Word Count :: 451 Buncha horse lingo.
Ink grinned sheepishly as Tem came in to stand beside him. He held up the saddle, an item rarely used on Jerri now that they'd settled. Ink preferred bareback, though Jerri didn't care either way. "Alright, first lesson is tack. Riding comfortably is important for both rider and horse, so the right tack is equally important." He grinned moving the saddle onto the mare's back in a way that Tem could see what he was doing. "Always make sure, if you're using a saddle, that there's a saddle blanket underneath- otherwise, it's uncomfortable for the horse. The blanket keeps the saddle in place and helps protect the horse from chafing and sore spots."
His lesson continued in much the same way. He explained each point as it came, from what parts of the saddle were used for what, and how to strap it properly to fit the horse's back comfortably. Comfort was a big deal with tack. He even showed Tem how to work the reigns and how to put it on. "Jericho's trained to recognise low speech above all else. Touch and sound, clicks and nudges." He explained as he led the mare out of her stall, finally.
"Go bring Hex out. We'll set her up with a lead and bring her with us as you ride. It'll get her used to the idea and give her some good excersize." He moved to stop at Hex's stall and reached into the empty one beside it, pulling out a length of rope. "Bring her over and I'll set her up with a halter. It'll get her used to wearing headgear and I'll lead her while you ride." He grinned, already working the rope into a make-shift halter for the filly. "A halter's also called a head collar. It's for leading and tieing horses, not for riding."
He'd point out Jerri's headgear, which was made custom for her out of leather and rabbit fur. "Jericho's actually wearing a Bridle, or more specifically, a Hackamore. A bitless one, cause she's never liked bits." He'd reach a hand up and prop his mare's mouth open to show off the lack of bit. "There're plenty of different kinds of tack. Finding what's comfortable and suited to your riding style isn't too hard, but it's important to know what works early on. Jericho's been trained for long rides and heavy loads, so the less stress she's under, the better she is." The boy was rambling now, enjoying being able to teach about this kind of thing. He'd let Tem speak whenever, though, finally quieting down once he'd explained the difference between the halter he'd tied for Hex and the Hackamore Bridle Jericho wore.
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