#yes that's a dressage bridle

[minervamagicka]

woe, bridles be upon ye

[horseslur]

WOE! haunted dressage saddle and bridle be upon ye

(yes that's why Brian's still there)

(yes the stats do actually transfer over! horse is just Nakey)

[msamandablogs]

Learning from the Horse:

The Law of Progression in Reproofs

"Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you." Psalm 32:9 ESV

I am reminded this morning that God's top preference for our behavior is that we be "meek" and easily obedient.

But, if we are distracted and inattentive, He will then deal with us as horse that NEED a whip nudge them along, to get moving in His direction.

And, if we are still too dull and reluctant, then He will use a bridle that will restrict and turn our head, like the donkey needs.

And, then, if we are still too rebellious and dull of hearing, He brings a rod to get our attention, and cause us to pay attention and "get the memo."

This is the "Law of Progression" that is throughout Scripture as it relates to "Reproofs" and "Instruction in Righteousness."

"A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools." Proverbs 26:3 ESV

In dressage (a type of horse training) the horse has become very sensitive to the "invisible" commands of the rider. Simply shifting weight in the saddle, or leaning, is sufficient for the horse to sense the command and obey. In horse training, "meekness" is the desired temperament. The word "meek" comes from the Greek word "praus" which translates to "strength under control." In ancient Greece, war horses were trained to be "praus", or MEEK: under control and WILLING to submit.

God has called us to be meek, like a horse that is fully submitted to the rider.

Understanding that this definition of "meek" is the one that best fits the Biblical term in Matthew 5:5, Numbers 12:3, Psalm 37:11, helps us to understand that He wants us to be attentive and observant of His "invisible" commands. Essentially, the "pressure shift" that the Lord exerts as guidance and teaching. It is the gentle pressure, the "alert" to pay attention. It might be that there is a conflict brewing, or an "alert" that we need to focus on a particular learning area.

So, His desire is that we will be like "dear children" and like toddlers following their parents and copying them during their daily life.

"Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints." Ephesians 5:1-3 ESV

[okikunorowa]

Yes, you can do dressage without a lot of bridles and all that heavy stuff in the mouth

Denki also get excited because he knows I trust him

[echointernationaljumpers]

HE IS READY!

Today began with Sarah cleaning Zagazig's hooves. Which is pretty normal. What's not normal is how calm and in zen he has become over the last couple of months. As long as Sarah stays calm, it seems like Zagazig does so too. That's also the reason why I am not riding him. I am not as levelheaded as Sarah.

As always Sarah warmed Zagazig up from the ground wearing his riding gear. Letting him canter (yes, canter, not galop, he has to remain calm) a little before getting on his back seems to do him some good.

He has become quite good to ride since he came to us. He is not a Dressage PRO yet, but I am sure that with training he will become one. Or a champ in some other discipline for that matter - that's all up to his future owner to decide.

One thing is sure though, he cannot go back to jumping. He simply goes into a frenzy when he is jumping, and that hurt his old owner - she actually broke her back, and can't ever practice jumping again. She has to ride calmly for the rest of her life.

But he has become very good. He is a kicker though, and other horses shan't come too close to his hind legs, because if they do he will kick them. Therefore we put a red ribbon in his tail, when we are using the indoor arena Black Onyx Equestrian has. They have been so nice to let or loan it when we train our horses, as outside training this time of year - and with all of this snow - is not preferable.

While Sarah was training Zagazig, I had taken Solvei into the arena to get some rope training in. Which was a nice change of pace. It's not often we get completely untrained horses into our barns, so it's fun to work with those horses too.

She seemed ok with me touching her though, so I did some basic rope training with her. That was fun. Not for too long though, as she is still a baby in her head, and needs short sessions - for now at least.

When I had left the arena with Solvei, Sarah let Zagazig loose for some pictures for the add we would be putting up later today. He had a nice trotting session, though also went a little crazy when let loose. Good thing there wasn't anyone else in the arena at that moment xD

I had taken his saddle with me and Solvei, so she shouldn't handle the stallion, a bridle AND a saddle, when they would be going back to the barn.

With that done Sarah brought him back to the barn for a rubdown before he could go back into the pastures again. He seemed like he enjoyed that, though we cannot wash them in the winter. So brushing and a warm blanket to soak up the sweat was all we could do, before he could get on his outdoor blanket.

When we got to the pasture his pasture mate K (PRF Ladykiller) was waiting for him, and galoped up to the fence to say hello to his friend.

Despite his name K is the sweetest of them all, though quite skittish. We will see whose stable he will land at, when he is ready to be trained. Right now he is lame, and has been so for a while, so we will have to wait to the new year to train him, I suspect.

[aston-axo]

We've made it to 60k, boys.

Also, to prove it does exist, 😂 a 1.9k section of Part 1. Yes, this is actually the shortest whole section of the work so far.

Excuse any errors, they'll be beaten out when it's up on AO3.

-----

Two years later, in the early morning, rain fell against their bedroom window. Its patter punctuated with the sound of a bedside alarm clock.

There was no getting out of it this time, he realised; his ability to bring sick to his throat had long since quelled now he and Anastasia's tether was no longer so constantly tested. He pulled on jodhpurs—riding trousers—paddock boots, and half-chaps, shoving the riding gloves in his pocket as he grabbed the black whip from behind his door.

Then, long not bothering to wake Anastasia with gentle words, pulled her up by the scruff and into his arms, making his way downstairs in relative silence, supporting her haunches as she yelped and threw her front legs over his shoulder.

(As sharp a rousing as any; serves her right for never waking up on time, really.)

His father drove him the short trip to the riding school well on the outskirts of Vienna—supposedly the one of the best his family could afford (The Spanish Riding School? a friend had asked once, almost in disbelief. Yes, Nikolaus had said, lying (the Lipizzan stallion's grey hair was too good for the touch of the late settled, good: the group courses—own horse provided—grated on introverted nerves)).

The rain picked up on the car window, the wipers going back-and-forth-back-and-forth with an annoying squeak-squeak. His father's spaniel sleeping soundly underneath the car seat in the dæmon compartment, Anastasia instead choosing Nikolaus' lap. Like always.

He was dropped off and, thankfully, at least the rain covered the stench of horse shit and sweat that always made him heave.

By the time he got to the actual fenced training grounds he was dripping wet, thick fabrics meant for horse riding sodden through and itchy, puddles of water splashing under his boots. Beside him, the pitter-patter of Anastasia's small paws landing in water.

Anastasia too was quickly soaked through and miserable, then miserable even more so when forced to sit on a raised lip of wet grass that ran the outside the fence. (So as to not be a distraction.)

His horse was a gelding: a castrated male he had ridden for three years now. When he was finally just barely tall enough to move on from ponies.

In the future his father, of course, wanted him riding stallions, with great crested necks and a sire's line that made all the other yard's boys jealous and caught the attention of all the girls. But teenagers cannot ride stallions, so this black gelding, with four white socks, a small white star, the temperament of a dog on opioids, and some vague history of high-quality thoroughbred blood, or something or other, was 'his.'

(He can't even remember its name.)

But as much as he hates the horses, and the lessons, and the expectations placed on him. He could ride perfectly and cleanly. He could tack his horse himself (as all men should be expected to do), pull the girth tight under him, and flick his wrist so lightly on the whip to get his gelding to spin and jump.

His hands always held correctly, his form always perfect, his heels always down—commands always direct and confidant.

His bridle was a double. Snaffle set alongside curb—four reins held two-to-two: bit and bradoon—a refined piece of equipment for only the most skilled of riders (for anything less and the horse's mouth shall be torn open on the pressure of the curb, dripping blood and foam from gaping cuts to please the commands placed upon him. His body stiff but dancing so beautifully behind the vertical, always on the very physical limit because he loves dancing for crowds– even as it hurts and hurts and–)

Nikolaus loathed horse riding. But his sporting life had already been picked out for him: Dressage.

He hated the way that horse bobbed and slid so smoothly beneath him. How he could tap his heel and the gelding would move in a perfect (always perfect) passage.

