[PHASE #2] - Loshenka Makeover

Hortense stood in the dimly lit tack room. She inhaled slowly and savored the scent of dust, leather, and general horsieness. It had been about a week or two since her unruly Loshenka came home, and he had thrown her on the first day with the Weymouth double bridle that she had been provided by the rescue from the stallion’s previous owner. She cringed, rubbing her sore behind absentmindedly. Hortense had looked in the mirror this morning and still had a great big purple and blue bruise from the fall along her back and butt. She stared at that double bridle bit hanging on the hook attached to her favorite bridle with a look of ‘Why this bit?’.  He had seemed perfect on the ground, and Hortense had not been on his back since he had thrown her the first day. 

With a huff, she lifted the headstall from its hook and set it on the tack-cleaning table. Hortense unfastened the bit from its place and slid it aside, before replacing the bit with a rubber-mouth pelham that she had lying around. Hortense thought about the great tobiano stallion as she worked. Hortense’s companion Rowen had audibly gasped when the Loshenka had been led out of the trailer. They hadn't officially measured him, but she already knew he was taller than 16 hands for sure, but Hortense guessed he was at least 17.3-18 hands. The freckle-faced woman let out a harsh huff of air as a curly lock of her orange hair dropped in front of her face. Somewhere nearby, a low nicker sounded as she finished with the bit. “I'm coming, big guy, relax,” she said to the voice as she pulled a leather rope halter off the rack. Hortense did need to think of a name for the Loshenka because she’d just been calling him Big Guy, Buddy, and any other nickname you could call a large stallion.

The tall woman rounded the corner and was met with a very impatient Loshenka. The stallion arched his neck over the stall door, ears perked, and a low chuffing noise escaped his velvety muzzle. “I know, but you're not going to like what we’re doing today bud.” Hortense murmured to the horse as she fastened the halter over his head and led him out into the stable aisle. The stallion to his credit, was a near-perfect angel on the ground. The problems came when the animal was being bridled and ridden.  He would avoid the bridle like the plague and be extremely hard to handle under saddle. The rescue had mentioned something about him being over-bitted and hard-mouthed. Of course, because he was an absolute saint on the ground, Hortense had ignored the rescue’s warning and gotten on him nearly the minute he’d been off the trailer and displayed knowledge of basic groundwork. The Stallion had been quick to dump her right over his head, much to Rowan’s amusement. 

Another low nicker brought Hortense out of her thoughts and she smirked. “ listen buddy you cannot be that excited to have a damn bridle in your mouth.” she snorted. She backed the Loshenka into the crossties, and instead of removing the halter, this time she opted to keep it on underneath the bridle.  The stallion was smart, though, and made himself look like a giraffe as soon as he saw the bridle in Hortense’s hand. She stifled a laugh and reached up for his face, making him dance around in the crossties to avoid her. Hortense had a suspicion about what might be causing his issue, but she needed to get him tacked first. The stallion lifted his head out of her reach again as soon as she tried to bridle him, and looked down at her like a scene in a children’s movie Hortense had grown up on. 

“C’mon, big boy….you gotta....let…me..do this!” she grunted, struggling with the stallion’s head and finally getting the bridal most of the way up towards his ears. The stallion, however, clamped his jaw closed and refused to pick up the bit. Hortense huffed, getting annoyed now. 

“Dude, are you serious right now? She said, giving the stallion an arched brow. “It's rubber. You will be FINE.” she said firmly. 

Sometimes she swore he could understand her too, because as soon as the sentence left her mouth, the stallion opened his mouth and she was able to slide the bit into it easily and slide the earpiece over his head. He toyed with it in his mouth, sliding his tongue back and forth over it, clearly trying to spit it back out. 

“Uh-uh bud, you're keeping that on today.” Hortense said, attaching the reins to the bit, and turning to retrieve her saddle, pad, and chest leathers. 

When she returned, the stallion was throwing his head and snorting. Hortense knew the bit wasn't harsh, but the stud still had an issue with bits. She hoped he’d figure out this one wasn't painful or uncomfortable. Hortense took her time tacking up the loshenka, taking a moment to reward him with some of her homemade peppermint molasses paste when his mouth was quiet. 

Eventually, the stallion stopped tossing his head and chomping the bit, and instead stood in a relaxed manner, hip cocked to the side and his head low. 

“Good boy…” Hortense murmured, stroking his neck before leading him out towards the outdoor arena. The gentle clip-clop of the large stallion's hooves added to the bright and happy sounds of the French morning.

Hortense led the loshenka towards the mounting block in the corner. She smiled as he squared up to it nicely for her with a heavy sigh. As Hortense slid her foot into the stirrup, though, the stallion began to get antsy, no longer displaying the signs of a relaxed horse. Before he could jig away, Hortense swung herself onto his back, noting that his unruly behavior was leaning more towards anxiety than naughtiness. She made him turn circles, struggling to keep him at a walk. The stallion shuffled and spun around the sandy arena, his long tail flicking and swishing. “Damn it you brat!” Hortense said, exasperated. Though he fought her, Hortense continued to make him turn circles until he settled, which took most of the morning. 

Finally, hours later, a very sweaty loshenka stallion stood in the center of the sand-covered arena; his sides heaving. His head was low, and his tail no longer whipping back and forth. Hortense gave him a small pat and sat still. “See,” she said to the stallion who flicked an ear back towards her, “not so bad, is it?” 

As if to answer her, the stud gave a great heaving sigh. Hortense let him relax a few moments more, and then gently asked him to walk, clicking her tongue. Much to her surprise, he didn't try to bolt on her. Instead, he walked slowly and quietly. Hortense decided to push the limits just a little more and add some hand pressure, directing him towards the wall. The stallion did toss his head, but didn't offer to throw the girl from his back. As they reached the wall and continued along it, Hortense breathed a sigh of relief when he did as she asked.

A short time later, the stallion stood in the crossties, keeping himself nicely still as Hortense untacked him. “I think things are gonna work out, big guy.” she said, giving the loshenka a loving pat before putting him away for the night.