Two's company

^{YAY sta.sh is workingg ;D}

---

Collab with *OakBrookeStables She did the lines, I did the colour and background.

Previously:

---

Rain nuzzled Eleanor's jumper, looking for a sweetie. Elly laughed at the mare and patted Rain's neck. "I'll be back in a minute," Elly whispered unclipping Rain's leadrope and throwing it over the door before stepping out and pulling the door shut. Then Elly made her way to the tack room, quickly grabbing the Rain's bridle which was hung above the black leather saddle, and putting it over her left wrist and slinging the saddle and saddle pad over her right forearm. Elly stepped out of the tack room, pulling the door behind herself and returning to her mare. Elly slid the saddle off her arm and placed it on the floor before going into her mare's stable. Eleanor approached Rain from the left hand side and carefully put the bridle over Rain's dappled head. She tied up the reins before going to pick up the saddle. Elly threw the saddle gently up high onto Rain's withers before sliding it back to sit in the right place. She carefully adjusted the saddle pad and tied the girth to the the 5th hole. Finally Elly took the leadrope and attached it to the noseback before tying Rain up. Elly took out a mint from her pocket and fed to to Rain who ate it readily. Elly slid open the door to go out again then slid it shut again, leaving Rain inside. Then Elly wondered to over to the stallion barn to see how Sebastián was getting on.

Seb had made his way through the stalls and arrived at Ted, who was eagerly peeking out of his stall and nickering down the hallway. He wasted no time in collecting tack for the stallion's training for the day and placed it on the stand in the tying up area provided in the barn. Ted snorted and knocked his hoof against the door when he saw his handler opposite his stall sorting things out, swaying his head from side to side as the excitement within him built up for his first ride since they had arrived. Seb turned his head to coo the stallion in order to calm him down, but Ted continued to bob his head swiftly. Taking the halter from the peg above him, sighing, Seb walked over to the stall and led the horse out, tethering him to a ring on the wall. Everything turned quiet and calm as Seb tacked Ted, tightening his girth as the palomino looked around in wait. The bridle was slipped on as soon as the halter had been removed, with Ted playing with the bit in his mouth and pulling down to the ground as he was free of being tied up. Seb swung the reins over Ted's head and neck and made the final adjustments to the straps and as he stood straight, he looked over the saddle to see Elly approaching them across the barn.

Elly spotted Seb standing in with a tacked palomino stallion."Heya," Elly called over. Elly approached the door and smiled. "Who's this here?" she asked, looking over to the stallion.

"This here would be Ted," Seb nodded to the horse, patting his neck. "Trying to get him to settle down a bit before we head out," he shook his head as he back Ted away from the wall and turned him around. Ted danced on the spot as he had to wait yet again for his handler to get going. "Are you all set, then?" Seb smiled.

"He's a very pretty boy!" Elly complimented. "and yep, me and Rain are ready to go when you are!" Elly reached her hand over and patted the stallion who's ears suddenly pricked forward entergetically.

Ted leaned into the woman's hand as she touched him, snorting gently and deeply. "I guess we'd be off then," the sides of Seb's mouth curled as he walked Ted down the hall with Elly. "Which arena would you like to go to?"

Elly nodded and followed Seb. "Looks like nobody is in the outdoor," she said as they got outside. "I just need to go and get Rain" she said, quickly nipping off into the mare barn. Elly jogged past the rest of the mares before reaching Rain who nickered when she saw Elly coming to get her. Elly unclipped the leadrope, untied the reins and led Rain out. Varra, opposite Rain let out a loud neigh as they pased before returning to her relaxed state, with her bottom lip hanging loose. Elly laughed at the mare's lip and tickled it before walking out of the bard with Rain in hand.

Waiting outside the barns, Seb held Ted's reins in one hand and played with his mane with the other. "Let's agree on one thing... if you don't act up today, I'll treat you to an early dinner and turn out, deal?" He spoke softly, not taking his eyes off the door of the mares' barn. Ted sighed as he shifted his weight, his eyes noticable tracing Seb's face beside him.
"I'll take that as a yes," Seb smirked, turning both him and Ted as Elly and Rain emerged from the barn.

"Lets go!" Elly said enthusiaticly. She let go of Rain's reins and tied her hair back into a neat ponytail with a light blue hairband. Rain still followed by her side to the arena. "What classes are you and Ted entering this year?" she asked.

"I'm not actually competing with Ted. I'm just training him frequently while his rider, the owner of the stable I work at, sorts some things out," Seb said. He smiled, adding, "I am in the pas de deux, however, with Varra. What classes are you in?"

"Oh right, awesome! Just the Intermediate Kur for us, for our first year of competing," she said, looking over at Seb. Elly walked into the arena, Rain following closely behind. Rain started trotting, trotting little excited circles and prancing about. "Rain," Elly called at the mare sternly. The mare stopped prancing and lowered her head to the ground, standing still.

Seb watched Rain's behaviour, letting out a short, airy, laugh, "she knows when you want her to behave, huh?" He grinned, looking over the saddle at the two girls as he pulled down the stirrups. He gathered Ted's reins and hopped up into the saddle, re-tightened the girth, while Ted circled his quarters and collected his head, and settled himself deep into the saddle.

"Sure does!" she laughed. Elly walked over to the mare, untied the reins and ran down her stirrups. She then pulled the reins short over the pommel of the saddle before swiftly mounting. As soon as Elly mounted she dropped the reins. "Walk on" she asked the mare who obediently started walking.

Seb, too, set off, collecting Ted into a brisk walk to start their warm up. After one length of the arena was covered, he squeezed the stallion into a trot, keeping his hands light. He spoke words of command and praise under his breath as both horse and rider moved rhythmically to Ted's long, steady strides. They slowed to a walk as soon as they reached the other side of the arena, ready to practice the more complex moves of dressage.

