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Post by Sevyrn on Aug 25, 2020 6:56:59 GMT -6
Break time - Sevyrn stopped with the training once again to give Kika a well-deserved break. She spent this time running around the training pen with the equillion, playing around with her and having a generally good time. It was well worth it! Things had gone so well today that the mare deserved to feel good about herself. Sevyrn had a couple things that the equillion liked to play with, but most of her equillion enrichment was stuff that she couldn't just put in a bag and take with her to the park so they were rather limited in what they could do during the moments of play time. After a while the pair ended up settling down back at the picnic table, Sevyrn sat down on the bench with Kika nuzzling at her shoulder. "You are such a good girl my dear," she said to the equillion with a grin on her face.
16
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Post by Sevyrn on Sept 3, 2020 18:02:58 GMT -6
What next? Sevyrn had to wonder - they were still handling the basics, after all. Perhaps following on command? That seemed like an excellent choice for the next go. There was still another basic command that needed to be worked on, the ever so important 'no' but the equillion had been behaving so well today that there hadn't really been a chance to teach her how to stop misbehaving in the moments that she was.
Follow was easy enough, she had done it before. Call the creature to come to her, and walk away while calling her to follow her. With enough repetition, the mare would be able to equate that to mean that she had to keep going.
Sevyrn called the mare over to her with the expected command, and then started to walk away as she moved. "Follow me," she said as she moved, tossing Kika a sugar cube with every few feet that she moved.
17 Follow - 1
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Post by Sevyrn on Sept 4, 2020 3:00:18 GMT -6
Sevyrn continued to repeat the same words - 'follow me' - as she stepped away, keeping a watchful eye on the intelligent mare. Kika seemed to br having no problem continuing to walk towards her, but the mare did seem rather quizzical about what was going on. Why was she being asked to come to her girl only to have her girl walk away? She had never had to deal with that before. The girl offered her treats, though, so she was happy to keep going.
Eventually Sevyrn stopped dead in her tracks and stopped calling to Kika, instead letting the equillion finally reach her. "What a good girl," Sevyrn praised the powerful creature, stroking the top of the mare's nose as she did so. "You are the best, Keeks. I love having you around." Kika was one of her oldest friends - without a doubt, she was one of her favourites to have around.
18 Follow - 2
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Post by Sevyrn on Sept 16, 2020 17:06:18 GMT -6
As usual things improved with time - Kika became more apt to respond to her girl, and Sevyrn was able to wean down the amount of snacks that she was handing over to the mare. Man, working with Kika some more was long overdue, how had she managed to go this long without having some one on one time with the equillion? She definitely needed to make more time - for Kika, Disceva, Bez... everyone. Adult life made that so much harder than it had been when she was young, especially now that she didn't have Ryden around to split the responsibilities with. Every thing was on her now... some days, a lot of days, it was hard to do more than the bare minimum. Sev was trying to get back to being herself again, though.
"Follow me," she called to Kika after they'd reached the end of the pen and stopped for a quick treat and pat.
19 Follow - 3
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Post by Sevyrn on Sept 16, 2020 17:30:15 GMT -6
The pair made their way to the other side of the pen relatively in sync- everything was going well. Sevyrn had called to the mare once half way through but that was out of her own desire to rather than because Kika had found herself distracted along the way. Once they reached the entrance to the training area she gave Kika a good nose scratch, and then they started to make their way back again... Once finished that lap rather successfully - this time Sev hadn't even made a just in case call - she figured that Kika was just about competent here. Things likely wouldn't be perfect, that couldn't happen in a day, but she was reliable.
One last test run - Sevyrn beckoned for the rainbow hued mare to follow her and started a final leg to the other end of the area, not looking back until she had arrived. Kika was right behind her - success.
