[ShadyBro]

 Owner       >>> Firedancer77
 Name                >>> Dusty
 Gender         >>> Gelded Male
 Adoption Price         >>> 4 WL Pets
 Training         >>> [Complete]
  =====
  . Picky eater
  . Scared of stallions
  . Very vocal

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

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

[Firedancer77]

His name will be Dusty.

[Firedancer77]

I hop out of bed, bright and early. The clock blinks in the dark at me, proving that is indeed five o'clock. It's extremely early for a Nera drop off, but if I didn't want to wake up this early I'd have to wait a week. Apparently, all the earlier drop off times were already taken. I didn't mind though. If this was how it was going to happen, that was fine with me.

I hear the scream of Bramble, and grin. "Somebody seems to know something is happening."

Throwing on some jeans and a t-shirt, along with boots, I hurry outside to greet my newest Nera. The truck is pulling up right then, right on time. Thank goodness I woke up on time.

"You the girl who bought the Nera?' The guy yawns, and I can't help but feel a bit worried for my new Nera with a man as tired as this guy driving him.

"Yes, I am." I nod.

"Alrrright." He goes around to the trailer, and I hear a scream. It's different from Bramble's and Native's, so it has to be this guy's.

He's led out of the trailer by the man, and I gasp. "He's beautiful!"

The man gives a low whistle. "He sure is. Where do you want him?"

"That corral." I point out the one I always use for Nera training.

The man nods, leading him over. Then, once the gelded male is inside, the man walks back to his truck and drives a way. I look up at my newest boy.

"Hey there, Dusty." I got the name in my head the moment I saw him, and have been silently addressing him as such since. Now, it's official.

He gives a scream, which makes me chuckle. Two more screams come in response. One for Native, and one for Bramble. Dusty screams yet again.

"They weren't kidding. You are vocal." A smile on my face, I go to sit on the fence.

It takes awhile for Dusty even to come over. But, finally, after probably an hour or two of sitting on the fence, he does. It's slow and cautious, and I don't move, in case I startle him. He comes to a halt around a foot away from me, and I slowly extend my hand. After one moment, he presses his face into my hand, and I smile at him.

"There we go, Dusty."

Once again, he screams.

[Firedancer77]

"Dusty!" I groan as he turns his head away from the squirrel. "How am I ever to get the saddle on you if you won't let me feed you to distract you!"

He gives me a scream in response, and I huff at him. Is he serious? So far, he's refused squirrel meat, sparrow meat, and candy. The candy was a long shot, but Native likes it, so I wasn't sure.

I go back to the barn, and return with some quail meat. "If you keep this up, I'm just going to not be able to feed you anythin-"

I'm cut short as Dusty gives a short scream, and quickly snatches the quail meat from me. As he turns away, I grab the saddle, and manage to get it on him as he eats. Once it's on, he doesn't seem to mind it so much, and I let out a sigh of relief.

[Firedancer77]

I have come to the conclusion that Dusty doesn't like to ride faster than a trot.

How have I determined this? Simple. I've been trying to get him to go faster all day.

I got up extra early this morning, as for two weeks now I've been getting that fickle Nera used to a saddle. I get it on him, I take Bramble or Native out for a ride, I let them out in the pasture, and then I unsaddle Dusty. Today, I decided to take it a step further and ride him.

It actually went very well. He behaved very well, till I decided to try and get him to go faster than the trot we were at. I tried being stern, although I didn't do anything like punish him. I tried begging. I tried a bit of bribery, although there's no way he actually would've known what I was saying. But no matter what I try, he just won't go faster.

I try for around another hour before officially giving up. "Fine, Dusty. You win. We'll just have to try again tomorrow."

I end up unsaddling him, and letting him roam the pastures a bit with Native and Bramble. At least they get to be buddies, and maybe they can somehow get him to go faster if they run. Not that it seems likely that they'll run anytime soon.