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Post by Renathan on Apr 17, 2018 3:48:09 GMT -6
Renathan could not have been more pleased that the stallion had continued to do right. He did not know left and right yet; but he did back up properly. Renathan continued holding on to the stallion's sides with his legs and the stallion keeps walking backward, at a slow and steady pace. Speed would come with time, or perhaps direction, Renathan noted. Renathan is eventually quite pleased with the stallion's movement, so he stops with the side-pressuring with his legs and the gentle holding of the reins to allow the stallion to stop. The stallion stopped and Renathan was well pleased! He gave him a half of the crisp pink apples by leaning forward into the saddle to be able to reach his maw. Renathan pets the stallion's mane carefully as he continues. He felt very comfortable with this part of the training. He really wanted to try something different next; since they were doing so well!
[5] - [END of 'Back']
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Post by Renathan on Apr 17, 2018 3:57:36 GMT -6
Renathan decides to go ahead and rein-train him next, which shouldn't take too long at this rate! Renathan waits for the stallion to finish his apple half; and then he carefully thinks of what to do next. He knows from experience that most mount animals will instinctively move away from the side of the reins that is being pulled, to 'escape' the thing that was causing the slight discomfort. Especially an animal like the equillion that seems to have skin so sensitive that it can even feel something so small as a fly on it's body and move it's skin just in that area to dislodge it. Renathan decides that he will teach right and left on the reins as soon as possible, after teaching him to go forward, of course. Renathan watches the stallion finish his apple, and then takes the reins in his hands gently to begin the training soon.
[1] - [START 'Bridle Knowledge']
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Post by Renathan on Apr 17, 2018 4:06:58 GMT -6
Renathan swallows; his mouth dry. He has been so focused on training that he has not bothered to drink for a while. After all this training today, he was really going to have to get some food and a drink somewhere. If he was lucky; maybe he could ride his stallion out of here to do it? Of course, on a second thought that wouldn't be possible; he hadn't trained the stallion to leap over obstacles yet... Oh well. He couldn't overstep the work he'd put in already though; he and the equillion had went through so much already! He takes the reins in his hands, and gently suggested that the stallion go left by pulling right ever so slightly. The stallion stamped a foot and turned his head to the opposite side; but didn't go. Renathan gave him a quick squeeze on the sides, and then immediately lets go. The stallion stamps a foot, and then Renathan taps him on his rump with one foot. This seemed to do it; the tap along with the reins being pulled slightly. The stallion started forward about five steps.
[2]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 17, 2018 4:13:13 GMT -6
Renathan was super pleased. As soon as the stallion has started forward, he had stopped pulling the reins; which had probably caused the stallion to stop going forward. Renathan was still glad that he had done well; so he gave the stallion a piece of the crisp pink apple as a treat. The stallion takes the treat and eats it easily; since Renathan had opted for a hackamore as opposed to a traditional bridle to keep from bothering his fangs. Renathan waits as the stallion finishes his treat before he decides to continue. He takes the reins in his hands gently and suggest that the stallion moves forward again, holding a constant very slight pressure on the reins. The stallion begins to go forward when he taps. Then, he decides to work in the left and right, hopefully. He pulls the reins ever so slightly to the left, and the stallion instinctively moves to the right, ever so slightly.
[3]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 17, 2018 4:20:29 GMT -6
Renathan was pleased with this; the stallion was naturally getting it; much like a few of Renathan's other mounts in the far past had done. When done well; most creatures could work with him easily enough. The stallion moves even further to the right whenever Renathan pulls just ever so slightly harder. In the hands of an experienced rider the trusting stallion was really doing quite well under Renathan's tutelage. They continued working throughout the next hour, one way and then the other, and then a harder turn and a softer turn. He finally had the stallion walk all the way around the fence to hone this skill, and then had him back up and go around a rock in the middle of the field in the fence. He really wanted the stallion to do well, so they spent another hour despite Renathan being thirsty. After a while, he was very happy with the work they had made. Renathan decided that was enough for today; and he dismounts to get the door open to help the stallion out of the corral.
