Show Ready {Open}

[Dr. Heather Pawelski]

Heather was leading two horses on either side of her, which most would call crazy to begin with let alone the fact that the one was a stud and the other a mare. Each horse was tacked with a cutting saddle with both breast plates and back cinches. Each horse had black boots on all four feet. Heather preferred the Iconoclast brand. They worked well for her. The mare's bit was a simple correction bit with a six inch shank connected to a headstall with one ear. The stallion's headstall was more fancy, mounted with some silver and also having only one ear. The bit on it was a simple show bit of a seven inch shank with a medium port. His headstall was mounted on the horn of his saddle. The mare's halter hung below it.

Walking to the side of the arena, Heather tied the stud to the wall. She quickly threw the rope around a sturdy beam and tied a quick release knot. She patted his neck and went to mount her mare. The stallion's name was Wildcat DNRey, but Heather called him Thor. His coat color was pitch black, not a white mark on him. He was sturdy and well muscled and honestly drop dead gorgeous. Thor was a cutting stallion and bred extremely well. Heather was very proud of him. He was one of her pride and joys and she loved him like her mate. Thor stood quietly tied. He was quite the benevolent stallion. Heather really wouldn't be afraid to lead a beginner around on him, but because he is a cutting horse he was too sensitive for the average beginner or intermediate rider.

The mare Heather was mounting currently was named Freya. A very pretty mare of fifteen she had a white snip upon her nose, but that was the only white that graced her frame. Her long thick black mane and tail were identical to her son's, Thor. Freya is a very curious mare, but very well behaved. Heather sat comfortably in the saddle as her mare stood quietly. She came here to practice and warm up for the upcoming cutting this Saturday. This was a new circuit and she must start at the bottom once again.

She always started with walking around the arena. In each corner she performed circles with a head tip to stretch out Freya's neck and bodice. On each long wall she would ask Freya to bend and lead with her shoulder. This being her first time working in the the new arena and her first time riding at the new barn she really hoped someone would come and join her in her training.

[whirleybird86]

What was Hannah thinking?! She wasn't the kind of girl who would jump into a western saddle, no she was an English rider through and through. So why had she allowed Heather to talk her into getting on her stallion Thor and " lope" and whatnot around the ring. Unheard of! But let's be rational, Hannah said she loved learning new things, and so western riding could count as one of them. She just liked the way that the English saddle felt on your butt. Small, and conformed. Where as the western saddle was big and loose. Not her cup of tea, but Hannah was one for learning new things. Here it goes!

She pulled up in her Jeep, and stepped out in her full seat riding breeches, and tall Ariat riding boots. She pulled her sunglasses above her head, turned back around and reached for her riding gloves, and spit her gum out. She cleared her throat, and walked to the indoor arena, and pulled her gloves through her hands, and walked through the large sliding door. She turned to the left and saw Heather already tacked up with both horses, and she smiled. She slowly walked in and walked to the gate. " Hope I'm not late Heather," she said and crawled through the gate and walked over to Thor. The stallion nickered at her and she patted his neck and got on.

[Dr. Heather Pawelski]

Heather smiled as she watched Hannah crawl through the arena gates. "No of course you're not late!" Hannah untied Thor and mounted him right away. This girl definitely rode English! She swung up on the short stallion like he was 18hh and landed with a plop. Or at least it seemed like a plop to Heather.

Dropping her reins Heather trotted Freya over next to Thor, stopped her with a lovely woah, and then side passed her closer to the stallion, all without reins. Heather wanted to elaborate the sensitivity of the stud Hannah sat on. Hopefully she got the hint. "I'm glad you could come! It's so nice to see you in a western saddle!" Heather winked at her. "Alright so some ground rules. 1. When you feel like you're using no leg, use less. Watch." Heather side passed her mare away from Thor and Hannah and then back, no reins no leg, just a shifting of weight."2. Use your seat. Feel your hip bones? That is how this stallion works, with the distribution of weight. And 3. When you stop, if I see a wimpy stop on this stallion I'm yelling at you." Heather grinned in a motherly fashion at the young woman. "When you ask for a woah demand it. I don't want no wimpy girl voice! Use your man voice!" A chuckle spilled from her lips. "Also make sure you slide your hips forward and throw your feet forward. Thor will throw you over the handle bars."

