Completed [Windmount Stables] What long teeth you have! (Viper)

[Edreina]

"I rode an orca once..." The redhead offered, cocking her head to the side. What sort of riding did he do? And... was it more akin to what her own people did? "That basically means that I climbed on behind its dorsal and held on for dear life." There was a quick chuckle, that of a woman remembering the foolish ways of her youth. "Hopefully your method offers a bit more... control?" With a grin, Edreina walked over to the wooden gate of the corral and opened it with her free hand, ushering the Drykas, and his horse if so he chose, into the corral. The moment the man entered the corral, Jorven stepped forward, snuffling at the man for something to eat. When none was found, he turned, dragging Edreina long with him, and went looking for a patch of grass. The woman's first instinct was to yank on the horse's lead rope like she would grab a dolphin's fin to get his attention. But, he would probably not take well to that, and despite the trust they had begun to develop for one another, Edreina still feared his lashing hooves. Instead, all that left the redhead's lips was an indignant Hey!" as she was pulled about the corral. "I could really use your help, mister horse-master!" For a rather placid horse, he knew how to get what he wanted when he wanted it. Despite how Edreina dug in her heels, he continued to pull her along until he found a patch of grass growing out of a wall. When finally he did stop, she walked over to his side and stared, utterly flabbergasted. A few ticks ago he had been staring off into the distance, and then he suddenly decided he was hungry. Were all horses this... Random? Edreina had to suppress a smile as the horse continued remind her of herself. Good thing he has been gelded... "Alright... how do I get him to not do... that" she motioned to the heedless horse with his nose buried in a tuft of green. The entire scene bordered upon the edge of comedy, a woman so used to being able to work in harmony with the creatures of the sea was suddenly flustered to the point of pinking lightly across her cheeks as this land-beast bossed her around.

[Viper]

Viper sort of stood there confused as she gave her previous riding experience. "An...orca? Forgive me...what's an Orca...? Oh wait!" Realization suddenly dawning on him what sort of people she had come from. "An orca is a what...basically a large fish? And a dorsal is aaaaa...fin of some kind? Sorry, I'm afraid I'm a bit lost at sea when it comes to most things nautical." He gave a hearty chuckle before waving his questions off and continuing with his initial suggestion.

"But anyway, if my initial hunch about you is correct, you prefer riding in a rather free form with as few restraints keeping you in place correct? If that be the case, mystyle of riding with a Yvas is definitely what you want to look into. But I will say this. Riding with a Yavas is much more of a challenge than a normal saddle, as you don't have as many items to compensate for mistakes or lack of skill. But, if---" His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden actions of Jorven which caused him to stop speaking so as to watch how the interaction went.

When it finished and Edreina had inquired how to get him to stop being so bossy, he shook his head and laughed. He spoke as he entered the corral, but noticeably closed the door so as not to let Aeyan in. "Well I suppose riding style can wait a bit. It seems our first topic for discussion has been chosen by Jorven himself." He said with a smirk, gesturing toward her new horse. "Pecking order. Presently, Jorven has moved you to a lower level in that order and exerted his dominance over you. But don't worry! It's not as bad as it sounds."

Finally closing the gap to Jorven, Viper moved to walk around behind him. As he did so, he placed a hand softly on the back end of Jorven and let his hand slide across his fur as Viper came around the other side. If Edreina follows him without doing the same, he will stop her. But otherwise, doesn't give comment on why he is doing that. "I personally like to keep an almost equal importance level between Aeyan and myself. He is one of my good friends after all. But at the same point, I make sure he realizes I am still in charge. And while being a tyrant over your horse will get him to obey your commands. It tends to make the horse mean. So I will give Aeyan liberties at times, but again. I'm still the boss. If you don't remember anything else I tell you today, remember this. Horses are herd animals. They will always test the limits to try and increase their own standing within the pecking order. They will do so every day! So every day, you must make sure you show Jorven that it is you who are in charge not him. So if Jorven suddenly decides to not listen to you. He hasn't suddenly become stupid, or injured. He is most likely just testing his limits to see if you still deserve to be at the top of the chain."

