Friends and Music... Ahh The Life. - CLOSED

[tidal]

Thanks for the warning, I guess. Jake laughed. Insanity here, first time out in quite a while. He's not exactly used to the vast areas like this. Or the jumps..or even me riding him. I think in a few days, I'll take him back inside, and get him used to jumping again. He said as he came back around, closer to Duke. The sight of the other horse seemed to scare Insanity. He flinched a bit, and lunged to the side, trying to veer away. His mount regained control, and brought him back underneath him. It's okay boy. It's okay. Jake whispered into his horse's ear. He slowed him down to a trot, letting his heart rate go down. Then, the walk. He spent the next few minutes walking him around, cooling him off. I think I'm done for the day. I don't want to push him too hard. He's just learning, so a bit at a time. I'll see you later then, I guess. Jake called out to Ella, who was now closer to him in distance. Jake stopped Insanity beside a bush, dismounted, rolled up the stirrups, and gently took the reins. Insanity seemed fidgety as the reins were being lifted over his head. He then trotted ahead of his rider, but was brought back to the walk, shortly after.

[femalefred]

"Jumping inside sounds like a plan," Ella nodded, talking in a quieter voice as Jake and Insanity got closer to them again. She certainly wasn't expecting the bay to shy off, and nor was Duke from his reaction - which was to shy in the opposite direction and throw a slightly histrionic buck. Once that was done with, he stood perfectly still, eyeing Insanity and Jake with some suspision as they walked about, cooling off.
"Alright, I'm sure I'll see you soon," the rider called, nodding to Jake as he led the mustang cross away. Now that the course was clear for the two of them, she felt she could move with a little more confidence. There were no other horses to distract Duke, and he was focussing a little more on her commands already as they moved into a light working trot. Heading towards the ditch into the water, the gelding's head again began to lift, but as high as before and not so much that Ella was worried about correcting it. As they reached the ditch, he lifted lightly into the air, apparently attempting to jump as neatly as possible and keeping his hooves tidily together. The neat and tidy aspect of the whole scenario was lost as he hit the water, and again his nostrils flared in alarm, but he didn't spook, relying on Ella's confident forward motion so much so that he picked up a canter and fairly flew out the other side of the water.
"Good boy! That was wonderful!" Ella was delighted, so much so that she let Duke take the next fence on the course, which he did with apparent glee.
Now that that had been done successfully, and Duke was pretty much exhausted, they turned back towards the barn, Ella kicking her feet from the stirrups and giving the gelding a long rein as they ambled back to the yard.