[MustangKnight]

 Owner       >>> Bella278436
 Name                >>> Gem of the Forest(Fern)
 Gender         >>> Female
 Adoption Price         >>> 3 brown pets
 Training         >>> [Fully Trained]
  =====
  . vegetarian
  . peaceful
  . smart

 Offspring;
 None

 [Discipline >>>>> ]
 [Shows Entered > R: 1 W: E:]
 [Shows Won >>>> R: W: E:]

 [Ej > ] [Ep > ]
 [Eh > ] [Ws > ]
 [Wp > ] [Wt > ]
 [Rf > ] [Rs > ]

[Bella278436]

I'll name her Fern!
I've decided: Her show name will be Gem of the Forest

[Bella278436]

The First Touch

The wind blows strong against the trees behind my house, creating a thumping noise on the house. I impatiently wait for a delivery, a very important one, as I sit on the chair near my front window. All of a sudden, I hear the rumbling noise of a truck driving up the dirt driveway, with the clunking metal sound of a loaded trailer behind. Quickly, I hop out of my seat, throw a coat on, slip on my warm boots, and dash out the door. Slowly but surely, it arrives at the top of the hill. I greet it's driver, its from the agency. I step back, and help the driver back the trailer up near the fence gate. In the corner of my eye, I see Fay running up to the fence curiously to see what is nearing her field.

The man driving the truck steps out of the car, and he reaches his hand out to give me the key to the truck, "Would you like to do the honors?" his rusty voice says.
"Sure," I answer to him as I quickly take the key from the palm of his hand. I look through the shaded window at the back of the trailer and notice a calm faced Neravontii munching on what seems to be different kinds of vegetation. Once done admiring the beautiful creature inside, I put the key into the small metal lock, and jiggle it around until I feel it set into place. I turn my wrist, and hear a quiet click of a lock unlocking. I hand the key back to the man watching me, and I take the small lock off of the trailer, and set it on the top post of the fence.

With a careful hand, I slowly pull the trailer ramp down, letting the light shine onto the brown coat which shimmered when the sun touched it. She seemed to be pretty content with me behind her. I swung open the fence gate behind me, and blocked off the limited space she had to escape from going into the field using the driver and myself as a road block. Fay ran over to play, but I ignored her pawing at the ground for my attention.

After playing a long game of the waiting game for my new neravontii to come out of the single-neravontii trailer, she finally turned around, and hesitantly peeked her head out into the field. Soon, she lifted her front foot out in front of her, and step-by-step, she slowly but surely made her way out of the trailer. She took her last step off the steep ramp, and she was in the field with Fay, who I had haltered and tied up to a post on a long lead so she wouldn't scare my new nervaontii; I did so while we waited for the new mare to venture out of the trailer. Once I made sure lifting up the ramp wouldn't hit the mare, I then proceeded to lifted up the ramp and lock it securely in place. I stepped back and closed the fence gate as the man got into the truck. "Goodbye!" I yelled over the roaring noise of his truck starting up. He started driving away, "Bye," his rusty voice faded away over the truck's engine, and with the clicking sound of the metal, he was off.

With the man from the agency gone, I could now redirect all my attention to the new Neravontii. First thing's first... I gotta get her warmed up to me, and I need to put a name to that face of hers... The mare had already ignored Fay, who tried and tried to get loose from the lead line to greet the new mare in her field, but I figured if the mare wanted to meet Fay, she would do so herself. Carefully, I spoke calming words to the mare, as I entered the field between the two old fence rails. She continued grazing, therefore, I figured she was okay with my presence. "Hey girl, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. Don't worry, it's okay," spoke in a gentle tone to the mare. I slowly extended my arm out for her to sniff me. When my hand came inches from her, she jumped back, scared. After a lot of calm talking to her, I realized if I showed her Fay with me, maybe she would warm up to me. I quickly walk over to say, excited from my new idea. I show her how Fay reacts to me, and how Fay loves me stroking her ears. The mare hesitantly takes a few steps, but realizes there is nothing to be afraid of. She nuzzles her big ol' head into my stomach, and I reply to her action with a grin. I rub my hand up and down her forehead, and Fern tilts her head in comfort. Fern... I can do that... "Fern," I call her name, she looks up. "Fern and Fay, my two favorite girls." I stroke Ferns head, as go to untie Fay, but it seems Fern has done so already. "You're a smart one, ay Fern?"