Viper smiled as he reached out for the reins. He gave a light tug on the reins, but Joreven did not respond. Merely continued to gorge himself on the tuft of grass. A smirk tugged at the corner of Vipers mouth. But the expression was soon banished as he dawned a serious expression. He tried again, and made a clicking sound tugging a bit harder on the reins. This time Jorven responded to the prodding command, raising his head from his meal and looking Viper in the eye. Viper smiled widely, and stroked his neck softly. "Good boy Jorven! Good boy!"

Turning back to Edreina, he held out the reins to her. Before she could grab them, Jorven, had already begun to lower his head down again to resume eating. "Here. You try. Remember. You are the boss. Not him. Be gentle, but firm. And when he listens. Be sure to praise him with a good boy. It's easier to catch flies with honey than it is vinegar, or so they say. Such is the same with horses. If you praise him for when he responds positively, and do so consistently. He will eventually want to obey, because he likes the praise." Again, he offered her the reins.

[Edreina]

With a sigh, Edreina took the leadrope from Viper and attempted to get Jorven to follow her, tacking a step back, clicking her tongue as the Drykas had. When the horse made nary an effort to follow his mistress's command, Edreina repeated, tugging just a bit harder this time. Finally, realization must have dawned in his dull blue eyes for he lifted his head from the grass, looking at her for an instant before stepping forward. This time, when the Svefra took a step back, he followed. Such a little victory somehow made Edreina's heart swell. Perhaps she could do this. After a tick, she stepped forward and scratched behind his ear, cooing that he was a good boy. At this, the gelding lifted his head fully and nosed at her cheek affectionately. "Will you follow me now, please?" she asked quietly, eyes insistent. Without waiting for a response - because that would silly - she turned and started to walk forward. When she heard the gentle clunk-a-thunk of a horse following her, her eyes danced with merriment. After a few steps, Jorven came up at her side, walking in step with her for a few paces until they came back around towards the grass, at which point he attempted to lower his head and commence stuffing himself on a meager patch once again. But, Edreina was ready for it this time. When he started to slow and lower his head, she moved the leadrope to her free hand and used the hand closest to the silver-speckled gelding to grab the leadrope just under his chin. As he started to rebel, she pulled at him gently with a gentle reproach of "Ah ah!" It took him a tick, but finally the horse resigned himself with snacking later and caught up to the fire-maned woman, catching the end of her hair between his fleshy lips as a child would make a face at their parent when told not to do something. When finally he was plodding along at her side again, she smiled and rubbed his cheek, praising him softly once again. "And now what?" The Svefra asked the Drykas, continuing her leisurely laps about the corral. Maybe, just maybe, she would become a fine horsewoman after all.

[Viper]

"What now?" He said raising an eyebrow. "Well, since you seem to have established the proper pecking order with Jorven so quickly. Perhaps now we can decide which riding style would best suit you. As I was sayin' before. A normal saddle is easy to learn for a novice rider. But while being easier for you, if you ever got separated from Jorven, the saddle could pose a threat to him as he could get tangled up in the tack."

At this point he strolled back over to the fence line to give Edreina more space to continue her exercises with her new mount. "A Yvas is admittedly more of a challenge to a beginner. However, in my opinion. It creates a better rider as you have to learn balance much more than you would a traditional saddle." A small smirk flashed across his features for a moment as he recalled what riding experience she had mentioned before. "I'd imagine it to be somewhat similar to how you enjoy riding orcas...was it? Though much safer as you do have the Yvas to hold on to." The thought of her holding on for dear life while riding an overgrown fish, caused him to laugh a bit.

"Not to mention if you get separated from him, it's designed so he can slip out of it and not get tangled in anything. Plus, on a fun scale, it allows for better acrobatic feats if your interests eventually lead toward that direction." His mind drifted for but a moment at some of the crazy things, he and his friends had done when they were younger. Snapping out of the momentary lapse into memory lane, he smiled warmly as he eyed the fiery woman.

