[ShadyBro]

 Owner       >>> X
 Name                >>> Everglade
 Gender         >>> Female
 Adoption Price         >>> 3 WL Pets
 Training         >>> [Complete]
  =====
  . Friendly towards other animals
  . Clingy
  . Likes playing in mud

 Offspring;
 None

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

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

[Bayfire213]

Name: Everglade
Nickname: Glade

First Touch

She approached the pens with no small amount of trepidation, the equine creatures alien to those she was familiar and fond of. Their colors were odd and more vibrant than she was used to. They had hands and feet more akin to primates than the hooves she had come to expect. Not a single one of them had eyes, and there were odd holes just before the shoulder blades which opened and closed like a second and third set of nostrils. Plus the tail, the long, muscular, whip-like tails they sported which would surely do more damage to her than the long, fine hairs of the more mundane horses she knew. They were omnivores as well, so they'd likely be a bit more fond of the taste of her blood than the average horse. The mosquitos sure seemed to like it, at the very least, so who was to say that meat-eating, alien horses wouldn't find her a particularly tasty snack? This was a bad idea- a very, very bad idea. She was sure of it.

So then why was she here? Watching these odd equines as large as any Clydesdale or Shire she'd ever seen? Feeling like a child amongst the towering beasts and all the calm, confident, experienced people around her who didn't so much as bat an eye when one of the Neravontii let out a bloodcurdling scream only for others to join in a eerie serenade? She could claim morbid curiosity, on that front. She'd picked up a pamphlet at some point or another in the past, and had found it again not but a week before. For lack of anything else to do at the time, and because of her dratted curiosity, she'd read it. Then she wanted to know more, which had spiraled down from there, and for want of a challenge she'd decided to look into the alien species. But considering just how different they were to the typical horse, she wasn't about to jump off the deep end on this. A mare or a gelding would do her just fine, and even that might turn out to be a bit much for her to chew. She was looking for one with a pleasant temperament to get started with, and she didn't much care for color.

So she watched, walking around the various pens full of wild Neravontii who would of otherwise been put down. They were supposedly more friendly towards humans and the like than their captive bred cousins, in any case, so this was where her search would start. Round and round, she absently made note of their actions and reactions, dismissing any who seemed too aggressive or too wild for her to feel safe working with, at least off the bat like this. Maybe later, once she had more experience with the species. But for now, no. Not a chance. A mare or a gelding. Most of the people there today seemed to be 'oohing' and 'awing' over some stallion, who, while admittedly very lovely in both coat and motion, was certainly not what she was looking for. So when she came around to the other line of pens, towards the parking lot but farthest from the current showstopper, it was without a crowd that she heaved a heavy sigh. Lightly leaning against the railing, since the three inhabitants were all the way on the other side of the large enclosure, her back was to the trio as she lost herself in thought. She didn't think her criteria had been too outrageously high; a friendly Nera about all she had honestly sought, but it seemed like they were all already adopted. Sure she wasn't among the first there, coming here only a day after the event had officially started, but still...

Something warm whooshed against the back of her neck, sending every hair on her body to prickle like an army called to arms. This, she reflected, was far more chilling than even the eerie serenade of their blood curdling screams could hope to match. For a moment they just stood frozen like that, the curious Nera waiting for some stimuli, while the shell shocked human was simply too stunned to move. Apparently deeming the young woman no threat, the equine pressed a bit closer to lip at the human's wavy brown hair. Still she refused to turn, not quite sure what might alarm the unearthly equine and not quite willing to take that chance. She attempted to ignore the odd sensation the Nera's ministrations brought, lips twitching as she fought against the ticklish prompt, until finally she couldn't help but squirm under the relentless barrage. Considering there was no squealing, snapping, nor tail slapping her in rebuke, the mare didn't consider this protest. Laughter spilled forth and melted into giggles and then into snickers as the brunette finally turned to evaluate her attacker.