They were trying something new in the rain.

The stirrups brought up and crossed over each other in the front of the saddle, Nikolaus' legs and heels left with nothing to brace against but bare grey skin and black hair. A lesson of balance—of core-muscle and control.

Still, he held himself poised, perfect, controlled, refined—

Nikolaus fell from the horse.

The slow one- two- three- four- beats of a walk swapped to the quick one- two- one- two's of a brisk forward trot. (He was taught with a rising trot, but even knowing the American-style likely wouldn't have saved him; he pulled the gelding back after just a few moments, hands right on the reins.)

The instructor grew annoyed on the third attempt. 'This is not a lesson about walking, Mr. Lauda!' He yelled across the pen, hand tightening around his much longer ground whip.

(His tether with Anastasia twinged from her end. She never liked the instructor, Nikolaus couldn't say he much liked him either.)

On the fourth attempt he didn't pull from the trot, he wobbles left—right, he kicks his legs and yanks at the snaffle reins as if for purchase–

And then he's on the ground–

His back thuds against woodchip and sand—his stomach spasming as he's left gasping.

('Your horse is loose, Mr. Lauda!')

Nikolaus choked, groaning as he rolls to his side—it's all he can manage, hands around his ribs as he shudders, his legs curling in protectively. Yes, there he was—the gelding, loose. He needs to–

he wants–

–Anastasia.

His lungs finally manage to pull a full breath. He pushes himself to his knees. Woodchip digging into his palm sharp and grounding—the rest falling off him as he rises, his legs wobbly beneath him.

He looked to Anastasia. Rain soaked hair sticking to his face. He doesn't know what he expected—he thinks a snow leopard, but that can't be right he thinks he wants–

(Anastasia was fox.)

She'd sat up on the grassy mound, her body filled with nerves, her back stock straight as she was forced only to watch and never to interfere (this is a task for a man only young lady) and before he could help it—a slow pressure to their tether. A question—a nudge.

(Just a nudge—please–

please–)

She stilled, her tail dropping. She sat again. Observing, flat. (His tether sees no response.)

('Your horse, Mr. Lauda!')

He pulled his eyes away from his other half—his black gelding hadn't gone far. The double reins hung loosely under his head. Nikolaus almost stumbles on his approach, but finds the reins within his grip, wet leather held in dirty and sodden gloves.

'You don't have to get back on, yet.' A feminine voice—pitchy.

The instructor's dæmon. A weightyand sizeable blue crane (Grus paradisea part of the Gruidae family). She tilted her head when he span around, he noted stood only a few inches taller than her. Her beak clicked and her head bobbed. She normally stayed outside the pen, perched perfectly on the side to make notes of their student's efforts for her counterpart.

(Maybe he should fall more often to be shown such care.)

'Does it hurt? Do you feel as if anything is broken or torn?' Her voice light and empathetic (like harsher tones might set him into a crying fit).

His hands tight and clenched, annoyance carefully allowed in facial expression—and only in that—he kept his feet planted just to breathe, before finally, dutifully, shaking his head.

The spasms from his chest hadn't even hurt, just overwhelmed and shocked. And even that was starting to subside as his breath's got slower, deeper, returning to normal—he started to feel the rain on him again, cold and heavy.

Water slipped over her feathers like down father's car window—dripped from the tip of her beak, still tilted down.

'Then get back on the horse.' Then she looked over past him, stilt-like legs sidestepping him completely, her movements silent and head moving as if stabilised. Like she couldn't believe she had deigned her time to him. (Like she was something more worthy than a crane in an Austrian riding school.)

He didn't turn to watch her go. (It might've even been the first time he'd heard her speak.) Instead, his eyes were pulled to Anastasia, a hand fiddling with the hem of his jacket.

She was looking at him across the pen, over the fence. Her tail on her forepaws to keep them warm.

He felt nothing from her, and quickly the horse was brought around to him again, the instructor silently passing his reins into shaking hands. Leather felt sodden even below riding gloves.

Eventually, he looked away from Anastasia, knowing there was nothing more she could give him.

In a quick move, he pulled the stirrups down, and hoisted himself up. Rising and checking nothing had slipped with the girth and saddle, then pulled the reins even tighter this time, thumb surely pressing over them hard enough to whiten.

(The horse was so warm between his legs. How miserable they both must've been to be out there. (And maybe for a moment he'd pretended that warmth really was his dæmon. It would've been nice to have a large form. If in nothing but imagination. Their tether was always too weak for that hope.))

He heeled the gelding into a slow walk. Pulling him from the middle back to the outside ring near the fence. His breath fully settled by the time they'd circled twice. The rocking motion of the horses' hoof beats near soothing—to focus on that one-two-three-four rhythm of a smooth walk over the bubble of anxiety and pain that seeped into his stomach and back.

One-two-three-four–

Repeat–

One-two-three-four–

('Your concern, firstly, is always for the horse: if you can return to him, then do so. If you are still fit enough to ride, then you must always get back on.'

He listened. Enraptured.

One-two-three-four–

'Did you hear me? Look at me.'

He looked. Respectful.

One-two-three-four–

'Repeat it.'

'If I fall off, then I always get back on.' Voice monotone, scarring it from motto to fact in his soul, written alongside Anastasia's name.

One-two-three-four–

'Good. Because once that fear seeps in, he is a bastard to remove.)

'You forgot your whip.' The instructor notified him as he came around again to the mounting block steps, passing it up to him and giving him a moment to move it to his other hand and position it—the threaded end kept carefully over the horse's flank, opposite to the fence.

'Let's start again.' He stepped back to the centre, wet woodchip crunching underneath heeled riding boot. 'Make him trot on.' He waved his hand as if to call him into action.

(That blue crane was perched on the fencing now, in front of Anastasia. When he looked back to his dæmon, all he saw was the confidant form of another. Water fell into his eyes from the lip of his helmet. Its buckle dug into his chin in a way he could no longer ignore.

He looked back down, to his hands, then ahead, through the middle of the horse's ears.

(He'd had to look down to find the rhythm, the natural fall into it no longer coming—watching the four beats switch to one-two’s—grazed knees and bruised thighs protesting at each repetitive forward rise.)

Heels down, toes in.

He gritted his teeth and worked through the pain. He finishes what he started, and pulled those stirrups up and crossed again.)

-----

‘Oh, Niki Lauda? He’s just some little Austrian fellow with a creepy-crawly insect dæmon. If you’ve ever seen the man, I think you’d agree it’s quite the fitting form.’

Niki could say a lot in response to that quote now fed back to him; that James’ own dæmon is some puffed up, squawking lorikeet whose colours are clearly compensatory. 'Centipedes are myriapods,’ is what he instead responds with, 'which are not considered part of the insect class.’

It’s true; they’re not. Nevertheless, it seems to win him no favours.

Finally, the vintage Niki Lauda and James Hunt F1 dæmon au, which is certainly not niche at all. I don’t know how to tag this post, but I do know RatHunt is the best ship name ever created.

[xxxdragonfucker69xxx]

HOUR IN

RANIBOW SPRIMKLE

for those of you who were not around last time: every so often obscure indie tatterpig Exalted releases the manuscript of their next splatbook as part of their kickstarter campaign, and i read through it and lose my nuts. now the manuscript for sidereals, fate-weaving celestial ninjas, is out. and i am going to lose my nuts. if you don't care about this , the tag to blacklist is #hour in rainbow

alright enough pussyfooting around. lets get to it

starting with the severe fuck shit sidereals pull:

excellency changes target numbers, they use prayer strips in their charms but they have them around unless they specifically dont, they deal with enemies of fate, they have

MAIDEN CHARMS which are basically bridge keyword done right. if you have say 3 charms of any Battles ability you will be able to purchase Mars charms like BATTLEFIELD GENIUS STYLE and ASCENDING BATTLES HOROSCOPE

sidereal charms are specific, they interact with the celestial bureaucracy but cant be stopped just by bureaucracying, theyre esoteric and funky with it. they include versatile charms in their combat abilities that can work with martial arts!

holy shit!!!