"So! What'll it be darlin'? The traditional saddle which is easier if somewhat more restrictive? Or the Yvas which is a bit more difficult, but allows much more freedom of movement" He crossed his arms across his chest as he wondered if he would actually have a student to teach the ways of the Drykas too...and to a Svefra in Syliras of all things.

[Edreina]

For several long, silent ticks, Edreina thought upon Viper's offer. Part of her was leaning towards this Yvas of which he spoke. It sounded as if it would prove to be a better riding experience once she got good at it, but how long would that take? And... would it be comfortable enough to keep her from going insane on the long journey lain out before her? A molded saddle, though more restrictive a riding experience, was probably what she needed to start with at the very least. And it was probably more comfortable over all. Right? Hm. Well she could not exactly trust Viper's opinion for he was obviously biased; nor Serena's for the same reason. Apparently she would have to decide which type she preferred as an individual and learn to work from there. Right now, however- "Well, since we currently have neither, perhaps you should show me just how to sit on Jorven bare-backed? That's what it is called, aye? Bare-backed?" She shrugged lightly, petting him on the nose. "At least that way I can learn how to mount up and hold myself up?" Without waiting for a response, she walked over to the wall and tied Jorven to a metal loop near the gate. But, after that, the redhead had to blush. How did one even get on one of these things? Jump? Smiling sheepishly, she turned to the Drykas once again. "Well? Are ya gonna help me out or..." If he chose to help her up, she would remember how he did it for future reference. If not, she would commence attempting to clamber onto the mild horse's back. Either way, she would end up with her legs wrapped as far around his barrel as she could and his arms around his neck. How else was one supposed to ride bareback? It would be... comical to say the least. "Now what?" Would be her intonation, blue eyes wide with fear despite the fact that Jorven was still standing quite placidly.

[Viper]

His traditional smile graced his features as he nodded to her response. "Very well. And aye, it's called riding bareback." He said with a squelched laugh. Clearing his throat he continued. "Besides, riding bareback, is very similar to riding with a Yvas. The Yvas, just gives you hand hold to get a better grip and balance while riding."

He turned toward Aeyan and the equipment he still had draped over the fence as he contemplated at least putting a blanket over Jorvin's back to give a little padding... Course, with no saddle or Yvas to keep it in place, it would just slide off and get in the way. Turning back to Edreina, his mouth dropped opened in a barely contained look of shock and laughter. Before he had realized it she had somehow managed to climb her way up and appeared to be hanging on the poor creature for dear life. The combination of her frightened look and Jorvin's completely docile look, so contrasted one another he couldn't help but finally burst out laughing.

"Ok....I uh...I can see this is going to take a bit of work." He snickered again as he approached the two. "Ahem, first of all darlin'. Jorvan ain't a fish. So you needn't bear hug the poor guy. That's what the reigns are for...Well and the Yvas. But we won't worry about that." He finally managed to compose himself, as he didn't want to be discouraging. But still the site was pretty dang funny. Turning his gaze away from her, he looked at her hands. Gently, he gripped one in his and pulled them apart, directing her to sit up straight. When she would finally comply, he would hand her the reins.

"Now I hope you don't find this too discomforting, but judging by the look in your eyes. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say you're just a little nervous. So because of that, and the fact that you don't have a saddle or yvas for support, I'm going to ride with you." Before she could offer any word of protest, he gripped Jorvin's mane gingerly and jumped up. Swinging his leg around behind him and moved into a position just behind Edreina. He then brought his arms around her and gripped the reins where she held them. "And don't get any funny ideas. You ain't gettin' me that easy." He joked playfully as he once again cleared his throat to continue instruction.

