Basic Horsemanship [Ebramsom de Lylles only]

Tolbin · November 6, 2007, 05:59 PM

Through a gated fence and out into a large field, with trails, paths, small jumping fences, trees and hills.

Angus whistles, and a young elven girl sticks her head out of a secondary stable. He gives her a hand sign for two, and then he disappears back to where you came from, only to return with a large book.

“make eye contact” He looks up and stares into your eyes for a few moments, and then looks at the book again. “done. establish contact with a greeting.” Again he looks up, “’Allo!” and goes back to the book. “done. this is bloody stupid.”

The elven girl comes back leading two horses, shyly looking at Ebramsom. She turns away, only to peek again, blushes and giggles.
“Eh?” Angus looks up, “Tie ‘em up and back to work wit’ ye, aye?” Without looking up, he continues through the book muttering to himself. “you must be joking”

She ties up the horses and keeps taking shy peeks at Ebramsom all the while. As she leaves she waves back over her shoulder, and mouths good bye.

“rubbish…This be a horse. Horses have four legs, that terminate in hooves. The one end with the sweeping hairy thing be a tail, the other… Ahhhh! I canno take this t’ing no more!” he throws the book into a pile of muck. “Ok, listen up, I be Angus, in case you hadn’t figured it out. Now I ‘ave for you some wisdom, it be boring, but good to know.” He says struggling to speak clearly, “First the gear, then general care, how to saddle and all, then mounting, dismounting, getting the beast to go, turning, reversing, taking a hill and a touch of jumping… Right? Ok, tell me what ye know, so I do’na waste yer time, aye?”

Ebramsom de Lylles · November 6, 2007, 06:48 PM

Ebramsom smiled back at the girl as she brought out the horses. He nodded his head towards her and waved back as she left. Ebram turned back towards the insturctor, hidding his amusement with the book. The green eyed elf looked at the horse and then turned to listen. His eyes showed his interest and that his attention was focused on his teacher. "I have optained a passing understanding of how saddle a horse and mounting and dismounting."

Ebram smiled at his instructor waiting for him to choose were to being the lessons.

Tolbin · November 7, 2007, 03:02 AM

Angus smiled his broad toothed smile, “All right then, ‘ere we go. First, if ye have any questions, doon be shy, ask away. Second treat yer horse like a friend and companion, and not a thing. It be a living creature, and while they may make yew mad and all, beating them rough like and ill treatment will make them scitterish about ye, if not ill tempered or even dangerous, aye? Where ye feel the beastie be your close friend loik, and the beastie trust ye back the same, ‘tis a sweet thing, it be.” He steps around one of the horses from behind, placing his hand on its rump, and staying very close. “When ye need to move behind one, stay very close, if they take into their mind ta kick thee, ye don’t be wanting them to get the distance for a good hard one. A blow can kill a man, aye? Ye also put a hand up here on its rump, gentle and reassuring, this is so ye don’t startle it as ye pass behind. Even without the distance, ‘tis a mighty big beastie, aye, and can still hurt ye.”

On the far side the elven girl comes out of the other stable and sits on the fence watching you, she seems to have cleaned up some and pulled her hair back, she smiles and waves.

He moves about to the front, and unties one, turning it about to face you. “Next, let the beast know ye. Stroke and show it a care, let it smell ye good and well, so it will start to remember ye. Speak to it softly and calmly, let it know ye be a friend, aye? Now go to the other, pass behind it, and take it in hand and do like I did.”

Ebramsom de Lylles · November 7, 2007, 02:33 PM

Ebramsom listened to each piece of direction. Looking away only as the young elven girl came out. Ebram may have been young, but he did notices the subtle changes in the girls attire. He smiled and waved back, a little suprised at the attention. He had started noticing girls, yes, but they hadn't really started noticing him, so this made the youth a little uncomfortable.

"Oh course." He said to his instructor. Ebram walked up next to the horse from behind. He placed his delicate hand on the flanks at about head leave, and then walked the length of the horse holding his hand against it gentle but firmly. Ebram had been around horse all his life, so he was comfortable around the creatures.

