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Post by Peanut Loves EVERYONE!! on Jun 11, 2011 2:38:46 GMT -5
Tom smiled at them, rubbing Cola's forehead. "He learned that in four days!" he said proudly, gazing fondly at his pony. He went and stood by Cola's shoulder, and tapped his foot gently on the pony's fetlock. Cola slowly drew his leg back and bent it at the knee, leaning down and forward in a bow. Tom laughed. "Good boy!" he said, clicking his tongue to Cola and smiling as the pony stood up and then shook himself. Tom grinned and then bowed himself. "Double ta-da!" he said with a laugh.
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Post by Trophyhorse misses kmsnead on Jun 11, 2011 9:46:25 GMT -5
"That's so cool!" Taylor said, watching the pony bow.
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Post by blazieboy08 on Jun 14, 2011 9:13:53 GMT -5
"Awwww, too cute!" said Serena, giggling at the pony.
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Post by Trophyhorse misses kmsnead on Jun 14, 2011 9:29:23 GMT -5
"How'd you teach him to do that?" Taylor asked in awe.
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Post by Peanut Loves EVERYONE!! on Jun 15, 2011 2:52:30 GMT -5
Tom laughed. "Thanks," he said to both of them. He grinned at his pony who was rubbing his head against Tom's side, then looked back up at Taylor. "It's really easy actually," he said with a grin. "You get your horse's favourite treat, in Cola's case it's molasses cakes," he said, laughing. "Then you take it and hold it at their chest, but behind their front leg," he demonstrated with his empty hand, reaching it behind Cola's foreleg and clicking at his pony's chest. "Then you pick up their leg and slowly drag your hand down," he again showed Taylor what he meant, pulling Cola's leg gently back while the pony bent his neck trying to lip at Tom's hand. Eventually he hit the floor in a bow, and Tom rewarded him with a vigorous pat. "And then you can teach them any aid you want, a word or a phrase, a tap, anything," he said. He gave Cola a pat and the pony stood, shaking his mane and nickering softly. "Good boy, kiddo," Tom said affectionately. rubbing Cola's muzzle with one hand.
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Post by blazieboy08 on Jun 15, 2011 12:27:39 GMT -5
Serena smiled, and then sat up, and sighed. "C'mon, Dukey boy, anough lazin' around! We have competitions to train for!" she asked for walk by pushing gently with her hips and clicking her tongue. They reached the outside track and Serena slipped her outrside leg back, inside leg on the girth, clicked her tongue, and Duke made a perfect transition to canter.
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Post by Trophyhorse misses kmsnead on Jun 15, 2011 13:08:48 GMT -5
"I should try that with Skylar sometime, it looks really cool!" Taylor said, shaking her head.
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Post by Peanut Loves EVERYONE!! on Jun 16, 2011 2:11:52 GMT -5
Tom watched Serena and Duke move off, slightly jealous. He wished that he could look as flawless as they did together. He turned his attention back to Taylor and smiled. "Yeah, it's a cool little party trick," he said with a laugh. "About the only thing Cola can do perfectly." He smiled at his pony and ruffled his forelock, running a hand down Cola's dished face and then tickling his chin.
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Post by blazieboy08 on Jun 16, 2011 2:31:21 GMT -5
Serena continued cantering Duke around, then practiced a half pass in canter. Duke did it flawlessly, and she patted him, saying "Good boy!"
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Post by Peanut Loves EVERYONE!! on Jun 16, 2011 6:53:06 GMT -5
Tom watched Serena and Duke in awe. He'd never really been one for dressage, but he was captivated by the pair. He felt Cola nudge his shoulder and rubbed his muzzle. "Yeah, yeah," Tom muttered. He mounted Cola again and walked the pony in circles to stop him from getting bored.
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Post by Trophyhorse misses kmsnead on Jun 16, 2011 13:27:52 GMT -5
"Nice dressage, Serena," Taylor said, nodding in approval.
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Post by blazieboy08 on Jun 17, 2011 10:55:34 GMT -5
Serena smiled and nodded, her concen tration on Duke. She asked him to do half pass the other way, still in canter. When he was done, she let him go a little and thay cantered round the ring. "Good boy!" she said, patting him firmly.
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Post by Trophyhorse misses kmsnead on Jun 17, 2011 10:57:19 GMT -5
"Well . . . I gotta go feed Skylar and Tempest, so I'll see you guys later," Taylor said, smiling at both of them. she turned and walked out of the ring, toward the stable.
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Post by blazieboy08 on Jun 17, 2011 11:10:28 GMT -5
Serena waved. "See ya, Taylor!"
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Post by Peanut Loves EVERYONE!! on Jun 18, 2011 1:33:14 GMT -5
Tom smiled and waved at Taylor. "Bye!" he called to her.
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Post by blazieboy08 on Jun 18, 2011 2:57:57 GMT -5
Serena smiled, and waved, and then she turned Duke, and asked for extended trot. She loved the way horses looked in extended trot - like they were floating.
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Post by Peanut Loves EVERYONE!! on Jun 18, 2011 23:09:13 GMT -5
Tom smiled as he watched Serena and Duke. He pushed Cola into a walk and rode around the ring. Cola bounced along with his ears pricked and his neck arched. Tom laughed at his pony's attitude. "Come on, kiddo," he said softly, closing his legs around Cola's sides and asking for a trot. Cola burst forwards and then trotted swiftly around the ring. Tom pushed his heels down and rose to the pony's quick rhythm. He gave Cola a half halt and then sat, pushing with his outside leg just behind the girth. Instead of going into a canter, Cola put his head down and bucked a few times. Tom leaned back and sat the bucks, then pulled Cola around. "Cut it out!" he growled. Usually he didn't mind Cola's spaz attacks, but sooner or later he knew he'd have to start scolding the pony so he wouldn't get the idea that he could get away with misbehaving.
