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Rosewood Studs Story
< prev Chapter 4: Chatter next >

The pink-nosed gelding stuck his head over the door as best he could. His eyes almost bulged out of his head as he begged Aveline for her burger pickles.
“C’mere, ‘lil guy.” Aveline pulled off the top of her burger, and fed the little gelding the two woeful McDonalds pickles. He snuffled her hands in desperation, and she rubbed his forehead affectionately. “Why aren’t you outside, hey?” She asked the air. She wandered into the feed room, before seeing a note pasted to Chatter’s box on the feed schedule. No sugar feeds, soak hay - getting fat and foot sore! With spring breaking, the grass must be bringing on a touch of founder. She ducked outside again to inspect the size of Chatter’s belly. He looked like a balloon on four legs. She wasn’t surprised, Bella was both too big and too tall to really ride him properly.

Aveline made a point to sit next to Bella at dinner that night. As the chicken was being passed around, she decided to broach the subject.
“Hey Bella, is Chatter getting founder?”
“I hope not, I’m trying to keep weight off him but he is miserable staying inside. I don’t have time to lunge him every day so I’m just hoping it will settle in a few weeks.”
“Aveline could ride him.” Bennett speared the lemon chicken, and deposited it on his empty plate. “She’s up for a new horse, seeing as Fareeha will be out pretty soon.”
“Okay Av, how much do you know about hacking?”
“You mean like dressage for dummies?”
“Ugh, Jesus.” Hayden muttered while Bella sighed. “Wrong answer, dude.”
“Okay um, I guess not much then.” Bella shut her eyes for a moment.
“Well then, Chatter and I will have to teach you tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow? Sounds like fun.”

Bella led Chatter into the indoor arena, the pony walking happily alongside her. He was decked out in a double bridle and show saddle, ready to go. He was dwarfed alongside the vet, whose stride was longer than his.
“Mount up, he’ll stand. He’s dealt with much more commotion.” Aveline mounted up smoothly. He was even smaller than Brigette, and Aveline wasn’t sure about how close to the ground she was.
“Oh my god, you make him look like a normal sized horse. That’s nuts.” Aveline pouted. She was short, but it hadn’t even been a problem for her riding.
“Well that’s good then, otherwise you’d have nobody to ride him.”
“I’m glad he has a job again. He knows pretty well, this pony. Do a few laps of walk and get used to him.” As Aveline got ready to ask him to move forward, he sprung into an active walk. His stride wasn’t too bad for such a small pony, but she was getting used to Fareeha’s walk, which was struggling to hold her back for most of the time. The gelding seemed to be awaiting his next command.
“Pick up your snaffle rein more, forget about the curb for now. The curb is just for show anyway, he can do without it.” As soon as the slightest contact was added, she felt the pony’s back lift and his neck round. He walked with like a ballet dancer, she could almost feel his toes point.
“Good. He’s out of muscle and practice so he might give you more hassle at the trot. You used a curb before?” Aveline shook her head. For a horse with no muscle, he tried hard and performed really well - bar the fat rolls. “It amplifies your aids, and he isn’t like Bennett’s psycho mares so you don’t have to pull hard on him. In fact, just don’t. When you pick it up, there will be a delay to when he gets the signal. When he’s in top form, he will anticipate the signals by the delay, but he’ll be more begrudging at the moment. Get him up into a trot.” Aveline stretched her heels down and lifted the reins, as Chatter pushed into a trot. His trot was dead lazy, he shuffled along and sucked his back in to avoid the contact, causing his head to lift and his back to drop. Bella smiled.
“What do I do? He was so good before!”
“He’s a pony, and he’s lazy, so you’ll have to work a bit harder. Move him forward more and then touch the curb, hopefully he’ll try and frame up for you again. Don’t worry about it not being perfect, this is very hard work for him. Put your shoulders back and lengthen your leg, you aren’t in a jumping saddle. Sit tall and look pretty.” Instruction overload. She was totally out of her depth. Aveline squeezed on the curb and Chatter curled against it, into hyperflexion. Gross.
“More leg, move him forward, and less handsy with his mouth.” This was exhausting, far more exhausting than riding Fareeha who needed constant fussing while riding. An hour of this every day would have to bring the gelding’s weight down, and Aveline’s while they were at it.

After their half-hour lesson, Aveline walked an exhausted and sweaty Chatter around the arena, while Bella walked alongside them.
“You did well. It’s very different to event riding, but your dressage should be miles better if you work this guy more.” She patted the gelding’s shoulder with a gentle slap, his coat slick with sweat. “You up for more of these? It’s great to teach, much more chill than my day job.”