He walked around front of the creature holding his hand such that the creature could smell it as he passed to untie it from the fense. He stayed close to allow the creature to smell and nuzzle him as it wanted. After untieing he stepped closer and touched the horse along the side of the face, and spoke softly to it in elvish.

Tolbin · November 8, 2007, 02:40 AM

“Ye are doing well lad. There be two main types of bits, these are the snaffle and the curb, determined by the type of pressure they apply. The snaffle acts on direct pressure. This is the simplest and usually the gentlest bit, good for green horses and green riders, although it is also appropriate for the more advanced. Pressure is exerted on the corners of the mouth, lips, bars and tongue. The mouthpiece may be broken, also called the jointed or straight, called the mullen; the joint relieves pressure on the tongue and bars, while the mullen mouth can have a port for tongue release. Severity of the snaffle bit is determined by the circumference of the mouthpiece, the smaller it is, the harsher. Adding a twist, slow or otherwise, also increases the damaging effects.” He says without even taking a breath, and continues at great length with the bit, how to judge correct size and so on until only the most strong willed could possibly continue to listen without falling asleep or watching the much more interesting grass grow. Truly a mind numbing experience. During this time, another elven girl comes out and joins the first… Twins! They must be twins! They look exactly the same, except that this one must have been the one that you saw earlier. The hair is in the same style and everything. Now the two of them sit on the fence, looking at you, smiling, talking to one another, pointing at you…

“Ye got that lad? Ok, now saddle blankets. Now this part is interesting, so ye should listen up close loike!” Which of course it wasn’t, yet another long, LONG speech on blankets followed by rubbing down the horse, horse breeds, cautions about sweat on a horse after a run during the colder seasons, terry combing, checking hooves, diet changes… yawn …and other things related to just the basic horse care and tac. The two elven girls during this time start arguing over you, or you suspect that is what the argument is about. Soon it turns into pushing and hair pulling, all the while the mind numbing speech continues…

“Ok, now a bit of a gentle ride, aye? That one you gots will follow this one I be on, we are going to take them out a bit so you can get the feel, and then stop. There I will give you instruction on control. I will nay be doing that here, see? Fences and all, too loikly to hit summtin’, aye? Mount up lad, ye said ye know how, don’t forget to adjust the stirrups, aye.” Flashing his broad gap toothed grin he mounts his horse and waits.

Ebramsom de Lylles · November 8, 2007, 03:41 AM

Ebramsom managed to keep from yawning in the face of the lessons. He wondered about the fighting going, on and would have watched if his upbriging hadn't kicked in. He was a de Lylles, and sitting through boring conversation and lessons, was something he was used to. He looke side ways at the twins, wondering what about him had started the fight.

"Oh course." He said resiving his next instructions. Ebramsom walked over and began tightening the stirups so that it would allow for about two inches between himself and saddle when he would be standing up. It only took a moment as Ebram walked from the off side of the horse to near side.

He took the reigns and pommel in his left hand so that it would keep the horse from moving, either forward or backwards. Then turned the stirup and put his left foot inside keeping it far enough away to keep from kicking the horse. Placing his right hand on the saddle he hoisted himself up and lifted his leg over the saddle to sit inside.

Tolbin · November 9, 2007, 03:47 AM

The horse is quite gentle and a bit playful. It sniffs and lips your hands and clothing, not biting. You suspect it is looking for a treat, like a carrot or an apple. You shift to its side, and mount after adjusting its stirrups quite easily.

“That one’s name be Love, she be a older mare and ‘tis real gentle loike, but if ye have any tasty fruits she will try to talk ye out of them, aye. Good girl she be, but if she had her way she would be so plump that ye would not be able to get the girth belt around her.” He says with a chuckle.

It is just as he says, as he rides slowly out to a more open area, Love turns and follows his horse.

