Two For Joy (Connor)

[Lahja Morgan]

It had been a rather sad day around the farm, truth be told. Everyone was fit and well, but two of the foals born early in the year had been picked up today, ready to go off to their new home. It was always upsetting to see them go and it never got any easier as the years passed, but Lahja was at least happy in the knowledge that they had gone on to competition homes where they would be slowly produced to become the best they could possibly be. For someone who specialised in rare breeds in the way that Lahja did, that kind of promotion of the breed was always a wonderful thing.

Still, it had hurt a little to see the babies go, and it had been a bit quiet and sombre around the farm for the rest of the morning and into the afternoon.

There were of course always new things to look forward to, though. The money from the sale of the two Finnhorse foals would be going straight towards a stallion being imported from Finland to bring some new bloodlines into the herd, and that was always an exciting prospect. As much as she loved Kaaos, the farm was in desperate need of new blood to prevent the lines becoming too interbred. She had already contacted a couple of specialist breeders in Finland, scoping out a potential new stud, and a few had caught her interest. She might need to book a mini holiday to go and visit some of them soon.

The ride out with Connor had been being talked about for a while, but officially booked for today after he had finished school. It would be good for the horses to go out with ‘strange’ horses and run off some steam across the farmland. Kaaos had been coming along excellently in his schooling lately, and he definitely deserved a break away from the arena. Lahja had been putting a neat braid into his mane when Connor had arrived and gone to get Sona ready, and by the time boy and gelding were heading out into the main yard Lahja had Kaaos tacked up and ready. She was just finishing fastening the straps on his brushing boots when Connor appeared, and she straightened up and checked Kaaos’ girth to make sure it was snug enough. “Are you two just about ready?”

[Connor Anderson]

Connor knew Lahja’s pain all too well. Much like her, his parents also made a business out of their farm. Of all the foals born every year, just one or two stayed behind to be trained and raced under the farm’s flag. Everyone else was either sold privately, or through the Keenland auction as yearlings. He knew it always sucked for his parents, but it also sucked for him. One of his jobs back home was to help socialize the foals to people – everything from general handling to halter breaking. It created a fair few bonds that were almost always cut off come sale time. Sona had been one of the few saved from that. Had his parents had their way, he would have been sold off not as a race horse, but as a competition prospect. It had only been Connor’s begging, bartering, and pleading that had kept the colt on the farm.

He knew it was going to have been a tough day for his boss, which was why he was happy about the riding plan. It had been in the works for a while, and though he didn’t mind it getting moved around, he was glad it was actually happening. On days he wasn’t scheduled to work he’d often shown up just to look after Sona, or take him out on the trails. To ride with Lahja was something he had been looking forward to for a while. She knew her property well, and... there was something, well... special about riding with her.

Especially when he saw Kaaos in the aisle. Grinning, he waved as he headed past them to the livery stables, where Sona was dancing impatiently and weaving his head back and forth in a display of ‘hurry UP!’. Shaking his head, Connor quickly clipped him into the aisle and saddled him. The Thoroughbred hadn’t been out for a few days, and Connor could tell he had ants in his pants. “Settle down, would you you big dork?” Tightening the girth made Sona’s ears snap back and a hind foot stomped in protest, but once his tiny tantrum was over he simply shook out his short mane and snorted. Taking that as a sign that he was ready, Connor gathered his reins and led him outside. Once he was out, the gelding’s nostrils expanded as he took in the outside smells, and skittered down the path in excitement, more than once almost knocking over his young rider in his enthusiasm.

“Yeah, Sona’s a little too ready.” Still, Connor pulled down his stirrups and after a stern look at the gelding to remind him to stay still, he mounted up. “How are you doing, Lahja?” Below him, Sona shifted and stared at Kaaos, a loud whinny making his whole body vibrate. Connor just rolled his eyes and patted the gelding’s neck. “Dork. Leave Kaaos alone.”

[Lahja Morgan]

Of course Lahja did not technically have to get Kaaos all fancied up for a simple ride out, but she always did it anyway. Not just to him but to all of her horses. It was good to keep them in a routine, especially when she could only get them to shows every now and then, and it also helped set an excellent example in case any potential clients happened upon them. Beyond that, it also gave her a chance to socialise and bond with her horses beyond just working them or taking them to and from the field, and that was something she would never pass the chance to do.

