Log:Community Center Equestrian Lessons

2020/10/12 	 Amelia Lizzy Lennox Wade|Wayne Artemis Kid Tengu

1

Community Center guides are escorting arrivals to the stables in the spacious outside of the Center. There's riding gear available for those who want it, a table with apples laid on the rustic wood surface, and grooms to saddle up the horses. Which for today's event are the more docile and amenable of the stables stock.

Amelia has replaced her pleated skirt with a divided skirt in the same style.

Amelia waves to those arriving while feeding an apple to a mare. She's uttering neighing sounds. If anyone speaks 'horse' she's asking the mare to be kind and gentle.

Wayne, the robotic duplicate of Wade Lockwood, shows up to learn a bit about riding. He already knows how to pilot...and he needs to get out and DO something. Artemis had shown a little interest, so he plans on meeting her just outside the center.

Lennox hasn't ridden in a dog's age, and so he takes the opportunity to come down and at least be around the big equines. His eye passes across the various horses as if gauging them, but there's still something in his eye that suggests mayhem.

Artemis was interested in learning more about this planet's domestic beasts to ride as steeds, as she's mastered many a beast across the universe. Someone has convinced her not to come in full armor. While she still has her shield bracer and greaves on, her cape, cuirass, sword, and pauldrons are left beind, leaving her in a a sleeveless gray leather top with a high collar, form fitting black britches, leather boots, and skirt wrap around her waist that doesn't hinder her movements. She raises a hand to Wayne as she sees him outside. "Hail and greetings, Wayne," she smiles brightly upon spying him.

Wayne waves, "Hey there, Artemis. Glad you were able to make it." He motions toward the building and heads inside. He immediately stops as he looks around. "Not quite what I was expecting. Though I'm not sure what I expected, either."

Amelia feeds the last of the apple to the mare and moves over to meet her friends when they arrive at the stables, not knowing it's Wade's robot double, "Hi. I'm a bit nervous myself. Never ridden before. Which is a bit strange considering my travels. But I much perfer hi-tech alter-earths. With coffee."

Wayne smiles. "I'm afraid I don't know how to ride, either. So...this should be interesting. It's...Miss Steinberg, right? I'm Wayne. Nice to meet you."

Artemis chuckles at Wayne. "I would not miss it, especially at thy invitation," she smiles at him and follows along. She looks about at the horses. "I have not seen these creatures before," she comments. "It seems for once, Wayne, you and I are both strangers to an experience." She looks to Amelia and nods in greeting, but isn't all that personally familiar with her.

Amelia double-takes at Wayne's greeting. "Uh. You look like the splitting image of someone I know."

Lizzy, being a city girl, hasn't had much exposure to horses, but her interest was piqued by the announcement. She's taken aback by the whole "Bigger on the Inside" anture of the Community Center, even though she was expecting it (she stables, where she sees several people that Union knows, and one that she
 * does* read, and the local news covered the opening). A guide leads her to the
 * thinks* she's met before.

Wayne nods. "I was created as a copy of Wade Lockwood. Victory." He smiles and nods, like it's the most ordinary thing.

"The craftsmanship is superb," Artemis nods to Wayne at the conversation.

Amelia asks cheerfully, "Anyone done this before?"

"Aye, but not with beasts such as these. Are they aggressive?" Artemis asks curiously.

Wayne shakes his head, "I'm afraid I haven't."

"In the wild, they can be, like any other herd animal," says Lennox, approaching from behind; Artemis is hard to miss.

Artemis comments idly, "The last beast I learned was the Frezi of Karnif. You had to strike them boldly in the snout to teach them you were not prey, then overpower them to be permitted to ride. Even then, a sign of weakness could make you their next meal, were you mortal."

Lizzy says, "No. I've never even been this close to a horse before." She stares up at the huge creatures.

Artemis smiles over to Lennox at his comment. "Ah, Lennox of Hardigan. So this be what ye do in thy past time?"

KT lost track of time! He'd been at the library reading about horses and all the things avid horse riders wear and totally blew right past the time he was supposed to leave the Main Street Library to catch the MagLev out here.

Luckily for KT there's always a local flight a stairwell away.

He arrives as Kid Tengu, landing on the roof, but drops down as Katie, local tough-girl and strides into the community center with as much haste as she dares without blowing her cover.

After all Katie is too cool and tough to be so concerned with seeing a horse up close and personal!

Hearing footsteps she slows her quick pace to a casual stroll. She can't beleive how big this place is on the inside but makes her way to the location of the Riding Lessons.

She tries to sneak in and join the class- at the back, hoping to go unnoticed.

