Rebound *Book Two*

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

I lead Star by his reins into the indoor arena. Once inside, I halt him and then clip the lunge line to his bridle. I guickly glance at Jill, who is watching our training session from the viewing room.

Dee pulls down the stirrups on the saddle. "Ill give you a leg up. But instead of swinging your leg over the saddle just lean your weight in on one stirrup."

Nodding to Dee, I stand perpendicular to the dark leather Pessoa saddle. I gather up the reins and pat Star once before Dee takes ahold of my leg. 

"One, two, three." On three, Dee hoists me up. I put my left foot in the stirrup, while keeping my right foot next to it. I lean my weight forward into the saddle, looking at Star. He crabsteps to the side but quickly settles down, getting used to the weight of a rider on him.

About half a minute of doing that, Dee looks at me. "Now you can sit in the saddle. Be careful because he might decide to do something."

Keeping Dee's comment in mind, I swing my right leg over the saddle and place it in the stirrup. Just as I gather my reins up a little shorter, Star lets out a buck. I keep my weight centered in the saddle, hardly fased by his little outburst. I have had my fair share of bucking and rearing horses. Once he calms I give him a reassuring rub on the neck.

"Good pony." I say to him under my breath.

Dee reajusts the lunge line. "Walk him on a circle to the left. Keep your hands light, only using your leg to keep him going forward."

With a light squeeze, Star walks on in a nice, forward motion. I make sure to keep encouraging hands that go with the motion of his walk. 

"Now halt him. After that take a few steps of walk then repeat the halting pattern." Dee instructs me from the end of the lunge line.

"Whoa." I murmur to Star, lightly pulling back on the reins. I open up my knee angle and keep the motion of giving then taking until Star halts. "Good boy!" I reassure him, patting his shoulder. Then, I squeeze him to keep walking.

Dee and I continue this pattern both directions. 

"Why don't you trot him a circle both directions and then we can be done. Trotting with a rider on his back is a concept that he doesn't exactly get yet. Just keep a sitting trot with light hands and a steady leg contact."

I shorten my reins an inch and sit deep in the saddle.With a light squeeze of the leg, Star breaks out into a bumpy trot. Star then goes into a bucking fit. 

"Whoa you little rodeo pony." I whisper to him, sitting deep in the tack. I lean slightly back, pulling on the right rein, forcing him to touch his nose to my leg. A horse can not buck in this position, he can only move in tight circles. Immediatley when I do this, he stops. I wait a few seconds before I continue to walk him forward.

"Nice job handling that, Al. Want to try again?" Dee laughs, smiling at me.

I grin at her, patting Star. "Of course. He is already getting the consept of what happens when he bucks." 

Quietly, I ask for the trot once more. This time, the gait is smoother and Star isn't as tense. After a circle of trot, I slow Star to a walk and change directions. He lets out one small buck this directions but soon relaxes. 

I rub Star's shoulder and slow him to a walk. This was certainly enough for his young brain. The poor pony was already sweating. 

"Good boy." I croon to him, dismounting. Dee unclips the lunge line, loosens his girth, and wraps up the stirrups. Star will certainly make an excellent school pony with a little training.

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Sort of a terrible chapter but I needed an upload :)