[open] dont be scared, hes always like this

[E. Johnson]

He stood looking out his stall window, his head drooped over like a towel on a clothesline. A few people walked by, dropping carrotts, apple slices, and cookies into his feeder: not even a flick of an ear came from this horse. When the people sighed and walked away, Death turned his head slightly, then faced back out the window. A horse that was also looking out the window gave a friendly nicker to him: he snorted then stepped back into his box. No horse nor human could change the way he was. It was humans fault he was like this, and he just didn't like other horses.


The sound of sneakers hitting the ground made his ears flick. Death knew that sound, it was Erica, his owner. The horse slowly turned around and stood. Erica approched his stall. Hey Death, wanna go for a ride? Smiling at her horse, Erica wandered to the tack room. where is his tack... EJ wondered as she eyed all the tack. Finally she found hers and snatched it up. A nearby horse nickered. He probably thought she was gonna ride him. Erica laughed as she left the room, back to her horse.


Death blew softly on her arm as she appeared again. It's ok. The girl whispered as she opened his stall door. The giant Death toward over Erica. Many people that saw him were petrified, others were shocked that such a small girl could handle a horse like that. She didn't give a shit was other people thought. He was hers and she was happy. C'mon, Death. Stand quietly, please. Death obeyed and moved himself to give her room. Erica smiled then grabbed his saddle pad. Death lifted his head and eyed it as Erica softly placed it on his back. After a pat on the neck, he lowered his head. Good boy. Good boy. EJ cooed as she showed him the saddle. Death sniffed it, then lifted his head once again. Placing the black saddle onto his back, Erica patted him again, then tightened the girth. He moved a step, then awaited the bridle. EJ sneezed, the slipped on his bridle. Death sneezed as well, then chewed on the bit. Finally tacked up, the girl clicked then started walking to the ring. Grabbing her helmet along the way.


A few jumps have already been set up. A few oxers, one-jumps, and others. Death eyed everything as they entered the ring. He could easily jump 5 foot jumps, but since he was still getting used to the place. A mix of 3 foot and 4 foot jumps were set up. His tail swished a few times, and her hair flew in the wind. After a breath of air, EJ put on her helmet then mounted Death. The big boy danced, then slowly started walking. Erica didn't dare mess with his head...not until he had a bit more training, and he was used to Pinewood. After a bit of walking, EJ nudged the horse into a trot. His head slowly lowered, his stride lengthened, and the women started posting.

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[poppies]

Rocky had amazingly been taken off the markey quickly, the gelding had sold for twenty two thousand dollars. A family in Montana wanted the perfect western pleasure horse for their eight year old daughter, and Shawna told them that the gelding would be perfect. Azalea had suffered a case of colic which put her in the horse hospital in New York City, one of the best. Shawna didn't trust just anyone with the mare and this vet knew the mare very well.

Her only friend right now was Juniper and well the small scatter of non-horse people she partied with last night. Of course she had felt a bit like just showing up and letting things happen, and obviously she was at the barn the next day so nothing happened. Juniper wore her simple decore, the red saddle pad with the black lining. Her new tack had been upgraded from the childish pinks and purples and it seemed to match the mare's fiery attitude.

A set of black polo wraps with red stitching in a set of small patterns. Her bridle also was new and a nice brown color as well as her saddle and martingale. Shawna was just wearing a pair of jeans with her paddock boots and half chaps. A Abercrombie tee-shirt that was a nice blue color with some designs decorating it. Her hair had been traded in for a bit of a more shorter look which brought out her face, is what the hair dresser had said.

It wasn't at all to short but it was put into the hair net she was now wearing when she rode. Juniper had been taken for a nice long workout yesterday and worked harshly in dressage. Today was a jumping day for about an hour and a half, yeseterday's session was three hours and it seemed to actually tire Juniper. Which was a hard thing to really believe.

Slipping into the riding arena she saw some jumps already set up. Her voice was quiet as she yelled out "Door!" Juniper pranced into the arena to see the jumps and have that spark of energy spring into her. Tomorrow was another dressage lesson, her schedle was set out in stone, they had a three day event coming up and they'd be lucky to place in the top fifty.

Standing on the mounting block she put her foot in the left stirrup and gathered the reins. Holding them a bit firmer than Juniper would of have liked they walked once around the arena in both directions. The two of them watching the other woman and her horse as they passed them. Finally Shawna sat and asked the mare to pick up a nice collected trot. Slowly the mare made progress with the steady pacing and seemed to be really concentrating.

Making her way into some small circles she sat down in the mare's saddle and let a bit of a loose rein on the mare's mouth. Immediately Juniper quickened up and Shawna say neatly on the mare's back and looked ahead of her and then at the other woman. For some reason she wanted to talk but she couldn't find the guts inside her to even try.

