Post by Oliver Dalton on Oct 8, 2011 21:56:10 GMT -5
Oliver William Dalton
Oliver Dalton took his time grooming and tacking up his favorite mare, Surrogate Doll. He adored his mare as she was the first horse Dalton ever owned. When he was finished grooming her thoroughly, checking for any abnormalities, the young rider threw on the saddle pad and saddle and buckled a standing martingale around her neck. He attached the girth and the larger loop of the martingale went around the girth so that it was centered on the horse's chest. Grabbing the mare's bridle, Ollie unclipped her from the crossties and pulled off her halter, quickly throwing the reins over her head and offering the bit to which she refused. He slid one finger into her mouth to try and persuade her to open up and accept the bit. After a few seconds of rubbing the tongue and cheek, the mare opened her mouth juse enough to allow the bit to slide him. The boy quickly fastened the bridle and slid the buckle of the noseband through the small loop in the martingale. He surveyed his work and led the horse out towards the hunter ring.
The boy was wearing proper lesson attire consisting of a long sleeve, collared shirt and close fitting jacket, tan breeches, his Ariat tall boots, and a black, GPA helmet. The boy checked his watch. He still had ten minutes before the lesson was supposed to start. Ollie would have preferred to take a group lesson and gotten to see the other riders, but a private lesson was what he was used to. He entered the hunter ring quietly and made some last minute adjustments to his tack before mounting up. The girth had to be tightened, the boy wanted to double check the throatlatch, and pull down his stirrups. He walked his mare over the mounting block and swung up onto her back, settling in the saddle. He squeezed and asked her to walk and patiently waited for the teacher to arrive.