Post by SigOUrNeY on Oct 3, 2007 21:49:53 GMT -5
Renaissance stood in the cross ties, half asleep as Lani adjusted the wraps on her legs. Shadows draped across her back, and in front of her nose, but the bay filly didn’t pay any attention to them. That was an enormous improvement from when she had first arrived, and Lani smiled, pleased that their work sessions were finally paying off.
”Well, you all ready for school Silly Girl?” Lani asked the filly, standing up and wiping her hands on her jeans. Epona flickered her ears lazily, and twitched her long tail in response. ”Time to wake up Epona,” Lani said, snapping on a lead rope and unhooking her from the cross ties. Epona heaved an overdramatic sigh, but followed Lani willingly as she led her to Thee Warning. The chestnut mare whickered to Lani and her young apprentice, nuzzling the other thoroughbred in greeting. Epona pricked her fluted ears forward in recognition, and snorted her salutation. Lani kept Epona’s lead rope loose as she mounted onto Tee’s bare back, and took up the western reins in one hand. Tee’s leg had recovered well from its encounter with War Flag’s hooves, and she’d been having light riding sessions for the past week. She should be starting her workouts for the BC in two days.
Clucking to Tee, the mare picked up a trot, and Epona followed along behind like a loyal dog, her nose at Tee’s flank. Lani kept a firm hold on her horse’s lead rope though, just in case she was surprised at anything. But the trip to the practice track was uneventful, and Epona seemed to be becoming bored. She hardly batted an eyelash as they approached the track entrance, but as soon as her large hooves touched the dirt, Epona reeled up on her hind legs and snorted, eyes rolling white as though something had just leapt onto her back. The young filly came crashing down, bumping into Tee’s solid barrel and nearly knocking Lani from her seat. Tee was unfazed however, and pinned her ears at the rambunctious youngster. Epona didn’t pay mind to her warning and went on throwing an overdramatic tantrum. Tee was not about to be ignored, and so she placed a well aimed nip on the bay’s damp neck. Epona squealed loudly even though it hadn’t even broken skin, but from then on the thoroughbred listened to her elders.
”Good job old girl,” Lani praised Tee, patting the mare’s toned neck. The trip made their way across the track, jogging along the outside rail and letting Epona get used to the feeling under her feet. This was her second time on the track, and she was already doing much better than last time, where she had almost catapulted over the guard rail when she first touched the track. Now Epona just trotted beside her buddy, as relaxed as though she were in her paddock. Lani heaved a sigh, looking over her filly humorously. ”You never let me get bored Silly Girl, that’s for sure,” Lani teased, scratching Epona’s withers when she was beside her. Epona nosed her mistress’ leg, looking up at Lani with large liquid pools. Lani couldn’t help but be entranced. Yes, her filly had to be one of the most ridiculous horses that ever set foot on Justice Acres…but yet…was there an intelligence, somewhere deep inside, was there a totally different horse just waiting to be unleashed?
Lani’s thoughts were racked when Epona broke their gaze as she caught site of the starting gates. The bay tensed up, her ears stiffly forward. Epona’s breathing sped up and her tail swatted her side nervously. Lani eased up Tee into a walk, soothing Epona was her soft words. Step by step, they came closer to the large green monster, and with every step Epona looked like she might explode. Eventually, they came one step too close. Epona sprang up in the air like a jackrabbit and had a catastrophic explosion. The filly broke into a series of bucks and darted like a lion was after her. Lani gritted her teeth as the rope burned through her fingers, and she fought to keep from being pulled off of Tee. Lani felt herself slipping against the thoroughbred’s power, and only Tee saved her when she moved forward to catch up with her. Tee moved up beside Epona, and pushed herself against the yearling, forcing the bay to move to the side. Epona stopped bucking to catch her balance, and Lani squeezed her heels against Tee to move the mare in front of Epona to cut her off. Tee read her mind, and was already a step ahead of Lani. The mare circled around Epona, forcing the filly around with her, and she halted once Epona matched stride with her. Epona came to a stop as well, and flickered her ears curiously as though asking what had just happened.
Whoa? What was that? Epona’s head came up as she looked at the gates. Hmm. That’s looks interesting. Let’s go check it out. Epona trotted straight towards the starting box eagerly, dragging Tee and an unbelieving Lani behind her. The blonde girl merely sat on her chestnut mount in disbelief, only able to shake her head.
Epona came straight up to the gates, sniffing at them and cautiously walking inside of them. Lani watched in amazement as her filly schooled herself. Epona weaved in and out of the gates, making a game of it and forcing tee to play along. Tee and Lani were merely playing ‘follow the leader’ as Epona explored the open gates. Finally, Epona decided she was bored, and looked up at Lani for what their next activity would be.