“Good work, yer adjusting, by the by.” He says, “Now remember, heals down. This doon mean to jam them down loike, it means let your weight drop into your heels rather than onto the ball of your foot and into the stirrup. Ye want your heel to be slightly below horizontal, not pointing straight down, aye? Sitting with your ear, shoulder, hip and heel in a perfect vertical line. Forcing your heel down, or letting it float up with most of your weight on the ball of your foot will distort this line. Letting your weight fall down into your heels allows you to stay relaxed and lets your leg sit against the horse. Now gather yer reins so that you feel a light contact between yer hands and the bit. Use both lower legs to squeeze the horse lightly behind the girth area. Now to make ol’ Love walk, nudge with yer lower legs just a bit, and if that doon work then a light tapping with yer heels, light mind you, otherwise she will run, and ye never just hit them with the heels, ask yerself how ye would loike it if someone were on yer back and hit ye hard with their heels.”

In the background you can hear a squeal of rage from one of the girls. “Tch. They be at it again. I’m sure ol’ Tom will set them strait. Might be better to let them get it doon and over with, get it out of their minds loike.” He mutters to himself.

Ebramsom de Lylles · November 9, 2007, 04:39 AM

The youth nodded his head and ran a hand along the horse's main before adjusting his seat. He adjusted his heal just enough so that they were slightly lower then his ball. He adjusted his shoulder, waists, ear and heels were in a perfect line. This part wasn't particular knew, Ebram having been taught how stand straight.

He looked down and made some more minor adjustments so that he knees barely touched the the flanks of the horse. He then took the reigns until he felt the first pressure of resistances, and held it there so that he could uses it to lead the horse.

Ebram some looked around and then proced with the last instruction. He would gentle press his knees into the side of the horse attempting to move him forward. If that didn't work he would gentle twist his heals side ways so that they could gentle place presure on the horses side to try and move her forward.

Tolbin · November 10, 2007, 01:20 AM

Love plodded forward in response to your direction. “Now if ye wish the horse to turn to yer right, give just a bit of a pull to yer right on the reigns, or a pull to the left for left. Also if ye pull both back at the same time and far enough, she will go backwards, a bit less than that and she will stop. The reason I say this all at once is so ye make sure ye give clean signals. It ain’t the horses fault if ye give it confusing commands. Now I want ye to stay calm and relaxed, heels down, line strait, and tell ‘er to go forward about a ten lengths oot, then turn right, slow like until ye face this aways, and then come back, and turn left until ye face back the way ye came. Don’t bump horses, aye? Stay calm loike and in control, let her know ye know what ye be doing. Once ye done that we will be going on a ride, and then I will send ye home for the day, let it all take root and grow some in fertile soil, wot?”

He watches, and calls out instructions as you go, making sure things go smoothly.

The fighting girls have quitted down at last, you can see a man scolding them.

Ebramsom de Lylles · November 12, 2007, 03:20 AM

Ebram paused and looked over at his teacher and then back at the no longer fighting girls with a humor smile. He turned back to his instructor and nodded his head. "Oh course sir."

Gentle pressing in with his knees he indicated that he wished to move forward. He held the reigns lightly and held himself up straight with his heels just a tad downward. As he came to ten lengths he pulled gentle to the right to encourage the horse to move direction. He contiuned to pull to the right until the horse had made a full three sixty turn and was once again heading in the direction of his instruction.

He motioned left and right as needed to avoid crashing into his instructior. As he came in line again he pulled gentle to the left, give just enough presure to encourage the horse to turn, with out hurting it. He contiuned the turn until he was once again facing the original direction.

Tolbin · November 15, 2007, 02:03 AM

“Ye have done well lad, mighty fine gentleman ye will make astride your horse, have all the ladies fighting over ye… if they be not already doing that.” He says glancing back to the girls whom are still being scolded. “Now a bit of a ride around the grounds, remember heels doon, watch yer line, and stay calm at all times, a horse can feel yer upset loike.” He then begins a nice gentle ride through the horse walking trails, calling back general advice and making suggestions all the while. “Remember the horse does most of the work, so always treat them well, lots o’ love. When ye come to rest after a ride, always take care of the beast first and not yer self. A horse cannot take its saddle off on its own. Give it a rub down, water and some food. If it has been a hard hot run don’t give it too much at a time, it can hurt it. Think of yourself after running so hard and far with yer muscles all a screaming, and then drinking as much water as ye can. It will be no good fer ye. On cold and cool days it is important that if ye run them hard to cover them some with a blanket, after getting the sweat off them…” and so on he continued giving advice as you travel all along the path until you return. There you see the girls working diligently at mucking out the stables, and looking rather unhappy all the while.

