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Description
loved painting this one! Kept it simple, but i like the overall look of it

story:
The mare had become used to Aoife and her little visits, just as Aoife had come to love observing the mare as she slowly, slowly came out of her shell. After that first day of progress, Aoife had been doing the same thing every day; sitting in the stable, letting the mare decide when she was feeling comfortable enough to approach her. The mare would come over and every day would grow more confident. She was more confident in approaching Aoife and now let Aoife stroke her body. One day she even allowed Aoife to put on a headcollar. The mare had been resting her head on Aoife’s lap when Aoife had slowly slipped the noseband around her nose and eased the headpiece around her poll. The mare barely blinked an eye! So every day Aoife had been doing the same thing just to get the mare used to the headcollar, but today was different. Today she would finally take the mare outside of the box she had been living in. So after the usual greeting, Aoife put on the headcollar, secured the leadrope and stood up. Not used to this schedule, the mare eyed Aoife with a look of suspicion, but nothing more. She didn’t try and go to her corner or try and back away. She merely stood there, waiting. Pushing the door open with one hand, Aoife gently walked out into the bright yard. The mare stood behind her, not quite sure whether to trust her new friend or hide like she always had. The pair stood there for a few minutes, but the question was soon resolved when Aoife produced a magic carrot from her pocket. The mare greedily walked up to her and grabbed the carrot before nudging Aoife all over, looking for evidence of further treats. No such luck. With a look of resignation, the mare allowed herself to be walked around the yard by Aoife. They stayed clear of other horses and loud machinery, but they did walk to a small field where Aoife let the mare free, curious as to whether she would stretch her legs and gallop or stay hidden in a corner with her. The mare simply pricked her ears and looked at the expanse of lush green grass in front of her without moving. The meadow reminded her too much of home. She stayed with Aoife, grazing only a few steps away from her new friend. After about half an hour, Aoife took her back up to the yard, passing Amy on the way. The mare was obediently walking beside Aoife up to this point, but at the sight of Amy, she seemed to recede inside herself again and slowed her pace down to hide behind Aoife.

“Hi Aoife, how’s it going?” Amy said quietly.

“Really good actually,” Aoife replied, happy to see one of her best friends, “just took the mare down to one of the meadows to see how she would react. I was hoping for her to have a nice little gallop, but she stayed pretty much by my side, which is weird.”

“Still haven’t got her to really move then? That’s a shame, but you two have made such progress! She looks like a different horse than the one that stepped off the trailer!”

“Aww thanks! But you know, I feel like I make such progress with her, but as soon as she sees someone else or another horse, she just hides back into herself again. Like look at her now. Earlier she was following me around like a puppy but now she just looks like she wants to be on her own because you’re here – no offence!” Aoife laughed.

“None taken!” Amy joked, “But seriously, I know what you mean. You have obviously taken the time to bond with her and get her to open up around you, but now you need to show her that all humans can be kind like you! And the only way that is going to happen is if she gets introduced to new people, horses and situations with you there to keep her calm. I can help if you want? Sit with you in her stable one day or bring up Dreamer to be with her? He is super calm, so I’m sure she wouldn’t be too freaked out.”

“Hmm, I don’t know. I know I’ll have to do it soon, but I don’t want to push the mare too much and lose what little bond we have. She’s is just too broken for that. If we lose our bond then she will go and hide in her shell again.”

“It’s going to be hard to judge when it’s right to push her – that’s for sure! And are you seriously still calling her ‘the mare’? It’s time to pick a name, don’t you think?” Amy teased.

“I know! I just can’t think of any names that suit her!” Aoife groaned.

“There must be some names you’re thinking of! Come on – I’ll walk back up with you and we can think of some names.” Amy said in her usual excited voice.

“Eugh come on then, tell me what horrible names you have up your sleeve!”

“What about Mandy?”

“Nah, too normal.”

“Buttercup?”

“Eww no! Anyway if you hadn’t noticed, my mare is black – not palomino!”

“Fine then! Jubilee?”

“No.”

“Abigail?”

“No!”

“Come on – give a girl a break!”

“Oooh, what about Lola? It’s not too girly or common and it’s kinda cute!”

“As much as I hate to admit it after you rudely turned down my suggestions, Lola is actually kind of perfect!”

“Hey, what do you think girl? Think Lola is a nice name for you?” Aoife asked her now slightly calmer horse who just whinnied and pricked her ears.

“I think she likes it!” Amy said with a smile. “I’ve got to run – Georgia’s been pestering me about making the cross country jumps bigger – but I’ll talk to you later, yeah?”

