[teresa8oats]

Fuscontidox's Mustang. Tell me if you want his name added.

[Fuscontidox]

Thank you!

I'll be submitting my journal entries under this image ^^

For self Use :3

[Fuscontidox]

The Beginning
Part 1

The trailer pulled into the drive way later than I expected, by this time I was sitting down, my back against the arena wall. I quickly stood and took two steps before I bent over with my hands on my knees, the world spinning in bright yellow. When it passed I rushed over to peek into the trailer, only to be welcomed by boards.

I walked around to the driver and waved, giving directions for him to back up through the open door of the arena. I ran through first, getting myself to the other door and closed safely on the other side.

"Go ahead!" I called, the driver and his helper nod and unlock the doors, count to three, and open wide so that they are outside the arena away from the horse that quickly bolts from the trailer like a thoroughbred on race day. They rush to close the doors and back the truck out, latching the arena gate closed behind them.

Dirt flies as the horse runs around the arena, its body covered in muck, the stench was really bad as it ran passed me. Its mane was filled with goat heads and it's tail was just full on matted. This horse was going to be a lot of work, not only for the fact that it's not even halter broken, but I have no idea how it will react to a bath. The mud and grime was so thick I couldn't even tell what color the horse really was.

The driver came around through the stables and had me sign release papers, handing me a list of things the horse was tested for before transferring.

"This horse is completely wild as you have been informed prior, you have 70 days to train him/her as well as you can. There may be some things about the horse that you may discover on your own that we did not find ourselves such as likes and dislikes. Contact us at xxx-xxx-xxx if you find something severe that we may have skipped over, or misprinted.

Horse information:

Age: 6
Sex: Gelding
Recorded Height: 15.2 HH
Other:
-No health problems
-No Allergies
-Has herd separation anxiety, this may cause a problem if not around other horses.

Everything else is up to you to discover, Goodluck."

I look back up from the papers and watch the dirty, wild mustang rear up and whinny in frustration. Looks like the Indoor arena will be closed for a while until he's is halter broken and able to be placed in a stall.

I turned away to my office where I grabbed the new halter I had purchased, rubbing my thumbs over the white material, I walked back out to the indoor arena and watched the horse walk around with it's nose to the dirt. After his strong frantic battle he seems calmer despite his anxiety quirk.

I smirk and make clacking noises to get his attention, when this doesn't succeed, I dangle the halter over the wall and swing it so that the metal hits the wood; he spooks a little at the sudden sound, but looks up at me none-the-less. Having that he wasn't very far from me, I toss the halter on the ground towards him; might as well start the whole trust thing now. The horse jumped back and little, pinning his ears, cautiously stepping towards the now slightly dirty material. So much for white, maybe not the best color choice, but that's not important now.

He stopped a few paces away from the halter and lowered his head to smell it, a little curious, that's a good thing, too much of it isn't though. When he started to lip at the material, I tossed a carrot from my pocket, this spooked him again, easily spooked, bad; I hope that dwindles away with time and training, curiosity catches him again and he smells the carrot, ears perked, before lipping at it and eating it.

But seriously this whole spooked thing needs to leave as fast as a heart beat, it'll just be a problem if it stays; I wonder what else this horse has to offer, what other kinks I'll find to work at and or use to my advantage.

I walked away from the arena only to be greeted by one of my stable hands, I grab her shoulder as our paths meet, "Hey wanna get the new gelding a flake or two?" She nods and turns back towards the feeding room. As I continue to walk away, I think over who would be the best horse to pair him with, Fagin is a hot head and Tonka doesn't get along with anyone but Dorsey. It might be problematic with his tall as well, a full length door is best to avoid escape.

I look back at the arena, listening to the sound of hooves pound across the sand floor, getting closer, then farther again, for now I think he'll be fine until I find him a friend to get along with.

The Beginning
Part 2

In the morning, I walked calmly out towards the stables, my first cup of coffee in hand, the sweet vanilla taste melting my senses. I watched the hands run around getting grain and haying the horses, switching the ones inside for most of the ones outside, just as usually every morning.

The whickering of the mustang echoed as he ran towards and away from the tall gate leading outside, watching the horses pass by, his impatience growing, knowing the gate was pretty tall, I watched as he could just reach his muck covered head over the top before it disappeared again.

I walked away, smiling to myself, thinking over who would be the best companion for this anxiety filled gelding as I helped with the morning chores. I leaned against the stable wall and watched horses pass by, Skipper, the tiny British Spotted Pony we owned, trotted passed me as one of the hands led him towards the pasture, his fluffy hair bouncing about like static electricity, and miss colored eyes looked towards me with a lively expression.

