The Chronicles of Alimony ||

[myhorsejax]

She tightened her girth, ignoring Al's nasty faces of protest. She swatted him gently, a small smile on her face. "Oh stop, your fine," she said, shaking her head and leading him towards the middle of the ring. She bit her lip and clucked, flicking the lunge whip. The response was explosive. Al shot forward as if he had been shocked and launched into an impressive series of spinning bucks and sudden changes of direction. She hadn't expected anything less than this. A three days ago, she had attempted lunging him for the first time. He only seemed to have two speeds. Stop and go. If all went well today, hopefully she would get on him for the first time.

Al was now standing completely still, looking as if a fierce breeze might knock him over. He was staring at her with a defiant expression on his face. You can't make me, he seemed to be saying. "Oh stop," said Robin, clucking and watching him stiffly pick out his way at the walk. Slowly his gate became more natural. He dropped his head and finally seemed to realize she wasn't going to suddenly launch him from a gate and make him run to his limits. His muscles quivered slightly, and he pumped his neck, making his wispy mane fly up and down, up and down. He relaxed further, dropping his head almost to the ground and salivating slightly.

Robin grinned. "Good boy," she soothed, and gently urged him on. Again it was like he had been shot out of a cannon. He cantered around her madly, tail streaming out, a light lather of sweat gathering on his neck giving it a shiny cover. His nostrils flared and he breathed heavily, eyes wide and afraid. Slowly he settled down, and realized she was not asking him to run, and didn't punish him when he slowed to a trot, his breathing labored.

His stride was short and choppy at first, but she sent him around, pushing him to bring his hindquarters beneath him and use them properly. She watched his back round, as he brought his head down, cautiously, almost experimentally, seeming to gauge her reaction when he did so. "What a good boy," she said, her tone light and cheery. His dappled coat shown with sweat but he continued to use himself properly as he trotted, his tail fanning out behind him, like a lightly dappled banner.

His pace slowed and he lengthened further, his stride light and even. Robin watched him, constantly praising him. She slowed him, and he walked. She gave him most of the lunge line and he lowered his head, stretching his neck and shoulders. He seemed to yawn hugely, with a slight whinny seeming to utter itself out of it. She smiled and let him walk around a few more circles. Then she halted him and removed the lunge line, unlooping the reins and leading him to the mounting block.

Robin inhaled and exhaled, calming her nerves. She blinked, keeping her eyes closed for a moment longer, than opening them up once more feeling marginally calmer. She didn't need these excess nerves. She had never been nervous about riding a horse before.

She mounted and gently sent him on, afraid the lightest tap of leg would send him exploding into bucking fits.

Then he walked. He walked with his head a little more than a foot above the ground. He walked relaxed, completely calm, like the world's largest school horse. She couldn't help but smile, and released a little shout of laughter and of accomplishment. She walked him only a few times more around the arena then halted him, patting him all over, a wide grin splitting her face. She dismounted and led him in, still grinning.

[myhorsejax]

Two Weeks Later

Robin gently placed her saddle upon her dark blue poly-pad and a half-pad. She slid it backwards slightly, unable to keep a smile off her face at the prospect of riding her gelding again. In the last few days, she had steadily been able to shorten the time of her lunging so that she could do more work under saddle. She knew it would take time, but eventually, he would be there, able to be shown, the horse she always dreamed of having.

She secured her girth, and put splint and over reach boots on his slightly brownish legs. She smiled to herself again, thinking of the dirty mess he had been when she led him up from the pasture. He was considerably cleaner, but still had a sort of brownish-green tinge to his croup and parts of his legs.

Robin slid the snaffle into Al's mouth, and led him out. He looked almost comical when he walked, as he enthusiastically bobbed his head constantly, his ears pricked forward, eyes bright. Even with the slight brownish spots, his coat gleamed, bright with dapples that hadn't been there a mere week ago.

Once again she sent him out. This time he walked willingly, still bobbing his head as he took strides much to exuberant for his frame. Soon he had settled down slightly, and his pace became more even, calmer. He still looked around at his surroundings, sometimes barely paying attention to Robin's aids, but now he walked more normally, a strong, steady pace.