JOURNEYS

the ascending and descending horoscopes all have this fucking fantastic structure where you can grant a blessing or curse, but you have to have a constellation-themed interaction first. if you see someone feed a street animal you can invoke Stray Dog Gratitude to bless their travels, if you see them abandon something important you can invoke Forsaken Castaway Curse to curse the same

good worker spirit starts with "when the sidereal lies about where she's been" which is fucking primo, this is the translation of one of the old resplendencies that made it hard to catch you slacking off

mysterious traveler wisdom makes you both helpful to people youre traveling with and impenetrable when they try to figure out where the fuck you came from

predestined escort coincidence, which we are all fucking jazzed to see out of the drive charms from shards, lets you throw open the car door horse bridle and give someone a wordless look to tell them you're taking them where they need to go

RESISTANCE: THE MAST

oxbody only gives -0 hls, because it is vital that sidereals look completely unaffected and fine

the mast sways turns you into a fucking pinball puppet who takes knockback instead of allies

strength of the mast makes you stronger, especially if youre the strongest one in teh room

unbroken weave deflection clashes attacks with a disarm gambit because weapons just fucking bounce off?? holy shit

oh my god mast upholds all lets you provide support ie "looming behind someone" and they can use your sta+res successes instead of their own. that is unbelievably fucking funny. also people cant notice you doing this.

RIDE: THE MESSENGER

these charms are horny. there's nothing we can really do about it. setting that aside:

IRON HEART IRON HORSE isnt horny though. it just makes your mount fearless. we love to see it. it will become horny later.

breaking the wild mortal is horny though. sorry vance i'm powerless to deny it. you put a bridle on a guy to make them like you. at least they forget about it

FIELD MOUSE RIDER isnt horny. field mouse rider is really good. we were all so worried when we heard resplendencies were going away but here is FIELD MOUSE RIDER safe and sound

desirable maiden's bargain is fucking fantastic. you tell the world why you're doing something, fate gives it away to whoever needs that information but shows you a clue or surprise tool to help you later, using a flash of lightning or glint of dawn

print the phrase "acquaintance-improving dressage" and look me in the eyes. you can train mounts, including bridled mortals, with this

fiend-humbling horsemanship lets you turn an enemy of fate into a horse. yes this is bai longma yes it is... really thats it but now theyre a HORSE

i would be remiss not to mention RIDING THE DRAGON, which is yes dragon tf. at least it doesnt outright kill you anymore

SAIL: THE CAPTAIN

rarely is travel peaceful. salt-into-ash sleight lets you remind a water spirit that it left the oven on

yellow sky augury lets you get a weather forecast of evils, which is really fun

omen of mutiny lets you learn about threats to your authority at midnight or when you gamble, which is such fucking good food

implicit admiralty assumption makes everyone assume you're the superior of whoever's boss in the room. but your eye does shine when you use it, so better wear an eyepatch

disaster-accelerating expedience lets you learn about a disaster in the future and go, hmm. id like that now please. and just make terrible shit happen faster (but it is weakened)

and then dire squall forewarning lets you just introduce a disaster that will befall your ship. have fun!

SURVIVAL: THE SHIPS WHEEL

charms to make the landscape like you. charms for psychogeography.

poetic sacrifice insurance lets you fail something, buck up, and try again

holy shit entombed soul monument lets you pull an intimacy out and turn it into a natural feature

and then tomb-parole sanction lets you petrify your body and astral project into an animal or spirit

oh my god beloved world embrace lets you become buddies with an environmental hazard and move it around

THROWN: THE GULL

weapons wander around the battlefield, and so do you! ive always loved this scripture

oh my god shrike-roosting gesture lets you yoink anything to your hand if you've held it this scene. this is a specific image thats been in my head for like years and nows its a charm somehow???

pelican aloft departure is such a bitch name. i absolutely have to say it out loud as i knock someone across the room.

MAIDEN AND SHADOW FORM gives us a funny little preview: every fucking combat ability has its own form now. holy fuck. sidereals and their fucking kung fu. by the way this one surrounds you with thorns made from your shadow. kingdom hearts ass

hshjsj impromptu betrayal trick lets you knock a weapon frmo someone's hand straight into someone else's body

i haven't been talking much about charms from past editions but i cant not mention life gets worse approach. god i love life gets worse approach. great name great flavor you land a weapon in someone and it pulls further troubles and knives to them

HWKQJlGGJDF shining flock of adversities lets you turn that into a whirlwind of debris that attacking attacking attacking attacking. or i should say whirlwind of debris and small animals because you can fucking throw your familiar in there too

ooh, and frayed skein entanglement lets you grapple someone from afar by catching the thread of their fate

and now we come to the enlightenment charms, which absolutely made me go MOM holy fuck. the enlightenment charms let you use, say, thrown charms with an SMA, and learn SMA by mastering thrown instead of other martial arts

three-body trilemma is a BANGER name and a banger charm. when you throw a weapon it becomes a juggling act because you swap places with your target and just catch your weapon harmlessly.

flown beyond the world sends you to fucking final destination no items. jesus christ.

ahahahahaha shadow migration tactic lets you throw someones shadow at someone else

wandering axe foresight is so fucking funny. yes i threw a knife at your doorway three hours ago no i didnt tell anyone until now here it is surprise! i watched oceans twelve the other day and i think they should have given this to them

unrelenting torment is so fucking hilarious. you want to attack me so bad it makes you look stupid. btw golden axes torment. btw its fucking indefinite until you rip the prayer strip off

i absolutely have to stop there we'll pick up at serenities next time

[comfyswitcherblanketfort]

Horse info 101

A horse girl’s guide to the basics for fic writing with an important and lively horse involved:

This got kinda long I’m kinda sorry but not at all lol 

There's three basic gaits (speeds with different patterns of hoof-fall/leg movements

Walking is the slowest and is a four beat gait, meaning each foot hits the ground at a different time. Usually the same pace as a walking human when the horse is calm. Some breeds can walk HELLA fast though. Most horses will fill the same spot/hole where their front hoof was with their back hoof on the same side. If they overstep they clip their fetlock (joint lookin bit above the hoof) or pastern (bit between the hoof and fetlock) and can injure themselves. 

Now trotting. The middle gait, a person can jog next to a trot at a comfortable pace but if you push them a little horses can trot faster than your average HS track endurance athlete. Once again some breeds can trot HELLA fast. This is a two beat gait in that two diagonally opposite legs are moving in unison. In some english saddles (I’ll get into that later if we have class time) it’s easier to post while the horse is trotting rather than sit for the gait. That just means you stand up in the irons (stirrups on an english saddle, we’ll also cover that later) at the same time that one of the front legs moves forward. 

Also, see how the trotting horse’s head looks? That’s how they travel when they’re relaxed and attentive. The tucked head thing you see Roach doing is because there’s tension on the reigns and Henry learned to ride for an english seat not a western pleasure seat (might get into those but they’re really not important)

Time for the Canter/Lope. This is a three beat gait so that means two legs are moving in unison and the other two are not. Horses canter/lope fast. This is the go-time gait. Some performance/dressage horses are trained to canter extremely slow but if we’re talking transportation trained horses they’re not gonna be that kind of slow. Your average human is not gonna be able to keep up with this for long if at all. This varies in speed too. There's a rather casual canter seen in the gif directly below, then below that is the balls to the wall canter/lope that most horse people just refer to as a run. That’s as fast as they can go.

Basic tack names

Halter + Lead/Lead Rope - these can be made of rope, leather, nylon (more modern) but the halter is generally used for leading and tying.

Bridle - this is the one that you use while you ride, it holds the bit in their mouth. There’s millions of different types of bridles but they’re usually made out of leather even now. sometimes you get rope/nylon ones but I don’t trust them.

Reins - connect to the bit and you use them to steer and control speed. Horses trained in western or one handed riding will ‘neck rein’ which means if you move your hand to the right and the left rein brushes their neck they will move to the right.