Calmly she picked up the reins and neck reined Freya to walk around Thor. She wanted to observe the girl's posture. Being and English rider Heather saw that her butt was out, her back was straight, legs tucked up too far, and her chest out. Quite good posture for an English seat, but this was western riding, and not just any western horse but a cutting horse. Hannah had a challenge cut out for her. "Hannah I need you to sit on Thor like you're watching TV with a bowl of chips. Slouch. Sit on your pockets and round out your back. You'll stay on better that way. Relax your legs as well. Thor is so sensitive he will move off of your knee and thigh pressure so be careful of your tensing and try to completely relax your muscles. Also take your hands and flatten them--" She could see the protest on Hannah's lips. "Just trust me on this one. When you rein pull to your midthigh not your hips. Pulling to your hips will bring his head up."

Once completely satisfied Heather jogged her horse to the middle of the ring so as to watch. "Warm up please. Walk circles and do bending until you are comfortable and then jog." Heather wanted Hannah to get very good at stops and rollbacks before moving her to a lope. She wasn't too worried about the stallion taking off on her. He was very athletic and responsive so he may bolt if she asks for something the wrong way, but if she yelled woah loud enough he would stop in his tracks no matter what.

[whirleybird86]

So many rules to remember, and they were all for western riding. Hannah huffed and tried to swallow her pride and ride. Years of riding in the English saddle had made her as straight as an arrow, and she always corrected her posture. She must have looked like a fish out of water. Riding in English riding attire, and riding on a western horse. Laughing stock! " Don't get used to it Heather. I will never come to the dark side and ride western. I'm only doing this because you practically begged me, and plus it would look good on a resume. I'll have to stick you on my Dressage saddle and see how you fair there," she proclaimed and watched Heather's posture. Was she seriously slouching? Oh heck no! Hannah was all about looking professional and sitting straight.

Her upper lip stiffened with frustration as she listened to Heather give her more riding advice and she was trying to ride. For goodness sake! Let me ride! She was not about to throw her English riding out the window! She gripped the reins, and relaxed her leg, but refused to slouch in the saddle. She gently turned him, and the stallion responded, and she smiled, " Look, I did it. I actually did it," she said and gave a nervous laugh. She couldn't stop smiling, but then in her excitement she accidently tapped Thor too hard and he reacted and threw her. She rolled off and landed on her back with a thud. The stallion took a few steps over and looked down at her.

[Dr. Heather Pawelski]

Heather watched as hannah fixed some subtle things about her riding posture, but she mostly kept it the same. Yupp, Thor was not going to like this. She chuckled as Hannah said the only reason she had come was because she had begged her to. Sure, yeah ok, the hot new western trainer didn't have a thing to do about it of course. "Oh I think I'll see you back Hannah." Heather winked at her as she started to move Thor off in one direction. "I met the new trainer today. He's one fine looking cowboy isn't he?" A smirk placed itself solidly over Heather's lips. If she was younger mayb she would have talked to that boy for a little longer.

About then hannah gave Thor just a little too much leg. Thor gave Hannah exactly what she asked for. He ran, but oh no he didn't run straight, she gave him the signal to side pass. His feet flew sideways, crossing over each other in monstrous steps(for such a little horse anyhow). Hannah effectively lost her balance in the saddle because the seat was one, too large for her, and two, she was used to riding in something with much closer contact. When she fell she rolled to her feet as any good rider would. Any concerned parent would have rushed over to their daughter by now. Heather sat atop Freya guffawing with laughter. "Are..." Laughter. "You..." More laughter. "Ok?" Heather cried because of how hard she was laughing.

Meanwhile, Thor walked over to his neatly unseated rider and hung his head right in her face as if saying, "Well, that's what you wanted right?" Just about then Heather was coming out of her fit, but when she saw Thor she just busted up in another bout again. "Alright Honey, you're sure not gonna impress that handsome young man with those riding skills! Climb back on princess. Thor's not the only stud you need to show you can ride!"

[whirleybird86]

Hannah landed on the soft soil thank goodness, but now it was all over her nice full seat breeches. Great! She moaned and saw the dirt all over her pants and boots. She looked at Thor and glared at him, well she couldn't fully blame him. She got too excited and pegged him in his sides. She pushed his nose out of her face and looked up at Heather who was trying to contain her laughter, and it wasn't making Hannah feel any better. She just sat there and replied, " Oh, I met him alright, he interrupted my training session with Brogan. So I didn't even notice what he looked like," she said and got up.