"Alrighty. First, we're going to go over a few basics in proper posture and leg placement. When riding bareback, you want to sit a little further up on the horse's shoulders than you would with a Yvas or a saddle. It'll give you better control and be more comfortable for both you and Jorvin here. Where you are at now is actually perfect. Now as for your leg placement..." He moved his legs directly behind hers so as to guide them. When they were properly situated, he lifted his feet upward so his toes were no longer facing downward. And thus her feet were doing the same.

"While riding, you always want to act as if the stirrups are still there. If you lower your feet down, it will usually cause you to kick the horse in the side more when all you'll be trying to do is grip the horse for balance. And since that is the command to go faster, you'll wind up in trouble pretty quick. So I want you to get in the habit of keeping your feet up when riding like this." When he was satisfied she understood what he meant, he pulled his legs back just a bit, so they weren't so formed against hers.

"Now that you know proper sitting position, as well and leg and foot placement. I'll teach ya a bit about balancing yourself. If you find yourself beginning to lean to the side, don't jerk the reins to the side. It'll only hurt Jorvin and not help you at all. What you want to do is use your upper legs and back." Releasing the reins, he dropped his hands to her upper legs and calves. Gesturing which muscles to use to help her correct balancing issues. When she indicated she understood, he then pushed her shoulder gently to the side to get her instincts to kick in and practice correcting her balance.

In the back of his mind, he hoped she didn't think he was trying to pull a fast one or anything. He really was just trying to teach her more effectively. Still, if it wasn't for him trying to maintain a more professional demeanour, a smirk may have broken out on his face ever so slightly. Returning his mind back to the lesson, he finally asked,"So do you think you got it and want to move on? Or do you still have questions"?

[Edreina]

The instant Viper leapt up onto the horse with her, the Svefra stilled. For an insane instant, she was seized by the fear of him riding off with her as those others had done. But, eventually she relaxed, remembering that a) they were in a walled city and b) Viper was... different. For some reason, his assertion that she was not "getting him that easy" ignited a gentle blush that swarmed across Edreina's cheeks before disappearing in her hair. She was, after all, only a woman; the Drykas behind her was handsome in an all-Mizaharian sort of way with his strong jaw, sun-lightened hair, and lean body, stripped of fat by years upon a horse's rocking back. Focus... As he began to adjust her, Edreina made careful note of her position, just behind the gelding's shoulders, legs about his barrel, knees pressed tight against his ribs. It felt odd being manipulated in such a way, made the scatter-brained-woman wonder if that was what life was like as a puppet. Her next thought was the formation of a question as to why she had to hold her feet in such an odd way. Of course, the instant after she thought it and her lips started to curve around the words, Viper provided her with an answer. Perhaps her question had been that obvious. The next part, balance, caused Edreina's lips to quirk in a odd sort of smirk. Should she let him know that she has to balance herself nearly constantly in her own home? As he motioned to the muscles she would need to use, the Svefra realized they were much the same as she would need to use whilst sitting on her deck. Experimentally, she tilted her hips from side to side, attempting to keep her arms as still as she could. It felt incredibly odd, but manageable. "Gotcha," the redhead said, flicking a quick grin over her shoulder. That grin turned into a look of surprise as she felt herself tilting over towards the side. Instantly, her legs tightened on the horse - more out of fear of falling than anything - and her hips swiveled in order to correct herself. It was mildly surprising for Edreina to find herself capable of even approaching a horse, let alone sitting on one. Smiling gently, Edreina leaned forward to pat him on the side of the neck, murmuring that he was a good, beautiful boy. His ears flicked backwards as she spoke, causing her to cock her head to the side. "What does it mean when he does that?" The Svefra asked almost warily, eyes narrowed as she noted the new behavior. "Well... You're the horse man. If you think I'm ready to move on..." she chewed on her lower lip for a tick, contemplating the words she was yet to say. "Ah... Let's do it!" She attempted to sound eager; when not knowing what came next, she could not help but harbor a hint of apprehension.