The dark chestnut rabicano stallion stood patiently as Lahja finished making her pre-ride checks, but his ears pricked in alert attention as the taller gelding pranced out onto the yard. Kaaos was used to being worked around other horses of both genders and only tended to become a typical stallion if they got too close, and Lahja trusted Connor to keep Sona a sensible distance away so it was unlikely there would be an issue.

Lahja chuckled softly at Sona’s antics, giving Kaaos a rub on the neck as a reward for staying calm as the gelding was all but dancing on the spot. She could feel a slight tension in her stallion though, as though he was half anticipating the gelding to prance right at him. “I am doing pretty well, thank you. Kuutamo and Sielu went off to their new homes today, which is always sad but oddly happy at the same time.” She gave a small shrug, running down the stirrups on Kaaos’ saddle and picking up her schooling whip before lightly mounting. She didn’t really need a whip with him, but she would rather have one and not need it, than need it and not have it. “Did you have a good day at school? Get up to anything exciting?”

Once she was on and settled Lahja checked the girth again, adjusting it one hole tighter as Kaaos had stopped being puffed out like a blowfish once she had mounted. The stallion was still focussed on the other horse, ears alert as he gave a loud whicker towards the other horse and arched his neck, shaking his head in display. Lahja laughed lightly and rubbed up his neck as she untwisted her reins, taking them up and giving a half-halt to make sure she had Kaaos’ attention. He flicked an ear back towards her, listening, before turning it back to the gelding. “Right, I think we’re just about set. I thought we could go down by the river, then head back along the top sheep field. There’s a good long stretch there to let them run on a bit, if you two are feeling up for it?”

[Connor Anderson]

Sona often got prettied up when Charlie was out with Connor to visit the horses. It was endlessly endearing and sweet to watch her braid his short mane as he groomed the copper gelding. Today his mane was in its’ usual state of disarray, getting almost to the point Connor wanted to cut it again. It could wait a few more weeks, though. It would give Charlie something to do the next time she came with him to the farm.

At least Lahja’s horses were shining examples of what she did at the farm. Most of his parent’s horses were also in that boat in Kentucky. They were probably grateful to have Sona in Vermont for a while. He’d seen his parents give tours, only to have the gelding messing around in the back pastures, rolling, dancing, and whinnying as loud as possible. Lahja’s horses were all impeccably mannered, and the rare times Connor had been asked to handle one, he’d been both floored and thrilled by the privilege. Of course, those were usually the days he’d go to catch Sona to bring him in for the night, and be led on a twenty minute game of ‘Catch Me If You Can’. Shameful animal that he was.

“I know what you mean,” he assured, hoping that she would take that to heart, regardless of the fact he was essentially just a kid. “I help my parents socialize the foals at home, and it’s always hard when you see them go off as yearlings to their new homes, or to the yearling auctions.” Unlike most of the auctions people thought about when that word came up in relation to horses, the Keenland auction was nothing like them. Yearlings sold there went for huge prices, with almost every buyer there bidding with the intention of further training and eventually racing the babies. Thankfully, most of the yearlings tended to go to private buyers, but it didn’t make it any easier. “I know that wherever they go, they’ll be amazing.” Lahja was an amazing woman, after all, and clearly knew what she was doing when it came to her horses. Connor admired her greatly for that.

Giving Sona a gentle half halt to remind him that he was supposed to be calm, not a raging maniac, Connor shrugged a little. “It was okay. Did really good on a math test, but training kind of... sucked.” As it always did for him. For an automatic ability, there was little to train. All he could really do was prove over and over again that it worked.

The Thoroughbred continued to stare at the smaller stallion, huffing his breath out impatiently as he was continued to be held back. He’d seen the other horses before, of course, but now he was under saddle and eager to go, he was wound up tighter and more prone to acting up. Thankfully, Connor knew how to handle him in crazy mode. Worst case scenario, he’d just dismount and lead Sona for a while, or just turn back early. “Sure, that sounds good. The more I can run Sona, the better.” While he might have been a failed racehorse in every sense of the word, Sona was still bred for speed, and letting him run was still an amazing feeling. “Kaaos is looking really good.”