Amelia says, "I hope not, Artemis. There are more spirited horses in the stables but I've been assured these are quite docile and placid." She looks toward Lennox, "So as an expert, where's the steering wheel?" Amelia isn't that ignorant but she's covering up nerves with frivolity."

Lennox is dressed much as he usually is, jeans, a tee, combat boots. "No," he replies to Artemis, "I haven't had a horse of my own in a long time. I've ridden since then, but it's just been a travel means." At Amelia's question, he smiles, then approaches her. "May I touch your face?"

Amelia looks at Lennox, "That's an odd request. I have no objection in principle but mayhap you can tell me why before doing so?"

Artemis rubs her chin in thought. "If they be herd animals, then they will be flighty and should be approached with calm and caution." Is a Godflora even capable of such?

Lennox nods, looks around, and steps over to grab a bridle and bit. "To show you how it works. Everyone knows about reins, yes? Long strips of leather, pull this side, horse goes this way; pull that side, horse goes that way." He uses the bridle to demonstrate.

Wayne nods to Artemis, "Humans generally need to be relatively careful around them due to their size. That's not a danger for you, though. I suspect you're more dangerous to them than the other way around."

"Calm and steady. Respect, not wariness," Lennox adds to Artemis.

Kid Tengu listens quietly, feeling like she managed to get in without disturbing anyone. THis pleases her greatly.

She manuevers herself a bit closer to Wayne, Artemis & the others who seem to be the most active.

She looks surprised at Wayne's statement to Artemis but doesn't not say anything. Knowledge comes to those who patiently listen.

Artemis chuckles at Wayne's comments. "Ah, aye, I suspect so. Especially at their small size," she grins.

Amelia says, "You jank on a bar in the mouth to get them to turn? Isn't that a bit cruel?"

Artemis nods to Lennox, "But do not sudden loud sounds and movements startle such herd animals? I suggest caution in how one moves, not to fear them."

"If you yank on it, yes," says Lennox severely. "You do not yank -- you draw." He steps up to Amelia again, lifts his fingers, pauses with a querying look, and if/when she nods a go-ahead, puts his fingertips to her cheeks and, with some pressure, finds the back of her teeth. "It does not take much," and he gently presses her head one way, "to guide them," and he presses her head the other way, just as gentle, before letting go and stepping back.

Lennox laughs. "Well, yes, Artemis, but you can say the same for a predator. Horse is pretty much the biggest animal humans regularly use mainly to ride. Pull a wagon or plow, get milk, yes there are others -- but one does not ride a cow to the next town over."

"Ah yes, cows...the friendly animals with spots that enjoy the rubs," Artemis nods sagedly.

KT takes a mental note: Find Horse Milk for other Outworlder Teens! Surely they will love this in their sugary cereals.

Amelia allows Lennox to touch her. Then, after his demonstration, she casts a Dolittle's spell the ask the mare she's standing beside. "Mmm.. She says it's okay when done right but too many humans do jank."

Lennox looks curiously at Amelia, then has that 'enligthened and amazed' expression people probably get around her. "How wonderful. Yes. This is Western style, European. Other places, other styles. Remember, though -- eyes in the front of your head, you are a predator. Horse, eyes far apart, is prey. Horse gives predator you her life every time she lets you up onto her back. Only animal we treat this way. Horse does this because she loves you."

Wayne listens quietly, taking in the various bits of information "Hmm."

KT seems to have bene so busy socially manuevering into a suitable place that she didn't even notice that was a real, live, beautiful equine in front of them! That certainly explained the smell. Her eyes widen at the sight- almost to impossible proportions before she catches herself. Instead she clenches her belly to keep herself from squeeing all over the place.

She'd look at the others, but she'd only be envious that they find the whole experience so mundane, though this isn't the first common thing on Earth their Outworld lifestyle kept from them.

Artemis looks to the horses thoughtfully. "Hmm. A versatile beast be these. Why have I not seen them before beyond on the holo-plays?"

"I was wondering the same thing!" KT replies to Artemis quickly, glad she isn't the only one.

Amelia collects another apple and feeds it to her mare. Fulfilling her side to the bargain made to be answered when she spoke to the mare.

"I ... you mean in person?" wonders Lennox. "In modern society, their uses are taken by mechanicals. Trucks, tractors, cars. In less developed societies, they are still in use -- and considered a sign of wealth."

Artemis rubs her chin in thought as something perplexes her. "If horses be ridden and not cows, why be 'cowgirl' the word used for riders?"

Lennox adds to Amelia, "Only one more. Too many apples makes a horse sick, and can kill. They cannot throw up." To Artemis he says, "That is because of the job -- herding cows from the back of a horse."

KT nods and looks like she accepts this information. "I guess that /does/ make sense." SHe says, still sounding a bit surprised. "Still, they're so pretty... not sure why anyone would ever give one up for a car. Maybe both- but I don't think I could go along with an 'Either/Or Situation'."