He dismounts smoothly and ties his horse to the rail by the troth. “Now when tying doon the beast a knot is not needed. In some cases if the horse be well trained ye need not a rail or anything, rather ye just put the reigns over the head and let them lie on the ground, but that won’t work on these, lots of training that. For this you can use a single simple hitch if it be a polite loike horse, or if ye feel a bit worried that it will run off a clove hitch will suffice.” He says demonstrating both of them, “Now real knots and strong hitches like a clove hitch has a problem. If the horse has a problem, loike it be in danger, it will try to pull free and may hurt its self loike, if it cannot get free and the danger is real, that puts the beast in a bad place loike. Now, we be done for the day, go ye home and come back in the marrow. I suggest that ye walk yer beast home, ye being still new and all to avoid any mishaps on the street loike. Tomorrow we shall go over this stuff agin and do some small jumps, controlling the horses speed, making it trot, canter, and full gallop, and wheeling the horse about. Ye will still be using a gentle beast on this too, I will hold off on a more spirited one until ye get ta bit more skilled loike.”

OOC: At the end of your reply add a part for your departure and then return the next day.

Ebramsom de Lylles · November 30, 2007, 02:47 PM

Ebramsom blushed over the comment about having ladies fighting over him, especially since it had just happened. The youth had startest noticing girls, but noticing and interacting on THAT level were different.

Atl nodded listening to the advise given to him by instructor. He followed behind the man following the advise he had been given about keeping his heels slightly down, and back straight. He gentle directed the horse as they traveled.

Once they were finished he slipped off the horse and praticed the two notes. He then smiled at his instructor. "Thank you for the lessons this brightening." He first made sure his mount was taken care of before picking up his own purchase and departing for the brightening.

*****

Ebram returned the next brightening a little sore and ready for his next lessons.

Tolbin · December 1, 2007, 03:07 AM

Upon your return Angus is waiting for you beside a matched pair of horses, “Goodly brightening to you sir!” he greets you warmly, “Now these two here are a fine and polite pair loike. This one be Shy Lady and the other be Temper. Ye will be using Temper today. She is a nice girl, but she has a mean streak if ye be rough with her. She loikes to lead and not follow, a bit of a proud one, eh? Now before ye saddle her up, inspect her, make sure there is no problems, then inspect yer gear before saddling her up. Look for worn oot leather, things being loose loike that taint supposed ta be, burrs that might have gotten caught in the blanket and so on. When ye be done, saddle ‘er up and off we go.”

Ebramsom de Lylles · January 25, 2008, 08:14 PM

Eram nodded his head and walked over to Temper. He allowed the animal o smell he hand before he placed his hand on the side of her face and gentle ran it along her face. He traveled around the horse checking for any bruses or any other problems. If he found nothing wrong he then would turn his attention towards inspecting the equipment looking to make sure it was all up to par and in good condition.

If the equipment was good he would proced to equip the horse.

Minerva · February 23, 2008, 10:23 PM

Angus watched in what was perhaps a tad too enthusiastic a manner as Ebramsom saddled up the horse, making certain that everything was being done right. He stood closely as he eyed the other’s work, although he did appear satisfied, grunting in what was a strangely jovial manner before stepping back once again, letting the elf have his space.

“Right, then!” The fellow proclaimed, evidently satisfied with how Ebramsom had geared Temper up, and doing the same with Shy Lady. Whilst he did so, he carried on a conversation with the elf- a rather one-sided one at that- explaining how the remainder of their brightening would fair.

“Ye remember wot we learned the other day, don’t ye, sir? Well, now we’re going ta do the same thing again! Take a nice ride around the grounds, slow loik, do some turns…ye know? Show that ye can still do all that fancy stuff from before.”

Having saddled Shy Lady and mounted her, now, Angus then beamed over at his young student, showing off rows of teeth before exclaiming quite heartily again.

“Whenever ye be good and ready loik, sir!”