| |
Darkseeker
|
Hayden raised an eyebrow. "Oh...most people have a horse when they come here." His face softened slightly when he saw Raven sticking her head out of the stall, and his face broke into a grin. "Hey, pretty baby," he murmured rubbing her nose. "Her favorite place to be rubbed is around her ears," he said quietly. "She's very social, but easily scared. Isn't that right, sweetheart?" He cooed softly, trying to keep the horse gentle. "Are you from Iris? Cause yeah. They turning to a private breeding facility. The owner's wife recently passed, and he's moving to be closer to his daughter," Hayden explained. Raven nickered, and trotted out the back of the stall into a pasture beyond, and Hayden turned back to Versailles, brushing a fly off his back. "You like horses? A lot of people here give lessons, even if you don't have a horse or anything. In fact, if you want, Linda and I were going to go on a ride, but if you signed a couple things, I could give you a guided couple hours with one of the horses." Hayden gestured to a stall that was empty, but a flash of a pretty dun horse was visible, and whistled. The young mare came trotting in, tossing her head. "That's Love Me Like You Do, but we just call her Lovey. I don't know how much time you have, but if you want to stay today or come in tomorrow and I could hang with you two, and you could do some horsey-ish stuff. I wish that I could let you just do whatever with her, but there's liability and stuff." |
|
|
| |
Darkseeker
|
"Yeah well I don't have the money for a horse but if I did I would definitely get one. I really want one, they are such beautiful animals." Skylar replied more calmly. Sky smiled at the way the boy talked to the horse, he talked so gently and he sounded so sweet. "Yeah, I just moved to Iris actually." he said looking at Raven, then moving his attention back to the guy. "Wait really, that would be amazing, yes I love horses so much." Sky replied as he smiled turning his head to the other mare. He smiled at the beautiful creature. "Yeah that's totally understandable, It's not my horse and I don't know it so." He replied making his way to Lovey. "Lovey." He said quietly as he looked at her smiling. "I have until dark." He said as he pet the horse gently. "You are also so pretty." Sky said quietly to the horse. Sky was honestly so happy right at that moment, even if it would take a while for him to actually be able to ride a horse again he was happy to be in their presence. "Whos horse is this?" He asked knowing he wouldn't know the person. He looked back at the boy smiling. "Also sorry for interrupting your ride." He mentioned. |
|
|
| |
Darkseeker
|
"Bess Adams," Hayden said automatically. "But she's gotten too old to come out and ride her, so I take care of her, and use her for lessons. I can go get that paperwork now. Do you have proper riding gear? If not, there's pants, helmets, boots and stuff in that room. And do you ride English or Western?" Hayden was already hitching Versailles up to the cross-ties, and clipping a small feedbucket around his head to keep him busy. After he'd gotten satisfactory answers, he jogged to the small office, and found a black pen and the barest necessities for paperwork, and jogged back. The first thing he attended to was his gelding, taking off the saddle, and running a curry comb over his sleek coat. As he finished, he noticed his horse wasn't putting much weight on his front left hoof, and Hayden gently ran his hand down the equine's leg. "Foot," he said softly, and Versailles shifted his weight onto his three other hooves, pulling the pained one up. Hayden cupped it in his hands, studying the dirt in the curve of the foot. Using his nails, he managed to pull most of the dirt out, and found a small rock lodge in the side, but he was able to get it out, and since it hadn't bruised, he knew the gelding would be ok. By then, the other boy was dressed properly for riding, and Hayden gave him a quick smile. "How much do you know? Have you ridden before? I already texted Linda, so we're good for the next couple hours." |
|
|
| |
Darkseeker
|
Sky nodded like he knew who Bess Adams was, he panicked when the guy said a whole bunch of stuff. He understood though. "Uhm I don't know what English is but I know somewhat of Western." He replied as he made his way to the room with the riding gear. He got all changed as the guy got the paperwork. By the time he was done getting changed the guy was already out there attending his gelding. "I don't know much and I haven't rode a horse but I did ride ponies when I was little. I know that's not the same thing but it's something." Sky replied pulling out his phone, he had to text his mom. So I met this person and he like agreed to give me lessons I think so I will probably be back in a couple of hours. he kept his phone unlocked to make sure his mom answered, she did straight away. Okay, that's fine with me, be safe. He replied with I will. He put his phone in his pocket and made sure it would stay before turning his attention to the guy. Skylar grew excited, he's dreamed about this for so long. Where he used to live nobody had horses and if he wanted to ride he would have to travel hours to do so. He looked at the paperwork that was handed to him and he read it thoroughly. Sky signed whatever he needed to sign then handed it back to the guy. |