Bit - the metal piece in the horses mouth. most english riding bits are broken (joint in the middle) and most western ones are solid. there’s a gap behind the horse’s front teeth and that’s where the metal sits. Some horses have smaller mouths than others and do better with solid bits because the ‘broken’ ones will hit the top of their mouth and hurt. There’s also things called ‘shanks’ on some bits which are just longer pieces of metal that attach to the sides of the pieces in their mouth and point downward. This gives the rider more leverage and makes any tug on the reins stronger. (google “Horse bit shank” if this doesn’t make sense)

Saddle - you sit in it. simple right? wrong. There’s two main types of saddles, Western - with the horn like you see in the running gif, and English- the loping gif without the horn. The saddles used in the Witcher look like the pre-english saddle versions but the basic parts you need to know are the same. The part where you ass goes? that’s the seat. the part right in front of your crotch? That’s the pomel. that’s your ‘oh shit handle’ if anything goes screwy (other than the mane). The part that sticks up and keeps your ass in place? That’s the cantle. I like western saddles SO MUCH MORE but i also grew up mainly riding western so im biased. 

Stirrups/Irons - stirrups and irons are where your feet go. In western saddles they’re called stirrups and they’ve got wider decorative leather flaps (called fenders, also originally added to protect trousers/legs from the horse sweat and the buckles of the cinch) and on english saddles they’re called irons because they are usually made of iron and rather slim. Geralt’s irons look pretty similar to modern ones, slim leather straps, minimal iron (or steel or any other strong metal really). Traditional english riders have knee high boots like you see in regency costumes which removes the need for the fenders like on western saddles. 

Cinch/girth - this is what keeps the saddles on. You take a strap and attach it to one side of the saddle, run it under the belly right behind their front legs and attach it to the other side. Its usually made of a strong fabric with wool or some kind of softer lining for western riding. English riding uses a leather one most of the time though this horse girl hates them because they’re harder to cinch up. English saddles use buckles while Western saddles use another leather strap to run through the chinch/girth buckle and you either tie it off or use it like a belt. 

Chest strap - this keeps the saddle from sliding backwards. It’s attached to both sides of the saddle by buckles and between the front legs its attached to the cinch/girth. this is pretty universal but not always used. Geralt uses one though. 

Saddle pad - goes under the saddle to protect the baby’s back and whithers (spot where the neck meets the back and the mane ends)

Tacking up and untacking takes time. This is usually 5-10 minutes when done at a leisure pace and done right.

Basic grooming

Brush down before tacking up - you don’t want stuff chaffing the pony while you ride

brush after untacking- helps clear skin of irritants and feels nice

Shedding scraper/curry comb to get rid of shedding hair - if you want a pic of these just google them I think I’m close to the pic limit for my post. 

HOOF PICK - keep the baby's feet clean and clear if rocks so they don't bruise but also so nothing get infected

Yes, plz brush their mane it gets MATTED - a hairbrush works but a wide tooth comb is best

Horses roll to itch their backs and clean off, sounds counterintuitive with the dirt but it works

Shaving a little spot for the bridle to sit is pretty modern but it's easier for everyone involved

Horse Colors- guys roach is not brown she’s a chestnut color

The only thing I have to add to this is that the “Leopard” one is called “appaloosa” in the US at least, and “Pinto” is also reffered to as “Paint” and there’s all sorts of different patterns that you can see. also i want a buckskin so bad. yes i was obsessed with Spirit as a child why do you ask?

Travel care of your babies

Horses CAN and have subsisted off roadside grasses and grazing at night BUT it's good for them to get a lil something extra ESPECIALLY if you’re keeping them in a stall at night where they can’t graze.

Hay and grains like cracked wheat, oats, barley and the like are commonly found in horse feed. Also a lil drizzle of molasses is chock full of calories and all my horses LOVE the taste.

also while we’re talking food: some horses cant keep all the juice/bits in their mouth when they eat apples (we fondly call it making applesauce) or other treats/veg. Yes it gets all over your hand, yeah its kinda gross, but there’s worse things.

Shoes. Babe's need horse shoes. Especially if they're walking over rocks and roads.

Throwing a shoe (when it comes off on accident) is painful sometimes and if left un-dealt with can affect their joints and spine. Imagine walking around in one heeled shoe and one athletic shoe all day. Ow.

On that note though, on lighter travel seasons it's nice to give their hooves a break from shoes (also cheaper)

Horse moods:

horse mood ear chart here: I cant add much tbh

If a horse is comfortable/happy/relaxed they will ‘chew’ on nothing. Just kina a little lip smack type deal. My horse’s bottom lip would hang a couple centimeters below his top one when he was relaxed and I would put my chapstick in it while I fussed with other things.

When a horse is uncomfrotable/scared/tense their lips get sealed tight. I call it ‘fish butt lips’ bc they’re watertight and NOTHING is getting in there. 

Stamping hooves can be a few things. Antsy and ready to roll, nervous, deadass scared, or playful/excited. 

A full whinny is communication - saying hi, warning, scared, etc.

the really soft whinny is called a nicker and its my favorite sound okay? that’s little soft communication and its usually reserved for times when they’re comfortable.

When they’re really relaxed they’ll cock one of their back legs kinda how we shift our weight to one hip. 

general fun facts:

Some horses fake limp when they don’t want to work bc they are lazy and smart and realize their person will get off and check them out and maybe even give them a rest. 

You do a preliminary leg injury test by running your hands slowly over their legs and checking for hot spots - inflammation caused by injury is warm

Basic horse saftey is never stand directly in front of the horse if theres a possibility of spooking, if you’re gonna walk behind them walk out of reach of their hooves or right up against that ass. If they cant get a good wind up it wont do as much damage (on that note though I rode/trained horses for 18 years and was only kicked once by a foal). 

It’s kinda common sense not to walk/sidestep between your horses legs and under their belly but we do it all the time bc its a trust thing? adrenaline? its fun?

laying on your horse’s back sans saddle, and facing their butt is so nice okay, that ass is soft and cushy and perfect for a nap. I miss laying on my horses while they ate like this every damn day. 

Horses can sense your moods. Not unlike the whole ‘witchers smelling you’ thing. They can feel a difference in the tension on the reins and in your posture when you’re tense or relaxed.

Some horses will take care of their riders, some are absolute shits and push the limits for funsies. Some horses will only behave for people they’re used to too. Some horses have trauma from being mistreated and will have triggers kinda like people do. We had a horse who would freak the fuck out if anyone walked around with a red had but as soon as you took it off she was the most level headed horse we had.

A good portion of horses (Who aren’t scared of children) will behave better with kiddos or novice riders because they feel they’re nervous.

If they hurt while they’re moving they usually limp but sometimes they’ll buck. It’s their defense mechanism. 

Horses can’t sleep for too long laying down because their body weight will collapse their lungs. Most horses sleep standing up.

They can sit like a dog and it’s hella cute. 

Stung by bees? Most horses will take off at a dead sprint bucking and hopping unless you’ve done a lot of trust work/training with them

They also run and jump and buck and rear to play.

If theres two horses in a pasture together one will chew at the other’s whithers (or anywhere else) to ask them to scratch them the same way. its very cute and they sometimes try this with people.

horses hug. I cry. 

the whole deal with the rider/horse relationship is it’s a mutual trust you’re building. They let you sit on their back and do weird shit and you trust them not to throw you.  

Thank you for coming to class today! If there’s any questions feel free to message me! I’m not kidding I wanna answer your questions and I miss my horses so this is fun for me.

@elliestormfound​ here it is boo! lol 

[enter-the-phantom]

I almost tagged you in that horse game post bc I know you play them and I don’t doubt that there is some drama and I do kinda want to know about it.. but anyways sorry & wishing you drama free game time 🙏

Basically, horse people are, more often than not, catty and cliquish gatekeepers. This extends into the virtual world.

