Despite attempting to follow all his instructions, understand his explanations and squash any feelings of nervousness that arose, Caprica began to feel like maybe she could manage this after all. She concentrated hard on her balance and keeping her arms and legs in a quiet and stable position like Frodo's - glad to be following the male, for she could watch his actions and mirror them in her own body, while appreciating the view of such an accomplished rider. He turned, and she was not entirely sure about his grin. Sure, it was encouraging and things did seem to be going well, but there was an enthusiasm for some new and challenging plot or plan in there, she was sure. Her suspicions were confirmed when he announced that they were going to learn to trot. Oh, geez," she mumbled under her breath, then realised she was missing his explanation. It seemed she was going to have to sit up and down, while still holding the reins, holding her posture, and not falling off. Okay. She could do this, she told herself. The trot came almost without warning, as she was still trying to stand up in the stirrups - it was a difficult motion for the strong yet heavily built wolf, having a lot of weight to balance on her heels and through her calves. During the quick jog she made a couple of attempts at rising, but never at the right time and no more than an inch or so into the air: she found herself jarring and jounced from head to toe and her teeth felt like they might rattle out of her skull. She ended up clinging to the pommel, her toes pointing decidedly downwards, knees gripping in a manner entirely wrong and more likely to push her up out of the seat than keep her in it. She glared balefully at the co-ordinated Frodo, trotting along so easily in front of her. If she had been on the ground, she would have liked to watch the pair in their concerted motion. As it was, she found to her horror that while she had become distracted one of her feet had actually started to slip from its stirrup. She looked down at it and tried to kick her paw back into the iron foothold, but to no avail. Slowly and unstoppably the tips of her toes came fully out, and she was left with only one place to sink her weight - now the pretence of rising had utterly fallen by the wayside, and she could only cling grimly onto the leather pommel and try not to slide off to one side. When Frodo slowed to a walk, she quickly reached for the stirrup, but he turned just as she was in a strange position leaning right down and pulling the iron back over her foot. She grinned weakly at him, her face sideways looking at him from around the horse's neck. "Not... not too bad..." she panted. "I uh, uh I think I was about to get the hang of it when I dropped this stirrup." She managed to haul herself back upright and stroked Rohan's uncommunicative neck, not sure if she was driving the horse crazy with her incompetence or not. "How do I say 'sorry' in horse language anyway? I hope she realises I'm a beginner... just need a little more practice," she went on, hoping her words were true - she couldn't carry on being this useless, could she?
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