She stood up slowly, feeling butt sore from falling, and she looked at the back of her pants, " Well, now he is going to find me so irresistible with red clay all over my breeches. I hope you're satisfied Heather. I'm not doing this to impress a boy, I just want to show that I can ride western just as well as English. That I am well rounded. I never back away from a challenge. There is no feat I cannot conquer," she said brushing the dirt off and got back on Thor and straightened herself in the saddle and looked at Heather.

[Dr. Heather Pawelski]

As soon as she got on Hannah made her first mistake, she straightened herself in the saddle. "Honey, slouch. I promise it really isn't as painful as it sounds." Heather gave Hannah an endearing look. She knew she could do it if she just got over her stupid pride and would let herself sit like a normal person who had eaten fifty cookies the day before.

After talking to the young man for only a few minutes the other day Heather really did like him. He was nice and curteous, although that may be because she was an elder. Humph, elder, she was only thirty-one. But anyway back to thinking about that young man. The boy, Markus was it, was quite attractive and Heather really thought that him and and Hannah would make a great couple. She sighed. Hannah would have to get over her pride though before she could date that lovely man.

Tired of sitting idly while Hannah rode Heather decided to do some exercises while Hannah figured Thor out. Surely she would be able to at least trot well and stop by the end of the day. Heather began trotting Freya around the arena. She would stop her and rollback to go the other direction. She wanted to make sure the mare took that step back every time she stopped. It assured a harder stop at higher speeds.

Then she began to lope her. Freya had a fast lope, but it was even and cradled the rider. Heather loved these two horse's gaits. They were very easy to sit to. She did the same exercises at the lope as she did at the trot, though she tossed in a few flying lead changes through the center of the arena. Heather smiled to herself. She really did have a wonderful mare. Even at fifteen she was an extremely athletic horse and just amazingly beautiful. "Woah." Freya slid to a stop, breathing heavily. "Good girl." Heather patted her on the neck with a smile. Sitting up to look for Hannah she finally found her. "How are you doing over there Hannah? Got the hang of it yet?"

[whirleybird86]

Hannah stiffened her lip and thought, fine I'll do it. She slightly slouched, but still kept a little bit of her back straight. She relaxed her leg and then the rest just came into place easily. She lightly used her aids, and he responded. She eventually picked up on his smooth trot, and had to sit it. She could try and post the trot, but it would probably feel funny posting in the western saddle. She sat, and lightly moved her arm to her side, and Thor turned easily to her command. She looked up and saw Heather loping. She loved cantering on Firefly, but since she just started riding Thor today she wanted to take it slow. Maybe she'll canter him the next time. She opened her mouth and said " Whoa," and the stallion stopped and she sat there. She took a deep breath, and turned him and picked up a trot.

It was getting easier as she rode, and she got more confident, and was able to let her guard down. She loved the smoothness of his trot, and she did a few strides at the lope, and then went back to the trot. She had him walk, and went over to Heather and stopped. " Yeah, I think I got it now. Anything else," she said and patted Thor's neck. " And truth, Markus was charming, but I am not letting him get under my skin," she said softly as she leaned forward and swung off.

[Dr. Heather Pawelski]

Hannah slouched. She actually did it. Heather was so proud! After correcting her seat Hannah was actually starting to get a feel for it. Granted it wasn't perfect and Thor was being very good to her. He always had a thing for the ladies. Heather smiled at her progress and just watched for a bit. Finally she came to a stop in front of Freya.

Hmm, is there anything else she wanted Hannah to do? Well yeah, there was, but she wasn't sure that Hannah would do something like that. She needed a cow, but a cutting horse would track a person just as well as she would track a cow-- "And truth, Markus was charming, but I am not letting him get under my skin."

Heather smiled at her in that motherly way, though she didn't realize it. Her smile was that one where is says, "I know something you don't sweety, but I know you won't change your mind." Her eyes twinkled with that mischievous little glint. She didn't want to get involved in their relationship, but she knew Hannah had a thing for being stubborn. "Hannah darling, maybe it's time that you let someone under your skin for once." She swung down off of Freya with not near as much grace as Hannah, Heather wasn't that type of graceful person. "Maybe he's the one for you, ah ah don't interrupt now missy!" Heather loosened Freya's girth then. "You tend to be stubborn and sometimes, with people, you don't think before you speak. You should give him a chance."