Robin sent him around a few times, simply watching the way Al moved. He seemed to fling himself out, over reaching, and attempting to be almost bigger than he was. She cocked her head, watching him, a half smile, just at the sheer joy of being near the large horse. She clucked her tongue and watched him momentarily cringe his muscles, ready to sprint forward, but then the fleeting look of his racing past left, and he calmly came forward, a little bit quick at first. A few times around slowed him down, and he began to reach out farther, lengthening his back, flexing his neck and shoulders.

His stride floated out as he extended his trot, and though his pace was the same, Robin could almost see a look of deep concentration on his face. Maybe she was imagining it, but it seemed as if she dug down, beneath the years of racing, and more years of training, to the original well broken colt he had been before racing had taken its toll. A calmly collected gelding, anyone would easily trust a five year old with. This accomplishment made a rush of different emotions well up inside her. Sadness and resentment towards the racing industry, happiness at their inevitable accomplishment, mixed with a sort of shared grief. Girl and horse. They both had something that was taken from them before they had time to realize the importance of it in their lives.

She tried to shrug off the feeling of loss, and just gaze at the lightly perspiring horse before her.

She changed directions several times, shortening the time between Al's sudden cringe of exploding energy, and when he let it go, putting it into lengthening his stride and rounding his back.

Finally she pulled him in and mounted him, walking around a few times with ease, and then gently asking him to trot. Robin felt her muscles tighten, and made an effort to relax when she felt Al bunch up, again ready to explode, as if from a starting gate. But then again, he launched into a beautiful, if not the most comfortable trot. Robin posted as gently as she could, feeling Al start to relax beneath her. She gave him a loopy rein and let him hold his head however he wanted to. He wouldn't yet put it down, and round correctly, but she was sure, he would get it, no matter how long it took. "Good boy Alimony," she said, smiling as Al bounced along, and Robin posted with only limited difficulty.

A couple more times around, and it was time to cool out. She walked around a bit and dismounted. All Al needed was a pat and a good word.

[myhorsejax]

Two Days Later

A small smile slowly spread across Robin's face as she watched Al interact with his pasture mate. The retired bay gelding was two years older than her own, though still seemed to have the energy Alimony did. She paused, unable to open the gate, and destroy the fun the two Thoroughbreds seemed to be having together.

Al would nip him playfully, then wheel around, heels kicked towards the sky, as the other gelding chased him, twisting and bucking as he ran. He seemed not to noticed her, and continued his antics as she made her way into his field. "Al!" she called, and watched his ears prick in her direction. He stared at her for a moment with wide brown eyes, then plunged his head down and cantered towards her, throwing happy bucks every couple steps. She uttered out a shout of laughter as he suddenly came up beside her, thrusting his velvety muzzle into her face. "Hey bud," she said, offering him some carrots, which he gobbled up eagerly. She slipped his leather headstall over his ears and led him in.

The change in his behavior in only two weeks was astounding. It was hard to believe a short time ago he was snow white, thin and withdrawn, as if racing had sucked the life from him. The fact was, he was never cut out for racing in the first place. He was much too melow, perfectly content to meander around a large green field with a small child on his back. Now he was back to his exuberant self, and his coat was constantly getting more dappled. His eyes were bright and alert, instead of glossed over and dulled.

She led him to the roudnpen after running a soft brush over him and picking out his hooves. Today she would try something a little different with him. She unclipped the leadrope and coiled it at her feet. Then she stepped toward him, yelling, "Get! Go away!" He trotted off, the expression on his face so obviously of shock, Robin had to try hard not to laugh. He trotted a little ways, then stopped and cautiously began to approach her again, his dark eyes showing so much confusion. This time she lunged at him, and he wheeled around, bobbing his head, looking almost offended.

It broke Robin's heart to drive him away, when he obviously trusted her so much. But it was neccesary if the join up be completed.

She kept him cantering at an even pace, working hard to keep him going. He slowed to an extended trot. His tail flagged out, and his short mane bobbed slightly against his slightly muscled crest. Within a few minutes his inside ear was constantly focused on Robin, and his head was down. He licked and chewed constantly, showing that he truly wanted to be with her.

She sent him around a few times, then turned away from him. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him slide to stop, and gaze at her, seeming pleasantly surprised at her decision. Then slowly, he walked into the center of the arena. Robin listened to the rhytmic thuds of Al's hooves, then felt his breath, his velvety muzzle resting on her shoulder. She turned and caressed his dished face, murmuring words of praise.