“Yeah, sure! Have fun with Georgie!” Aoife laughed at her best friend who was now running towards the cross country course where a stern looking Georgia waited for her. She shook her head. “Oh Lola, you do learn to love her!” She said to her newly christened mare.

stock:
horse ref:
aoife ref: www.toffi-images.de/de/pferdeh…

Description
loved painting this one! Kept it simple, but i like the overall look of it

story:
The mare had become used to Aoife and her little visits, just as Aoife had come to love observing the mare as she slowly, slowly came out of her shell. After that first day of progress, Aoife had been doing the same thing every day; sitting in the stable, letting the mare decide when she was feeling comfortable enough to approach her. The mare would come over and every day would grow more confident. She was more confident in approaching Aoife and now let Aoife stroke her body. One day she even allowed Aoife to put on a headcollar. The mare had been resting her head on Aoife’s lap when Aoife had slowly slipped the noseband around her nose and eased the headpiece around her poll. The mare barely blinked an eye! So every day Aoife had been doing the same thing just to get the mare used to the headcollar, but today was different. Today she would finally take the mare outside of the box she had been living in. So after the usual greeting, Aoife put on the headcollar, secured the leadrope and stood up. Not used to this schedule, the mare eyed Aoife with a look of suspicion, but nothing more. She didn’t try and go to her corner or try and back away. She merely stood there, waiting. Pushing the door open with one hand, Aoife gently walked out into the bright yard. The mare stood behind her, not quite sure whether to trust her new friend or hide like she always had. The pair stood there for a few minutes, but the question was soon resolved when Aoife produced a magic carrot from her pocket. The mare greedily walked up to her and grabbed the carrot before nudging Aoife all over, looking for evidence of further treats. No such luck. With a look of resignation, the mare allowed herself to be walked around the yard by Aoife. They stayed clear of other horses and loud machinery, but they did walk to a small field where Aoife let the mare free, curious as to whether she would stretch her legs and gallop or stay hidden in a corner with her. The mare simply pricked her ears and looked at the expanse of lush green grass in front of her without moving. The meadow reminded her too much of home. She stayed with Aoife, grazing only a few steps away from her new friend. After about half an hour, Aoife took her back up to the yard, passing Amy on the way. The mare was obediently walking beside Aoife up to this point, but at the sight of Amy, she seemed to recede inside herself again and slowed her pace down to hide behind Aoife.

“Hi Aoife, how’s it going?” Amy said quietly.

“Really good actually,” Aoife replied, happy to see one of her best friends, “just took the mare down to one of the meadows to see how she would react. I was hoping for her to have a nice little gallop, but she stayed pretty much by my side, which is weird.”

“Still haven’t got her to really move then? That’s a shame, but you two have made such progress! She looks like a different horse than the one that stepped off the trailer!”

“Aww thanks! But you know, I feel like I make such progress with her, but as soon as she sees someone else or another horse, she just hides back into herself again. Like look at her now. Earlier she was following me around like a puppy but now she just looks like she wants to be on her own because you’re here – no offence!” Aoife laughed.

“None taken!” Amy joked, “But seriously, I know what you mean. You have obviously taken the time to bond with her and get her to open up around you, but now you need to show her that all humans can be kind like you! And the only way that is going to happen is if she gets introduced to new people, horses and situations with you there to keep her calm. I can help if you want? Sit with you in her stable one day or bring up Dreamer to be with her? He is super calm, so I’m sure she wouldn’t be too freaked out.”

“Hmm, I don’t know. I know I’ll have to do it soon, but I don’t want to push the mare too much and lose what little bond we have. She’s is just too broken for that. If we lose our bond then she will go and hide in her shell again.”

“It’s going to be hard to judge when it’s right to push her – that’s for sure! And are you seriously still calling her ‘the mare’? It’s time to pick a name, don’t you think?” Amy teased.

“I know! I just can’t think of any names that suit her!” Aoife groaned.

“There must be some names you’re thinking of! Come on – I’ll walk back up with you and we can think of some names.” Amy said in her usual excited voice.

“Eugh come on then, tell me what horrible names you have up your sleeve!”

“What about Mandy?”

“Nah, too normal.”

“Buttercup?”

“Eww no! Anyway if you hadn’t noticed, my mare is black – not palomino!”

“Fine then! Jubilee?”

“No.”

“Abigail?”

“No!”

“Come on – give a girl a break!”

“Oooh, what about Lola? It’s not too girly or common and it’s kinda cute!”

“As much as I hate to admit it after you rudely turned down my suggestions, Lola is actually kind of perfect!”

“Hey, what do you think girl? Think Lola is a nice name for you?” Aoife asked her now slightly calmer horse who just whinnied and pricked her ears.

“I think she likes it!” Amy said with a smile. “I’ve got to run – Georgia’s been pestering me about making the cross country jumps bigger – but I’ll talk to you later, yeah?”

“Yeah, sure! Have fun with Georgie!” Aoife laughed at her best friend who was now running towards the cross country course where a stern looking Georgia waited for her. She shook her head. “Oh Lola, you do learn to love her!” She said to her newly christened mare.

stock:
horse ref:
aoife ref: www.toffi-images.de/de/pferdeh…