References
STOCK - Equitana 2013-67 fillyrox

Description

Rosewood Studs Story
< prev Chapter 4: Chatter next >

The pink-nosed gelding stuck his head over the door as best he could. His eyes almost bulged out of his head as he begged Aveline for her burger pickles.
“C’mere, ‘lil guy.” Aveline pulled off the top of her burger, and fed the little gelding the two woeful McDonalds pickles. He snuffled her hands in desperation, and she rubbed his forehead affectionately. “Why aren’t you outside, hey?” She asked the air. She wandered into the feed room, before seeing a note pasted to Chatter’s box on the feed schedule. No sugar feeds, soak hay - getting fat and foot sore! With spring breaking, the grass must be bringing on a touch of founder. She ducked outside again to inspect the size of Chatter’s belly. He looked like a balloon on four legs. She wasn’t surprised, Bella was both too big and too tall to really ride him properly.

Aveline made a point to sit next to Bella at dinner that night. As the chicken was being passed around, she decided to broach the subject.
“Hey Bella, is Chatter getting founder?”
“I hope not, I’m trying to keep weight off him but he is miserable staying inside. I don’t have time to lunge him every day so I’m just hoping it will settle in a few weeks.”
“Aveline could ride him.” Bennett speared the lemon chicken, and deposited it on his empty plate. “She’s up for a new horse, seeing as Fareeha will be out pretty soon.”
“Okay Av, how much do you know about hacking?”
“You mean like dressage for dummies?”
“Ugh, Jesus.” Hayden muttered while Bella sighed. “Wrong answer, dude.”
“Okay um, I guess not much then.” Bella shut her eyes for a moment.
“Well then, Chatter and I will have to teach you tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow? Sounds like fun.”

Bella led Chatter into the indoor arena, the pony walking happily alongside her. He was decked out in a double bridle and show saddle, ready to go. He was dwarfed alongside the vet, whose stride was longer than his.
“Mount up, he’ll stand. He’s dealt with much more commotion.” Aveline mounted up smoothly. He was even smaller than Brigette, and Aveline wasn’t sure about how close to the ground she was.
“Oh my god, you make him look like a normal sized horse. That’s nuts.” Aveline pouted. She was short, but it hadn’t even been a problem for her riding.
“Well that’s good then, otherwise you’d have nobody to ride him.”
“I’m glad he has a job again. He knows pretty well, this pony. Do a few laps of walk and get used to him.” As Aveline got ready to ask him to move forward, he sprung into an active walk. His stride wasn’t too bad for such a small pony, but she was getting used to Fareeha’s walk, which was struggling to hold her back for most of the time. The gelding seemed to be awaiting his next command.
“Pick up your snaffle rein more, forget about the curb for now. The curb is just for show anyway, he can do without it.” As soon as the slightest contact was added, she felt the pony’s back lift and his neck round. He walked with like a ballet dancer, she could almost feel his toes point.
“Good. He’s out of muscle and practice so he might give you more hassle at the trot. You used a curb before?” Aveline shook her head. For a horse with no muscle, he tried hard and performed really well - bar the fat rolls. “It amplifies your aids, and he isn’t like Bennett’s psycho mares so you don’t have to pull hard on him. In fact, just don’t. When you pick it up, there will be a delay to when he gets the signal. When he’s in top form, he will anticipate the signals by the delay, but he’ll be more begrudging at the moment. Get him up into a trot.” Aveline stretched her heels down and lifted the reins, as Chatter pushed into a trot. His trot was dead lazy, he shuffled along and sucked his back in to avoid the contact, causing his head to lift and his back to drop. Bella smiled.
“What do I do? He was so good before!”
“He’s a pony, and he’s lazy, so you’ll have to work a bit harder. Move him forward more and then touch the curb, hopefully he’ll try and frame up for you again. Don’t worry about it not being perfect, this is very hard work for him. Put your shoulders back and lengthen your leg, you aren’t in a jumping saddle. Sit tall and look pretty.” Instruction overload. She was totally out of her depth. Aveline squeezed on the curb and Chatter curled against it, into hyperflexion. Gross.
“More leg, move him forward, and less handsy with his mouth.” This was exhausting, far more exhausting than riding Fareeha who needed constant fussing while riding. An hour of this every day would have to bring the gelding’s weight down, and Aveline’s while they were at it.

After their half-hour lesson, Aveline walked an exhausted and sweaty Chatter around the arena, while Bella walked alongside them.
“You did well. It’s very different to event riding, but your dressage should be miles better if you work this guy more.” She patted the gelding’s shoulder with a gentle slap, his coat slick with sweat. “You up for more of these? It’s great to teach, much more chill than my day job.”

References
STOCK - Equitana 2013-67 fillyrox