[Bella278436]

The First Saddle

"Alrighty Fern, you and Fay can play some other time. We've got progress to make, and it's not going to get done by itself." I explain to Fern as I walk up to the fence lugging a new set of tack with me. The saddle rests on my arms, the breast strap draped over the saddle, with the girth and tail piece on my left shoulder, and the bridle hung around the other. Fay continues to run around the field as if Fern were still chasing her, but Fern knows that that means to stop playing tag around the field. She trotted up to me and stood still. Fay, being herself, didn't want to stop playing with Fern, nor did she want me to take Fern away from her, she gave a little nip at Fern's side. Fern swished her long tail around her body, as if she were shooing away a fly. Fay nipped her again, and Fern reacted the same. Fay was not going to stop, and she gave one more nip at Fern's back, and Fern gave a warning kick. Fay must have thought it as some sort of game, for she did it once more, and bang! Fay got smacked in the face by Fern's tail, and got another warning kick, only this one inches from Fay's face. Hopefully she'll react better to the saddle than she reacted to Fay... I can only hope...

Over the past few days of owning Fern, I had learned a bit about her. She didn't like to fight, and as much as Fay tried to share her birds she caught, Fern would just stick her nose up at the rare meat. Fern could get Fay out of pretty much any sticky situation, and could easily out-smart Fay with anything, which worried me with her somehow out-smarting me. Now, with fay out of the picture, I out all my attention on Fern. "Fern! Come here girl!" I called out. I carefully placed the heavy saddle with the saddle pad underneath on the top rail of the old fence. I hung the girth and bridle on two separate posts, and placed the tail piece on top of the girth. I walked over to the right side of Fern, and nudged her to get a bit closer to the fence. One she was in an okay reaching distance from my hands, I walked back around her, and went to the fence. Facing the fence, I put my hands on the top rail, and my feet on the bottom, and I sat myself down on the top rail nest to all of my tack.

Once getting the saddle, saddle pad, and girth into place on Fern's back, I slowly adjusted the girth, making it tighter and tighter each time. Fern whished her tail back and fourth once I made it the proper tightness. I stood back, so see what she would do. She turned her head to me, then the saddle on her back. Hmm... Maybe I can put the tail piece on now? I turned away from Fern to take the tail piece, and for the split second I turned my back on her, she was already figuring out a way to un-latch the girth! "Hey! No!" corrected her with a strict tone to my voice. She stopped nibbling where the saddle and girth met, and watched me as I walked behind her. I carefully reached out my hand, brushing it against her to show her that I was behind her so she wouldn't kick me thinking I was Fay, since Fay had already put her in a kicky mood.

"There!" I happily exclaimed to myself. I was proud of my work, and Fern's cooperation as well! With the last click of metal coming together, Fern's tail piece was on her, and it fit her nicely! I was going to leave it at that for the moment, and I backed up a bit to see what she was going to do. She just stood there like she could careless to what I put on her. "Alright girl, if you're fine with that," I started to say hesitantly before saying the rest "then I guess that's great! Next up for you, the breast collar and bridle!" I turned around and picked up both pieces of tack. I placed the bridle on the ground so I was only holding my beast collar and I attached it to both sides of the saddle, then bent down to clip it to my girth. Once getting back up and adjusting the breast collar, I took my bridle from the ground. I rested my hand on the top of her neck near the head, and asked for her head down. She gentle lowered her head, and I carefully slid the reins over her head, followed by the rest of the bridle. Fern was a bit hesitant with the cold, metal bit in her mouth. Once I got it in, she threw her head up and down repeatedly, trying to loosen it. Freaking out inside, I knew I had to stay calm, and I gentle rubbed her neck, and worked my way up to her head, where I rubbed her forehead. "It's okay girl, nothing's going to hurt you." Soon, she come to realize it was okay, and not going to hurt her.

