Riding with Autor

[not_his_pa]

William has tack, brushes and everything needed to get Duncan ready to be ridden near his stall as well as the same for Diana. If everything goes well, he and Autor will go for a small ride.

Now he's sipping some coffee and eating a biscuit outside the stable door as he watches the morning mist rise off the lake.

Comments

[not_his_pa]

Duncan turns his head to give him a look and William pats his head,

"Good, now get your feet in the stirrups and keep your heels down. I need to get 'em where they need to be."

[herr_bookman]

Autor squeezes Duncan's back with his legs, placing his feet in the stirrups.

"I did it, William," he says, his voice bordering on near hysteria. "I did it. I'm sitting astride a horse."

[not_his_pa]

"Yeah, you are and soon you'll even be movin',"

He adjusts the stirrups, taking his time before handing the reins up to Autor, "Now don't rely too much on the reins, he'll listen to you better if you shift your weight and use your legs."

[herr_bookman]

"Shift my weight and use my legs," Autor repeats, testing Duncan's back with his legs again. "Got it. How do I make him move forward?"

[not_his_pa]

"You don't just yet, cause that would mean goin' into the fence," William checks that they seem to be secure and then easily mounts up on Diana.

"Now, I'm goin' to move her to face forward with a light turn then you'll do the same. We'll ride around the stables and paddock."

Gently he turns Diana until they're facing away from the fence. He's forgotten that what he's doing isn't as obvious as it could be. William holds the reins in one hand and seems to barely shift them.

[herr_bookman]

"How did you do that?" Autor says, trying to follow his lead. He ends up tugging on the reins a little hard, and Duncan whinnies. "Oh, goodness. What do I do now?"

[not_his_pa]

"Be gentle and move the reins over like this and move yourself that way too,"

He leads Diana in a circle to show Autor.

[herr_bookman]

"Move myself that way? Ohhh," Autor says, trying to be gentle with the reins. He squeezes with his legs, and Duncan follows in a slow circle. "Hey, I'm doing it!"

[not_his_pa]

"You are. How do you feel? You're in control."

[herr_bookman]

"This is great," Autor says, beaming at him. He shifts the reins to the left and Duncan follows. "This is awesome. I can tell him where to go and he just does it. I'll probably be sore tomorrow, but it's worth it. Thank you, William!"

[not_his_pa]

"This is only the start. Now we're goin' to ride around. Duncan will follow Diana,"

He gets her facing on the little path around the paddock and starts off at a walk.

[herr_bookman]

Autor holds on to the pommel as Duncan eases into a walk, following Diana. "Oh, goodness, okay," he says, clinging to the reins. "So they're walking. This is a good thing. They're walking and I'm staying on the horse. And now I'm babbling. Am I babbling?"

[not_his_pa]

"Yeah, but that's fine, relax, keep your heels down and try to feel comfortable. We're goin' to keep goin' around the paddock and stables. The ground's flat, no demon bunnies come out this way."

[herr_bookman]

"That's good at least," Autor says, trying to feel his way through the stirrups. "It'd be a disaster if demon bunnies attacked us here."

He eases up on his grip on the pommel, settling into the saddle as much as he can. After a while of walking, Autor finds himself as relaxed as he's going to get while on a giant, powerful animal. "So, what's next?"

[not_his_pa]

"Squeeze him once and go like this and then you'll go into a trot,"

William easily shifts Diana into a trot.

[herr_bookman]

It takes Autor a little bit to go into a trot. He squeezes with his legs and manipulates the reins, but Duncan doesn't respond until he gets it just right. The trot is uncomfortable, to say the least, and Autor begins to regret asking what's next as he bounces in the saddle. "Well, I'll be sore tomorrow."

[not_his_pa]

"Move with him and if you do this, you'll get into a lope which is a little easier,"

William doesn't laugh just smirks because that's how it goes when you learn to ride as he shifts Diana into a lope.

[herr_bookman]

It's easier for Autor to shift into a lope than it was to shift into the trot. "I'm trying to move with him, but it's really difficult."

[not_his_pa]

"Its kind of like dancing, he's movin' the same way all the time and he's your partner. It takes time but you're doin' fine."

[herr_bookman]

Autor shifts on Duncan's back, trying to get comfortable again. He holds onto the pommel loosely in one hand and clings to the reins with the other. "Just a big cat," he murmurs, reminding himself that he shouldn't be scared of the animal. "William, how di we get down?"

[not_his_pa]

"When you're ready, we'll go to where we mounted up and you get off the opposite of how you got on. Swing your leg over and get on the ground. You about done for today?"

They're nearing where they began.

[herr_bookman]

"I think so," Autor says, nodding. "Thank you for taking me out riding and teaching me to curry the horse."

[not_his_pa]

"You're welcome and we're not done yet. Need to unsaddle them and rub them down. But now you know that you can ride and I'm glad to go ridin' with you whenever you'd like."

[herr_bookman]

Autor smiles at him. "All right, fair enough. We'll unsaddle them and rub them down. How do I stop the horse?"

[not_his_pa]

"Say whoa and gently pull back on his reins like this,"

He stops Diana by the fence and dismounts before coming over to see how much help Autor needs.