Entry for EUPHORIAN THOROUGHBREDS #829-830

[HarperTheKiv]

[blackhoeses]

Rysa scrambled to her feet and went over to the little padded half gate the staff had put on her stall to keep her safe. And started to whine at Duchess, Duchess immediately wound her through the stable to Rysa. Duchess took one look at the half gate and whickered at Rysa to back up. She gathered the last of her energy and hoped over the gate. The two immediately started to nuzzle and sniff each other. Duchess was a little taken aback by all the human smell all over Rysa and the stall. But as the two curled up snuggling up much as they used to do on the ship. Duchess started to think of these smells as part of her little Rysa. Ryas did not know it but this would help her mama slowly get over her trust issues with humans.

The next morning the staff came into the amazing sight of the cranky mare that no one could get near, curled up with little Rysa. As much as the staff wanted to stay and watch the cuttnies there were other horses that needed their attention. Soon one of the staff that had been taking care of Rysa approached the stall, it was time for Rysa's first feeding of the day. He approached the stall carefully; the little mare with Rysa had become infamous with all those involved with trying to save the horses. He stopped at the gate and the pair were standing up and watching him, Duchess with weariness and little Rysa with hunger. Rysa started to move forward to come get at the bottle he held in his hands. Duchess let out a soft worried whicker, calling her back. Rysa turned around and went back to her. The staff member stood there in astonishment as he watched the filly seem to comfort the mare. Like she was telling her everything was ok. After a few minutes Rysa turned around and made her way back over to the gate. Duchess was right in step with her, she had her nose resting on her rump. And she seemed to glare at the staff member if she thought he moved too much.

The staff decided to have only two people work with the mare and filly to hopefully help the mare get used to humans benign around them. Since it was clear to them that while Duchess was not Rysa's mother. The two would most definitely disagree strongly with that if they could talk. So the two staffers kept taking care of Rysa and as time went by with Rysa seeming to encourage Duchess she started to let the staffers get near her. Soon they were able to groom her, halter her and even get her to stand for the most part calmly for the vet. The vet decided that since Duchess was doing so he would cheek her for a chip or even a lip tattoo. To see if they could try and track down her history. Which is when the staff got a surprise: the cranky little mare was a Euphorian thoroughbred and up till a few years previous they were able to track most of her life. The staff quickly realized with this information that Duchess was not an untamed and untrained horse. Just one that had lost faith and trust in the humans around her.

[HarperTheKiv]

(my personal favourite of all the drawings X3)

[blackhoeses]

Both Rysa and Duchess started a training program, to help them both learn to deal with scary objects and trust their handlers. It was a favorite time for all the staffers to come watch as a lot of what they did was work with objects and obstacles. Little Rysa bounding around her ever patient mother, trying to act all feisty and independent. With Duchess having none of it and constantly keeping her under her nose sometimes literally. But what was most adorable was how much of a mama's girl Rysa actually was. In fact as they progressed in their training Rysa would sometimes push her way between the handlers and Duchess when she had felt they had taken her mama away for too long. But for all ot there little flaws they helped support each other and since Rysa never had to go through the weaning process from Duchess. The only time these two were apart was for training. This is how it was discovered that Duchess could jump so well.

That day they had Rysa in the outdoor arena and had left Duchess in a nearby pen that could easily see the arena. The staff had decided to start to try and slowly get the pair used to being not tied at the hip as they say. Things were going well after a few minutes of calling back and forth both seemed to calm down. As the staff member began to work with Rysa puting random bits of tack and everyday stuff on her. He got the surprise of his life, Duchess was suddenly nudging him from behind trying to get at his treat pouch. A few others had seen what happened, Duchess having decided that she and Rysa had been apart long enough. Had measured up the five foot fence and then hopped over it, taken a few strides across the path separating it from the arena and hopped over that fence too. After this the staff decided to work with Duchess to see if she could be a jumper. Duchess surprised everyone, by taking to it like she was born to jump. Both still had their setbacks but we slowly coming out of their shells.

No matter how far they came or how big Rysa grew they still have a very tight bond. They can often be found together, grazing, napping, offering support and just enjoying each other's company. Even if it means Duchess is hopping a few silly fences that gets in the way.

[HarperTheKiv]