[4]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 17, 2018 4:26:45 GMT -6
The next day, Renathan rode the stallion to the training fence; mostly so that they could continue practicing the rein commands. He didn't seem to have forgotten how to do any of the things he'd learned the day before; which was great! Renathan had really been happy about this; and this made him glad to work hard today. He'd planned for a much longer training session today; he'd brought water at least in the form of bottles in the Stallion's saddlebags. He decides to ride them around the fence in the park; turning the stallion left and right, and asking him to back up. They worked the next three hours; with Renathan really fine tuning the amount of strength he'd need to use with the stallion's side while still being gentle on the stallion's hackamore, since it could be just as rough as a bridle if he wasn't careful at all! At the end of the few hours, Renathan was happy with it finally; and decided to go back home for the day to go to work.
[5] - [END of 'Bridle Knowledge']
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Post by Renathan on Apr 17, 2018 5:07:53 GMT -6
Renathan was back the next day. He decided that before going exploring with his stallion around the city; that he wanted to teach him to jump over obstacles. It shouldn't be too difficult, given that obstacles were typically a simple leap within the city; and the stallion was just huge, even for an equillion. Renathan rides him out to the fence again; hoping to eventually get him to leap over the fence with some work. For now, he just begins by allowing the stallion to walk around the fence at his command. He was quite confident in the saddle; probably due to his having been in the saddle of a sarane multiple times before. The equillion was a good deal easier to command than trying to break a sarane drake! Renathan then steers the stallion directly towards the fence, and the stallion shies away from it, turning instinctually away even as Renathan tried to steer him toward it.
[1] - [START 'Jump Over']
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Post by Renathan on Apr 17, 2018 5:11:30 GMT -6
The stallion did not understand exactly what Renathan wanted quite yet; and that was fine. Renathan knew that he'd make the necessary progress with the stallion soon enough. The stallion is quite proud though; so it may take just a moment to get him to slow down and be less self-important enough to understand just what Renathan wanted of him. For now it just seemed that he wanted to steer the 'correct' way; because obviously Renathan didn't want to run him into a fence, right? He could still sense Renathan's disappointment, and no treats came though... So did Renathan want something else instead? He waits for another command, and just then the only thing that he got was Renathan pressing him onward toward the fence again. He flares up his slick, almost wet tail and begins trotting faster forward, trying to avoid the fence but following Renathan's commands anyway. He was finally up against the fence with no way not to disobey...
[2]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 17, 2018 5:15:35 GMT -6
The stallion seems to stall for a moment, despite being asked via reins to go forward, and finally; he does a funny stotting hop and then takes a flying leap over the fence; much stronger than Renathan had expected! He keeps his paws in the stirrups to keep himself from falling off; it really was tough! The stallion lands with another funny stotting-hop and then keeps walking forward yet again. Renathan decides that it was a big hit; certainly! He stops the stallion and leans forward to give him a piece of the crisp pink apples for a treat, to show him that he did well. He also pet the stallion's mane gently and gave him some soft encouragement. At this; he continues again, going on his merry way, but heading the general direction of a rock. The idea was to have him leap over the rock when he got there, hopefully without Renathan's behest, to keep him going forward.
[3]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 17, 2018 5:18:25 GMT -6
Renathan pushed the stallion forward until they got to the rock in question, and instead of asking him to turn towards it, they were of course walking straight forward so as to walk into it. The stallion was nervous, certainly, but the stallion seemed to just barely get over this as he rushed forward, and in two quick bounds gains the momentum to leap astoundingly over the boulder-sized rock, and onto the grass on the other side with yet another little hop to presumably relieve hoof shock. Renathan was still happy at this development, the stallion really did learn fast! He wheeled the stallion around using the rein commands, and then steered him towards the rock again, for good measure. The stallion did seem annoyed; Renathan could feel it. The stallion leapt over the rock with less ado this time; landing softly in the grass like a deer would, nimbly on his toes.
