[ShadyBro]

 Owner       >>> PuddlebyOnTheMarsh
 Name                >>> Skhizein
 Gender         >>> Female
 Adoption Price         >>> 1 WL Rare
 Training         >>> [Complete]
  =====
  . Laid back Attitude
  . Careful
  . Enjoys Human Company

 Offspring;
 None

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

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

[PuddlebyOnTheMarsh]

Now that I had more free time I even wandered around the adoption center from time to time to keep up with the news and admire all the Nera available. I had only finished Iris's training last weekend so I wasn't really looking to add to my herd just yet. Just window shopping, as it were. So many colors and patterns! Many were in shades similar to their earthly counterparts, others were blatantly not of this planet, all were beautiful. Most Nera were going about their own business, merely glancing at me as I passed by. A very few approached the fence and fewer still were actively seeking attention. I rubbed noses and scratched ears, whenever they were offered.

I nearly passed the one enclosure thinking it was unoccupied then I detected movement in the shadows. As I tried to make out details of the occupant she obligingly stepped out of the darkness, head down. For a moment I was disoriented, then the shape snapped into focus. It was sort of like one of those "Find the hidden Nera" puzzles, or looking for animals in the clouds. She vaguely reminded me of my first mare Chia in that she was lighter in the back and darker in the front but the color demarcations were more abrupt, sort of like dazzle camouflage. Add to that the subtle aqua tint to the markings on her back legs and I was enthralled. She took another step and raised her head. The markings under her eyes were so distinctive and the purple of her eye pits accented her perfectly. I groped hopefully in my pockets. Ah ha! I still had a couple baby carrots left from this morning at the barn. I wiped a bit of lint off and offered it to the mare. A few more slow steps forward, not afraid - just cautious, and she was right in front of me. She started by sniffing my hair then my shoulders and worked her way down my arm. When she reached the carrots, she drew back ever so slightly then sniffed them again. I don't think I would ever get over how velvety a Nera muzzle felt. After she licked up the last few bits I rubbed her nose and she didn't pull away so I moved on up to her ears. When she lowered her head and pressed it to my chest I knew I wasn't leaving without this girl.

[PuddlebyOnTheMarsh]

After giving Skhiz a week and a half to settle in to the routine and get to know the other girls, I decided we should start getting her use to the saddle. I know my usual penchant for procrastination all too well and I hoped to outwit myself this time by getting started before I forgot, (if you have any idea what I mean).

I managed to take half a day off so I could have plenty of time. What I had failed to take into account was just how cautious my new mare was. Neither of the others had any real issues with the tack. Skhiz was proving to be more of a challenge. She wasn't afraid but she wanted to be darn sure what was going on and what to expect before letting something new be attached to her personage.

It all started normally enough. I filled my pockets with treats, carrots for Chia, worms for Iris and a random assortment of other goodies to tempt Skhiz. I still hadn't found something she really flipped over. Having opened the gate between the corral and the pasture I started to set out the tack. It wasn't long before I heard the herd sneaking up on me. For creatures that large, they were remarkable quiet but I suppose it makes sense for a carnivore. Still, my first two girls had such cheerful and boisterous natures, they could never help playing around so the sound of their play announced them nearly every time. The new girl tended to hang back and observe the other two. I could almost imagine her shaking her head and muttering about how two full grown mares could act so much like foals sometimes. As they came in closer they started to nose around for treats. First the pale blue nose, closely followed by black then a quick foray by a white one. Finally having dispensed about half the snacks I had on me I shooed the already trained girls back into the pasture where they turned around to see what I was doing.

I held up the bridle for inspection and Skhiz didn't budge, she did, however stretch out her neck as far as it would go and then stuck out that long tongue for some reason. I didn't expect that but I continued holding it steady as she touched the leather lightly in a few places then it suddenly snaked around the straps and snatched it from my hand. She stepped back, dropped it on the ground then turned enough so she could grab it in her tail hand and dash off to the far end of the enclosure with her prize. I was nonplussed. My hand was still in the air holding the phantom bridle for about a second then I crossed my arms and leaned on the fence to see what she would do next because I rather doubted I could wrestle her for it and win anyway. After at least 10 minutes of poking, sniffing and general investigation the mare seemed to come to a decision. She took about two paces away from the dusty leather straps, turned around and stared at me as if to say, "It doesn't seem dangerous or anything, so now what?" I decided to try a different approach. Both the other girls were still watching attentively, heads stuck over the fence. I retrieved the bridle and untangled it as I walked over to Chia, who was just a bit closer. After holding it up briefly so Skhiz would be sure to see what I held, I slipped it on the black and grey shaded mare's head though I didn't buckle it in place. I fussed over Chia, petting and giving her treats. This someone mystified her since she had been permitting me to do this for months now but she didn't argue. I then slipped it off and repeated the process with Iris, making sure I was still being watched from across the corral. Skhiz actually was beginning to sidle closer. By the time I had pulled the straps over the cloudy blue ears my actually target was just a short step behind me.

I turned to her and repeated the process slowly, offering the bit then pulling the straps over her fuzz edged ears. A few pets and treats later I had it buckled in place with no further complaints. I then walked over to where the saddle was hung across the fence, picked it up and walked over to where Skhiz was still standing. Laying it at her feet, I stepped back to give her time to check it out. Once she was satisfied, I led Chia in and we went though a similar process as the bridle. Nearly an hour later, I finally had my new mare wearing a saddle.

[PuddlebyOnTheMarsh]

In the week since I first saddled Skhiz I had tacked her up several times every day, till she was quite bored with the process. The second day I had added leaning on her back once in a while, as if by accident. In between I had made a point of riding one of the other girls around near her and then, for the last two days I had rounded up an old bridle and saddle so I could take her with us on long rides around the farm while wearing full tack. We went absolutely everywhere. I even found a few bad spots in the fence the first day we went out so I took supplies to fix them on the next. Not that the fence actually stopped a Nera from going anyplace, it was more to keep the neighbor's animals out. I had made it pretty clear that they were not to eat anything unless it was INside the fence.

Figuring I had done about everything I could to get her accustom to the idea of a person sitting on the saddle without actually sitting in the saddle, I planned to ride Skhiz today. Or at least make the attempt.

I put on the bridle and saddle as usual and led her into the corral. So far, nothing unusual. I adjusted the saddle several times as an excuse to put more and more weight on her back then, realizing I was just delaying the inevitable, I stuck my toe in the stirrup and swung aboard. The mare froze for a moment and I could feel her muscles tense. I had a momentary vision of what an irritated Neravontii might do to a person then she swung that lovely head around and regarded me with an unseeing glare. Then she glanced at the other girls and back at me. Slowley she seemed to resign herself to the situation she had so often seen Iris and Chia in, she looked ahead and relaxed. I squeezed gently with my legs and tried to urge her forward, she eventually either got the idea or decided to cooperate but she started to move smoothly toward the open barn door. I patted her neck then suddenly realized I was about to lose my head, literally. I dismounted while she was moving, narrowly avoiding an accident. It was rather shorter than I had planned but it was a first ride.