[Lahja Morgan]

Lahja did take great pride in her horses, and that much was easily seen just from looking at them. She always went to great efforts to ensure their turn-out was as neat and professional as possible, and spent a great deal of time training them to have exceptional manners. That wasn’t to say they were perfect, of course. Perfect would be boring. Kaaos could trouble-make with the best of them when he had the mood to and the less said about Maestro’s naughtiness the better, but they were harmless with it and it was endearing, Lahja thought. It made them real horses, not just robots in the shape of horses.

Lahja listened closely as Connor spoke about the youngsters he had worked with back home, giving a small smile of understanding. “It is difficult, but thank you. It’s nice knowing I’m not the only one that gets a little attached sometimes.” Rationally she knew that she would not keep ninety percent of the foals she produced. If she did she would very quickly become over-run and the genetic pool would shrink with each subsequent foal crop. Besides, they were rare breeds. They had to be spread around more, both to raise awareness of them and to allow those smaller genetic pools the chance to grow. None of this made it any easier to say goodbye to the adorable little chestnut balls of fluff, though. Her smile became warmer at Connor’s compliment about them. “That is very kind of you to say. I swapped contact with their new owners, so I’m hoping they’ll keep in touch.”

As Connor explained about his day Lahja gave a small nod, gently encouraging Kaaos to relax a bit and take the bit, and not just keep tossing his head and trying to show off in front of the gelding. “Congratulations on the test, and I’m sorry to hear about your difficulties with the training. Mine were rarely fun either; I can’t tell you how many times I kept misjudging distances and ending up crashing into walls.” Or falling down stairs, but Connor didn’t need to know about that particular misadventure.

At the compliment about her stallion Lahja chuckled softly, reaching a hand down to affectionately ruffle Kaaos’ proudly crested neck. “Thank you, but don’t speak those things so loud. He already has such an ego.” Lahja lightly adjusted herself in the saddle, getting comfortable, and then headed off towards the gate that opened out onto one of the trails cutting across a sheep field. She unlatched the gate with practised ease, getting Kaaos to step neatly sideways while she opened it out to let them through. She then held the gate open so Connor could bring Sona through it, making sure Kaaos hind end was turned away from where the gelding would be so it wasn’t inviting a squabble. “I’m looking forward to seeing Sona run. I haven’t had that pleasure yet.” Yes her horses were light draft dressage horses, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t appreciate the power and elegance of a Thoroughbred in motion.

[Connor Anderson]

Connor knew his family took pride in their horses, and one glance at them at home or on the track gave away exactly why. They were well bred, well looked after, and were generally great performers. Sona... well... he tried to take pride in, but sometimes it was hard when the gelding was running around his pasture like a maniac because he didn’t want to be caught, or had just rolled in mud and felt the need to headbutt and push against Connor, or worse, Charlie. But watching him freshly groomed, in full flight across his pasture, or under saddle and moving with the smooth manner Thoroughbreds were bred for, it was easy.

He admired Lahja for her attachment. It was hard, yes, but it meant that she cared. Too many breeders were in the industry for the money, putting big names together and selling for high profit. He got the feeling that if they ever met, his parents and Lahja could talk for ages, and would likely get along swimmingly. The thought made him smile. “You’re not, promise. I’ve even seen my dad get a little sad over a few of them.” By nature his father wasn’t hugely expressive, so seeing him mist up a little over a few of the yearlings always made Connor happy. “I hope so too. They’re so cute now, but they’ll grow up to be as pretty as their moms.” It was weird to think of the two little balls of fuzz and legs as adults, but it would happen.

“Thank you!” Connor beamed at the praise about the test, though his expression did fall slightly at his training. Shrugging, he rested a hand against Sona’s neck. “It’s okay. It’s not as bad as some of the others, so I shouldn’t complain.” Yes, hurting himself sucked, but surely some of the other students had it rougher than him. “You’re so good at it now, though.”

Grinning at Kaaos’ ego, Connor just shook his head and followed after her, keeping Sona at a respectable distance from the stallion. The gelding pranced forward, his knees coming up much higher than normal as he showed off. This was going to be interesting, that was for sure. Still, he was impressed that Sona didn’t decide the gate was going to eat him, walking smoothly through it rather than leaping sideways. Maybe he was starting to settle down. Well, Connor could hope. “For a failed racehorse, he sure does love to run.” It was hard to go much faster than a canter in the arena with Sona, but outside on the trails? He knew they were well maintained, and honestly, it would be nice to let Sona stretch his legs. “We used to use him at home on the track to train the two year olds. He was so bad at it, even with a shadow roll and blinkers to keep him focused, but he was good for giving them someone to run against.” As if offended by the memory, Sona snorted and flicked his ears back, stomping a front foot as he waited for Lahja and Kaaos. “Well you do suck at racing,” Connor teased, flipping a section of mane over his neck. “I bet Kaaos likes running too, after all the arena work he does. He’s amazing under saddle.” Watching Lahja guide him in dancing was always a treat, and only upped his respect for his boss.