[4]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 17, 2018 5:30:50 GMT -6
Renathan spent the next hour steering him towards rocks and the fence and just about anywhere else that had anything that could be lept over so that they would naturally get used to the jumping over obstacles perhaps in the battlefield. Renathan was reminded of the knight piece on a chess table; the leaping would hopefully be as natural as possible so that it wouldn't be too much of a thought when navigating such a rough terrain. Renathan is getting easier with it in the saddle too; he's not bouncing nearly as high; since he stands up in the saddle in order to soften the blow to the animal's back. After a little while, he hopes to have the creature naturally leap into water at some point, without shying away. This was just the first step. Renathan steers him towards the brook just to try; and is not surprised whenever the stallion leaps over the brook instead of actually going into it. That was good; he hadn't water proofed the saddle just yet! He was pleased with the day, however, and decided that they should go home.
[5] - [END of 'Jump Over']
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Post by Renathan on Apr 21, 2018 1:17:51 GMT -6
Renathan was back in the evening; ready to get them finished with some of the more specific mount training and get on to some more fighting training. Renathan would really enjoy to get as much training as possible before going out and traveling some more. He planned to at least train the mount to leap up on top of things, now that he knew to get down and knew how to jump over things. It would be difficult to get this trained today; if he had time he may even try to work on a secondary training bit today! Renathan was pretty proud of their work so far, after all. He rides the stallion to their new training grounds that they'd started using after the stallion had been grown a bit; and then he nudges him towards the fence; the stallion leaps over it easily. Now, Renathan had to figure out how they were going to use this.
[1] - [START of 'Jump Up']
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Post by Renathan on Apr 21, 2018 1:38:13 GMT -6
Renathan rides the equillion around the fence on the inside of the area for a while, waiting for an idea to strike him. Then, he guides the stallion by the reins towards a rock again. The stallion gets ready to leap over it; and as he does, Renathan taps the stallion's sides quickly, and then stands up in the saddle just a little too soon. The stallion is pushed down slightly at the height of his jump, which would have forced him to stand atop of the rock if not for the stallion trying so hard to land on the other side. Instead, the stallion nearly trips on the way down, and then stops abruptly, turning around and staring at the offending mammalian sitting on his back. Uh-oh; this was not good. This was the first time that Renathan had really 'messed up' during training. Perhaps this was not the best way to have introduced this idea?
[2]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 21, 2018 1:48:18 GMT -6
Renathan leans forward and pets the stallion on his thick and vaguely slick mane, worriedly. He then dismounts, and pets the stallion, while he looks him up and down for injuries. He lifts each front leg, carefully, wanting to make sure that they had no unsoundness. He turns back and carefully touches each back leg, lifting them but standing where the stallion could see him. He is hugely relived when he figures out that the stallion did not actually hurt itself during his confusion issue. Renathan apologizes repeatedly, petting the stallion carefully on his mane. The stallion does look immensely offended, but calms down at the touch eventually. Renathan would have to come up with a new idea for what to do with this training to make this work better... He stands there, and then finally pets the stallion's nose, asking him for another chance silently with his emotions. After a moment, he can feel an acquiescence.
[3]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 21, 2018 1:54:06 GMT -6
The stallion seems to become resigned to actually allowing Renathan back on his back, but still anxious about it. Renathan gently asks him to bow down, and then he re-mounts the stallion, who stands up to allow him a seat on his saddle. Renathan gently pets the stallion, and then allows him to walk around the fence a little bit before he was going to try this again. This time, when he starts towards the rock, he stops the stallion in front of it. The stallion stands there, tapping a single foot nervously upon the ground. Renathan then tapped his sides; to no avail at first. Then, he tapped them again and leaned forward slightly on the saddle, and the stallion leaps; but over the rock again. Renathan circles the stallion back around, wondering about how to get the stallion do what he wants. After a moment, he has the stallion standing there again, in front of the rock.
[4]
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