|
|
| |
Darkseeker
|
Hayden sucked in a breath when the guy said he had never ridden a real horse before. "Oh, ok. I wasn't really expecting that. Maybe I should start you on an easier horse," he murmured, trailing off at the end. "No. It'll be fine. To start off, I'm Hayden Guilbault. This is Versaille," he continued, patting the gelding on the neck. "We can start with brushing." As Hayden spoke, he grabbed the halter off of Lovey's door, and slipped it around her head, leading her out into the aise, and connecting the crossties to either side, and pulled a small bag off as well, and laying out the things inside. "This is a currycomb. You use it first, and you rub it in circles," he explained. "This is a stiff brush. You use it to flick the dirt off, after the currycomb. And this last one is a soft brush. It puts a shine on the coat," he finished. "Then there's a comb, if you want to do her mane. Just do the brushes in that order, and you'll have a great start. I'll do her hooves this time, and teach you how to do them next time. While you do that, I'll go find her tack." Once he'd gotten the affirmative from Sky, he hurried to the tack room, and scanned the rows of saddles and brides, and settled on a beginner's Western saddle, and a hackamore that was easy to learn how to use. He carried them back out, and pulled up a post to put the saddle on, hanging the bridle on the hook. "Alright, where are we at?" Once Sky was finished brushing off the mare, Hayden easily did her feet, and he gave the other boy a quick smile. "Good, we can start now. I'll lunge her first, and we can start practicing in the arena, if you'd like?" |
|
|
| |
Darkseeker
|
Sky looked down when Hayden said to start him off with an easier horse. It made him embarrassed but also a little nervous at the same time. He shrugged it off, now at least Sky knew his name. Hayden, that's a nice name. Sky listened intently to Hayden's instructions, he wanted to know all about horses and he wanted to do good. Sky picked up the currycomb and started brushing her in circular motions. He pet her with his free hand making sure she was comfortable though he didn't think she'd mind. Once he finished that he used the second brush. "Goddamn, you were dirty." He said laughing a bit as he watched the dirt/dust fly off. He did that pretty quickly then moved on to the last brush. Her coat looked so much better after this and Sky was pleased with it. He then decided to brush her mane out because why not. He brushed Lovey's mane while waiting for Hayden to return. After a minute or so he did. Sky watched him carefully as he did her hooves, taking notes in his mind. "yeah the arena sounds good." Sky said with a smile. His heart started to beat faster, he was getting nervous but he knew he needed to stay calm. One thing he knows for sure is that if you are not calm, the horse won't be calm. A horse can sense human emotions, so making sure you are comfortable, happy, and calm when riding is very good. Even when just handling them. He had a liking for Lovey, even though they barely know each other he already really likes her. Skys looking forward to working with her. "Also are lessons free or would I have to pay, I am willing to pay." Sky mentioned as they walked down to the arena. |
|
|
| |
Darkseeker
|
Hayden carefully tied the hackamore under the horse's jaw, and glanced at the saddle. "I'll saddle her today. If you're not busy tomorrow, you can do more of the work." He deftly slipped the saddle onto Lovey's back, and led her out into the sun, towards the arena. The sand had been raked recently, and it was warm and grooved. Hayden listened as Sky asked a question, and furrowed his brow. "This one's on the house. The next ones will be around fifty dollars every time you come." Hayden felt awkward talking about prices, and he shook his head slightly to clear the uncomfortable thoughts. "The mounting block is over there, you can sit there while I lunge her." Hayden stepped to the middle of the circle, and clipped a lunge line onto her hackamore. "Ok, pretty baby," he cooed. "Let's get you warmed up, ok?" He glanced over at Versailles, who was grazing outside the arena, but had raised his head, a comically disgruntled look on his face, since he'd heard his owner using his special voice, and not for the gelding. "I still love you, Versailles. You're my best boy." The gelding seemed satisfied when he heard his name, and dropped his head back down into the grass. Hayden laughed, the sound pure and clear in the airy arena. "Alright, Love Me, let's see a walk, please." Lovey heard the command, and started moving, heading out to the farthest reaches of the lunge line. Hayden was pleased with the mare that day. She was listening well, and moved through the commands with ease. He grinned, and looked over at Sky. "Alright, are you ready?" The question was mostly rhetorical, and he lead Lovey over to the mounting block. "Climb on, and put your feet in the stirrups. For now, you can hold the saddle horn, or the pommel, and I'll walk you around once, just so you can get a feel for her, and then you can take the reins. Have you ever used a hackamore?" |