[Lahja Morgan]

Lahja realistically knew that her little enterprise was never going to make her rich or famous, and truthfully she was okay with that. If she really wanted the limelight she’d have sold all her Finns and Black Forest Horses years ago and invested in a couple of selectively bred German Warmbloods, leaving aside the carriage side of the business and going into competing and producing dressage horses full time. That was not what she wanted, though. While yes she did often daydream about competing to the highest level, in order to get there it would have meant sacrificing the rare breeds and the carriage horses that she loved so much. The money from the business and from selling the foals was nice, but she only ever did it because she genuinely loved the horses. They were, and always would be, her number one priority.

Chuckling softly, Lahja nodded her head. “I promise, as soon as I hear back about any of them I shall let you know.” It hadn’t escaped her attention that Connor had seemed to take to the little ones, and she had every intention of keeping him in the loop as and when she got updates about their progress. If they matured into horses even half as lovely as their parents, she would be incredibly proud. “I’m going to Finland in a few months to look for a new stallion, to bring over some fresh blood. In the next few years there will be even more balls of fur running around.”

Nodding in understanding as Connor spoke about his training, Lahja gave him a small reassuring smile. “Perhaps some might have it worse, yes, but you still have a right to be unhappy about it.” She pondered the situation for a moment. She knew she shouldn’t really make a comment against how the school was run, but this was bugging her and she couldn’t let it pass without remark. Her motherly instincts wouldn’t let her. “Surely they know it works by now. They can’t keep expecting you to be hurt just to watch you heal again, right? That is pretty sick, if they keep doing it anyway. Is there no one you can complain to about it?”

The trails around the farm were indeed well maintained, a necessity since she used them frequently for working the carriage horses. The paths were broad and kept clear and free of any dips or holes, which of course made them perfect for faster work. Yes Lahja operated her farm with discipline and kept her horses on a strict training schedule, but a good gallop every now and then was essential for blowing away the cobwebs. “I’m looking forward to seeing him go.” Once Sona was safely through the gate Lahja turned back against it, getting Kaaos to step neatly sideways so she could fasten the latch and secure it closed. She then turned so they were all facing the same direction and asked Kaaos to walk forwards. The stallion tucked his head in and tried to trot, Lahja’s fingers closing around the reins to stop him rushing forwards, resulting in Kaaos prancing on the spot with his knees coming right up to his chest in an overly-exaggerated passage. She laughed softly, shaking her head. “Even when being naughty he still has to dance.” After a moment she managed to get him to settle a bit, but he kept shaking his head and trying to break into a trot. “He does love to run, and to show-off, obviously. When we get to that part of the trail you two might need to give us a bit of a head start, but I think Kaaos will attempt to give Sona a run for his money.”

[Connor Anderson]

Having money, and a family that was relatively well known in the racing world, Connor still couldn’t exactly hype about. Sure, it was nice having access to things like brand new electronic games, but who had time to play them on a working farm? No, his parents didn’t have to worry much about where their next meal was coming from, or if they’d have enough to scrape by during the off season, but that was beside the point. While his older brother seemed to thrive on the attention, Connor sometimes wanted it all to go away. It was easier at Hammel, with so few other students really knowing anything about horse racing. Back home, most of his classmates knew who he was, and it sometimes bothered him. It was part of the reason he’d been so nervous telling Charlie about what his family did. Too many girls back home had tried to attach themselves to him after a big win, but Charlie didn’t care.

“Really?” Yes, he’d been fond of the little fuzzballs, the same way he was fond of the foals back home every year. He hadn’t realized that Lahja had seen it, though. Color flushed across his face slightly, but he smiled nonetheless. “Thank you.” It would be exciting to hear about the foals, wherever they ended up career-wise. “That’ll be so cool to have another stallion!” The Finn horses were so very different from the tall, sleek Thoroughbreds he had been raised around, but they absolutely had their charms.

