Narakari Grand Tournament – How to tame your NarakariPersonality. + Fitting Halter
Classical music played lightly over the indoor arena's speakers. Easy piano, lulling the mind into work. Rin sat in the center of the large arena with her eyes shut, allowing the music to remove any worries she may have. Tir was sensitive to any emotion she brought to their works. So she found playing music helped her relax and worked about the same on the stallion. Their day had just began and she could hear him still moving slowly around the arena, mapping the walls by methodically kicking sand against them. She knew to wait, and oddly enough liked to wait with her eyes shut. It gave her more of an idea as to where Tir was, it seemed to make her more sensitive. After the first song ended she gave her wrist a slight twist, a small bell tinkled in reply. She listened hard for Tir's reaction. Knowing her heart beat would quicken she had to beg herself to calm down and be patient. She didn't have to wait long, soon she could hear Tir's slow movements closer and closer to the middle until she could feel the soft tickling of his whiskers on her arm and feel his easy warm breath. She twisted her wrist again, jingling the bell, and opened her eyes. She lifted her hand and rested it on his dark velvet nose. Then stood and slipped the braided halter off of her shoulder, twisted her wrist once more and as the stallion dipped his head she placed it on him like she was bestowing a crown.
This had been no easy feat, but she would be silly if she could even dream that he would open up so willingly to her. And as she pulled out the soft brush to begin working over his body and making his amazing coat shine she took stock of how she felt his personality could be and where he fit in with her growing band.
She had noticed early on he was quick, and had a very analytical mind. This made training a breeze, for the most part as long as she was deliberate with what she intended. He also came across to her as versatile and slightly creative and imaginative, not in a bad way though. You may think a blind creature with a healthy imagination would be cause for alarm. But often it was more like he knew what was going on before she did.
He did have an independent streak, he seemed to need freedom and positivity to blossom. And he definitely had an urge for action, didn't like to remain idol. He always seemed happy as long as they were making headway in the training. but if he began to feel obstructed or confined he would experience spots of nervousness. Almost like frustration, but not even that heavy. Just fairly nervous. So Rin learned from him when it was best to back off, or point him in another direction.
A few times she had come to work him and found him almost in a state of depression, and such days he was so caustic to be around and down right belligerent that she couldn't do much with him but work his body, and just avoid his mind all together. And she noticed that if their work became monotonous and she started fussing over details to much it brought these spells on.
She had found that with small things like the classical music gave him a more relaxed manner and he seemed more generous, understanding, and tolerant. But he still will build tension and become nervous, not because of one specific thing but just a build up in a restless intensity that defies relaxation.
She did notice smaller things about his character soon after she began working with him. He would take care of her, no matter what. Many times she had been on his back, usually bareback and he would stumble or even fall. Throwing her off of him accidentally but he never would step or fall on her, and took great care to know where she was at all times. This also made him perfect to lead, he knew where she was and never pulled or pushed or stood too close.
He always stayed clean. This seemed highly surprising to her when she first laid eyes on him in the pens. But once she could get water on him and scrub away the mess his coat had been, he shone right down to his soul. It was really something to behold and rarely did she have to break out a stiffer brush to groom him.
The biggest quirk she seemed to find with him was he liked to step off before she was fully seated. and no matter the battles she waged to stop this, he could always fight harder.
She also noticed that even on windy days or cool days after the boiling heat of midday when all the others would take this opportunity to become reckless and snap up their heels. He barely flicked an ear to them. She still kept him in his own run, just because she still babied him about his lack of sight. But Rin just told herself it made him easier to bring in. but he never played or goofed off, at least not since she had brought him to her home.
She did notice that he paid close attention to her husband, and notably when her was out mowing he had placed his bottle of hard cider on Tir's fence post. Next second it was gone. Seems he has a penchant for beer!

Bonus will be in another post