She couldn’t help it. Lani burst out laughing so hard that she brought tears.
”You’re just too much Epona!”
”Well, you all ready for school Silly Girl?” Lani asked the filly, standing up and wiping her hands on her jeans. Epona flickered her ears lazily, and twitched her long tail in response. ”Time to wake up Epona,” Lani said, snapping on a lead rope and unhooking her from the cross ties. Epona heaved an overdramatic sigh, but followed Lani willingly as she led her to Thee Warning. The chestnut mare whickered to Lani and her young apprentice, nuzzling the other thoroughbred in greeting. Epona pricked her fluted ears forward in recognition, and snorted her salutation. Lani kept Epona’s lead rope loose as she mounted onto Tee’s bare back, and took up the western reins in one hand. Tee’s leg had recovered well from its encounter with War Flag’s hooves, and she’d been having light riding sessions for the past week. She should be starting her workouts for the BC in two days.
Clucking to Tee, the mare picked up a trot, and Epona followed along behind like a loyal dog, her nose at Tee’s flank. Lani kept a firm hold on her horse’s lead rope though, just in case she was surprised at anything. But the trip to the practice track was uneventful, and Epona seemed to be becoming bored. She hardly batted an eyelash as they approached the track entrance, but as soon as her large hooves touched the dirt, Epona reeled up on her hind legs and snorted, eyes rolling white as though something had just leapt onto her back. The young filly came crashing down, bumping into Tee’s solid barrel and nearly knocking Lani from her seat. Tee was unfazed however, and pinned her ears at the rambunctious youngster. Epona didn’t pay mind to her warning and went on throwing an overdramatic tantrum. Tee was not about to be ignored, and so she placed a well aimed nip on the bay’s damp neck. Epona squealed loudly even though it hadn’t even broken skin, but from then on the thoroughbred listened to her elders.
”Good job old girl,” Lani praised Tee, patting the mare’s toned neck. The trip made their way across the track, jogging along the outside rail and letting Epona get used to the feeling under her feet. This was her second time on the track, and she was already doing much better than last time, where she had almost catapulted over the guard rail when she first touched the track. Now Epona just trotted beside her buddy, as relaxed as though she were in her paddock. Lani heaved a sigh, looking over her filly humorously. ”You never let me get bored Silly Girl, that’s for sure,” Lani teased, scratching Epona’s withers when she was beside her. Epona nosed her mistress’ leg, looking up at Lani with large liquid pools. Lani couldn’t help but be entranced. Yes, her filly had to be one of the most ridiculous horses that ever set foot on Justice Acres…but yet…was there an intelligence, somewhere deep inside, was there a totally different horse just waiting to be unleashed?
Lani’s thoughts were racked when Epona broke their gaze as she caught site of the starting gates. The bay tensed up, her ears stiffly forward. Epona’s breathing sped up and her tail swatted her side nervously. Lani eased up Tee into a walk, soothing Epona was her soft words. Step by step, they came closer to the large green monster, and with every step Epona looked like she might explode. Eventually, they came one step too close. Epona sprang up in the air like a jackrabbit and had a catastrophic explosion. The filly broke into a series of bucks and darted like a lion was after her. Lani gritted her teeth as the rope burned through her fingers, and she fought to keep from being pulled off of Tee. Lani felt herself slipping against the thoroughbred’s power, and only Tee saved her when she moved forward to catch up with her. Tee moved up beside Epona, and pushed herself against the yearling, forcing the bay to move to the side. Epona stopped bucking to catch her balance, and Lani squeezed her heels against Tee to move the mare in front of Epona to cut her off. Tee read her mind, and was already a step ahead of Lani. The mare circled around Epona, forcing the filly around with her, and she halted once Epona matched stride with her. Epona came to a stop as well, and flickered her ears curiously as though asking what had just happened.
Whoa? What was that? Epona’s head came up as she looked at the gates. Hmm. That’s looks interesting. Let’s go check it out. Epona trotted straight towards the starting box eagerly, dragging Tee and an unbelieving Lani behind her. The blonde girl merely sat on her chestnut mount in disbelief, only able to shake her head.
Epona came straight up to the gates, sniffing at them and cautiously walking inside of them. Lani watched in amazement as her filly schooled herself. Epona weaved in and out of the gates, making a game of it and forcing tee to play along. Tee and Lani were merely playing ‘follow the leader’ as Epona explored the open gates. Finally, Epona decided she was bored, and looked up at Lani for what their next activity would be.
She couldn’t help it. Lani burst out laughing so hard that she brought tears.
”You’re just too much Epona!”