She clipped his leadrope on, and brought him back out, feeling an intense sense of connection and achievement.

[myhorsejax]

One Day Later

Ten minutes into lunging Alimony, Robin had stopped and mounted the large gelding. She gathered up her reins and gave him the lightest tap she could with her heels. He lurched forward into a rolling walk, lowering his head as he went. Robin shortened her reins further, and started asking him to collect, gently at first, aware of his extremely soft mouth. She listened as he mouthed the bit, salivating, lowering his head experimentally. "Good boy," Robin soothed, scatching his withers gently, then resuming with her gentle massage of Al's mouth.

She walked in both directions, constantly asking, and half the time getting the result she wanted. Even the slightest lowering yielded a reward. Robin was determined to assosiate the good behavior with praise. She trotted him, still asking left hand, right hand, left hand, right hand. When he lowered his head completely and held it, if only for a few strides, Robin almost exploded with, "good boys," and pats.

She trotted him on, asking him for a few steps, then stopping when he gave it to her for a couple bouncy strides. She knew the enormous effort it took him to keep his head down, when his muscles weren't yet good, so she didn't constantly ask him.

She could feel him lift up his back, flex his hocks beneath him and stretch out his neck when she asked, and she felt a rush of pride at how far he had come. She changed directions several times, then did serpentines. He seemed to be amused by the quick changes of direction, and launched himself into them with extra enthusiasm. Robin knew she was most likely grinning like an idiot atop his back, so pleased with what he had achieved, but she didn't care. She continued asking him, and was pleasantly surprised when he seemed to try to keep his head down a little bit longer each time she asked. A slight idea wobbled around in Robin's head, still not completely developed. Her common sense told her to finish on a good note, but she wanted so badly to do this. "'We're gonna bite the bullet, kay bud?" she said, and pressed her outside leg into his side.

The response was almost immediate. He sprung forward into a rocking canter, which she sat to easily, pleasantly reminded of a very large rocking horse. He seemed to have abandoned his instinct to run full out, and gently picked his way around, coming down gracefully with each stride. He tucked his head, pushing it downward, and increasing the rocking horse feel, now that he was using his hind end to power him forward. Robin kept her hand light and steady, so that he didn't feel like she had abandoned him, nor did he feel the need to toss his head, alleviate the pressure of the bit, because of a too firm hand. Her legs were relaxed. They reached around Al's barrel, virtually immobile despite his rocky gate. She felt him slow and clucked, continuing to ask him for his head.

A couple more times around and she trotted, changing direction and setting off again. She glanced at her lead with and with a slight grimace, slowed him, and asked again, watching as he struck off on the correct hindlead, sure his front lead would follow. They cantered around, occasionally with Al's head down, and both horse and rider were enjoying themselves immensly. Finally she slowed him to a trot, then walked him, unable to stop smiling, and even resisting the urge to burst into jolly laughter once every couple steps.

She cooled him out and dismounted with a pat. "Your such a good boy," she said, smiling as she led him in.

[myhorsejax]

One Week Later
Total Time Owned: One month and Three Days

Robin clucked and felt Al soften, stretching his neck down and rounding his back beneath her. She could feel his mouth, soft, waiting for her next command, completely supple. For a brief moment Al's head was drawn up again, and he lost the supple connection the two had forged, but with a soft reminder of the rein, he concentrated again, neck rounded, head pulled to his chest with the grace of one much less gangly them himself. She clucked again, feeling him soften further, making sure he didn't go behind the vertical.

She wound serpentines around the arena, marveling at how collected Al was, and pushing him on, urging him to lengthen his spine, and then, his stride.

He brushed his boots slightly, the sharp sound of sand against velcro. With a start, she helped him configure his feet again, aware that his coordination needed a bit of work. "Know where your legs are," she murmured to him, knowing he wouldn't understand her words, but perhaps take a hint to soften off of her tone of voice.

He trotted around more, staying on the bit for entire sides of the arena before breaking for a few paces, then reaching for it once more. His crest muscles were lean. They gleamed dark gray in the sunshine, and his slight mane bounced across his crest, as if enjoying the ride. His hocks drove underneath him, as he powered himself forward, ears cocked backward toward Robin, listening to everything she said. A couple minutes longer, and Al had started to salivate slightly, mouthing the bit, keeping his headset consistent. Robin constantly praised him, occasionally giving him a slight pat on his neck, astounded at how muscled his crest looked, even from the odd angle of being atop his back.