Star Stable is my main one and boy howdy. People claw each other’s eyes out over things like the correct names for coat colours, whether it’s dressage or drill, whether we deserve the game experience we paid for, etc. There’s all these Star Stable “influencers” on YouTube who don’t help to quell fights, and there’s been some controversy recently over “game ambassadors”, how they’re chosen, and favouritism. Riding Clubs can be really bitchy, throwing people out for not buying certain clothes or horses. Even my usually chill and cool riding club got hit with some friendship drama recently involving the admins and is starting to fall apart.

One good example is this coat colour they released, a peacock Appaloosa. People lost their shit over this horse and whether or not he was based on some real-life stud with a genetic illness carried on his coat gene and if buying that horse was supportive of real life irresponsible breeding practices. You’d get bullied if you were caught riding around on that damn Appaloosa. Something similar happened when some bridles were released or some shit that some people said were abusive and others said weren’t (someone in the horse community is always accusing someone else of abuse or being irresponsible. It’s like every horse person is the only good horse person and everyone else is trash).

Some recent drama sprang up over the new character models, too. They released some new body types in beta because up until now we all had one very outdated character model that couldn’t be customised very well. The problem is that all the new body types look the exact same—they’re all bigger girls. So now there’s accusations of fatphobia against people who want a wider range of body types (including large bodies!). People are also losing their shit over SSO confirming that male PC’s will never be a thing because the game has a theme of sisterhood and girl power and that made a bunch of people mad (even though facial hair is available as an accessory and the game is supportive of transwomen).

And then there was all that drama when they made Alex a lesbian and Rowan and Syntax nonbinary, because the horse community has a huge queerphobia problem…

Basically horse people, both online and in real life, suck. Stay away from them if you know what’s good for you.

No this doesn’t go for ALL horse people, I do know some genuinely kind ones—they’re just rare. Yes I sound salty because yes I am salty. I’ve been mistreated by a lot of horse people, and their behaviour is common knowledge by now.

[adam-the-horse]

Don't dare me on saddle pads 😏

Again, how many horses do I have? 😅

[pandoriasbox]

Jade’s SSO Rambles - 4 Render Blocking Mode

(Please keep in mind that these are my thoughts and opinions at the time of writing these rambles. I may change my mind in the future.)

Before the archaeology post I had an interesting discussion with some friends (thank you Cen and Elli!) in regards to hiding other players outside of a group or club. Since SSO is an MMO obviously this is a touchy subject in the first place but I do think it merits at least some discussion on why it could be useful and how it could be implemented.

General Mechanics:

Under the creative tab in settings there would be two options. “Hide Users Outside of Group” or “Hide Users Outside of Club” with the respective option being greyed out when the player is not currently part of a group or club. You can only have one or the other active and every time the player activates it they have a pop up that explains how it works and a yes/no confirmation. It would function similarly to how we hide bridle stars or mute invites.

While the mode is active the game will only render people on the list of either their current group or their current club. Leaving either of these while the mode is active will turn it off as will exiting the game. The player will not be able to see nor type in say or global chat until they turn the mode off. Clicking on the checkbox will turn it off (no popup or other delay.)

Other players can see the person render blocking and I feel that to avoid confusion there should be some kind of icon denoting they are in rendering blocking mode and therefore can’t see people or use say/global chat.

The player can still use friend, group and club chat while in render blocking mode.

The feature would be unavailable during championships and players cannot activate the club render blocking if they are doing a group race.

Primary Intended Uses:

Most importantly I believe this could be a very important feature for people who may have anxiety or otherwise feel uncomfortable around large groups of other players. I think it could become a great accessibility asset to anyone who becomes overwhelmed by crowds either due to something as simple as being shy in crowded virtual spaces or because it becomes over stimulation for the player. It gives players a much needed reprieve without forcing them to escape to less crowded areas or their stable.

The most obvious use is for players in clubs or groups that would like to not have other players interrupting. I think this would be especially useful to those who use the arenas in SSO (especially on busy servers) since clubs that aren’t interacting could easily overlap in their use of it by render blocking those outside of the club. This makes it so players don’t have to try and figure out scheduling outside their club or fight over the most popular areas.

Another major use I could see for it is with photo mode and recording. A lot of people want to have clear (and not distracting) footage of just themselves or friends when recording or taking photos, (myself included.) However as the game grows in popularity it becomes increasingly more difficult to find unpopulated servers to help reduce the number of players surrounding you. This is particularly important with players who make videos regarding updates and often results in quest givers and events being overlapped by a mob of other players doing the same tasks.

Lastly this feature could help improve the general experience of players who are on less than optimal computers or have difficulties on busier servers by reducing the workload on their computer. (Especially for players with their club or most of their friends there and they can’t move to a less populated one because of that.) By blocking the rendering of other players and the say/global chats it would potentially provide a much needed lag relief to players who currently have only graphics quality tweaking options. (I think reducing render distance would be another great way to help this as well but I’m not sure how viable that is on a per user basis.)

Other Notes

We already have this working in game to some extent. We have both black and white listing features as well as mass render blocking within groups. The ignore list is a prime example of black listing mechanics used to block specific users. On the other hand championships are a white list where all players except the current race group are rendered. This feature would work like the latter where the group or club acts as a white list for the render blocking mode.

We could have more arenas such as the dressage one added with Jorvik Stables Open House as if I recall the mechanics correctly, it would block people outside your group or club automatically. I think having a permanent one somewhere in the world could be a nice asset especially if render blocking isn’t given to players. However I don’t think this should be applied to all or most arenas as this would mean that multiple clubs can’t participate together in those spaces.

I suggest adding the popup explaining what the render blocking entails for each time the player activates it both to help make sure they are aware of what they are doing as well as to provide a means of gently discouraging using the system to simply play the game as though it is single player. I also believe especially with younger players that it would be very easy for them to forget why they don’t have access to say and global chat. Adding the popup every time with no means of hiding/discontinuing it would include an additional reminder of the other effects of activating the mode.

As always, thank you for taking the time to read my rambles! I know this is a highly requested feature and I’ve seen arguments for it on both sides. However what I haven’t seen is any discussion regarding mechanics and why we should have it outside of simply the aesthetic of playing the game alone. I’d like to think my suggestions could shine a new light on why adding a render blocking mode could actually be helpful to the game.

I’d love to hear others' thoughts on the feature and especially if you have any new ones due to my rambles. Feel free to reblog, reply or shoot me an ask!

[adriellej]

Hidden In The Stables - part 2

Pairings: No pairing

Characters: Jo Harvelle, Jensen Ackles,

Summary:  Working in a big stable with expensive horses and brilliant riders is a great job. The wish to ride for such a stable is big, and maybe that day is closer than you thought.

Warnings: Don’t think there is any, maybe a little condescending way of being from one of the characters, but that’s it. 

Word count: +1.7

A/N: Sorry it has taken so long with the second part! But it’s here now!! I promise I will try and do a little better, but with my studies it can be difficult, but I try! As always the beautiful and awesome @hiddenwritingsintheworld​ was my beta on this! 

Mucking out stalls were a big part of your job. Doing it in the heat of the summer, was definitely not your favourite part. In fact your favourite part of the job was turning the horses in and out, and the rare times you had, watching the riders train the horses. Not one horse was alike, no stallions or mares resembled one another. 

Making your way down the line you thought about how amazing it would be to be one of the riders, and not the stablehand. Riding in the big arenas, at the big competition on a big beautiful horse, who was trained to be a part of the elite; more specifically Ahearn. The dark liver chestnut stallion was beautiful and powerful. His gait was big and rounded, and he had temper just how you liked it. Back home you had worked with a lot of different horses, but they were for the cowboys and the drive of cattles. Here it was show jumping and dressage, the dance of the horse sport. 

“Hey Y/N, when you’re done cleaning this stall, could you finally take the time to turn out my horse?” Isabella, one of the most winning riders, asked as she gestured with her hand and a grimace when saying the word cleaning. 

