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"Whoa..." Came a quiet voice, the owner clutching Hia'reth's mane with a death grip, the reins forgotten in his hands. Mathias' face was deathly pale as the dark mare tossed her head with a snort, trotting quickly to the opposite end of the ring as Talen approached in an attempt to rein in the mare. The young man bounced in the saddle unsteadily, his grip tightening even more in the strands of her mane, wondering how on earth he got roped into actually getting on a horse again, much less an unbroken one...

From what he could remember, things had been mostly normal. He'd done his stall chores, brushed a few horses, then trekked out to the Spirit Horse pasture to round up Hia'reth and bring her in for some groundwork. Talen had suggested it a few months back, knowing Mathias and she had enough of a bond to have her allow handling and even commands, to an extent. The elf had also thought it would help Mathias out, having him bond with another horse and become more comfortable handling one again. And to an extent, he had, working on her ground manners, transitions and voice commands. Both of them had gotten to understand eachother's body language, and Talen was pleased with how well they worked with eachother for the most part. Obviously, Hia'reth still had her mareish tantrums and Mathias could get frusterated because she wasn't a pushbutton horse, but overall they worked well in their own way.

That morning Talen had come out to watch, quiet as Mathias put the mare through her paces. He was just finishing up when the elf pipped up with his great idea. "Why don't you go grab Bronwen's saddle and Ithyr's bridle and we'll back her?"

Mathias stared at the elf for a moment and shrugged, figuring the 'we' meant Talen. After all, Mathias hadn't been on a horse since his accident and really wasn't planning to ever again. So he went and quickly came back with the items, handing them over to the elf while Hia'rerth snorted and sniffed them cautiously, not certain she wanted those on her.

Letting the chestnut sniff them to her hearts content, Talen slowly began setting the items on her, smoothing out the saddle pad and placing the saddle on top, making sure it fit right before going any further. He didn't want her first experience with the saddle being a sore one, especially with her personality. So the elf fussed for a moment, making sure the pads supported the saddle and that the saddle itself would work before loosely buckling the girth around the mare's belly.

When she didn't fuss at that, he slowly began tightening it, pausing each time to allow Hia time to adjust and accept the feeling. Other than a few skin wrinklings however, she was calm, searching Mathias' pockets every now and again to check for treats. Once the elf finished tacking the mare up, slipping a rubber snaffle bit between her teeth with little fuss and stepped back.

"Alright Mathias, lets get you on."

Staring at talen, Mathias made a surprised guttural sound. "Me? But.. why?" The young man floundered, immediately stepping back to create a distance between himself and his horse. Hia'reth flicked her ears forward as she sensed his hesitation and flared her nostrils slightly, ignored by both humanoids.

"Because you are the one she's bonded to." Talen explained simply. "Hence, you are the only one who can start her undersaddle. I highly doubt she'll accept anyone else, nor do I really wish to experiment with that. Azar's been working with you, so you should be ready."

That he had. Azar had been 'working' with him, in the sense of getting him to tack up and lunge horses. No riding, or even wish to ride had ever entered Mathias' mind. He wasn't sure what Azar had told Talen, but obviously the elf was mistaken in what he was doing. He was about to correct him on that when the elf tugged Hia'reth over and guided the young man over to the saddle and up before he could even open his mouth.

"Talen, I don't think this is a good idea..." Mathias attempted, clinging to the mare's mane as Talen held her. "Don't worry Mathias, she's doing fine." He reassured, clucking his tongue to encourage Hia to move. Stuttering in protest, the teen gripped onto the mare with all his strength, neither aware of her ears flicking back to the scared young man. So when she bolted, it took both Talen and Mathias off guard, leaving one face down in the dirt and the other clinging for dear life on her back.

Which brought Mathias back to the present situation. Stuck on the back of a tempermental mare with a fear to great for any motor skills to be controlled. The blond was almost certain he was going to be physically ill when Hia'reth abruptly stopped, turning her head to face him, orange eye serious and focused on him.

"It's alright young colt." She said simply. "You are mine and I am yours. I will not hurt you or let you fall without reason. This training you need to so, we will do together."

Coming out if his state of panic, Mathias merely stared at her for a moment as he gathered his thoughts. It was... Odd to have a horse speak to you, he concluded, nearly as odd as one creating fire... "I don't believe you." He finally answered, daring to lean down for the reins once he felt well enough to do so. "You've kicked me, bitten me and stepped on me. Why shouldn't you dump me?"

Hia rolled her eyes at that. "Your a cocky young colt. With no sense if discipline. You need correcting. Nothing I've done to you has injured more than your pride. However, at times you do need to be nurtured and protected as well, which I have done also. I do as is best for you, in order that you finally become a noble stallion." She paused for a moment. "Now, may we work on this fear of yours, or will you go hide from it yet again?"

The last comment struck a nerve with Mathias and he narrowed his eyes. " I don't hide..." He muttered, sitting deep in the saddle and gathering his reins, the previous moments of terror forgotten at the barb. He urged the mare forward at a rather explosive trot. It nearly gave Talen a heart attack as he watched them go around, Mathias needing a few moments to remember how to correct and put her energy into a more powerful, collected gait.

The elf watched anxiously for a few moments until it was obvious that Mathias was the one in charge before relaxing slightly, calling out encouragement and corrections as they went around and around until the teen's legs gave out on him and they stopped in the middle.

"That was impressive." He said, striding to meet the two. Hia'reth looked rather proud of herself, while Mathias merely drooped, lounging on the mare's neck tiredly. "Can I expect that you two might hit the show ring together later this year?" The elf teased, blinking in surprise at the dual voices, one mental and one spoken.

"Yes, bring it on."