The pounding of hooves in the arena continued, only to stop suddenly, I looked up towards the gate, watching as the dirt flies and the mustang clears the gate like it was nothing. My eyes widen and I bend over and do a spit take onto the dirt, coughing and choking, he tossed his head and seemed to laugh, following after the direction of where Skipper disappeared.

'You cocky little...' I thought to myself as he pranced off and out of my sight.

I quickly got up and ran for the lasso, heading for the pastures where the majority of the horses were, knowing he would want to be around a herd. I looked around and spotted him quickly, leaping over a fence towards Skipper and A few other horses.

Where's the staff when you need them??

I took action quickly and lassoed him while he was still close to the gate, he pulled and jumped around a bit, trying to get closer to the others, dragging me here and there, making high pitched whinnies like that of the ones he was making pretty much since the moment he arrived. I watched as he seemed to steer away from the others and towards the pony who seemed to be farther away from the others at this point.

"Hey! What happened? I went to toss him some flakes and he was gone! How did he get out?" I turned my head a little and saw Meg out of the corner of my eye.

"Meg! Thank God, he cleared the outside gate!" I call back.

"Are you serious? Why would he do that?"

"Separation anxiety got the best of him!" I attempted to pull the gelding in a circle, hitting at his flank gently with the end of the lasso, causing him to kick up a little, but over all making him turn in circles. "Wanna grab Skipper? He doesn't seem to wanna leave him."

Meg jogged off and was back shortly, clipping Skipper to a lead and heading for the arena again, it seems that this boy has chosen his own friend.

"I'm gonna warn you about Skipper," I say towards the gelding, he seemed to follow without any problems besides tugging on the lasso now and then, and dancing a little on his feet. "Skipper, is a hard headed, cold hearted, monster sometimes. He will put you in you place, which would be under him, and it's not often that he's nice around other horses. So good luck to you, Mr. Show-Off-High-Jumper."

We let them go in the arena and watch as Skipper makes a cold lunge towards the gelding, causing the boy to jump back a little.

"I warned him." I sang, the light from the window caught onto something on he ground, and I noticed it to be the halter I had bought for him. Half buried in the dirt, the white was in need of a good wishing, the metallic pieces still gleaming in the light. I walked towards it, having that he and his new buddy were getting along well, I laughed to myself a little on that one, not going to lie, I'm not sure how long they will be able to with stand killing each other.

I picked up he halter and brushed off what I could, holding it high in the air and making clack sounds with my mouth, Skipper turned his head, and walked sluggishly towards my, already exhausted. The gelding followed behind him, seeming more anxious the closer he came, pivoting his ears and curving his tense neck a little more. I gave Skipper a treat once he was in range, and tossed the halter towards the gelding, he jumped back a little, but over all seemed fine, bending his head, he smelt the material and left it where it was, not attempting to lip at it like the first time. I made soft humming and vocal sounds as I walked towards the gelding, reaching down and picking up the halter, he switched his weight and constantly moved his feet, lifting them and letting the drop, back up an moving forward, a sign of discomfort and lack of trust. I held the halter out towards him and watched him as he seemed disinterested in the material now that I was holding it in my hand. I pet Skipper one last time before walking out of the arena, making sure that the gate was closed securely behind me. Hopefully he won't try to escape now that he has Skipper on his side. Unless he's a big baby and can't stand being chased by a little terror that is.

Part 3

For days, I would walk around inside the arena, deliver the food for Skipper and the gelding, and pet Skipper for a while with the watchful eye of the gelding on me. The gelding seemed to become calm and more interested in everything I did with Skipper, he seemed to want to join in on our play time, I took advantage of the moment and slowly reached my hand towards the gelding, at first he would pull away and trot in a circle around us. It didn't take him long to become curious when I would laugh as Skipper rubbed his head all over, flicking his tail like a pleased colt, I reached my hand out towards the gelding as he paced a little, leaning from one side to the next. I smiled and waited calmly as he edged closer, just tapping his nose on the tips of my fingers before jolting away, only to come back and fully place his nose on my hand. I ran my free hand from his jaw down his neck, the dirt on his coat was pretty thick, and made him feel rough to the touch. I gently scratched at his neck, and he started to lean into my hand, the dirt loosened a little, but the dirt still laced through his hairs, making it still impossible to tell what color he was. When I stopped petting him, he looked at me and turned away, trotting around for a while in circles around us once more.