“Yes, of course ma’am. I am sorry I haven’t gotten around to it,” you excused yourself even though you wanted to tell her to stick it up her ass and do it herself. It was your job, even for the most prestigious and stuck up people, who treated you like you were a nobody. You put the fork in the wheelbarrow. “I’ll get to it right away,” you said walking out of the stall and towards a horse named Buckshot Brandy. 

“Well thank you,” Isabella said putting her nose in the air as she turned and walked away. Brandy was a mesmerizing mare, her golden colour had a shine that none of the other horses had. She was kind, always seeking out attention, treats and kisses. 

“Hey there Brans,” you said smiling as she whinnied happily and stuck her muzzle up to your cheek. “I know, I know, I’ve missed you too,” you laughed gently stroking her head before putting her halter on her and a leadrope. “C’mon girl, let’s get you out, what ya say?” You looked questioningly at her as she sighed as answer. 

Walking towards one of the pastures with Brandy you saw Jo Harvelle riding one of the jumpers. Jo had chosen to take in a dark dapple grey gelding who was a bit of a project. He was supposed to be a showjumper, except he didn’t exactly feel like jumping, and the owner wasn’t too happy about it. Which was what led Jo to take him in and train him.

“Here we go Brandy,” you said as you pulled off her halter, and Brandy ran off to enjoy getting her legs stretched and graze. “Might as well take a break from the stables,” you spoke to yourself as you walked towards the jumping arena. The gelding had a big gait, fiery and fast that made it difficult for Jo to keep him in a good stride. The distances fitted poorly no matter how much Jo tried to keep him back. After several failed jumps Jo took him down to a walk to let him breathe. 

“Still not getting anywhere with him?” You asked from the sideline, and Jo turned her head towards you and let out a small laugh. 

“Damn Y/N, you scared the crap out of me,” she laughed as she gave the gelding a stroke. You and Jo had been good friends since the day you started your job here. “But no, unfortunately I can’t get him to work with me, and I am about to be at a loss of what to do,” she let her head hang a little in disappointment. “I am not sure I can help him, Y/N,” Jo’s voice was laced with sadness. She hated not being able to help the horses she trained, especially on this level kind of horses. If they didn’t live up to their expectations, their owners would be more than likely to sell them, often to places who pushed them too hard. 

“I know it’s not my place, but maybe he just wants a break, and a run?” You questioned. “From looking at him, he looks like he wants to just run for it, and seems to get sorta pissed at you for holding him back,” you laughed as you remembered how he had lifted his head, taken the bit and ran more when Jo pulled a little on the reins. 

“Hmm… could you saddle up Blue?” She asked you with a smirk on her face. Seemingly having a big plan. 

“Uh yeah, sure I can do that,” you smiled and nodded as you walked towards the part of the stables where Blue Jeans stood. Blue Jeans was Jo’s own horse, a small jumper, but despite his size, he won most of the competitions they entered in. He easily jumped 1.50 meters, and he was fast.  “Hey Blue,” you said as you got close to his stall, and he popped out his head to look at you. Your hand gently stroked his muzzle before you went to the tackroom to get his saddle and bridle. 

“Okay, here ya go Jo,” you said walking Blue Jeans out of the doors to the stable. 

“He isn’t for me, I can’t ride two horses at the same time,” she laughed and you looked confused. “He is for you, silly,” Jo broke out laughing. 

“What? Me? But you don’t even know how I ride…” you mumbled. Not that you didn’t want to ride him, more that you were afraid of missing it too much once you got back and you couldn’t ride anymore. 

“I know for a fact that you trained and broke in several horses back at your home. So get your ass in the saddle,” she smiled. You stretched out your arm with the reins, indicating you wanted Jo to take the reins. She did with a confused look and was about to speak, when you ran off, shortly after coming back with your dusty helmet. 

“I took this with me, hoping I could get to a point where I could get to ride,” you smiled taking back the reins, pulling them over Blue’s head, before putting your foot in the stirrup and getting in the saddle. “Now shall we go?” You smiled widely, feeling how much you had missed sitting on the back of a horse. Jo laughed and nudged Atlas, the gelding, in the sides, indicating for him to walk forward. 

After walking the horses a good 15 minutes you turned onto a big field. Hearing the grass bend under the horses’ hooves and weight was a sound you had soon missed. The feeling of being rocked back and forth from the movements of the back. You loved every part of it, taking in every moment and sense of it. 

“Wanna give him a little trot before we try something?” Jo asked, and you looked at her with christmas lights in your eyes. You gave a big nod as response and nudged Blue forward, changing his gait into a trot quickly adjusting to the rhythm of his movements under you. Though he was a small horse, his gait fitted perfectly to him, but his steps were long, a lot longer than you had expected them to be. He was easy to ride, stayed with you all the way, working on the bit not at all going above the bit like Atlas. After a good five minutes of trotting, you turned to Jo. 

“God, I have missed sitting on a horse,” you said smiling from ear to ear, as you stroked Blue Jeans’ neck and letting him walk. 

“I want to try something, if you put Blue into a gallop, and Atlas and I will follow you. Okay?” Jo questioned you, and you were more excited than ever. Even though it had been a long time since you had ridden, it was like riding a bike, you hadn’t forgotten anything. 

“Sure, first one to get to the end wins!” you said as you nudged Blue Jeans’ sides, he replied to your signal with silence. Just as you were about to get confused, Blue Jeans leapt forward into a full gallop, catching you off guard. You quickly regained a proper balance, and laughed as Blue Jeans’ legs moved in a high speed beneath you. He was fast for his small size, though not as fast as Atlas. You thought you had left Jo and Atlas behind, just as Atlas came running full speed past you, ears forward and stretching out his long legs. Jo turned her head back towards you.

“Guess I am winning!” She yelled from in front of you. 

“Not on my watch,” you said to yourself. “C’mon Blue!” You encouraged the little black horse, and he sped up even more. You gained slightly on Atlas, but as Atlas saw Blue Jeans getting closer he gave even more of himself, loving the racing, and staying in the lead. 

--- Jensen’s P.O.V. ---

Jensen walked out from the rider’s lounge and towards Ahearn’s stall, taking a bite of the apple in his hand. As he walked his attention got taken away from loud laughter further down the stable’s land, and onto a field. Two riders were racing each other in one of the big fields belonging to the stables. One Jensen recognised as Jo on the project horse she had taken in, and if Jensen wasn’t wrong the other horse was Blue Jeans. 

“Who is riding Blue?” Jensen asked himself as he watched in awe at the control the rider had of the high speed the two were riding. As they were galloping back towards the stables, he got impressed by the posture and balance on the supposedly unknown rider. “She is good,” he said impressed. “Though a tad bit crazy,” he chuckled to himself as he took another bite of the apple, and continued his walk towards Ahearn. 

------

Tags: @thing-you-do-with-that-thing, @winchesterswoonathon, @for-the-love-of-dean, @ellen-reincarnated1967​, @teamfreewill-imagine​, @deascheck​, @hiddenwritingsintheworld​, @impalapossible​, @sis-tafics​, @deanwinchester-af, @talesoftheimpala​, @ilostmyshoe-79​, @unadulteratedstorycollector​, @loveitsallineed, @faith-in-dean​, @mrswhozeewhatsis​, @curliesallovertheplace​, @random-fandom-fangirl2112​, @sandlee44​ (sorry it took so long)

[abigail-marie10]

Part 1, 1,15,21,22, part 2, 14,16,25,27, and part 3 7,10! 😊

Part 1,

Would you rather...

1. Fancy western show saddle or blingy dressage bridle

I’ll take both!! I’d probably use the western one though just because I don’t have anything from dressage, sadly.

15. Cooler or quarter sheet

I’ve always only used a cooler but I’d use a quarter sheet too if I had one.

21. Beach ride or horse show

I’d go for both maybe but if I had to pick I’d definitely the beach ride!

22. Free board for a year or $2000 tack shopping spree

Well... they live in my backyard so I’m going to say that nice shopping spree 😂

part 2,

Have you ever...