Description
"Whoa..." Came a quiet voice, the owner clutching Hia'reth's mane with a death grip, the reins forgotten in his hands. Mathias' face was deathly pale as the dark mare tossed her head with a snort, trotting quickly to the opposite end of the ring as Talen approached in an attempt to rein in the mare. The young man bounced in the saddle unsteadily, his grip tightening even more in the strands of her mane, wondering how on earth he got roped into actually getting on a horse again, much less an unbroken one...

From what he could remember, things had been mostly normal. He'd done his stall chores, brushed a few horses, then trekked out to the Spirit Horse pasture to round up Hia'reth and bring her in for some groundwork. Talen had suggested it a few months back, knowing Mathias and she had enough of a bond to have her allow handling and even commands, to an extent. The elf had also thought it would help Mathias out, having him bond with another horse and become more comfortable handling one again. And to an extent, he had, working on her ground manners, transitions and voice commands. Both of them had gotten to understand eachother's body language, and Talen was pleased with how well they worked with eachother for the most part. Obviously, Hia'reth still had her mareish tantrums and Mathias could get frusterated because she wasn't a pushbutton horse, but overall they worked well in their own way.

That morning Talen had come out to watch, quiet as Mathias put the mare through her paces. He was just finishing up when the elf pipped up with his great idea. "Why don't you go grab Bronwen's saddle and Ithyr's bridle and we'll back her?"

Mathias stared at the elf for a moment and shrugged, figuring the 'we' meant Talen. After all, Mathias hadn't been on a horse since his accident and really wasn't planning to ever again. So he went and quickly came back with the items, handing them over to the elf while Hia'rerth snorted and sniffed them cautiously, not certain she wanted those on her.

Letting the chestnut sniff them to her hearts content, Talen slowly began setting the items on her, smoothing out the saddle pad and placing the saddle on top, making sure it fit right before going any further. He didn't want her first experience with the saddle being a sore one, especially with her personality. So the elf fussed for a moment, making sure the pads supported the saddle and that the saddle itself would work before loosely buckling the girth around the mare's belly.

When she didn't fuss at that, he slowly began tightening it, pausing each time to allow Hia time to adjust and accept the feeling. Other than a few skin wrinklings however, she was calm, searching Mathias' pockets every now and again to check for treats. Once the elf finished tacking the mare up, slipping a rubber snaffle bit between her teeth with little fuss and stepped back.

"Alright Mathias, lets get you on."

Staring at talen, Mathias made a surprised guttural sound. "Me? But.. why?" The young man floundered, immediately stepping back to create a distance between himself and his horse. Hia'reth flicked her ears forward as she sensed his hesitation and flared her nostrils slightly, ignored by both humanoids.

"Because you are the one she's bonded to." Talen explained simply. "Hence, you are the only one who can start her undersaddle. I highly doubt she'll accept anyone else, nor do I really wish to experiment with that. Azar's been working with you, so you should be ready."

That he had. Azar had been 'working' with him, in the sense of getting him to tack up and lunge horses. No riding, or even wish to ride had ever entered Mathias' mind. He wasn't sure what Azar had told Talen, but obviously the elf was mistaken in what he was doing. He was about to correct him on that when the elf tugged Hia'reth over and guided the young man over to the saddle and up before he could even open his mouth.

"Talen, I don't think this is a good idea..." Mathias attempted, clinging to the mare's mane as Talen held her. "Don't worry Mathias, she's doing fine." He reassured, clucking his tongue to encourage Hia to move. Stuttering in protest, the teen gripped onto the mare with all his strength, neither aware of her ears flicking back to the scared young man. So when she bolted, it took both Talen and Mathias off guard, leaving one face down in the dirt and the other clinging for dear life on her back.

Which brought Mathias back to the present situation. Stuck on the back of a tempermental mare with a fear to great for any motor skills to be controlled. The blond was almost certain he was going to be physically ill when Hia'reth abruptly stopped, turning her head to face him, orange eye serious and focused on him.

"It's alright young colt." She said simply. "You are mine and I am yours. I will not hurt you or let you fall without reason. This training you need to so, we will do together."

Coming out if his state of panic, Mathias merely stared at her for a moment as he gathered his thoughts. It was... Odd to have a horse speak to you, he concluded, nearly as odd as one creating fire... "I don't believe you." He finally answered, daring to lean down for the reins once he felt well enough to do so. "You've kicked me, bitten me and stepped on me. Why shouldn't you dump me?"

Hia rolled her eyes at that. "Your a cocky young colt. With no sense if discipline. You need correcting. Nothing I've done to you has injured more than your pride. However, at times you do need to be nurtured and protected as well, which I have done also. I do as is best for you, in order that you finally become a noble stallion." She paused for a moment. "Now, may we work on this fear of yours, or will you go hide from it yet again?"

The last comment struck a nerve with Mathias and he narrowed his eyes. " I don't hide..." He muttered, sitting deep in the saddle and gathering his reins, the previous moments of terror forgotten at the barb. He urged the mare forward at a rather explosive trot. It nearly gave Talen a heart attack as he watched them go around, Mathias needing a few moments to remember how to correct and put her energy into a more powerful, collected gait.

The elf watched anxiously for a few moments until it was obvious that Mathias was the one in charge before relaxing slightly, calling out encouragement and corrections as they went around and around until the teen's legs gave out on him and they stopped in the middle.

"That was impressive." He said, striding to meet the two. Hia'reth looked rather proud of herself, while Mathias merely drooped, lounging on the mare's neck tiredly. "Can I expect that you two might hit the show ring together later this year?" The elf teased, blinking in surprise at the dual voices, one mental and one spoken.

"Yes, bring it on."