I step back once I thought she was pretty calmed down. She was anxious to go run around, I would tell, but she didn't want to, she knew better. Fern knew when I meant business, and when she could play around. Slowly, I started un-tacking her. Starting from the bridle, she was very pleased to get it off of her face, I could tell she was going to be easy to ride, possibly even bareback, and bitless. Once I had gotten her bridle off, I leaned forwards to take the breast collar off, but was quickly denied by Fern's need to run. She sprinted from me, and ran and ran and ran in circles around the field. Fay quickly looked up at her, confused to what she was doing, but decide to join in the fun anyway! The two of them ran around the field together like a mad man, the stirrups flying in the air, banging on Fern's sides constantly, her tail piece flapping in the wind like a flag during a hurricane. "Well, we got some work to do, but at least it will be an interesting next few days," I laughed to myself as I ran up to try to get some control of Fay and Fern.

[Bella278436]

The First Ride

I closed my front door behind me as I observed Fern and Fay playing. Fay had been chasing around Fern all morning, but it seemed as if they had stopped for a snack. Fay seemed like she managed to find some sort of meat to get, while Fern, being a vegetarian, reached her head between the fence at the lush green grass just out of her reach near a small stream that ran though the forest and near the field. "Hey girls!" I yell as I run up to the field that my two nervanotii's are snacking in. Fay runs up to me, with a mangled large bird in hand, Fern following close behind moving her jaw, telling m she was still chewing her grass and leaves. I greeted both of my girls at the fence, giving Fern a nice rub on her forehead, and stroking Fay's ear. After saying my hello's, I ran to the shed quickly to fetch Fern's green and brown tack. They both seemed to notice I have a saddle, and waited anxiously to see who will be ridden first. Recently, I've been saddling up Fern to get her used to the saddle and bit, and I've walked her around the field leading her by the reins, occasionally walking her out on a trail in the forest. She loved the forest, it was her favorite place to be. Today, I was going to ride her. I opened up the fence gate and it slowly opened once I was done fiddling to unlock up wish my arms full of tack. Rather than dealing with the rusty old gate again, I just kicked it somewhat cl0osed with the back of my foot, and I carried on my way.

"Fern! We are going to ride today! I'm so exited, aren't you!?!" I happily exclaimed to her. I loved Fern, she was a calm, peaceful girl. Swiftly, I tacked up Fern, she had gotten used to it, and we did it fairly quickly despite Fay's constant nudging for attention and play time. Once I finished tacking up Fern, I went to double check her girth. I wanted to make sure it was tight enough on her so when I got on the saddle wouldn't slip off. Before I could do so, I noticed Fay in the background sprinting up towards Fern and me, full speed ahead! I jumped to the side, and Fern took off and ran around the field, Fay only stopping inched from my face. "Fay! Bad! You don't do that!" I disciplined her. Fay looked at my sad, upset I had yelled. "It's okay girl, you tried, but we'll have to work on that, okay?" I calmly stated with a smile. Fay seemed to lighten up as a very small yet chunky bird flew over head, and she chased after it. I just laughed to myself, and walked over to Fern who was slowly walking back towards me. I lead Fern over to the old wooden fence that I used to mount, and firmly stated, "Stand," to Fern. Once climbing on the bottom rail, I gripped the soft leather reins in my one hand, and with my other, I placed it on the saddle. Once getting my balance on the railing of the fence, I put my one foot into the stirrup, and stood there. My hands were shaking, but I wasn't sure why. I know Fern, she's calm. She wouldn't do anything to hurt me, what am I so scared? Ohh well, here we go, I shifted all my weight into my left foot, and leaned forwards onto Fern, trying to locate the right stirrup with my foot. Finally, I located it, and slid my foot right in, but something still didn't feel right...