20 Kika - 10 Follow - 4
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Post by Sevyrn on Sept 17, 2020 5:55:51 GMT -6
Knows: Name, Come, Tolerance To Learn: Tack Up (1), Carry Rider (2), Go (1), Stop (1), Turn Left/Right (1), Faster/Slower (1), Bridle Knowledge (1) - 8 TP She came back again, the next day - this time she didn't have Kika with her but rather another of her equillion. The soft pastel-colored mare beside her was another that she had called her own for ages, a much calmer and more demure pure by the name of Disceva. Which one of the pair had Sevyrn come to call her own? She didn't even remember any more - both of them had been with her for at least the last decade, more than likely longer than that. Sev had barely been a teenager back then, given two equillion by her father back when he had been the light of her life. Sevyrn cared for these creatures immensely, especially now that her father was gone and she saw her mother less than she did as a teenager - she was going to have to make a point to head over to her place at some point. For now, though... She wasn't ready. She might be her mom, but she wasn't ready for people in general. The only company she needed was her creatures. 21
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Post by Sevyrn on Sept 17, 2020 6:28:56 GMT -6
Sevyrn hauled her cart behind her, filled with various equipment that she was going to need for the day. She couldn't exactly haul a saddle all the way from home to here just tucked between her arm and her body, after all.
There was a single motivation for today - Sevyrn was hoping to work on teaching Disceva to carry a rider. It was something that she should have worked on a long time ago... but better late than never... right? Besides, she was much more equipped to work with Disceva now than she had been years ago - this would be the first time that she'd worked on riding from the bare bones, and she wouldn't have had the confidence in her own riding abilities a few years ago to handle it as well as she was hoping to today.
As they walked in to one of the larger training areas, Sevyrn settled in.
22 Disceva - 7
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Post by Sevyrn on Sept 21, 2020 14:56:56 GMT -6
The mare had stopped to graze, so Sevyrn allowed it - there was no point in rushing the mare, not when they had all the time in the world to get to work. Eventually they did need to start, though - Sevyrn wanted at least the first steps down before the sun dipped below the horizon and they were left in the darkness, nothing but the odd street lamp lighting the park and the way back home. The chill of autumn had settled in and winter was well on its way.
"Alright - I'm going to be doing some things today that you're not used to sweetheart," Sevyrn said to the equillion as she ran her fingers through the pure's thick, soft mane. "Everything is going to be okay, you just have to be patient and not be afraid. I promise." How could she not be soft with one of her sweetest creatures?
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Post by Sevyrn on Sept 21, 2020 15:16:37 GMT -6
Okay... where to start? The saddle seemed like a good place, as much as Sevyrn didn't mind riding bareback. The young woman hauled the piece of equipment out of her cart and over towards the mare who eyed it with a gentle curiosity. What was that? Sevyrn allowed her the chance to sniff and check it out, wanting her to be aware that the saddle wasn't a danger before she dared try to put it on to the pastel mare's back. That... is something that would probably go poorly, or at least for most equillion. Disceva was so placid that unfamiliar equipment probably wouldn't turn in to a disaster, but that would be poor practice in general.
"I'm going to put this on your back, it'll probably be uncomfortable but everything is going to be alright." With that, the woman moved around the mare's side and lifted the saddle over her side.
24 Tack Up - 1
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Post by Sevyrn on Sept 21, 2020 15:56:45 GMT -6
The mare shifted under the sudden weight of the saddle, un unfamiliar sensation that she was yet to experience in her life - soft blue eyes turned to the woman with her. As much as Disceva had faith that Sevyrn would bring her no harm, she had to know what was going on. Why was this happening? Sevyrn saw the mare's concerned look and settled the saddle down on her back before moving away to stroke the equillion's muzzle. She hadn't secured the saddle yet, electing to give Disceva the chance to adjust to it before cinching it secure around her.
"You are doing such a good job my dearest," Sevyrn whispered to her, only moving to adjust the straps once that subtle glimpse of fear had vanished from the equillion's eyes. She was going to be okay - Sevyrn would never hurt her. That did not make having this... thing... on her back any less strange.