She went over to the wall and exchanged Freya's bridle for her halter. Most horsemen would have considered what Heather did unsafe, but she knew that horse wouldn't move. She had slipped the bridle off without anything around the horse's neck and then untangled the halter and slipped it on. There was a good two minutes where Freya just stood and watched intently. Then she tied Freya. Walking over to Hannah she silently asked for Thor's reins. Heather did a lot of her talking and commands, even with people, just by body language. She found it worked better. "Try being nice to him and see what he does. I'll bet you you'll like his change in behavior."

[whirleybird86]

Hannah sighed as she followed Heather over and loosened Thor's girth. " Well you see that's the thing about guys with me Heather. They never stuck around long enough. I gave them an inch, they took a mile in the other direction, so sorry if my human manners aren't up to par. I've let too many guys into my life, and let them get under my skin. Only to be used for my family's money," she said sounding hurt and she looked down and took off the wraps around Thor's legs. She didn't like the feeling of being vulnerable, she had felt that way most of her life, and then she learned to get a backbone and be stronger than she appeared to be, but in turn it made her stubborn and quick witted.

A tiny part of her wanted to give him a chance, but the rest of her was saying to not let this man within distance of her heart. She looked back at Heather and said, " And how would you know that he is the one for me. Are you secretly a messenger from cupid," she said sarcastically, and she knew that Heather could take her sarcasm. Not wanting to disappoint Heather, she let out a soft sigh, " Alright fine, I'll talk to him, and I will TRY to be nice," she said and smiled when Heather laughed at her finally giving in.

[Dr. Heather Pawelski]

Heather listened patiently as Hannah ranted about letting too many guys in and them only wanted her for her family's money. She chuckled. Of course the other woman knew how it hurt to be used and turned down. In high school she had actually fallen in love with this one boy. He was perfect, intelligent, good looking, and he rode horses. For awhile the boy would flirt with her and came to see her and then one day she decided to tell him that she loved him. He was overly conservative so he never had asked her out, but he seemed like he wanted to. That's when he told Heather that he was gay. It sort of tore apart her world. Of course she decided not to let it ruin her friendship with him and they were friends for the longest time until she left for college and couldn't be around to see him anymore. So she understood, and her own terribly luck with relationships proved it.

Heather didn't want Hannah to end up alone long into her thirties like she was bound to be though. "Sweetie just being nice isn't gonna get you too far." She smiled at the girl, letting her know she wasn't disapointed with her or anything. "And I have to tell you, when I was talking with Markus he told me a little about where he comes from. I doubt he will ever be after your money darling."

She took the reins from Hannah and tightened Thor's girth back up. Hannah had absentmindedly redone it because she was done. Unforunately Heather wasn't. This boy still needed to get ready for a show. Heather mounted Thor and looked down at Hannah. "I'd try getting to know him before you judge him honey. What if he judged you like every heartless hot girl he's ever dated? You wouldn't have a chance in hell gorgeous girl!" Her smile reached up and touched her eyes as she laughed good heartedly.

"Now, I need to you be a cow." Heather guided Thor over to Hannah and started to lock him up on her. "I need to practice for this show."

ooc: do you want to end this then

[whirleybird86]

" Well now that I have broken his spirit, and most likely his heart I fear that he may judge me as some snooty, rich brat from a well to do family. Ugh, what have I done Heather," she moaned and stamped her foot in the ground. She rested her hands on her sides and shook her head, " I've done it. I did exactly as I promised that I would never do. I've turned into one of those girls that I went to at the all girls academy. The mean girl! I cannot believe it! What is wrong with me," she said and raised her arms in the air and tried not to raise her voice so much.

She stood in the center of the ring and crossed her arms and looked at Heather and listened. She was so wise, and like a mother to her, even though she was only 9 years older than her. She watched her get back on Thor and get her rope and approach her. Was she serious? She wanted to use Hannah as a cow. Slowly she backed away, watching Thor follow her. Oh shit! She took off and ran as fast as she could across the ring.