14. Had a “girth too loose incident”

No, thankfully! I was actually the kid that tightened the girth too much because I was afraid to fall off 😂🙈

16. Used mane and tail shampoo/conditioner

Oh yes lol

25. Bought a piece of tack you definitely didn’t need

Ohhh yes. Either got it because I saw other people had it or I thought I needed it.

27. Cursed in front of a barn kid

Not sure about that lol

part 3,

Describe your dream...

7. Tack room

A nice temp controlled tack room with nice saddle, blanket, and bridle racks. Something with enough room for everything without it being crowded or messy.

10. Horseblr that you wish could come live down the street from you

All of my mutuals and any that love my pons 😍

I’d seriously do anything to have someone near me lol.

[grumpy-mare]

I see that you ride Bit less and from what it looks like your horses are barefoot too. im interested to know your opinions on people who use bits and have their horses shod?

This ask has been sitting in my inbox for a little whilenow, and I apologise for taking so long to answer. I figured I might as welljust say fuck it and walk straight into the lion’s den with my answer lmao.

Yes, one of my horses Is permanently bitless, will never usea bitted bridle again in her life, probably doesn’t even know what a bit isanymore etc etc. Yes, all three of my horses are barefoot and I highly doubtthey’ll ever have shoes on again. However – this does NOT mean I support the~all horses should be barefoot and bitless~ crusade. What I believe in, ismaking the best choice for your horse.

Here’s my thoughts on bitless:

- Worked wonders for Belle and I because despiteschooling up to Lvl 3 or 4 dressage, we always had tension through her mouth.We could never maintain true softness. This is due to her history, plus mebeing unable to fully soften without tensing up in transitions/halfhalts/working towards collected movements because I was so used to Belleholding the bit. She had deep groves in her molars from holding the bit so hardall the time. I got my first sidepull purely to muck around in, but from thefirst ride quickly realised it was the solution to our problems. Take away thebit, which is what was causing our problems and suddenly I had the softest,most willing horse in the world. I used to get dragged around with her rippingmy arms out because she was so strong – without a bit I had complete control inevery situation.

- Bitless worked for us because we had beenschooling together for years and ~understood~ each other under saddle. We hadalready refined our aids. I do not believe we would have achieved the samesuccess at higher level lateral movements bitless, had we trained bitless fromthe get go.

- Bitless doesnot allow for clear, well defined aids and that is it’s biggest problem. Ifully believe in starting horses in a halter. 100% believe that is the way togo, however once you move beyond thebasic stop, start, turn in this general direction, the best way of setting yourhorse up for success under saddle is to introduce the bit in order to provideclear aids. A bitless bridle cannot do that. Here’s a controversial statement;In my personal experience, the majority of people who believe ALL horses shouldbe bitless lack a fundamental understanding of horses, and horse training. Notethat I’m not including those who, like me, use it when appropriate.

- Bitless can do so much harm when done incorrectly,and that harm is often significantly underappreciated and overlooked becausemany people have the idea that bitless is inherently pain free.

- Bitless can also be a wonderful thing, andopened up a whole new world for Belle and I. I don’t regret not doing itsooner, because we needed to have our aids refined before we could properlymove to bitless. I also don’t believe we could have correctly continued movingup levels bitless.

- Flicka either goes in a halter with reinsattached or a bridle, depends on the rider. Ziggy will only ever go in abridle, she absolutely hates being ridden in a halter or a proper bitlessbitless bridle and is soft and supple in a happy mouth snaffle so I don’t seeany reason at all to convert her.

The barefoot thing.. ehh. Barefoot is a lifestyle.Without correct conditions it won’t work. My girls have a lowkey life and havegreat feet= they are barefoot. I would rather my horse barefoot where possible,but I would put shoes on if needed. I love my trimmer because while she’s abarefoot trimmer, she also shoes horses because she’d much rather see acorrectly shod horse, than a lame barefoot horse. Not everyone can provide thelifestyle needed to promote heathly barefoot feet, not everyone has access to agood trimmer. Our horses live in an artificial environment, we do what’s bestfor them. I don’t believe shoeing is cruel. Although it makes me laugh whenpeople from my country (New Zealand) say that “wild horses have no shoes on”because our wild horses, the Kaimanawas have awful feet. They were introducedto the environment that they currently live in and it’s absolutely not suitablefor horses. Their teeth are generally pretty bad as well, because their diet isso poor.

 Anyway basically TLDR: Do whats best for your horse, never trustpeople who believe it should be all or nothing, on either side of the debate.

[wordswithateez]

yeehaw!ateez - Chapter 2

IM SORRY FOR TAKING SO LONG BUT ITS FINALLY HERE!!!! thank u all for waiting!! :D - kiki

CHAPTER TWO - Warm Ups

The barn ambiance had gone quiet once Jongho had tugged a finicky Fuego into the stable. Heart thumping in your chest, you approached the stainless steel trailer, the sudden quiet of the yard making you feel almost uneasy. Shadows enshrouded the inside of the transport vehicle, and as you stepped inside, the small windows provided only just enough light for your eyes to readjust. You almost didn’t see the gelding at first, as his sleek dappled grey coat blended in with the metal walls of the trailer. His coat brewed like a storm—a contorting concoction of black and white over grey.

Gale, Hongjoong’s wind and sea.

Or Pegasus and Bellerophon, as even the most critical and scrutinizing of judges had nicknamed the pair.

You approached slowly, as if hurrying would cause Gale to evaporate and disappear like mist. The gelding had turned his head as far as his lead would allow him, watching you with soft sterling eyes that held an intelligence you’d never seen in any other horse before. You found yourself involuntarily greeting him as you unclipped his tie and attached another lead of your own. He snorted curiously at you, sensing your nerves.

“Hey there, Gale,” you said, finding yourself mumbling his name as you carefully guided him down the trailer’s access ramp. His ears perked up obediently at the mention of his name and raised his head to feel the sun on his coat. You led the gelding carefully; if anything happened to Gale because of you, you think you might die before Hongjoong has a chance to kill you.

Amazingly, Gale seemed miles more confident than you were. His hoofsteps were sure, and he took long strides at your side. He barely flinched as the gravel turned to concrete upon entering the large main stable, which was beginning to buzz with ATEEZ activity. You saw Wooyoung carry a black saddle into the tack room, and Mingi gently remove Domino’s halter. Farther down, Yeosang and Yunho worked together to brush Charity, who stood patiently at a pair of cross-ties. No sign of Hongjoong, but you knew his stall was already labelled.

“y/n!”

Just as you were about to unlock the stall gate, a voice rose to catch your attention. You turned to notice none other than Seonghwa, who was walking towards you with Dauntless in tow. The regal black stallion pinned his ears at you as he followed Seonghwa closer, causing Gale to tense up beside you. Seonghwa noticed and stopped at a safe distance.

“You’re y/n, right? Sorry, he doesn’t like new people very much,” he said with an apologetic smile. You nodded, understanding.

“No worries, I’ve had my fair share of troublemakers. And yes, that’s me,”  you replied with a laugh, desperately trying to ease the tension created by the two horses. Gale grew more and more guarded as the seconds ticked by under the shadow of Dauntless.

His smile didn’t change, offering you an involuntary twinge of guilt. “Of course, nice to meet you, y/n. I was going to ask you. The trails around Royal’s Elite are quite extensive, right?” He glanced towards the barn doors, then back to you. “I was wondering if you could point me in the direction of one. Dauntless here needs to cool off, and I know some work could do him some good.”

“Oh, yes, definitely,” you said, straightening. You pointed outside with your free hand, towards two cypress trees at the far end of the front yard. A dirt trail began between them, winding into the forest. “Between those trees is the longest trail we have, and it runs in a loop. There’s lots of flat area. Although there are a few cross-country jumps set up, so…”

Seonghwa’s expression changed, and he let out a chuckle. “Just because I’m a dressage rider doesn’t mean I can’t handle a couple of hurdles.”

“Right, right,” you responded awkwardly, hiding the pain with a smile. “Then I think you’ll be good to go otherwise. Are you all set?”