[E. Johnson]

Her head turned as someone shouted, 'door.' It was a young women and her mount. It seemed that the young mare was more ready to go then her rider. Erica liked that. It showed willingness in a horse that wanted to work. She couldn't help but smile. That horse by the door made her remember when she got her first horse. The one her brother gave her one her 10^th birthday, Storm. That mare had tons of fire, and didn't always want to work. Yet she always listened to her commands. Because of that, she reached the top.

As Erica and Death trotted around the ring, a bug flew into the stag's face. He spooked and threw a hissy-fit about it. Luckily, Erica felt the horses feet dance, his body tense, and his head pull the reins. Death reared. His hooves slashed the air and stepped back a few steps. Erica reassured the spooked stallion. Easy Death. It was just a bug.Now get down. The horse heard her words and stopped immediatly, landing with a thump. As for his punishment, Erica pushed him back into a trot. Death was a bit pissed, but he knew that that was his punishment. His trot started back up and his head went back down. For a reward on going straight back to work, EJ gave him a good pat on the neck, but instead of posting, she sat deep in her seat and held the horse back until he was jogging. He was a bit hestitant, but slowed down. When Erica released the reins, his picked his trot back up.

After a few more laps, they approched thier first jumps. A single-bar 3footer. Death hestitated, but with a light push, went over it easily with feet to spare. Erica's smile grew into a bigger one. Good boy! She slowed the bay monster down to a walk, giving him a scratch on the haunches. The reward of a good job didn't phase him the least. All he wanted to do now, was eye the other horse in the ring with him. It was bugging him the moment he heard 'door', and now he could see them. Death's piercing blue eyes switched back and fourth. From the mare, to her rider, and back again. He gave a final scream before turning back to walking. Erica dropped the reins to cover her ears. The scream of a young stallion was awful, but not as bad as a stallion who was older. Dammit Death..shut up. She then picked the reins back up and focused herself once again.

[poppies]

Holding the reins she let the reins go a bit and felt Juniper settling into a nice western jog. Slidding her foot behind the girth the mare rolled off into her almost half-gallop but Shawna sat still and didn't sit forward which told her to slow down. Slowing down the mare seemed to be loping. Chewing at her chest Shawna gave a small pull on the reins. One hand on her thigh and one holding the reins. Her feet had rolled out of the stirrups and she looked like a true western rider. She looked well...professional really.

Giving a small half-halt on the mare she steadied into a walk before Shawna collected herself. Feet in the stirrups she shortened the reins and pointed her to one of the fences set up. A little over two feet was a good estimate, a two bar oxer with a gate underneat each side and a small brick wall inbetween. It was a nicely decorated fence but it was also a challenge for the mare. There was a pole with flowers on it infront of the fence. And a pole about two feet from the jump to show a take off spot.

Picking up a nice smooth canter they turned the small corner and Juniper immediately flew faster and faster. Sort of like a race to see who got the the jump first, Shawna or Juniper. Juniper was actually going better today and she usually bolted before the corner so it was better. Finally the fence was infront of them and Juniper leaped into the air and on the landing side she she was settled back into a nice movement.

"Easy."

Then a screech filled her ears and Juniper squealed. Tossing her head her ears flickered back and forth. Back legs stuck to the ground and she lifted her front body. Shawna leaned forward quickly and lost her stirrups as the mare reared several more times. Sprinting around in circles and finally Shawna felt her wanting to run and the mare got what she wanted. She bolted the long side of the arena before Shawna got full control. It was that other woman's horse.

[E. Johnson]

His feet thudded against the ground, and he grunted quite a bit as he was forced to reverse. Erica wasn't at all in the mood tobe nice to this horse anymore. Death could hate her with all his body if he wanted to, but she didn't care anymore. He wasn't gonna act like that and spook another horse.

Sorry!

Erica shouted to the other women as she stopped Death. They were about 10 feet from where they first stood. Death's eyes were a lighter blue and his mouth was dripping foam. Now pissed, he started trotting off without his rider's consent. Whoa EJ ordered. The beast recieved a strong pull on the reins. This stopped him after a few strides. Now, are you goin' ta' behave? Or do you wanna be put in time-out? Erica calmy asked Death. Death slowly eyed EJ over his broad shoudler, then licked her foot as if saying, 'i'm sorry. i'll be good. Smiling, Erica patted his neck then clicked to him for a walk. He hestitanly obeyed. Starting slow, then stepping up into a nice, long hunter walk. he knows how to behave..its because another horse is in here and theres nothing he can do about it. well..he cant with me on him..he could kill that horse if theres was no people in here. Erica thought to herself as her horse walked over a few low jumps, and lept over another few.

Instead of minding her own buisness, Erica just had to meet this other girl. I mean, she was in the ring with her, so why not be friendly? With a nudge, Death started jogging to them. Luckily, he wasn't paying a lot of attention so Erica could get close. As they got closer, she slowed her animal down to a slow walk. Hello. I'm Erica. This is Death. EJ kept her distance from the couple, yet stayed close enough so they could hear each other without Death getting irritated.