A lesson with Pie.

[DJ]

Hope jogged to the arena, hoping not to be late for the lesson she had scheduled. She opened the large metal gate connected tot he white vinyl fencing and left it open for when her student came in.

Hope moved a few of the jumps down, preparing for her lesson, of teaching Pie to jump. She set up some cross-rails and verticals not sure if she'd even get to the verticals today. It all depended on how well Pie went.

She'd see in a bit as she continued fixing jumps, waiting for Pie and Micheal.

[Bree]

The big black horse trotted into the arena with perfect form as if she knew she was going to be judged. Micheal posted slightly, just enough to keep from enduring the uncomfortable bump as the horse shifted. Her hands kept a firm hold on the reins as she could feel Pie's mouth and she sat deep into her Hermes saddle to feel the horse's back muscles.

Piceous perked up when she trotted into the arena, Micheal hoped it was because of the jumps. She wanted Pie to love jumping as much as she did. Piceous grabbed at the bit, eager to go.
"Hope.
She nodded to the trainer with a smile. She started doing transitions around the arena to loosen and warm Pie up for their jumping. She wouldn't risk any injuries to Piceous.

[DJ]

"Hello." Hope smiled to Micheal as Pie came strutting into the arena.

"Someone's ready to work!" Hope watched the prancing mare flow into her transitions looking smooth and flexible. "I'm not sure what you've been doing with her, but she looks lovely!" Hope exclaimed to Micheal, who also seemed ready for a lesson.

"So," Hope asked, "What are we working on today?"

[Bree]

Micheal flashed Hope a smile at the compliment as she sat an extended canter. The gait was smooth and lithe, as she moved around the arena.

Micheal slowed her to a walk.
"I think a review of the basics is in order, I don't want her to be pushed too much and maybe something with fillers to get her confidence up? Otherwise she seems like she's ready for more but I'd like to keep at a steady clip."
She thought for moment on what she had said.
"And whatever you suggest would be fine. "
She smiled sweetly then put her full concentration on Pie, who tried to no avail to take more rein.

[DJ]

"Sure. If you want to warm her up over the cross-rail I've set up, we can try and play around with the vertical after. Hope pointed to the vertical currently set at 18", but could be moved up higher.

"We can certainly use the flower boxes, fillers, although they are lowest at two feet, but yeah. Whatever you'd like to work on is fine with me. Again, you know Pie and how far she can go.

[Jazzy]

Alli walked briskly towards the outdoor. She spotted Michael and Pie out there and wanted to check the girl's jumping skills out.
"Hey there!" She shouted, waving. She hopped up onto the fence and scanned the arena. "Mind if I watch the lesson?" The jumps were all low, so she assumed either the girl or the horse...or both, had just started jumping. Alli loved watching others jump because she could analyze their position and figure out what clicked with the various horses.

[Bree]

Micheal nodded and signaled Pie into a canter. The horse responded willingly. Piceous thundered around the arena until Micheal pulled her to an easy gait that she could sit more readily to. She shut the outside world out and focused only on herself and Pie moving with the rhythm and flow of the natural horse gait.

Micheal turned her toward the cross-rail looking straight ahead through Pie's ears. She leaned forward at just the right moment after counting Pie's strides. The Hanoverian took it with ease, landing lightly. Micheal couldn't help but smile the effort that Piceous was putting in made her proud of her horse, more than ever.

[DJ]

"Sure, Alli. You can come in and stand with me if you'd like." Hope motioned her towards her.

"Lovely!!" Hope was stunned at how the mare and rider's position looked. It was smooth and graceful and they were certainly ready for something a bit more challenging.

"Take her over the vertical. I'll raise it after." She watched Micheal and Pie. They were truly wonderful together.

[Jazzy]

"Alright." Alli swung off the fence and walked over to Hope. The girl did well, and the horse was very graceful. They had the same chemistry that she and Java had. Java's first vertical had been...interesting. She had managed to crash into the rail and spook herself. Alli had to use wood rails from that point on to get her to pick up her feet.
Pie seemed more graceful, but Alli expected there to be some hitch. Maybe she wouldn't like the flower boxes, or the gates.

[Bree]

Micheal nodded and acknowledge the other person in the ring.
"Look at you calling an audience." She whispered into Pie's rotating ears.

She remembered her first vertical. Although she had taken a header when she lost her confidence and the horse she was riding lost his also and ran out at the last minute. When she got up she shook herself off and her trainer made her tell him exactly what she did wrong and try... no DO it again.

Micheal shook off the memory she didn't want to make a repeat performance especially since Pie was new to jumping and anything at this moment could make her loose her confidence.
She straightened her reins and made them even, looking steadily at the jump. She counted the strides up to it. One, two, three, and up. She could feel Piceous falter but she directed her with her leg and drove her forward.

In the air Micheal knew that it wasn't exactly right and when Piecous landed awkwardly she winced inside. Fortunately the accident was hardly noticeable, it made a difference that she new how to jump. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and and patted the horse's neck.

"Stage fright?" She giggled into Pie's ear.