"Why hello there." She greeted, mirth in her gaze as the previous tension melted away. Peering up at the nose now poking through the bars, pastel green ears pricked towards her in rapt attention, she hesitantly reached up a hand to scratch at the unearthly equine. The mare seemed to lean into her touch, shifting and angling about so that the human would get at the itchiest spots, allowing her to get a good look at the tag around the Nera's neck. Two-thirty-eight, she read, glancing towards the little slip of paper which marked the Neravontii in the pen and those already adopted. Four numbers were there, but only one remained unmarked, no slash through it to show that the mare had already been adopted and was only awaiting pick-up. Grinning at the realization, the number on the tag and the unmarked one on the paper matching perfectly, she gave the mare one last scratch before setting off for the office to pay for her very first and much beloved Nera.

[Bayfire213]

First Saddle

Thus far, nothing had gone horribly wrong. Which was, admittedly, a good thing. There had been the usual resistance to- not the halter, but to pressure and thus leading, which hadn't been much worse than working with a regular horse. The lunge line had been a bit of a bafflement as she attempted to help the mare figure out what page she was on, but again, nothing so out there that she couldn't handle it. Sure she was taking baby steps the whole time, short sessions which as soon as the mare even somewhat got it the lesson ended into a half hour of coddling and two hours respite out in the smaller pasture. At least until Glade was a bit more used to the whole 'tame' thing, though so far they seemed to be on the right track. No major fits, no major fights, and no major injuries on either side. Everything seemed to be running smoothly, and the only thing she could really complain about was the mare's near obsession with mud, and the adjustments that had been made to her sleeping schedule to accommodate for the odd equine's preferences.

She'd been camping. Every single night for the past two months, it was either sleep where the Nera could see, smell, and check up on her in the middle of the night at her leisure, or listen through ineffective earplugs as Glade positively screamed bloody murder all through the night and into the dawn. At this point, the brunette wasn't even sure if she really cared if she could ever ride the mare, just so long as they could work past her apparent separation anxiety. It wasn't barn sour, Glade was fine being led all through the forest no matter how far from the barn they traveled, but the human wasn't allowed out of her sight. At least, not since the mare stole the banana from the brunette's lunch and decided that was her new favorite treat, and in the same instance decided that lemon-lime sodas were delicious. That had been a very... interesting week. The agency might of thought her a bit crazy when she called to ask if Neravontii could get drunk, and if so, how? And any information on how to cure a Nera of soda addiction would be greatly appreciated, thank you kindly. Also, should she be worried about colic? Yes sir 'e, she must of appeared either insane, incompetent, or both.

Thus far, owning a Nera had been a very interesting endeavor. Amusing in hindsight, not so much in the moment when these things actually happened.

Though she digressed, because now it was time to see how the slightly psychotic behemoth would take to a saddle. Nothing so fancy, confining, nor extravagant as the full set up, no, but a basic bareback pad. Which pretty much amounted to a fairly plush English saddle pad with a fluffy girth. Said fluffiness extended far enough to just slightly cover the metal buckles and help ward against any pinching. It should be fine, but the brunette didn't get to where she was today by gambling. She was dead set on playing it safe, or, at least, as safe as she could be with a powerful alien on the other end of the lunge line. Which if she was being completely honest, she had only the vaguest ideas how to handle. The species as a whole seemed somewhat similar to hot-blooded draft horses, as contradictory as that sounded, and thus that was how she was going to be treating this entire venture until she either lost a finger or someone informed her of a better way.

So here they were. Again. Glade having finished investigating the saddle and now more interested in what the human was doing in the center of the ring. The mare hadn't been told to move, so she kind of just stood there. Waiting. The bareback pad wasn't really tight, not truly, not to where it would need to be if anyone was actually riding, but it was snug enough that it shouldn't slip. Saying that, however... Murphy's law might see fit to correct her. The whole 'if anything can go wrong, it will' deal. Glade seemed to be getting bored, by now, ears cocked lazily, head drooping, and a hind foot set at rest. Okay. That was... good, right? It meant she wasn't bothered by the saddle. Which admittedly now had tears in it from where sharp teeth had tested it, so it was probably a good thing she hadn't used the leather one first. Okay- just take a deep breath, and exhale. She could do this. Just point, and click. Just like- whoah!

