Welcome to Gaia! ::

Mater Talesian had it crafted for you. The lambskin gives ye footing fer yer claws while the padding protects Buttercup's back. The rest at the front gives ye a place to rest against while the rings allow ye to attach yer gear. Now make sure ye have that strap tight. I must warn ye, she sometimes inhales as ye put it on and ye need to poke her slightly to get her to exhale or as ye ride ye'll find yerself in the dirt as the strap loosens."

Then John, laughing at Buttercup's hangdog expression, shows him how to mount the pony. "Ye could jump on... but until she' gotten used to ye and yer weight... it t'would be best iffin ye do so gradually. She's been ridden before. Buttercup was me boy's pony afore the fever took him last spring. She's been wasting away, looking for him day in and day out fer far too long. It will do her good to have a new master." John's voice takes on a tinge of sadness but he stoically shakes it off and continues to help Kero with learning how to mount and guide the pony. An ever practical farmer, he knows life has it seasons, but it is plain that the loss of his son sits hard on his thoughts.

"Now this hook here afore the rest... it's fer yer reins... see.. iffin yer tired and need a rest.. iffin ye can maintain yer place on her back and trust me... in time and practice ye will... she's trained to follow whatever horse she's with. So ye could loop the reins there and she'll follow Master Talesian's guidance. She's a rather smart beast, she is. Seems to know explicitly who's friend and who's foe."

She turn her head and gives him a friendly nudge.

She rest her head lightly on his head, her nose touching his cresent and almost he can here her thoughts, dim and a bit distant, calling to him from a field of green grass and fresh clover.

Under John's watchful eye, Kero rides around the back pastrue several times, first at a walk then gradually going faster. "Now that pad would leave much to be desired at a gallop, but then any saddle would fer one of the four legged races. Iffin ye must go at a run, yer probably trying to get away from something and the best thing to do then is let her have her head and hunker down. Don't drop the reins, they might catch on sumptin... make sure ye hook them properly and hang on fer dear life. Catch me drift?"

"Ver well..." says John pointing to the far end of the field. "Ride there and turn about... then gallop here as fast as ye can urge her to run. I'll stop her on this end, never ye fear. But ye should at least experience it once under controlled conditions... so ye know what to expect."

And he almost makes it to John, but about ten feet from the farmer, he tumbles free of the pad which to his amazement causes the pony to stop dead in her tracks.