“Should be,” he answered, patting Dauntless’s neck. The stallion was clad in a black bridle and matching hunter saddle, and you admired his turquoise saddle pad for a moment.

“Okay, cool,” you said, trying to be casual. “The trail’s all yours.”

He gave you a dazzling smile. “Great, thank you!”

And then they were gone. You watched Dauntless follow his owner with a sassy flick of his tail, and Gale visibly relaxed once the stallion had left.

“You don’t like him?” you asked Gale as you returned to your previous task of walking Gale into his stall. Gale just snorted at you in response, tossing his head after you slid the halter off of his head. “He does seem a little hot-headed. But aren’t most Friesians like that?” The gelding stood patiently as you talked, ears pointed attentively in your direction. Suddenly, though, something behind you became much more interesting.

“Aren’t most horses like what?”

...God, you can’t get five seconds worth of peace.

You turned around in the stall to find Hongjoong leaning over the stable gate, grinning at you. At the same time, Gale let out an excited whinny and almost pushed you over as he tried to get to Hongjoong. The man laughed as he was greeted with a faceful of horse, proceeding to scratch the gelding’s ears. You smiled exasperatedly and went to meet Hongjoong at the gate. “I’m not going to make fun of you for talking to the horses, especially since Gale knows pretty much all of my secrets,” he said with a laugh.

“Ahah, yeah,” you said in reply, still embarrassed that he’d caught you making conversation with a horse.

“Everything seems to be going smoothly,” he continued, glancing down the stable corridor. “But we’ve got work to do.”

“Of course,” you said, paying attention. Not like you knew what that work was or anything. “How can I help?”

He hummed in thought, pulling in the front of his lips. “Mingi and Yeosang want to go over some jump combinations just to visit the arena. Could you help us set up?”

“Oh yeah, absolutely,” you said. “We keep the poles in the garage at the back of the arena. Do you want me to show you?” you asked, just to make sure. To your surprise, he shook his head.

“I think I’d like to saddle up too, actually. It’s been a long trip, and Gale clearly has some spring in his step.” He gestured to the gelding, who tossed his mane as if on cue.

Your heart skipped a beat. You were going to see Hongjoong on horseback so soon? “Right, sure. I’ll set them up for you then.”

Hongjoong smiled. “Yunho will probably be out soon to help. Thanks, y/n.”

“The pleasure’s all mine.”

Leaving Gale in Hongjoong’s hands, you left the stable and made your way to the outdoor arena. It wasn’t a long walk at all, as one side of the stable overlooked the arena entirely. Behind the arena, the storage shed’s doors slid open with a worn creak.

Pulling the overhead lamp’s drawstring, the shed was soon washed in a warm glow. Jump poles were lined up against the wall, their colors foreign against the old brown planks, with the stands stacked beside them. You took a breath and lifted two of the stands into your arms, heaving a little with the effort, and walked back outside. To your discovery, another person was jogging in your direction.

“Heya!” he greeted you with a smile, black hair bobbing. “Hongjoong sent me to help you. I’m Yunho.”

I know who you are, you thought as you looked up at him, offering a smile of your own. “Oh, thanks! Nice to meet you; I’m y/n.”

He grinned, walking into the storage shed and coming out with two more stands like you. “Just basic warm-up stuff, right?”

“Guess so.” You shrugged. “I can’t imagine anything else after that ride.”

Yunho let out a breath. “Whew, yeah, it was long. Twelve hours.”

You nodded, opening the arena gate. The sawdust caked under your boots as you walked inside.

“Let’s just do a couple,” Yunho said, setting down his stands. “I don’t wanna be out here for that long, I’ve got sleep to catch up on.”

You laughed and set down your own. “Fine with me.”

The two of you set up around five or six jumps, most of them fairly simple. You were sweating a little by the end, but Yunho seemed as exuberant as ever. He grinned at you as the two of you left the arena, locking the gate behind you.

“I’ll tell Hongjoong and Mingi they’re ready,” Yunho said as the two of you returned to the main stable. “Yeosang is lunging Sunny, if you want to get him.”

“Sure. Are you going to jump, too?” you asked, but mentally slapped yourself in the forehead afterward. Of course Yunho wasn’t going to jump. He chuckled.

“No, I can’t. Charity’s retired.”

“Oh, yeah.” Nice going, y/n.

Leaving Yunho to talk to Hongjoong and Mingi, you swallowed and began to make your way to one of the circular corrals. Sure enough, Yeosang was inside, watching Sunny canter lightly in circles around him. Although her tail was still raised high, her head was lowered, and she chewed at the bit in her mouth, ears pointed towards her owner. A good sign.

“Hey, Yeosang?” you called, getting his attention. He’d noticed you and merely let out a deep breath, slowing Sunny to a walk. “The arena’s all ready.”

He blinked, watching you for a moment. “Oh, thank you.” His voice was soft, and Sunny snorted, turning to walk towards him. He gathered the lunge in his hands, taking hold of her rein and unclipping the lunge when she neared. The Arabian glanced up at you, her eyes bright and full of youth. You smiled- it wasn’t often you saw horses with so much spunk.

Yeosang looked a little tired as he exited the corral with Sunny. You tilted your head. “Is something wrong?”

“Sunny is a handful sometimes,” he said with a wheezy laugh. You glanced up at the palomino pinto, who nickered in response.

“I can see why,” you said, reaching up a hand to stroke her nose.

You walked with Yeosang and Sunny to the arena, where Mingi and Hongjoong were waiting on horseback. If you thought Mingi was tall on his own, he was a giant sitting astride on Domino. The Knabstrupper gelding stared intently at you as you approached, raising his head sharply when you stopped in front of them. Hongjoong glanced at Yeosang.

“Are you ready?”

You held Sunny still while Yeosang climbed into the saddle. Smiling down at you for a moment, he gathered the reins and nodded to Hongjoong. “I am now.”

With that, the trio entered the arena.

long chapter to make up for the wait!!! :D next episode is going to be fun haha. i’m spending some time with the showjumpers before the dressage drama starts up (eye emoji)

[scrappy-appy]

1, 4, 7, 19 (horsey asks!)

1. What discipline do you ride? What would you ride if you could pick any other one?

I, uh, kind of just do my own thing. I know it’s weird so say, but I really think the elitism of most disciplines is pretty off-putting. You feel so pressured to have certain tack, or dress a certain way, or have your horse move exactly one way or the other, and it’s really weird to me. I used to do English Hunter/Jumper and right now I’m doing a bit of Classical Dressage, but I plan on doing Western trail riding and maybe some cattle stuff, JUST to increase my range of horsemanship skills! The only discipline I really want to specialize in is mounted archery. I blame @mounted-archer

4. Do you consider riding to be your outlet? If yes, why?

I don’t think so. It definitely helps me feel better if I’m upset, but I think more story-driven focuses (D&D or writing) help me more as a creative outlet, and working out (weightlifting) help me more as a physical outlet. I ride because my horse is my best friend, and I enjoy groundwork the same if not more as riding!

7. Did you ever collect Breyer horse models or similar?

Oh god, yes. I was definitely a crazy horsegirl before I moved north. I think I’d still buy some of their really nice sculptures for shelves, but I’m not a crazy horse girl any more. I just like certain ones, their behavior, and their care... and I like deer and donkeys just as much.

19. In your opinion, what is an item of tack that is given unnecessary hype?

E V E R Y T H I N G. People are really out there buying several hundred dollar stirrups for every saddle, or having color-matching polo-wraps that... aren’t necessary at all to ride a horse. And if that’s their thing, I’m so happy that they are happy and having fun! But everyone else starts to think that’s a “good” or necessary thing, and it’s not!I hate to say it, but my $300 cheap nonsense saddle, clunky rubber stirrups, and BETA bridle&brestplate are the most comfortable and convenient tack I’ve ever ridden in or owned, so you really... really... don’t need any of that to enjoy your animal, unless you specifically WANT to.