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Post by blazieboy08 on Jun 19, 2011 5:51:02 GMT -5
Serena smiled as Tom handled the little pony really well. Serena pushed Duke into half pass, still in trot.
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Post by Peanut Loves EVERYONE!! on Jun 22, 2011 1:51:55 GMT -5
Tom pushed Cola back into a trot, watching Serena and Duke. He frowned as Cola tossed his head and pulled on the reins, then smiled as the pony focused on moving forward. Tom sat for two beats so he was rising on the correct diagonal, and then kept Cola moving. The little pony pigrooted and then tried to bolt, but Tom kept him controlled. Once Cola was trotting nicely, Tom sat to his trot and slid his outside leg back a bit, asking for a canter. Cola rocked forwards, rolling into the canter perfectly. "Good boy!" Tom grinned, surprised. It was the first time in a long time that the pony had cantered that well.
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Post by blazieboy08 on Jun 22, 2011 3:30:35 GMT -5
"Awww, well done, Tom!" called Serena, coming back to walk to watch them.
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Post by Peanut Loves EVERYONE!! on Jun 22, 2011 4:18:55 GMT -5
Tom laughed. "Thanks," he said, slowing Cola down to a trot and then a walk. "I think he's had enough for today, end on a high note and all, y'know?" he said to Serena. He smiled at her as he walked Cola around the ring, cooling him down. The pony plodded along, stretching his neck happily. "You and Duke look great," Tom said as they passed Serena and her horse.
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Post by blazieboy08 on Jun 22, 2011 4:54:56 GMT -5
Serena smiled "Thanks. Duke's had enough, too, I think." She slowed him and walked him around behins Cola.
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Post by Peanut Loves EVERYONE!! on Jun 22, 2011 5:03:33 GMT -5
Tom nodded. "Okay then," he said. He laughed as Cola spooked a little when the shadow of the bigger horse fell into his line of sight. "Chill out kiddo," Tom laughed, giving the pony a rub on his neck. Once he'd finished cooling Cola down, Tom halted the pony and kicked his feet out of the stirrups, jumping off and pulling Cola's reins over his head. He slipped a hand under Cola's saddle blanket and felt the pony's sweaty side. "Does Duke need a hose down?" Tom asked Serena. He was going to take Cola to the wash-bay and hose him off, then put him in the pasture for a run. He smiled and waited to see if he'd have some company for a little longer.
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Post by blazieboy08 on Jun 22, 2011 8:04:22 GMT -5
Serena copied Tom and jumped off Duke. She ran her hand across his sweaty neck and nodded. "Yeah, definitely!"
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Post by Peanut Loves EVERYONE!! on Jun 22, 2011 23:15:30 GMT -5
Tom smiled. "Awesome," he said to Serena. He led Cola out of the dressage ring, laughing as the pony headbutted him playfully. "Silly boy," Tom murmured. He led Cola to the wash-bay by the border stable and untacked him, balancing the saddle on a pole where it wouldn't get wet. He draped Cola's reins over his neck again and began to hose the sweaty pony down.
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Post by blazieboy08 on Jun 23, 2011 3:11:41 GMT -5
Serena made sure Duke's reins were on his neck, then clicked to him. The big horse followed her out of the arena, his nose touching her shoulder. Duke would follow Serena everywhere. She untacked Duke in the washing bay next to Cola, and began hosing him. Duke shook the water off his coat happily, soaking Serena. "Aw, Dukee!" she complained, laughing a little.
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Post by Peanut Loves EVERYONE!! on Jun 23, 2011 5:10:35 GMT -5
Tom laughed as some of the water from Duke splashed onto him. "Silly boy," he laughed. Cola tried to grab the hose in his teeth, and Tom held it down so the pony could have a drink. Cola slurped the water happily, making Tom smile. She took the hose away and washed under Cola's belly, between his legs and on his chest, making sure all of the sweat was washed out of Cola's roan coat. Turning the tap off, Tom grabbed a sweat-scraper that was lying nearby and began to swish the excess water off Cola. The pony pricked his ears forward and leaned into the massaging feeling. "You like that don't ya kiddo?" Tom murmured to him with a smile. He put the scraper back down and leaned against Cola, waiting for Serena to finish with Duke.
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Post by blazieboy08 on Jun 23, 2011 7:52:59 GMT -5
Serena stood on her tip toes attemting to reach Duke's back. She was short and he was a big horse. "Aw, Dukey, why you gotta be so tall!" she said to her horse. She finished up and patted him on the neck. She grabbed the sweat scraper after Tom had used it, and swept all the water from Duke. "'Kay, done!" she said, clicking to Duke.
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Post by Peanut Loves EVERYONE!! on Jun 23, 2011 16:23:31 GMT -5
Tom laughed. "I've had the same problem!" he grinned to Serena. He was fifteen and he wasn't even too tall for Cola. He nodded and backed Cola out of the wash-bay, taking his reins and pulling his head up when he tried to graze. "Plenty of time for that later, kiddo," Tom said as Cola snorted in annoyance. He smiled to Serena. "I'm taking Cola out to the pasture for the rest of the day," he said to her. He didn't know if Duke was going to be turned out or if he was going into a stall.
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Post by blazieboy08 on Jun 24, 2011 10:48:12 GMT -5
Serena smiled and assessed Duke, who looked like he wanted to go and roll. He was pawing the ground and twitching. She smiled at Tom "I think I'll copy you and take Dukey out too!"
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