Amelia smiles and rubs the mare's nose. "So they are like humans in that regard. They like things that are bad for them."

Wayne nods and chuckles to himsel, seeing the irony in the situation. Machine replacing an organic bring. Yes, that would never happen.

Artemis chortles at that. "Most beings and creatures across the 'verse share in that. Even machines in some cases," she grins.

Lennox nods. "Oh yes. Now, who knows martial arts -- Wushu? Horse stance?" And he demonstrates, straddling an imaginary horse, feet wide apart and knees bent in almost a squat, but his torso upright.

Wayne nods. "Ah. I always wondered why it was called that. It makes more sense now."

Artemis squints at Lennox. "That does not look how these horses stand."

Lennox grins, pearl in ebony. "This is how you ride a horse. Mostly."

Lizzy assumes the stance, fists tucked in under her ribs, knuckles up.

Artemis nods slowly to Lennox. She observes, but doesn't take on the stance.

"Oooh." KT says, looking quickly to Lennox & his Horse Stance before turning her eyes back to the horses. She's smitten with the beasts.

"When do we get to pet one?" She asks, probably forgetting this is a /riding/ class.

Lennox nods to Lizzy, but coaches, "Not fighting. Relax arms and shoulders, keep back firm." Again, he demonstrates, shoulders shifting, arms mobile, but his back and hips solid.

Artemis chuckles at Katie's response. "'Tis tempting, is it not? When first I arrived on this planet, I desired to pet all the creatures."

Lennox indicates to KT the one that Amelia is petting and feeding.

The stablehand on duty tells Katie, "You should stroke rather than pet. The bridge of the nose and the flanks of the neck are their favourite spots."

He then adds, "Go ahead. Riding should be a partnership. There's a senior partnet, you, but a horse isn't a car you drive, it's a living being.

KT nods. "It is /very/ tem--" Now that broke the spell she was under, causing her to look at the others around the room and then back to Artemis. "You're..." She begins before she whispers. "An 'Alien'?" She looks around the room again as if to say, 'But won't the humans be cross with you?' but catches sight of Lennox's indication.

Now she's torn again not that the look on her face give that away. No- that look instead says, 'Kid in a candy store who just got told to grab whatever they want'. The answer is always all the things- and Katie will certainly make her way around to petting all of the horses!

Feeling like this is a once in a lifetime opportunity- or it has been so far, she slinks toward the horses to stroke one gleefully!

"Stroke- not pet! You got it! I'll stroke all of them!" She announces firmly, but not loud enough to startle any horses.

Artemis laughs at Katie's reaction to her. "Aye, Little One. Though on the outside, I look most like you hoomans, I hail from another plane in a distant galaxy. Fear not! I shall not harm ye, for I am sworn to protect the Urth."

Lennox discovers that the bit and bridle he borrowed is that for Amelia's friend, and brings it over to the stablehand -- who has, after all, more frequent use of the harness than he!!

Amelia waves the stablehand off, "I'll try without that. I'll just tell her which way to turn."

KT just nods, looking at Artemis with a bit of awe in her eyes- though likely not for the reason the demigoddess might expect.

She returns he attention to the course and stroking her new equine friend. She looks very happy with the present state of things.

Lizzy asks the stablehand, "Do you have anything in my size?"

Artemis smiles and looks to Wayne. "Which horse do you think we should try to befriend and ride?"

Wayne smiles. "I am...not sure. Do you have a feeling about it?"

Artemis looks to the biggest horse, a chestnut colored steed. "Hmm. I am fond of this one. How about that for you?" she points to a pure white horse.

Wayne smiles. "Mmm. Seems a bit 'on the nose', I guess." He chuckles nad walks over to look at the horse that Artemis indicated and say hello to it.

Artemis tilts her head as she studies Wayne, looking clueless. "What mean ye?" she asks as she moves to the chestnut horse, moving slowly and making no sudden movements as he goes to stroke the horse.

Wayne chuckles. "Um...it has to do with movies and the like. The hero on the white horse. That kind of thing."

Lennox lets all the others go ahead of him; he already knows how to ride. But the horses, all mares or geldings, are gentle, and though there are a few slips here and there, nobody falls -- in part because the horses are almost all being led.

Artemis chuckles at that. "Is that so? Well, then perhaps it doth be fitting for ye, Wayne," she smiles. Once her horse seems to trust her, she takes the reins and moves alongside it. Rather than use the stirrup, she floats up and into the saddle with easy, landing lightly upon the saddle. She holds the reins slightly for now.

Wayne waits until the horse seems comfortable as well...and then climbs up into the saddle, getting his feet situated in the stirrups. He hasn't been on horseback before, but he's good at watching what others are doing well.