The next day, I returned, greeted by Skipper, the gelding trailing behind him, I worked with petting Skipper as an encouragement once more, and turned to the gelding, who happily accepted me and allowed me to run my hands down his neck and over his back, scratching gently. Throughout this early training, I realized that he easily trusts, it hadn't taken him long to associate himself with me and allow me to get close to him, I wonder how it will differ if he is alone. Taking the training a step further, I took off Skipper's halter, he stood perfectly still as I rubbed the material over his torso and neck before sliding it back on and clipping it closed, Skipper shook his head a little, more than likely just to hear the jangle of the metal. I took up the white halter and slung it over my shoulder before turning towards the curious gelding, he took a step back from me, swiveling his ears. I smiled and made soft clacking noises as I introduced the halter to him again, he nosed it gently, and dropped his head, reassured that it wasn't a threat -at the moment- and taking less of an interest since it wasn't food. I placed my free hand on his neck and ran it slowly down his neck and over his back, making small circles gently over his legs down to his knees, before making my way up to his head and gently scratching at his face. I repeated it again, but this time with the halter, using the same pattern as I had without it. He jumped a little at first and acted tense the whole time, so I didn't attempt to put the halter on him, when I drew the halter away, he shimmied off and started to trot and race around in circles again, I sighed and walked out of the arena.

For the next two days, I repeated my process, successfully placing the halter over his head the first day only for him to go ballistic and toss it off, the second day, I was able to lock the clasp before he tossed about. It took him a while, but by the end of the day he settled down and stopped messing with the halter. Wanting to quickly progress with the basics, I introduced the lead rope to him. as soon as I presented it in my hand, he bolted for it, making his way to hide behind Skipper, -who kicked at him for getting too close-. I laid the lead on the ground and walked away from it, making clicking sounds as I backed away. He looked towards me and started walking in my direction, when he came within a few feet of the lead he refused to get any closer and pulled his ears out face down, pawed at the ground and shuffled away from it. Once he was at his own safe set distance, he walked happily closer to me, allowing me to stroke him and be friendly. As I had done with the halter, I left the lead in the arena with the two of them, I watched Skipper chase him around before I left for the day.

The following morning, I had one of the hands prepare one of the much larger stalls we normally used for mares in gestation, a plan running through my mind for the near future. When I arrived at the arena, I saw that the lead was where I had left it, dirt collected on the top of it and it was half buried. The gelding was on the other side of the arena, grazing on the flakes if hay someone had thrown him from the outside door. I picked up the lead and cleaned it as best as I could, hitting it against the wall, the deep sound echoed like a drum and spooked the gelding a little. Diffidently gonna work on his skittish ways.

I walked closer to Skipper, he lifted his head and I presented him with a small sugar cube, taking the lead and loosely coiling it, rubbing it over him like I had done with the halter before bringing the clip under his chin and attaching it to the metal loop of the halter, leading him around in circles, the curious gelding leaving his food to be close to Skipper. I detached the lead from Skipper's halter and coiled it up loosely again, walking towards the gelding slowly, I held out a sugar cube for him, he took it from my hand, and I began to stroke him before adding the lead to the equation. The gelding pulled his ears back a little, stepping away from me, a sign that he was afraid of it. Letting him grow used to it a little, I just stood and let him step away some, he calmed down after not long, his ears going back to the state of normality, I stepped once more, holding the lead this time in the same hand as I placed the sugar cube, laying the cube over the material. He lipped at the sugar and ate it, feeling the material at the same time, I incorporated the lead with my hand strokes as I moved it over his grimy coat. This time, he only seemed wary of it, not moving though. I clipped the metal hook to the tab under his chin on the halter. He started swiveling his ears, pulling them back a little and stepping long strides away, pullin his head up and starting to prance his front legs as to prepare to rear. I came closer, making gentle clacking noises and sliding my hand up the lead until I had my fingers wrapped around the metle hook. I scratched under his chin, watching his lip lift. I carefully pulled on the lead and made soft clacking sounds. Allowing some slack with each five steps he took. I gave him sugar cubes as a bribery and kept walking, eventually he got the idea, of which I am sure will need to be practice repeadiately.

Art work of first few weeks:

[Fuscontidox]

Reserve

This will be for later, I still have a lot in "The Beginning" to write about, mainly just starter training a like the halter and first bath

I also have some more art to draw, is like to attempt to make skipper :3

This will be about the start of ground manners and getting used to the tack and commands

Don't worry, I've been trying to keep up with it this year, so far I feel I have been doing good, my story seems to focus a lot better on the actual training, most of the time I write at night so it may not be my BEST work but I'm really trying so bare with me! x3