Elly picked up her reins and the dapple grey's ears instantly pricked, waiting for their next aid. Elly gave a soft nudge and the excited mare burst into an unexpected extended canter. "Hey,hey. Easy now," she soothed, bringing the mare back to a calm working trot. She trotted a 3-loop serpentine before asking for a collected canter up the center line. Elly worked on flying changes to make sure Rain was still able to do them quick enough to keep in time with their music. She then took the mare around practicing other aspects of their routine. She changed her seat to ask for a slow walk as a recovery for their work. Yet again the reins dropped, but this time to give the mare a good pat on the neck and scratch behind the ears.

Meanwhile, Seb and Ted picked up the pace and moved on to work on flying changes and half-passes, Ted's breathing gradually getting heavier as the training went on. Soon, with the sun beaming down on the horses' coats, Ted gained a sweat from the successful session and cooled down with his head held low. Seb loosened the reins and walked him across the school towards the fencing, pleased that he was still able to perform well in the heat.

Rain shook her head and neck, sending foam flying everywhere from her mouth. The mare used up all the rein she could find as she extended her sweaty neck. "Bit hotter than normal isn't it girl" she muttered, Rain's ears turned back, listening to Elly. Elly spotted Seb about to leave the arena so asked Rain for a quicker walk in a bid to catch up.

Halting at the gate, Seb looked around to see that Elly and Rain had also finished their training and were headed to join them to leave. He loosened Ted's girth a few holes and took his feet out of the stirrups while they waited, Ted regaining his energy and glancing at other horses that passed the arena.

"Heya, did you have a good session?," Elly asked Seb as she picked up her reins loosely. Rain put her nose to the ground, sniffing and eating as they went along. "Bareback tomorrow," she muttered to her mare, who was more interested in the ground than Elly's muttered words.

"Oh, yes," Seb smiled. "He's moving wonderfully and responding clearly; just awaiting competition day, now. How about you two?"

"That's great!" Elly beamed. "Rain's about the same although she needs to be worked every day otherwise she's bouncing off the walls!" she joked.
"Sometimes a bit tough riding her every day and all of the other horses, so she gets lunged quite a lot at home."

Seb nodded, "it must be tough by yourself. How many horses do you own?"

"Yeh, it is... hoping to employ a groom and two more riders to help ease the work. Currently I have 13 horses under my name but quite a few are new and haven't been shipped over yet. Just waiting for me to get back before I get them," Elly replied.

"That is incredible for one person, and you do not look tired at all!" Seb raised his eyebrows, "a lot of people would have given up, not being able to cope. You are obviously very good at your job," he gave an impressed expression as he reached down to open the arena gate, still looking at Elly. He pushed the gate open and walked Ted through, waiting for Elly and Rain to pass after them.

Elly blushed at the compliment as she walked Rain through the gate. "Well thank you, I just have to trry and do my best with what I can at the moment until I get more staff. It's a shame for some of the young horses that I can't be bringing them on every day but hopefully that will soon change."

Seb gently pushed the gate back shut once the girls were through and backed Ted away from the fencing. "Yes, and then you and your staff can train them up into future stars," he grinned, swinging his leg over the saddle as he dismounted.

"That would be lovely," Elly smiled back, also dismounting. Elly let Rain just wonder on beside after she had run up her stirrups. The mare walked over to
Ted and began to walk beside him. Elly watched Rain intently as she nuzzled the stallion. She then breathed out and smiled at the two of them. "What's it like back at your place?" she asked

"The stables? It is great, yes. I have only been working there since January but already I have got on well with the owners and the horses are a pleasure to train," Seb looked at Ted and Rain and chuckled, "even if some of them can be boisterous." Ted nipped playfully at Rain, skipping slightly on the spot and nickering softly. Seb added, "have you got many plans for after the event?"

"Sounds like you have a great time there," Elly smiled, also now directing her attention over to Ted and Rain. Rain bunny hopped on the spot and started trotting boisterously around Ted. "Me? No, back to the stables. Perhaps some competitions, but nothing too much as we've only really started competing this year."

"Not too bad, good not to get too busy this time of year. I do hope to see you again at future shows," Seb smiled, tugging at Ted's reins as the stallion attempted to pull away to get at Rain.

"Rain, come here," Elly commanded the mare. "Yes, I agree, hard not to get bewildered at the choice of shows though!" she replied to Seb. Rain pricked her ears, before turning them back, lowering her ead and walking back over to Elly's side. "Good girl," Elly praised.

Seb laughed, "that's true." He smiled lightly at Rain's submissive behaviour.

They were soon back at the barns, the horses having completed their training for the day. "I guess this is where we part; I'll have to get back to the boss and brief him on Ted's progression," he rolled his eyes slightly, turning both him and Ted to face Elly and Rain. "It was nice to meet you, thank you for offering to train with me." He reached over and rubbed Rain's muzzle, grinning.

"I guess so," she sighed, turned her head to face Seb and smiled. "Have fun briefing your boss," she teased, "It was nice meeting you too, and I hope we meet again soon." Elly reached over to Ted's neck and gave it a pat, before taking her hand away and grabbing Rain's reins. Elly smiled before starting to walk away. She then turned her head back to face Seb, "see you soon" she called, smiling, before turning back to resume walking into the mare barn.

"Bye," Seb smiled, waiting until Elly's back was turned before heading back to the stallion barn to put Ted back in his stall. "You did good," he patted Ted's neck, glancing over his shoulder once more, and the duo made their way through the hall of the barn.

---

Next:

---

Background from Google images.

Seb & Ted © *EquineRibbon
Elly & Rain © *OakBrookeStables
Art © *OakBrookeStables & *EquineRibbon