25 Tack Up - 2
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Post by Sevyrn on Sept 21, 2020 16:05:17 GMT -6
Beautiful! The mare was obviously a little uncomfortable being strapped in to the saddle, but she was calm enough to tolerate it.
"What a sweet pony," Sevyrn said to Disceva after she finished securing the sddle on her back, pulling out a carrot to offer her as a reward for good behavior. Disceva was eager to gobble up the snack, and huffed a little as she prodded at Sevyrn's coat pocket - what were the chances that more of those were in there and the woman was keeping them from her? Such a suspicion was not unreasonable, the Disceva would have to wait for later before she would be handed those.
With the saddle on and ready, there was still more to be done - there was a bridle sitting in the cart as well. Sevyrn had a feeling that would be harder for the mare to adjust to than the saddle had been.
26 Tack Up - 3
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Post by Sevyrn on Sept 21, 2020 16:11:31 GMT -6
Sevyrn had been right- the mare was much more reluctant to have her face played with. Luckily they had time, and Sevyrn's patience when dealing with equillion was endless. Any time the mare seemed uncomfortable Sevyrn stopped to soothe her, and eventually she wore the bridge around her face and neck just perfectly. With that on Sevyrn was able to attach a lead rope and gently encourage her to walk around on the lead, just to see what it was like to move with such a thing on her face.
"What a great job, D," Sevyrn said to the equillion with a peaceful smile on her face. It seemed like it might be carrot time once again! After that they simply needed to get the mare used to a bit of weight - not a lot - on her so Sevyrn loaded some mostly empty saddle bags on as well, and then let the equillion wander at her own leisure to get more comfortable with it.
All was well.
27 Disceva - 8 Tack Up - 4
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Post by Sevyrn on Sept 21, 2020 16:16:56 GMT -6
"This is going to be the worse part," Sevyrn said to the mare after she felt comfortable considering Disceva unordered by the tack on her body. She was such a calm thing that the lack of resistance was expected, but Sevyrn knew better than to think that the sudden weight and strange behavior of her climbing on to the mare's back come with the same level of comfort. As much as the mare trusted her, she was about to do something very unfamiliar.
Sevyrn brought a step along, knowing that would make things much easier for her. The woman hauled it off and then called the mare over to her, soothing her in to a standstill after. It was best to start easy... After climbing up on to the step for easier access, Sevyrn put her weight in to her hands along the top of the saddle, hoping to prepare the mare.
28 Carry Rider - 1
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Post by Sevyrn on Sept 22, 2020 15:36:14 GMT -6
"Alright, D - I'm going to get out of your back. I promise that you're going to be just fine." Sevyrn knew well enough to expect some resistance, even in the friendliest of equillion - none enjoyed carrying a mount for the very first time. That was okay, she was prepared for it. Sevyrn grasped on to the horn of the saddle and stepped in to the stirrup, using that as a launch point to push her body up and her other leg over. The mare jolted at the sudden weight on her back but Sevyrn quickly stabilized herself with the saddlehorn in one hand, and then stroked the mare's mane sweetly as she squirmed around and tried to get Sevyrn off of her back. What was she doing up there!? As much as Disceva trusted Sevyrn, this was not where she was meant to be and D did not like it at all.
29 Carry Rider - 2
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Post by Sevyrn on Sept 22, 2020 15:40:23 GMT -6
Okay, okay - she was obviously uncomfortable. Sevyrn dismounted and her feet hit the ground with a soft thud, at which point she ran her hand along the sweet mare's back and moved towards the beast's head. "You did so good!" She said to the equillion, rubbing her nose as she reached in to her pocket.
"Want a carrot?" She asked, offering a yummy snack up to the mare. Of course Disceva wanted a carrot - and after that debacle she sure deserved it! The mare gobbled it down and kept her eyes on the human, prepared for Sevyrn to try that again. What purpose did all of this serve - why was Sev trying to climb on to her like that? It had never happened before in Disceva's life, and as such she had absolutely no clue what to think about it.
She was going to have to get used to it, though.
30 Carry Rider - 3
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