All of a sudden, my vision started to tilt to the left just a tad, and before I knew it, my center of gravity had failed on me! My saddle slipped right around to under Fern's belly, leaving me thrown on the hard ground with my left foot stuck dangling from the stirrup! "Gahh! I knew I was forgetting something!!!" Upside down, I se Fern's head look up and around, unsure to where I had went, and unable to locate my voice and to pin down my location. She started to walk off, but I quickly alerted her to stand still before she trampled me! Eventually, I untwisted my foot from the tangled stirrup, and I took the saddle off of Fern. I re-adjusted the saddle on her back, and made sure I had the girth tight enough this time. I lead Fern back over to the fence, and climbed on it myself. I placed the reins once more in my hand, and my other hand on the other side of the saddle. Reaching my foot over, I carefully placed it into position into the left stirrup. I did a few practice pulls, putting all my weight on the saddle as if I were to get on. It only gave a small amount, showing me it was not too tight nor too loose on Fern's belly. With a quick swing of my leg, I was in the saddle, and I quickly put my right foot into the stirrup.

Joyfully, I leaned over the saddle to Fern's neck, and gave her a big pat on the neck. "Good girl!" I praised her. I had no idea how Fern would respond to my kicking, so I started with a very faint squeeze, and all she did was move her shoulder as if a fly had landed on her. I gave a barley any more pressure the next time I did so, and she lifted her front leg, and I kept repeating the same leg motion of squeezing her belly, and soon, we were walking! I walked Fern around the paddock a few times, and even got I a quick trot, and I thought, maybe, just maybe, we can go for a very, very quick "trail ride". I had already decided within seconds of the idea, and I walked Fern over to the gate which I had never fully locked. I leaned over, and swung it open. The rusty creek of the gate startled Fern, and she gave a little jump, but I reassured her it was okay. I turned left, and followed the fence line around the entire field. Fay "joined" us as we walked. She followed us from the inside of the field as Fern and I walked the boarder of the field from outside of it. Once we got to the back corner of the field, farthest away from the fence gate, I stopped Fern using a soft, gentle pull of the rein.

I had stopped Fern at the small stream, and loosened up rein even more than it was before. I lowered the rein down far up her neck, so she would get a little drink of the water from the small stream. Fern lowered down her head, and the cool rippling water tickled the tip of her nose, and she snorted playfully at the water. Fern lifted her head and turned it to me, and snorted right into my face, "heh, having fun Fern?" I asked sarcastically as I wiped the cold water droplets from my face. she nodded her head up and down and I motioned her to keep on walking. Eventually, Fern and I got to the fence gate again. It had taken much longer than I had expected to walk all around the field, even curious little Fay had gotten board and left us to play by herself. Walking Fern a little more, we were in the field with Fay who was happy to get her friend back to entertain her. Quickly, I untacked Fern, and put the tack on the top rail near the fence gate. I turned back to Fern, who was waiting for something. Curiously I walked up to her, and she looked at me. Suddenly, Fern lifted her front leg off the ground, then her back, and she laid on the grass. She nodded her head for me to get on her back, so I climbed on her back and started to pet her. Out of no where, she started re-adjusting her weight, and stood up! I hung onto her neck for dear life, and almost fell off when she stood. she started to walk off with me on her back; however, I stopped Fern from walking any where, and leaned over her neck. I wrapped my arms around her neck, and hugged her while mounted. "What a good girl Fern! I'm so proud of you!" Fern looked back at me and smiled. She rapped her neck around he, as if she was hugging back.

[Bella278436]

Wahoo! Finished Fern!
Pictures will do here

Fern's Show name tag

Oh my goodness... this is bad

Fern and I on a trail right outside of the paddock riding bareback right before we enter the forest

[MustangKnight]

Gimp is a nice free software c: