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Description

Stable: Lakewood Farm
Horse Number: 1
Horse Name: Kiwi
Entry: Optional
Storyline:
1. Mandatory: First Meeting
2. Optional: The First Steps
3. Optional: Interlude - Things for the Future
4. Optional: Breakthrough
5. Optional: Building Trust
6. Mandatory: Mishap - Halter Training
7. Optional: Progression
8. Optional: Mishap - Early Saddle Sessions
9. Mandatory: Backing
10. Optional: Mounting Up
11. Mandatory: Flat Training
12. Optional: Jump training: You are Here
13. Optional: Christmas Hack
14. Optional: Kaimanawa Hack
15. Optional: Beach/water riding
16. Optional: The Future

Yup, I'm on a roll coz the challenge closes soon. Don't think I'm gonna manage the last two, but we'll see

Anyway, I'd originally planned to split Kiwi's training, a mandatory part of the Kaimanawa Challenge, into two parts; flat and jump. Flat was done ages ago, but her jump one got put on a bench for a while. So now, she's moved on and done more stuff, and going all the way back would mess with people's heads, but I still thought I'd slot a little something in anyway

So, as you can see in the storyline above, she was doing jump/course training before she went out Hacking over Christmas, and that's when this would have happened. Before the beach ride I posted yesterday, just to confuse everyone (and I know Kiwi's cavesson noseband is missing; I left it out because I liked how her face came out

As always; take methods mentioned here with a pinch of salt and feel free to ask questions. And hope you guys enjoy Matches' cameo, since a while back a few people wanted to see/hear about a typical jump session with him

"Sit! Sit back; sit in the damn saddle!" Becca hollered across the Temple.

Alec usually had a very secure seat, and could jump a basic course like this with little to no problems. That was before Becca put him on Matches and told him to try. He'd been riding Kiwi a lot recently, so the switch was good for him, but also, Becca had said, if he could get a clear round on her crazy Arabian, he could get a clear round on anything.

So far it wasn't going well.

Matches was taking full advantage of having a rider who knew nothing of his antics, and was throwing every trick in the book at him. Alec hadn't yet fallen off, but he was starting to think he'd need airlifting to hospital with his arms in slings at the end of the day. The newest disaster was the chestnut stallion tucking his chin close to his chest, so that the bit barely did a thing to him, as he continued to canter around, unable to correctly assess the distance to a take off stride, and ploughing through half the fences. Twitch was racing around and hurriedly rebuilding them in his wake and though Becca was doing her best to help, she also looked highly amused, which wasn't helping him.

Alec sighed, forced himself to let up on the reins again and sit deep in the saddle then - before Matches could seize his extra headroom - turned him into the wall. The stallion's head went up and his hocks down. Alec caught himself on the ruffled mane which danced like flames up his warm, shiny neck, and finally convinced the Arabian to walk pleasantly to the middle. He threw in a flykick, just to spite Alec as they stopped.

"This guy is the reason Arabians have a reputation for being nutters," Alec declared. Then he sighed again. "What am I doing wrong?"

"He's testing you," Becca said plainly. "When it comes to jumping, he's always thought he knows best, but the truth is he couldn't see a stride if it was a bowl of oats in a white room. He's all about respect. You have to stay behind his withers until he takes off - I'm amazed he hasn't dumped you, yet."

"He's like a tank," Alec protested. "I sit back and it feels like my arms are going to dislocate."

Becca smiled fondly. "Yeah, he does that."

Alec turned him away. "Last try, then I want my sane mare back." Austin was tacking Kiwi up for them and was going to lead her over at half past eleven. It was now twenty past, but Alec had yet to complete the course. He was just thankful he'd paced it first, so he knew where the strides were supposed to be.

Matches got himself trotting, and switched to canter without warning in the corner. Alec recited to himself as he experimentally steered onto a circle, 'sit down, shoulders back, no screaming'. Matches fell out through his shoulder and began leg yielding himself out. On autopilot, Alec brought his outside rein into play and steered him back. The Arabian tossed his head in annoyance.

"Blue and white cross," Becca called out. "Ride straight, around the end then off the track at K. ride straight at the black and yellow - there's three strides to the brown and green oxer."

Alec nodded to show he was listening. In the end it didn't matter. Matches launched himself over the cross, dived around the end of the arena like he was on a racetrack and then almost barrelled into the black and yellow straightbar without taking off at all. He heaved himself over at the last second, snorted, like this was Alec's fault, then sprinted the three stride distance in one and a half, which set them both out of sorts for the oxer and they almost came down on top of it.

When Alec managed to pull Matches up, having bolted away from the wreckage, he could see they'd left a huge furrow in the sand and only one of the four wings was still standing. All the poles looked like a heap of matchsticks and Twitch was in hysterics as she began setting it back together.

"Sorry!" Alec called to her, turning Matches to the wall again. He stomped angrily, but consented to walk. Twitch smirked and waved him off. Becca had her face in her hands. But Alec looked around and beamed at her as soon as she looked up. "Hey, that was a success - the first two are still standing!"

"How are you not on the floor?" the brunette demanded, ignoring this. "Better yet, how are you not six feet under it with a headstone marked 'A horse done it'?"

Alec smirked. "Just lucky, I guess."

The end door opened. Austin stepped in, leading Kiwi. After Alec's hectic morning on a horse with no brakes to speak of and a superiority complex the size of the average biplane, the sight of Kiwi's alert, content expression and bright green eyes were long overdue.

"Finally!" He exclaimed, stopping Matches by Becca and leaping off. Becca sniggered as he took his mare off of Austin - who was staring at the wreckage of the oxer like someone stops to stare at a car accident.

"What *happened*?"

"Matches," Twitch said bluntly.

Austin nodded. "Of course."

Becca mounted the stallion and turned him away. Alec got up on Kiwi, thankful for her smaller stature and sturdier build. He started warming her up, and tried not to gape as Becca was able to get the stallion into a somewhat controlled canter and succeed in jumping the course of fences, only clipping and taking down one rail.

She beamed as she settled him afterwards, using a firm but sympathetic pull-release to coax him back to walk. She then proceeded to let him cool off on a long rein - that Alec would never have trusted him on - until Kiwi was warm and ready to go.

Austin took Matches out and Becca stood in the middle again. "Okay, you're riding straight at the cross on the three quarter line to warm up. She's done this a ton of times, its really simple."

Alec nodded again and turned Kiwi off the track. Her ears pricked and her stride lengthened. She, unlike Matches, could gauge herself far better, and she cleared it neatly with space to spare. They moved up a gear, placing poles around the cross so that Kiwi was forced to lengthen and shorten her stride to fit the fence. When they'd perfected it on both extremes, Becca moved them over to the combination on the diagonal.

They went through the same basic steps, all repetition of jumping sessions the Kaimanawa mare had done before. They'd been working her up, but she was still new to full courses. Finally they tackled the last set of fences up the other side of the arena; a white straight and a box oxer.

"We're putting them together now," Becca called, going around with Twitch and dropping all the poles a few holes. Just in case Kiwi got a little flustered with combining the obstacles, they didn't want her to be challenged with the height the first time around - not that they'd yet found a height she seemed to find a challenge. "What are your strides?"

"Clean run down the three quarter," Alec started reeling off. "Wide arc around the end, deep into the corner and away at K. Three strides between the black and yellow and oxer. Straight down to M, around and back up. Two strides between the white and the box."

Becca nodded. "Ride it."

Alec took up his reins. After Matches motorbiking around at 500 miles an hour, even Kiwi's forward rocking canter seemed unrushed. Alec felt like he had plenty of time to steer her straight and check her on the one occasion she needed it. They'd worked wonders with her canter leads and flying changes, so other than momentary surprise that she was still jumping and had to change leads, she took it well and they only faltered a couple of times. One pole came down and they cantered away.

Becca and Twitch cheered and Alec gave Kiwi a solid pat as they slowed to a trot.

"Well?" he asked.

"What did you think?" Becca asked instead, setting back the pole and starting to raise all the heights again.

Alec looked down at the champagne mare. "Good," he said, suddenly understanding why Becca had told him to sit on Matches first. "But you knew that - that's why you put me on your nutcase. After him, you knew she'd be a walk in the park."

Becca smiled serenely. Alec shook his head, laughing and continued. "She faltered - I think she was surprised at the lead change, and that's why we clipped the pole, but she had her strides right."

"So you just have to be a little more assertive," the brunette told him. "Go again. Keep your focus and let her worry about the height - she can clear these easy."

Alec pressed his calves to Kiwi's sides, sliding his outside leg back. She skipped and snorted, rounding the top of the arena in canter. Alec zeroed in on the cross again. It may be one of the simplest courses in the world, but it was a step up and it *was* a course. They'd have it down in no time.

The sketch for this was done ages ago - I don't even remember when, but I don't think it took too long. I found a great photo with the pose; I was bored, there was a pencil in arm's reach. This happened. Somewhere it became Kiwi. But I just spend a couple of hours tops painting it in PS today. The sketch is about an inch/2 inches high on paper, so it is kinda messy and unclear, and I didn't line it, so it has an unfinished feel, but it was nice to do without getting over stressed about it.

I'm slowly finding a way of painting backgrounds, particularly sand, that I like, though. Plus sides to even random arts like this

A few hours all round, probably.
This photo used for the pose - [link]
Art, story and characters copyright to *Tattered-Dreams
Kiwi's design copyright to *LeavingNeverland
Do not take, copy, edit, redistribute or manipulate.

Description

Stable: Lakewood Farm
Horse Number: 1
Horse Name: Kiwi
Entry: Optional
Storyline:
1. Mandatory: First Meeting
2. Optional: The First Steps
3. Optional: Interlude - Things for the Future
4. Optional: Breakthrough
5. Optional: Building Trust
6. Mandatory: Mishap - Halter Training
7. Optional: Progression
8. Optional: Mishap - Early Saddle Sessions
9. Mandatory: Backing
10. Optional: Mounting Up
11. Mandatory: Flat Training
12. Optional: Jump training: You are Here
13. Optional: Christmas Hack
14. Optional: Kaimanawa Hack
15. Optional: Beach/water riding
16. Optional: The Future

Yup, I'm on a roll coz the challenge closes soon. Don't think I'm gonna manage the last two, but we'll see

Anyway, I'd originally planned to split Kiwi's training, a mandatory part of the Kaimanawa Challenge, into two parts; flat and jump. Flat was done ages ago, but her jump one got put on a bench for a while. So now, she's moved on and done more stuff, and going all the way back would mess with people's heads, but I still thought I'd slot a little something in anyway

So, as you can see in the storyline above, she was doing jump/course training before she went out Hacking over Christmas, and that's when this would have happened. Before the beach ride I posted yesterday, just to confuse everyone (and I know Kiwi's cavesson noseband is missing; I left it out because I liked how her face came out

As always; take methods mentioned here with a pinch of salt and feel free to ask questions. And hope you guys enjoy Matches' cameo, since a while back a few people wanted to see/hear about a typical jump session with him

"Sit! Sit back; sit in the damn saddle!" Becca hollered across the Temple.

Alec usually had a very secure seat, and could jump a basic course like this with little to no problems. That was before Becca put him on Matches and told him to try. He'd been riding Kiwi a lot recently, so the switch was good for him, but also, Becca had said, if he could get a clear round on her crazy Arabian, he could get a clear round on anything.

So far it wasn't going well.

Matches was taking full advantage of having a rider who knew nothing of his antics, and was throwing every trick in the book at him. Alec hadn't yet fallen off, but he was starting to think he'd need airlifting to hospital with his arms in slings at the end of the day. The newest disaster was the chestnut stallion tucking his chin close to his chest, so that the bit barely did a thing to him, as he continued to canter around, unable to correctly assess the distance to a take off stride, and ploughing through half the fences. Twitch was racing around and hurriedly rebuilding them in his wake and though Becca was doing her best to help, she also looked highly amused, which wasn't helping him.

Alec sighed, forced himself to let up on the reins again and sit deep in the saddle then - before Matches could seize his extra headroom - turned him into the wall. The stallion's head went up and his hocks down. Alec caught himself on the ruffled mane which danced like flames up his warm, shiny neck, and finally convinced the Arabian to walk pleasantly to the middle. He threw in a flykick, just to spite Alec as they stopped.

"This guy is the reason Arabians have a reputation for being nutters," Alec declared. Then he sighed again. "What am I doing wrong?"

"He's testing you," Becca said plainly. "When it comes to jumping, he's always thought he knows best, but the truth is he couldn't see a stride if it was a bowl of oats in a white room. He's all about respect. You have to stay behind his withers until he takes off - I'm amazed he hasn't dumped you, yet."

"He's like a tank," Alec protested. "I sit back and it feels like my arms are going to dislocate."

Becca smiled fondly. "Yeah, he does that."

Alec turned him away. "Last try, then I want my sane mare back." Austin was tacking Kiwi up for them and was going to lead her over at half past eleven. It was now twenty past, but Alec had yet to complete the course. He was just thankful he'd paced it first, so he knew where the strides were supposed to be.

Matches got himself trotting, and switched to canter without warning in the corner. Alec recited to himself as he experimentally steered onto a circle, 'sit down, shoulders back, no screaming'. Matches fell out through his shoulder and began leg yielding himself out. On autopilot, Alec brought his outside rein into play and steered him back. The Arabian tossed his head in annoyance.

"Blue and white cross," Becca called out. "Ride straight, around the end then off the track at K. ride straight at the black and yellow - there's three strides to the brown and green oxer."

Alec nodded to show he was listening. In the end it didn't matter. Matches launched himself over the cross, dived around the end of the arena like he was on a racetrack and then almost barrelled into the black and yellow straightbar without taking off at all. He heaved himself over at the last second, snorted, like this was Alec's fault, then sprinted the three stride distance in one and a half, which set them both out of sorts for the oxer and they almost came down on top of it.

When Alec managed to pull Matches up, having bolted away from the wreckage, he could see they'd left a huge furrow in the sand and only one of the four wings was still standing. All the poles looked like a heap of matchsticks and Twitch was in hysterics as she began setting it back together.

"Sorry!" Alec called to her, turning Matches to the wall again. He stomped angrily, but consented to walk. Twitch smirked and waved him off. Becca had her face in her hands. But Alec looked around and beamed at her as soon as she looked up. "Hey, that was a success - the first two are still standing!"

"How are you not on the floor?" the brunette demanded, ignoring this. "Better yet, how are you not six feet under it with a headstone marked 'A horse done it'?"

Alec smirked. "Just lucky, I guess."

The end door opened. Austin stepped in, leading Kiwi. After Alec's hectic morning on a horse with no brakes to speak of and a superiority complex the size of the average biplane, the sight of Kiwi's alert, content expression and bright green eyes were long overdue.

"Finally!" He exclaimed, stopping Matches by Becca and leaping off. Becca sniggered as he took his mare off of Austin - who was staring at the wreckage of the oxer like someone stops to stare at a car accident.

"What *happened*?"

"Matches," Twitch said bluntly.

Austin nodded. "Of course."

Becca mounted the stallion and turned him away. Alec got up on Kiwi, thankful for her smaller stature and sturdier build. He started warming her up, and tried not to gape as Becca was able to get the stallion into a somewhat controlled canter and succeed in jumping the course of fences, only clipping and taking down one rail.

She beamed as she settled him afterwards, using a firm but sympathetic pull-release to coax him back to walk. She then proceeded to let him cool off on a long rein - that Alec would never have trusted him on - until Kiwi was warm and ready to go.

Austin took Matches out and Becca stood in the middle again. "Okay, you're riding straight at the cross on the three quarter line to warm up. She's done this a ton of times, its really simple."

Alec nodded again and turned Kiwi off the track. Her ears pricked and her stride lengthened. She, unlike Matches, could gauge herself far better, and she cleared it neatly with space to spare. They moved up a gear, placing poles around the cross so that Kiwi was forced to lengthen and shorten her stride to fit the fence. When they'd perfected it on both extremes, Becca moved them over to the combination on the diagonal.

They went through the same basic steps, all repetition of jumping sessions the Kaimanawa mare had done before. They'd been working her up, but she was still new to full courses. Finally they tackled the last set of fences up the other side of the arena; a white straight and a box oxer.

"We're putting them together now," Becca called, going around with Twitch and dropping all the poles a few holes. Just in case Kiwi got a little flustered with combining the obstacles, they didn't want her to be challenged with the height the first time around - not that they'd yet found a height she seemed to find a challenge. "What are your strides?"

"Clean run down the three quarter," Alec started reeling off. "Wide arc around the end, deep into the corner and away at K. Three strides between the black and yellow and oxer. Straight down to M, around and back up. Two strides between the white and the box."

Becca nodded. "Ride it."

Alec took up his reins. After Matches motorbiking around at 500 miles an hour, even Kiwi's forward rocking canter seemed unrushed. Alec felt like he had plenty of time to steer her straight and check her on the one occasion she needed it. They'd worked wonders with her canter leads and flying changes, so other than momentary surprise that she was still jumping and had to change leads, she took it well and they only faltered a couple of times. One pole came down and they cantered away.

Becca and Twitch cheered and Alec gave Kiwi a solid pat as they slowed to a trot.

"Well?" he asked.

"What did you think?" Becca asked instead, setting back the pole and starting to raise all the heights again.

Alec looked down at the champagne mare. "Good," he said, suddenly understanding why Becca had told him to sit on Matches first. "But you knew that - that's why you put me on your nutcase. After him, you knew she'd be a walk in the park."

Becca smiled serenely. Alec shook his head, laughing and continued. "She faltered - I think she was surprised at the lead change, and that's why we clipped the pole, but she had her strides right."

"So you just have to be a little more assertive," the brunette told him. "Go again. Keep your focus and let her worry about the height - she can clear these easy."

Alec pressed his calves to Kiwi's sides, sliding his outside leg back. She skipped and snorted, rounding the top of the arena in canter. Alec zeroed in on the cross again. It may be one of the simplest courses in the world, but it was a step up and it *was* a course. They'd have it down in no time.

The sketch for this was done ages ago - I don't even remember when, but I don't think it took too long. I found a great photo with the pose; I was bored, there was a pencil in arm's reach. This happened. Somewhere it became Kiwi. But I just spend a couple of hours tops painting it in PS today. The sketch is about an inch/2 inches high on paper, so it is kinda messy and unclear, and I didn't line it, so it has an unfinished feel, but it was nice to do without getting over stressed about it.

I'm slowly finding a way of painting backgrounds, particularly sand, that I like, though. Plus sides to even random arts like this

A few hours all round, probably.
This photo used for the pose - [link]
Art, story and characters copyright to *Tattered-Dreams
Kiwi's design copyright to *LeavingNeverland
Do not take, copy, edit, redistribute or manipulate.