In many ways, Lahja was very good at reminding Connor of his mother. Sometimes when she came around and gave pointers on harnessing the carriage horses, or even help while he was schooling Sona in his spare time, it was really, really easy to tell she was used to being a mom. This was one of those instances. He didn’t like complaining about his power or his training, especially when so many other students really did have it much worse than he did. He shrugged slightly and toyed with Sona’s reins. “It’s not always so bad. Sometimes we do theory, too.” He didn’t blame his trainer. Mr. Batista was nice, and Connor knew he tried hard to make the sessions not suck. “It’s okay, really.” At least his power wasn’t going to kill him one day, or hurt someone else.

He was glad to focus more on riding than school. Once the gate was closed, Sona shook out his mane and snorted, clearly ready to go. Connor did his best to keep him at a casual walk out of respect for Kaaos and his shorter legs, but Sona wasn’t eager to creep along. After meeting the resistance of the reins he bobbed his head and stepped sideways, tail swishing as he pushed his boundaries. For Connor, this was nothing new. The Thoroughbred was always antsy, and being outside usually made it worse. Eventually he figured out that he wasn’t getting his way and sulked along the trail for a bit before perking back up again. “I wish Sona was smart enough to do that. He just hops around when he doesn’t get his way.” As if to prove his point, the chestnut gelding skittered sideways again and gave a tiny buck, still trying to get his way. “Ugh, Sona! Stop it, you big dorkus.” He’d had hopes that the gelding would be good, but it was becoming clear that he was in a mood to show off. “Walk nice,” he murmured at him, trying a half halt to remind him to listen. The gelding’s ears tipped back for a moment before pricking forward again, but to his credit he dropped his head a little more into the bit and seemed to relax. For now, anyway.

[Lahja Morgan]

Lahja gave a warm smile and nodded her head. “Very welcome. Rauha’s little one went to a young combined driving couple, so hopefully in a few years we’ll see her out on the circuit.” Yes it was always sad to see the babies flying the nest, but that was one of the best things about the rare breeds. There were so few of them that the people who kept them generally did so out of love for the breed, and networking between owners tended to be very high. She would never get to train the horses and compete them and love them as her own, but as long as their owners kept that network open, they would never be completely lost to her. She would still get to watch them grow and flourish, even if it was from a distance.

Lahja chuckled softly at Connor’s excitement about the prospect of another stallion on the farm. “Yes, I am excited about it too. I have five to see while I’m over there; it will be difficult to select just one.” That was, of course, always the problem. Of the five she had made arrangements to view (and the no doubt six or seven others she’d see while she was over there) three ticked every single box she was looking for. She knew she could only bring back one, and yet… “Do you think you might be able to help keep an eye on things while I am gone? I fear of what chaos Psyren might cause if she’s left to run unchecked.”

Listening intently as Connor spoke about his training sessions, she gave a small nod of understanding. “Okay, then. Just know that I am here should you wish to talk about it.” And with that Lahja let the subject drop, since it was rather clear that Connor did not want to discuss it at this time.

The antics of the Thoroughbred seemed to be giving Kaaos an excuse to play about. The stallion could often be rather spirited and wayward (it was one of the things Lahja liked most about him), but he was smart enough to know not to be ridiculous. When Sona skittered and bucked Kaaos gave a small rear, front legs lifting off the ground in a little bunny hop and he shook his head and snorted in excitement. Lahja sat it easily, shifting slightly in the saddle as she adjusted to the changing centre of gravity, and gave a firm half-halt down the reins once Kaaos had all four feet on the ground again. She knew she could control the Finn easily enough, but she did worry about Connor. “If you’d like, we could always leave this for another day when he is being less… gymnastic. You could bring Psyren or Wiley out instead.” While Lahja was loathe to head back while the horses were being silly, as it told them that they had ‘won’, it wasn’t worth the risk of potential injury if Connor might lose his confidence or Sona became too out of hand.

[Connor Anderson]

Connor supposed that was the nice thing about the racing industry. A lot of the time his family ended up seeing their horses race under new colors and stables, and seeing them succeed was always nice. He suspected it was vastly the same for Lahja, even if the chances of seeing them again were a little slimmer. “She’ll be amazing, just like her mom.” He did like the Finn horses, and had enjoyed watching the little foals graduate from wobbling around to running like little hellions all over the place, dancing circles around their ever patient dams.

