of his croup and ask nicely. Getting angry will only upset him." After leading Horse around for a bit, he said, "Stop," and Horse, of course, stopped beside him without angling out or trying to face away. Some of his students were not so lucky, but they all knew that was wrong. Most of them knew how to fix it, too, and since they did, Sama'el saw no reason to belabor the fact that they still made mistakes. "All right, once more. This time with feeling and a bit more speed." He let out a bit more of the lead rope and put some pressure on it. "Trot." Horse did so, and after a bit of maneuvering, so did his students. After a minute, he shortened the lead a bit, "Walk," and Horse did so. The students seemed to be getting the hang of it, both the novices and those seeking to perfect their foundations in order to be great riders. "Stop." Once they were all motionless, and this time they didn't have as many skewed stops, Sama'el turned to face Horse, slowly advancing. The Windrunner stallion, nonplussed, obligingly stepped backward. "Freeze," he ordered suddenly, and Horse did so. Sama'el let drop the lead and rushed over to Layla, putting his hand on her horse's shoulder, soothing it with voice and the stroke of his hand before its restive dancing became rearing and possibly kicking the girl in the head. After a few moments, it did calm, tracking Sama'el with its ears and eyes, and he came around to face it, resting his forehead against its forehead, petting under its jaw. "That's right, that's right. Good girl." He glanced over. "Layla, pick up the lead. She's all right now." The girl scrambled to do so, mumbling an embarrassed thanks. "All right," he said, acknowledging her thanks without making her feel worse. "Now, let's lead from the off side."

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

They had each stamped a metal spike deep into the turf, every spike topped with an iron ring. These were used to tie off horses that weren't trained not to wander. They weren't perfect, but they would do since they were outside the bounds of Endrykas just then. Horse, of course, stood at attention near his without needing to be tied up. Sama'el walked among the youngsters and inexperienced riders as they secured their rings, watching and speaking. "I don't want to see any of you tying a horse solid. Even I would be hesitant to do so, and leave it up to the Amethyst clans to know when that's appropriate. If the horse gets spooked and can't get loose, they can break their necks in their fear. That isn't so common with Striders, but Striders aren't the only horses in our herds, and horses are our livelihood. Not to mention how much they are worth economically. So no tying solid or I get fingers itching for my sword, got it? "Now, these aren't ideal. Ideally we tie them off at chest height so there's no fear of them breaking a leg, but this is just practice and we don't have a rail. We do not tie horses off to anything that isn't securely anchored, and we don't tie them off to the bridle, reins, or bit if you're using those. Teeth and mouth damage, you know? "All right," he said, returning to Horse. "Watch me, then you do it." He took Horse's lead rope, slid his hand down from the ring at the bottom of his halter and crouched down to tie it off to the ring. It was a simple, but effective knot, and his students rushed off to copy him. After checking their work, offering advice here and there, he returned to the Windrunner stallion who was practically shivering with anticipation, which made Sama'el chuckle and pat him affectionately on the shoulder. "You're psychic, old brother," he said, and pulled out his grooming tools. "Grooming and general horsemanship are as important as riding," he called out. "A healthy horse can carry you. A sick or injured horse cannot. Their health and wellbeing are your responsibility." He talked them through the grooming process, kneeling down to clean out Horse's hooves. He slid his hand down his left foreleg, squeezing the back of the leg along the tendons and saying "up," which Horse recognized, needing no second request. He pried out the dirt with the hoof pick, checking the frog and sole, and then checking for signs of injury, thrush, grease heel or anything else, which no horse of his would have. He was far too obsessive. Next he swept the curry comb around in wide circular motions, eliciting noises of pleasure from the lazy stallion, and checked for skin lesions or wounds. Then the combing of the mane and tail, starting first in sections, and then completely. He stood to the side while combing his tail. Every once in a while, Horse thought it would be funny to kick. He was mostly broken of the habit, but it wouldn't do to be caught unawares in front of young people who wanted to learn from him. He took a body brush to Horse, whisking away the dirt brought up by the curry comb, and checked his legs, knees, and pasterns. It was more than just going through the motions. He had relied on Horse for two years, and so Horse's health was paramount, even more important than his own. It was a hard habit to break. The finer bristles of the finishing brush came next, finally something delicate enough for Horse's face, and then going over his body until his silver flanks gleamed almost as glossily as metal. Then with a damp rag he cleaned about Horse's face, around the eyes and muzzle, in the ears. There weren't many seedpods in the winter, but there was still dirt. Then he wiped around the dock and tail head, beginning the finishing touches. Next he knelt down again and rubbed ointment into Horse's hooves, then applied a few drops of liquid to his withers and croup to keep the flies away. It was something he could throw together himself, but now he had Dymphna and Denen to do it better. "All right," he said, cleaning his hands and surveying the small herd of healthy and happy horses. "Now I suppose we can get their yvas on them."

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

"Now for you beginners," he said, even though most weren't, but they were starting from the beginning, "we should have them safety tied before saddling and mounting. But we did that. They should also be groomed such that their hair lies flat and there's no dirt or other stuff to chafe under the saddle or yvas. Be sure to check for signs of chafing or saddle sores, because we get dirty out in the Sea of Grass, don't we?" He grinned and some of his students smiled back or even laughed. Sama'el quickly saddled Horse, though his movements were clear and precise for those who were smart enough to watch. He placed the saddle slightly forward of where it would sit so he could ease it back as he cinched it into place. Those who were still riding breeds other than Striders paid better attention than those with Striders, who seemed to think they and their mounts were invincible. Sama'el didn't have the heart to break them of that notion, not when he had lost Hasieran when he was a mere seven years old. But he watched those with Striders put their yvas on and was even more stringent with them. Striders were even more special than the average horse. "Mount up," he called. "From the left, Layla! You can mount from the right if you're in a hurry, but horses respond better to a routine and left is the standard." When they were all in their respective saddles or yvas, Sama'el nodded, got a bit of a running head start and vaulted onto Horse's back. The Windrunner was not so calm about it as Dohaina, but practice made perfect, and that was how a horseman built up his relationship with a horse. But Sama'el was now suspended on his hands over the saddle, doing a little acrobatic trick to delight his students, who would listen to him all the more if they saw him doing such things, he had found. He swung his legs up over his head, then released one hand so all of his weight was on his left hand on the saddle where his weight would best be evenly distributed, and then he swung down, legs splitting to avoid Horse's head, and he eased himself down into the saddle. There were some cheers and some good-natured catcalls that he was showing off, and so he was, but that was Sama'el earning the respect of a group mostly made up of younglings. "All right, now who's ready to ride?" The chorus of approbation was unanimous.

[Mycroft]

- Sama'el -
"Mount up! ...From the left, Layla!"

Experience:
Teaching: +4
Horsemanship: +4
Riding: +3
Acrobatics: +2
Animal Husbandry: +2

Lores:
Extreme Showoff
Teaching Children Riding and General Horsemanship
Dealing with Novice Riders
Making Horse Happy
Cheered On

Notes: I always feel like I'm showering you in skill points, but honestly you are always putting like five different skills into every post. What makes it even better is that your posts always have depth and character - they aren't just about training. Still, I think you're one of the most diligent about working toward your skills than in all of Endrykas, maybe all of Mizahar.