She glanced ahead toward a point of the arena, and leaned forward into her two point. She pressed her outside leg against the girth, and was overjoyed by the reaction. He cantered forward, almost maintaining collection, barely hollowing his spine. Robin put him back on the bit quickly, and they cantered again, looking like a slightly rusty dressage team. She sent him forward when he became too suspended, and he flattened out once more, arching his neck, and flagging his tail.

She slowed to a trot, and changed direction, rewarding him when he immediately picked up the right lead. She patted his neck, gently registering the light coating of sweat that had gathered on it. She cantered for a little bit longer, than slowed him to a walk.

She gave him a loopy rein and took her feet out of the stirrups, relaxing her entire body, feeling him relax with her. He let out a huge sigh, making his forelock flutter slightly, and stretched his nose out, extending his spine. She felt him shift over to his forehand, but she didn't make an effort to change it. She would collect him once she was ready to trot again.

Lots of work on the ground and on the lungeline had given Al lean muscle, and made him much fitter than when he had first arrived under Robin's care. He could now trot comfortably for extended periods without being out of breath, or becomming excessively sweaty. Robin was proud of the work she had put into the gelding, and smiled slightly, as she prepared to trot once more.

[myhorsejax]

Two Weeks Later
Total Time Owned: One Month, Two Weeks, Three Days


A slight movement in the woods behind the arena startled Alimony for a moment, but he quickly stretched back down into the frame that had become a constant whenever Robin rode him. She cantered serpentines, switching leads easily as she changed direction. She listened to his steady breathing, his hooves striking the ground in a rhythmic motion. She clucked, slowing him to a trot near the center of the arena. He sucked back for a moment, but Robin urged him on, feeling him draw his hindquarters once more under himself.

Robin changed direction across the arena, sitting for a brief stride to change her diagonal. She clucked, feeling his attention snap back to her again. She posted to his huge stride, feeling an intense sense of achievement. "Good boy," she soothed, and sent him onward, sitting briefly and pressing her outside leg to the back of his girth.

He transitioned smoothly once more to a canter, his gait steady and suspended.

[myhorsejax]

Total Time Owned: two months, three weeks, 6 days

Al stretched out and downward, taking advantage of the loopy rein Robin had given him while he was walking. He sighed hugely, dappled sides moving in and out with each breath. Robin sighed too, glancing up at the blue sky above her. The weather had greatly improved as May wore on, but Robin was still frustarated with the unseasonal spell of heat that seemed to deprive her body of the substances it needed to produce some source of energy.

Her tank top stuck to her back, glued by sweat, and she had some difficulty peeling it away. She flapped it slightly, finding some comfort in the slight breeze it produced. Her shoulders were freckled, and were red in most spots, but she ignored the elements, and brought down Al's breathing slightly.

A few times around the ring and Robin gathered her reins up, wiping a sweaty brow and pushing dark hair out of her equally sunburnt face.

She made her way to the center of the arena and halted, dismounting and leading Al over to where a small crossrail had been set up. She lowered it slightly, coughing at the dust that had seemed to swirl up around them.

Robin mounted once more and quickly trotted Al, feeling him drop into the beautiful headset he had developed. As Al's muscles properly aligned, it seemed it made it easier and easier for him to drop his head and bring his hind quarters correctly beneath him. Robin now expected him to hold this headset almost if not all the time.

She pointed him at the cross rail, vaguely wondering whether he would end up springing away from it in happy bucks. But, then again, it was really too late for these thoughts now, she thought, smiling resolutely, and urging him forward with her heels. Robin felt Al's muscles bunch up beneath him as they approached the jump. His strides became heavy, and he pushed forward through her hand that was gently telling him to slow down. Robin felt him pushing on the bit, bringing his head up, but she kept her hands steady and lifted effortlessly into half seat as he sprung over the tiny crossrail, jumping it hugely, but at least not bucking on the landing. He seemed to enjoy himself greatly over the crossrail, and now pranced slightly, bringing his head down once more now that they were away from the jump.

Robin grinned, and sent him forward. "Your so full of yourself," she murmured to him, blue eyes full of affection as she gazed down at his crest. She made him trot on and lined up with the jump once more. And once more he sprung over it, with way too much enthusiasm, but Robin was proud of him anyway.