. : - Brisingr - : .. : Training : ..: First Touch :.
Brisingr - First Touch [drawn by me].: First Saddle :.About a week after Brisingr's first touch, I decided I could try first saddle. Selecting a saddle from the tack room, I staggered down to Brisngr's stall, and let myself in. Brisingr was out in the field, but I called her back with a whistle.
As she saw the saddle, she seemed to hesitate a bit. I set the saddle down, and she approached it cautiously. I gave her a few minutes to sniff it and nibble at it before picking it up and gently lowering it onto her back. Brisingr stiffened a bit, but decided to saddle wasn't going to hurt her. She lowered her head and gently bumped my arm letting out a nicker.
Smiling, I removed the saddle from her back and slung it over the wall between her stall and Adurna's. Scratching her behind her ears, I pulled a sugar cube out of my pocket and held it out. She gently picked it up, and with a final pat on her neck, I picked up the saddle and exited the stall, pleased it has been a success.
.: First Ride :.Over the course of the next few days, I introduced Brisingr to the other pieces of tack. By the end of the week, she was comfortable with all the tack. I decided I would give riding her a shot, and so the next morning I gathered up the tack, which right now was simply a saddle and a bridle, and proceeded to her stall. She was typically an early riser, and was already awake. Brisngr's ears perked up when she saw me, and she gave a low nicker in welcome. I let myself into her stall and proceeded to saddle her up. She stood calmly as I worked, and was ready in no time.
For now, I would simply ride her around the pasture, in an environment she was familiar with. There was a mounting block outside each stall, and I had to use it to get up on Brisingr. I slowly leaned onto her back, allowing her to get used to the weight of a rider. She seemed uncertain, but trusted that I knew what I was doing. Slowly, I swung my leg over her back and sat upright. Brisingr looked around at me with a quizzical expression.
We had done some longe work, and therefor she knew that the signal to go forward was me clicking my tongue. I clicked my tongue, and she hesitated a bit before taking a few hesitant steps forward. I immediately praised her and stroked her ears, slipping her a sugar cube. I clicked my tongue twice, and now that she was reassured she was doing the right thing, broke into an easy trot. I took her around thepasture once before urging her into a canter. At some point Adurna had come out and was watching us, seemingly amused.
Coming back around to her stall, I gave a short whistle and Brisingr slowed to a stop. Carefully dismounting, I praised her again and gave her several more sugar cubes. After taking her tack off and hanging it in the tack room, I returned to her stall and gave Brisingr yet another sugar cube. I was please that her training was nearly complete. All that was left was a bit of touching up on some things.
.: Additional Training :.
Brisingr and Adurna on my cover for a competition [drawn by me].: Other Art :.
Brisingr meeting ZeKorra [drawn by WildHorse32] 
by MustangKnight » Fri Dec 20, 2013 8:15 am 