Agitated squeals reached her ears as the mare tore around her in lopsided circles, kicking and bucking and pitching an absolute fit as the fabric remained glued to the Nera's back. It was eating her, it was grabbing her, it was coiled around her and it felt weird when she moved because suddenly her elbows were rubbing against something that wasn't there before and she wanted it gone! A tug against her head drew the mare from her frantic thoughts, prior training and a familiar, trusted presence not freaking out about it helping the Nera to find her own measure of calm. Not much though, the line snapping at her when she attempted to come charging closer to the human standing in the middle of the ring. But why? She needed her human's protection from this strange thing on her back! Her frustration was punctuated with another buck, but overall the large circles became a bit more uniform as panic slowly dwindled as a the Nera worked up a nervous lather, puffing and blowing and snorting in ill-ease as her weary canter broke into a high-stepping trot. She sped up again through no prompt of her owner, before gradually realizing there had been no rebuke. Back to a trot, still nothing. Attempting to turn in rewarded her with a scolding flick of the rope, so the circles continued. Slowing to a walk, ears flicking, blowing sharply, the mare mulled over this most recent session as she fell to a stop.

For one, the thing on her back was still there, and it hadn't hurt her. Her human had known it wouldn't hurt her, which was why it was allowed in the first place. Her human hadn't asked her to run, only to move forward, to walk. So she'd spent all that energy over nothing. Absently, she leant into the brunette's touch as the thing on her back loosened it's grip and fell away, wrapping around the human instead. It seemed completely unbothered by her earlier protests, and even as a tug on her head prompted her to follow, her human seemed equally unbothered by the peculiar creature which now that she thought about it, didn't seem to be a predator. Of course that was a bit hard to tell considering she hadn't seen any teeth, nor claws, and she wasn't entirely certain if it even had a head...

What in the world had just been on her back?

[Bayfire213]

First Ride

There was no way she was taking chances on this. Nope. Nu-uh. Glade had been taught to accept the bit -held in hand until warm, then covered with pulverized banana the first several times- with minimal fanfare, and was more than willing to turn her head and walk in circles if it was asked. Sacks of sand had been slung over her back, over the bareback pad, to get the mare used to having any amount of weight on her back. Which had, surprisingly, gone better than the brunette had expected, in all honesty. Sure the mare shifted, squirmed, and balked for quite a while, then persisted that rubbing against the fence would get rid of the weight, but there had been no more wild spirals in the ring. That was a good thing. Giant equines with sharp teeth having panic attacks... was not such a good thing.

Point being, the moss colored mare was already used to carrying a shifting weight and yielding to the bit. However for this next part, they wouldn't be working in the arena, but out in the pasture. Water was much softer a landing than sand, and the mare was more than content to wallow in the thick mud around the large pond's banks. Which also often included swimming, lying. and rolling in the water itself. Lips quirked up in an exasperated smile as the mare flopped down to roll, covering herself in thick, gooey, mud which the human would soon be sitting on. Joy. Wrinkling her nose in distaste at the idea, at least she'd had the foresight to wear a bathing suit, so at least it would be easier to wash out. Eventually the mare seemed to remember they were here for a reason, getting up with a mournful sigh as she looked to the human for further guidance.

Together the pair trudged deeper into the tranquil waters, until it lapped at the equine's chest and the human was forced to swim rather than wade. Snorting in amusement as the mare plunged her head underwater to blow bubbles with her nose, the brunette gingerly slipped onto the mare's partly muddy back. Said equine took a step forward- and nothing, she was apparently still hunting for water weeds. The human remained on her back, there wasn't any sort of fit, and a pastel head returned to the surface for air only in fleeting moments before slipping under again. Completely unconcerned with the human on her back, so long as she could play in the water. Minutes ticked by without fanfare, before the brunette slipped from the mare's back as easily as she'd slipped on, leaving a strip of green where she'd been sitting. Moving forward towards the mare's head, the simple bridle was easily removed even if she had to cling to the equine's neck at a point or two to avoid banging the bit against sharp teeth or otherwise aggravating the mare. Bemused, the human swam back to shore and let the green mare play.