55th Day of Spring, 514 AV
"C'mon girl, we're almost there!" Bitt called out to his horse, a gentle mare named Sandy, from his position in the saddle. Well, to say that Sandy was Bitt's horse wouldn't be entirely correct. Sandy belonged to the Windmount Stables, and was made available for Bitt to ride as part of his training: squires had to learn how to ride somehow. The pair were moving at a steady, distance-eating canter, and Bitt was loving every second of it. Ever since Bitt stopped wearing the full chain mail and plate typical of a Syliran Knight, opting instead for the lighter alternative of studded leather armour, the squire noticed an increase in his physical performance.
It's like I'm lighter than air.
As Sandy ran, Bitt would slightly move the lower portion of his body to match his horse's movements. This was called posting, and it was a technique crucial for efficient riding. Instead of riding every bump, slamming his rump into the saddle and putting stress on Sandy's back, Bitt rode with the natural motions of her gait. It made the entire experience a lot more bearable for both horse and rider.
I sure have come a long way.
Bitt thought back fondly to his first lesson in the saddle, and all of the mistakes he'd made. Where he once would have had trouble keeping a fluid posting rhythm on a cantering horse, despite focusing the entirety of his attention to the task, Bitt now felt that such a basic technique came to him rather easily. Sure, Sandy was as gentle as a lamb, and he thought that compared to younger horses, her gait would be slightly slower...
But still...
He still had a room for a lot of improvement, Bitt wasn't stupid enough to think otherwise. There was always room for improvement. For instance, the squire still hadn't ridden a horse at full gallop. As the thought crossed his mind, Bitt slightly tightened his grip on the reigns. He knew the signal to set Sandy at canter, he knew-
No! Don't be stupid! You promised Crowe you'd practice your canter. Nothing more.
Bitt had to sternly remind himself to resist the temptation. He had said he would do something, so he would do it. Discipline was important; he couldn't let himself be overcome by destructive desires...
The Fury...
Bitt shook his head from side to side, as if the physical action would help him scatter the thought. He also inhaled deeply, the cool air rushed into his lungs, lightly flavoured with the scent of sweaty horse. It served as a powerful mind-clearer, and-
...and I've gone the wrong way!
Distracted as he was by his thoughts, Bitt had turned Sandy down the wrong path. He needed to return her to the stables, he had spent the better part of the morning riding her, after all. There were signs where the path forked, so even someone as directionally challenged as Bitt should have been able to find his way.
...Should have, anyway...
With a sigh, the squire pulled back gently on the reigns, signalling Sandy to slow down. Over the span of a few ticks her speed gradually reduced, until she was moving forward at a walk.
"Sorry girl, that was my fault." Bitt leaned forward and rubbed his horse's shoulder as he spoke. Responding to her rider's touch, Sandy snorted and flicked her tail, "I agree, we'd better turn around." Without Crowe around, Bitt didn't feel the need to hide the fact that he talked to the horse, a quirk he was embarrassed about. Bitt's patron had been called in by his superiors, apparently to discuss Bitt himself. The young squire wasn't worried.
If Crowe wasn't happy with me I'd know about it.
As the older knight had so eloquently put it: "just because your patron is gone for the day, doesn't mean you get to laze about and twiddle your thumbs!" Bitt agreed with the sentiment, and so he was spending the day training without Crowe's direct supervision. So far, everything was going very smoothly... at least, Bitt thought it was.
Using the reigns to guide her, Bitt slowly turned Sandy around. With a flick of his wrists, and a few clicks of his tongue, the squire had his horse moving again.
Hopefully in the right direction this time.
It's like I'm lighter than air.
As Sandy ran, Bitt would slightly move the lower portion of his body to match his horse's movements. This was called posting, and it was a technique crucial for efficient riding. Instead of riding every bump, slamming his rump into the saddle and putting stress on Sandy's back, Bitt rode with the natural motions of her gait. It made the entire experience a lot more bearable for both horse and rider.
I sure have come a long way.
Bitt thought back fondly to his first lesson in the saddle, and all of the mistakes he'd made. Where he once would have had trouble keeping a fluid posting rhythm on a cantering horse, despite focusing the entirety of his attention to the task, Bitt now felt that such a basic technique came to him rather easily. Sure, Sandy was as gentle as a lamb, and he thought that compared to younger horses, her gait would be slightly slower...
But still...
He still had a room for a lot of improvement, Bitt wasn't stupid enough to think otherwise. There was always room for improvement. For instance, the squire still hadn't ridden a horse at full gallop. As the thought crossed his mind, Bitt slightly tightened his grip on the reigns. He knew the signal to set Sandy at canter, he knew-
No! Don't be stupid! You promised Crowe you'd practice your canter. Nothing more.
Bitt had to sternly remind himself to resist the temptation. He had said he would do something, so he would do it. Discipline was important; he couldn't let himself be overcome by destructive desires...
The Fury...
Bitt shook his head from side to side, as if the physical action would help him scatter the thought. He also inhaled deeply, the cool air rushed into his lungs, lightly flavoured with the scent of sweaty horse. It served as a powerful mind-clearer, and-
...and I've gone the wrong way!
Distracted as he was by his thoughts, Bitt had turned Sandy down the wrong path. He needed to return her to the stables, he had spent the better part of the morning riding her, after all. There were signs where the path forked, so even someone as directionally challenged as Bitt should have been able to find his way.
...Should have, anyway...
With a sigh, the squire pulled back gently on the reigns, signalling Sandy to slow down. Over the span of a few ticks her speed gradually reduced, until she was moving forward at a walk.
"Sorry girl, that was my fault." Bitt leaned forward and rubbed his horse's shoulder as he spoke. Responding to her rider's touch, Sandy snorted and flicked her tail, "I agree, we'd better turn around." Without Crowe around, Bitt didn't feel the need to hide the fact that he talked to the horse, a quirk he was embarrassed about. Bitt's patron had been called in by his superiors, apparently to discuss Bitt himself. The young squire wasn't worried.
If Crowe wasn't happy with me I'd know about it.
As the older knight had so eloquently put it: "just because your patron is gone for the day, doesn't mean you get to laze about and twiddle your thumbs!" Bitt agreed with the sentiment, and so he was spending the day training without Crowe's direct supervision. So far, everything was going very smoothly... at least, Bitt thought it was.
Using the reigns to guide her, Bitt slowly turned Sandy around. With a flick of his wrists, and a few clicks of his tongue, the squire had his horse moving again.
Hopefully in the right direction this time.