Lizzy allows the stablehand to assist her in mounting. Sure, she could probably get up there with a good running jump, but she didn't think the horse was trained for that.

"Artemis!" Lennox calls out. "No powers. Feet in the stirrups. You and the horse must feel each other: you, her strength and willingness, she, your steady guidance. Part of that is your weight, the pressure of your legs on her sides. Learn bareback later."

Artemis uses the stirrups now that she's seated. She just didn't use it to get on the horse. "I have ridden many a beast, Lennox of Hardigan, bareback and otherwise. I know of the main concepts. Though I know not the commands taught to these fine beasts, if any."

KT only seems to have eyes for a beautiful, copper hued Arabian steed.

She coos to it in gently tones, stroking it while the others find their partners.

She grows an extra pair of arms to double down on affections and on into Trustville! KT is careful to be descrete with the extra arms but once a rapport has been build she nods towards a stablehand for help into the saddle.

"Thank you Handsome." SHe says, leaning forward to gently hug her horses neck.

The horse under Artemis seems a little uncertain at first; this is not how Riders are supposed to mount. But the woman on his back seems to have a general idea of what to do, and the horse relaxes into the partnership. So does the stablehand, who lets Artemis 'off the leash', as it were.

"What commands does the horse obey? And where are we to ride these beasts?" Artemis asks, at ease in the saddle.

Wayne slowly manages to turn his horse and get it to follow the others. "I...don't think there are specific like...war commanders or whatever, Artemis."

"That seems a flaw in their training," Artemis opines back to Wayne as she manages to urge her horse forward, being gentle.

The white mare under Wayne seems less uncertain, but the 'mechanical self' does have good general reactions and knowledge of the fine touches a vehicle can require to get the best use out of them; she soon is moving fairly steadily under his direction, enough so that the mare's stablehand lets Wayne off the leash as well -- though he, more than the other, keeps an eye on 'his' horse.

The stablehand who's been taking care of the gelding Artemis is on looks a little baffled at her questions, but Wayne's response gives him a clue. "Gee-up and whoa, pretty much, but that's just habit of ours, they're not trained to voice commands, ma'am." Yes, he looks a little star-struck (ARTEMIS!!! EEEEE!!! SHE'S SO PRETTY!!!!!!) but she's riding /his/ horse, and his first care is for his four-footed brother. "And just here," he gestures to the fenced-in grassy area. "I can tell you where we're normally located, if you want to come for, errr ... I guess you don't really need lessons, but ... a rental, I guess?"

KT is less certain about the saddle thing, especially in this frame they've taken on. She adjusts her physiology to make things a bit easier- cushioning her spinal column and other minor adjustments that would easily go unnoticed.

She tries to get her horse to go forward, shifting her weight and gently squeezing her thighs. She worries she was too busy trying ot make it love her as much as she loved it & missed learning how to actually operate the beautiful beast.

Katie's horse seems /very/ uncertain -- where are all these hands coming from, there's only one hooman!! -- and this uncertainty remains even once she's in the saddle, in part because of the shift in the way Katie sits is not the sort of shift he's used to!! The gelding quickens its step, but though the shapeshifter's dexterity is great (and the petting was nice), the lack of knowledge is a concern -- for the stablehand moreso than the horse -- and the lead doesn't come off. However, like with Lizzy, there's attentiveness and a good amount of range on the lead line.

Lizzy allows the stablehand to lead her horse while she adjusts to the elevation, the saddle, and the movement. The hint about Horse Stance helped.

Wayne keeps riding, more or less comfortably. He's used to driving various vehicles, so this isn't THAT different than normal. It's just that the vehicle has a lot more free will. "I'm not sure if I'll ever need to ride a horse in my job..." He pauses as he realizes he doesn't actually have a job. That's one of Wade's memories.

Like many modern activities that were once a necessary part of daily life, equestrian activities are generally no longer a part of modern employment, and relegated to leisure activities. On the other hand, Harrisburg itself is in many ways an area cast back into pre-development civilization -- which might be part of the reason why Amelia organized a class on how to learn to ride.

Lennox, over by the general 'human area', seems content to watch.

Artemis smiles to Wayne as she nudges her horse into a trot. "Who knows? Perhaps ye will find a job that requires some riding skill. Especially if ye enjoy it, mayhaps you will seek one out."

Artemis considers the stablehand's words about his horse, smiling at him. "Hmm, yes, I suppose a...borrowing arrangement would be fun. I should like to see how swift these horses can be." She rides like a natural, though she is still learning the specifics to horses.

The stablehand's eyebrows go up, but he withdraws towards the steel fence surrounding the half-acre they've set up in.