[Viper]

A soft grin tugged at the corners of his mouth as he watched her practice what he was trying to teach her. She seemed to pick this up fairly easily. He half wondered if having spent most of her life learning to balance herself while out on the rolling ocean had made this somewhat a natural activity to ease into. The grin she gave him only accentuated his friendly expression as he locked his eyes with hers for but a moment.

His gaze drifted downward however, to her form as she began to lean a bit far to the side. Fortunately, her natural instincts kicked in before she fell. The only thing she might have felt was a gentle hand at her side ensuring she wouldn't fall while he was there with her. Though it quickly disappeared when Viper realized she had caught herself just fine.

When she inquired about an action Jorvin had just done, he looked forward and saw his ears. "Ah. Remember that whole pecking order thing? Well, Jorvin is both getting used to your voice, but also listening for a command. So congrats on establishing your proper place so quickly with your steed." He said proudly of her. If all students did as well she, he wondered why teachers would ever complain. But then he continued to ponder. She may just be the exception...still lucky me, he thought to himself with a smirk.

"Well don't you sound so eager! Is it actual excitement in your voice I wonder..." His tone shifted a bit to be more mischievous. Leaning in just a little bit closer to her ear, he said in almost a daring whisper."...or nothing but a facade?" His arms moved back around her as he went to retake the reins. His hands settled slightly on hers as he finished his question. When he was finished, if she were to look back, he'd give the slightest of winks before raising up his own feet and gently kicking Jorven's sides to get him to move.

"H'yaw." He said firmly in that same moment, thus giving Jorven no confusion as to what Viper wanted him to do. A tick later, Jorvin began to trot along in the pen slowly. Viper allowed a brief span of time to pass to allow Edreina a chance to get her bearings. Jorven was heading to the fence line as Viper pulled the reins to the left, thus "steering" them all away from a collision. He had taken her hand in his when he went for the reigns so her movements would follow his and she could learn by doing rather than just seeing what he was doing.

A couple passes around the pen and he pulled back on the reigns, bringing them to a stop. "Whoa Jorven...! Good boy! Good boy, Jorven!" He said encouragingly. "Now then. It's your turn to do that again. To get Jorven to start walking, you used your feet this time and nudge his sides. The harder you do this the faster Jorven will believe you wish to go. To turn, you simply pull the reins to the right or left depending on which direction you wish to go. To stop, you pull back on the reins. Just remember. If you are having trouble keeping your balance, don't pull on the reins to do so. It will only confuse your horse and get you both in trouble. Balance is shifting your body weight using your hips, thighs, and calves." He said firmly gesturing to each. Turning and stopping is the reins, and the command to go forward is the use of your feet. Stop and go is usually done in conjunction with a verbal command. Got it?"

As he finished speaking, he released the reins to her full control. Though he was preparing to grab onto her for dear life IF she so happened to get Jorvin to bolt instead of slowly trot. "He's all yours darlin'. And don't worry. I'm here if you need me. But you'll do fine!" He tried to portray his tone so that she would see he really did have confidence in her abilities. For even though she wasn't really skilled yet, confidence can go a long way in helping someone get there much more quickly. Now to see what would happen...

[Edreina]