|
|
| |
Darkseeker
|
Sky followed on the other side of the horse and kept a bit of distance for comfort. Sky looked over at him as he stated the price. His eyes widened a bit. Okay 50 bucks for each lesson, not too bad that's doable. Once I get a job. He thought to himself. He would definitely need to get a job if he would want to sustain lessons. He didn't need his mom paying for it, he wouldn't want her to pay for it. Sky listened and did as he was told. He walked over to the mounting block and sat down. Sky let out a smile hearing him yet again talk to the horse so sweetly. He looked over at Versailles and grinned then back at Hayden and Lovey. Sky took a nice deep breath of the calm cool air, it was so refreshing. He watched Hayden warm up the pretty mare. Soon it was his turn to get on. "Im ready." He said as he got up on the mounting block. He put his left foot in the stirrup and kicked his other leg over, sitting down on the saddle. Sky situated himself making sure both his feet were in the stirrups. He then grabbed a hold of the horn. "I think, I don't remember." He answered Hayden as he felt the horse start to move. As soon as she started walking a smile grew on Sky's face. He let go of the horn, holding it with one hand as he pets the neck and mane of the mare with the other. He then resumed holding it with both hands. He looked around as the wind blew in his face, making his long light brown hair flow. He looked down at Hayden and smiled. He loved this so much, he couldn't wait to be galloping in fields if he gets to that point. He knew he would love trail rides. Sky honestly loves nature, he admires anything he can about it. |
|
|
| |
Darkseeker
|
Hayden shrugged. "If you've only ridden ponies, I doubt you've used a hackamore. Oh, and you might want to pull your hair up, and make it a habit. A lot of horses don't like catching blowing hair in the corner of their eyes." Hayden carefully lead the two around the ring a couple times, and then stepped back. "I think you'll be fine to go on your own now. When you hold the hackamore, make sure the two reins are crossed right in front of you, and claw your middle three fingers, and use your pinkies and thumbs to pinch the leather." Once Sky was settled and walking the horse around the arena, Hayden stepped out of the ring. "Looking good," he teased, but the teasing was sincere. "I'm going to go in the ring next to you with Versailles, and work with him so he doesn't get all fat and lazy," he called, leading the palomino into the next ring over, setting up jumps, making sure the beams were set safely into the supports. Then he whistled, and Versailles trotted over, nuzzling Hayden's neck, and the boy smiled, patting the horse's forehead. "Alright, boy, let's go." He swung up onto his gelding's back, ignoring the mounting block on the other side of the ring, and settled into his saddle. He urged the handsome boy forwards, and kept him moving quickly. The boy and horse moved as one, easily taking the jumps one by one, and his happiness was contagious, causing the horse to playfully jump and rear. Hayden waved to Linda as she rode by, and she gave him a confused look, but she looked so much like she always did that he just felt even more comfortable. He trotted Versailles up to the fence between the rings, watching Sky and Lovey. "I don't think she's quite the right fit for you," Hayden said. "Maybe I should try you on someone else." |
|
|
| |
Darkseeker
|
With the information Hayden just told Sky he was lucky to have a hair tie on his wrist. He then let go of the horn and put his hair in a low ponytail. He's always hated the way he looked with his hair in a ponytail but at this moment he didn't really care. Surprisingly Sky had really good balance when he let go of the horn. He didn't even notice or get scared to let go, it just came naturally to him. Sky then listened to him carefully as Hayden gave him more instructions. He then picked the reins and held the as Hayden said. It was a bit confusing but Sky managed. Sky smiled as he walked around with the horse on his own. He loved it so much. He laughed a bit when Hayden teased him. Sky took her around a couple more times before Hayden spoke to him. He made the mare walk up the fence near them. "What makes you say that?" He questioned cocking his head to the side, genuinely wanting to know why he thinks that. "Am I able to ride Raven?" He asked, he liked Raven, She was very beautiful and he caught his eye more than any of the other horses. He hoped that he would be able to ride her. He played with his lip piercing as he looked at Hayden and his horse. They are perfect, you can tell they are bonded really well. They fit together like puzzle pieces. Sky looked more at the boy, he was pretty handsome himself sky thought. Sky looked over at the barn and saw Raven looking over here, you can also hear her neighing. He smiled at the horse before returning his gaze at Hayden. |
|
|
Winter 
Night Weather: 
Sleet Moon: 