Riding was far less terrifying than Edreina had anticipated, actually. There was a rhythm to the horse's steps that was familiar to the Svefra. Despite the oddness of having a man behind her, and the situation in general, the redhead was actually enjoying herself. There was something freeing about lying over the earth that had long vexed her as Jorven took quick steps, hovering in the air for a tick before landing once again. It was almost as if the heavy creature wanted to fly... a sentiment shared with the whales and dolphins Edreina knew so well as they tossed their sleek bodies from the surf into the air. As Viper pulled the beast to a stop, Edreina made careful mental notes of how he did it, making sure that she remembered in case something when wrong and she had to remember it later on. Oh, so she was supposed to use her voice too? Hm... Edreina wondered silently if Jorven would respond to Fratavan commands, knowing that those would likely slip from her lips in a desperate situation. The Svefra decided that she would slowly start to teach her words to Jorven so that he would get used to it. "He's all yours darlin'. And don't worry. I'm here if you need me. But you'll do fine!" The smile that tugged at Edreina's full lips was the spawn of nervousness, the mate of a intense lack of surety. But, after adjusting her seat lightly, Edreina flicked the reins with her wrists and clicked her tongue as Viper had. As an afterthought, she remembered to tap the gelding's ribs with her heels. After a tick, the horse started off at a slow amble, moving in such a way that Edreina's hips were in a constant, slow motion beneath her. As they came close to the fence, Edreina pulled her arm out to the side so that the bit tugged at the horse's lips, causing him to turn his head. Wherever the head went the body would follow. "Like this?" Edreina asked quietly, as if speaking at a normal level would send Jorven on a rampage. Her hands were a white-knuckled deathgrip on the reins as she guided him ever so carefully. The woman was an odd mixture of excitement as she managed to control the beast and terror at the realization that she was riding a horse. Dear gods. Next thing you know, she would be trekking across the continent. Oh wait... At one point, she panicked a bit and adjusted Jorven's head to far to the side, causing him to whinny in annoyance, turning so quickly that Edreina had to squeeze her knees tightly to keep from losing her balance. Instead of yanking on the reins, Edreina grabbed hold of the rear of Jorven's mane instead. Why grab a rope when you could grab the ship as it tilted under you?"Uh... Whoops..." A blush spread across Edreina cheeks as she peeked back at the Drykas, expecting a reprimand.

[Viper]

Viper rode along with Edreina, watching her movements closely to make sure she didn't over do anything. Fortunately though, she did very well. He did notice she was a bit tense. But then, that was to be expected from a beginner. So he didn't worry about it too much. Of what he could see from his vantage point, she seemed to sit Jorven nicely, swaying with his motions correctly.

When she inquired of how she was doing he chuckled lightly. "Yes, just like that. You're doing f—-" Apparently, the lapse in concentration caused her to hesitate...then panic. In a bid to keep them on course, she overcompensated with the reins. Causing Jorven to whinny unhappily and jerk his head to the side shifting course abruptly.

The sudden change in direction took Viper by surprise as he too let his concentration on the situation slip for but a moment to answer her question. His legs instinctively clung to Jorven. But to ensure Edreina stayed up on the horse, he had to use what leverage he could manage, to assist her, leavinh him unable to keep his own. The result. Viper less than gracefully "dismounted". Upon hitting the floor he staggered away from the duo in a last ditch effort to keep from face planting.

"Fortunately", the fence they had avoided stopped his fall. With a bit of a grunt, he quickly stood straight up, ignoring the growing pain his head now screamed about and looked around to make sure nobody saw. In a rather poor show of looking as though nothing happened. Viper wiped his hands free of some dust and cracked his neck as he gave Edreina a glare. This glare of disappointment was betrayed by the slightest of smirks he tried to hide. He quickly jogged back over to the duo and grabbed the reins, bringing them both to a halt.

Staring up to Edreina, he paused for a moment before finally allowing his customary smile to retake his expression. "Ok...well, maybe not "JUST" like that. Still I'm proud of you for not yanking on the reins to keep your balance. It may have been a little less than pleasant for Jorven to have your fingers..." He said calmly as he then firmly pried her death gripped white knuckled fingers out of his mane. "... dug into his mane. But I assure you it was better than what he would have felt if you yanked the bridle in his mouth ."

Another soft chuckle escaped his lips as he released her hands and ran his fingers gently along Jorven's neck to make sure he remained calm.

"I do believe this however, brings us full circle and back to the original question. With those basics out of the way, you will need to decide which style you would like to ride, so you can now properly learn one way or the other. I don't really want to teach you bareback to much as a beginner. Besides, we can obviously use something to grip onto should anything else happen." He snickered and gave her another wink as he turned his gaze to Jorven. "So what'll it be Edreina? Saddle, or Yvas?" He continued to pet Jorven a few times before returning his attention to her for her answer.