“Wow. How’re you going to be able to pick just one?” He’d seen his parents go through that before, looking for new blood. It wasn’t always easy acquiring stallions, especially ones that did well on the track. Last he’d spoken to them, they were in the process of looking for either an up and coming stallion for sale, or possibly just looking at sending a few mares to be bred. He knew what they looked for in a stud. It was as much speed and stamina as it was temperament. There was a reason their main three studs – Blitzkrieg, White Lightning, and Moonshine, were popular. They’d all proven themselves on the track, and all three had spectacular temperaments. Though Blitz was getting on in years, Connor remembered being led around on his back once in his first year of retirement and the start of his stud services. He’d always been easy to handle, though, and seemed to pass that quality to his offspring, and both White Lightning and Moonshine were also easy handlers. It made Connor wonder just where in his bloodlines that Sona got his crazy side from, as he was one of Moonshine’s sons. Crazy gelding.

Lahja’s question made Connor look up from Sona’s ears, surprise etched clear across his face. He was only fifteen, and she wanted him to make sure Psyren didn’t start a riot? “Of course I will!” It was said before he’d really thought about it, but he didn’t regret it once it was out. “I mean, um, yes. I can do that.” He liked working Psyren, and the more he learned about her, the better he liked it. “I promise she won’t hold any wild parties while you’re gone.” That, he was fairly certain, he could keep as a promise to her.

Now that Sona temporarily had the ants out of his pants, he was relaxing a little into the bit, mouthing it slightly but constantly flicking his ears back to listen to Connor. He was still liable to skitter if startled, but at least now he had settled a bit. He was used to the Thoroughbred’s antics, and this was hardly the worst he could be. Connor suspected that it was partially being outside the arena, and partially because of Kaaos that he was being so spirited. “It’s okay,” he said, relaxing his hands a little. “I mean, I’d love to ride Psyren, but I think he’s settling down.” One hand reached out to pat Sona’s neck. “I think this is why he’d kind of suck at anything other than being a pleasure horse.” Trying to jump him had proved somewhat disastrous so far, and he honestly didn’t think Sona had the focus or patience for dressage, which was too bad. Jumping, nor dressage, had much to do with the farm, but then again neither did driving. But every single new thing he could expose himself to, Connor took in like a sponge. “Hey, Lahja?” His face had adopted a somewhat shy expression. “If you have time after your trip, and it’s really, really okay if you don’t... do you think that you could teach me some really basic dressage? You make it look so easy, and I know it’s not, but... I think it’s something I’d really like to learn.” Sona took that opportunity to snort and flick his tail. “... But probably not on Sona. Not now, anyway. He’s still too... ADD.” He had hope that the gelding would mellow as he got older, but right now, he had no faith that his horse would be a good dressage candidate. Maybe if he worked some extra hours, or something like that, she’d allow him to use one of the carriage horses cross trained for saddle. “And it’s really okay if you don’t have time. I understand.”

[Lahja Morgan]

It was easy for Lahja to smile at Connor’s words, and she lightly scratched Kaaos’ wither as they walked down the path. “Thank you. I certainly hope so.” Lahja had never really intended to get into breeding the horses, but perhaps it had been inevitable in the end. With their rare breed status and her show team making ripples in the arena (small ripples perhaps, but ripples none the less), it was no surprise that after a few years she had wanted a few homebred’s around the farm. She had never guessed she’d have an actual broodmare herd, but now that she did, she found it hard to imagine the farm without them. Next year there would be even more foals than this year, and for the future… well, who knew how far this programme could go?

To Connor’s question, Lahja gave a small shake of her head and a weary smile. “I have not worked that out yet. Three of them are definite possibilities, but the others could be too if they are nicer than their advertisements hint.” Of the three, one was a mature chestnut, one a young chestnut and one a young palomino. The palomino was the one drawing her the most at the moment because being able to bring that colour dilution that was so rare in the breed into her herd would be an excellent selling point for future foals and his future stud duties. However she had to keep her standards high and if he didn’t also tick the movement, conformation and temperament boxes, he could be the rarest and most highly demanded colour in the world and she would still leave him behind. She had seen videos of the two chestnuts and they seemed to tick the movement and conformation boxes, but editing could be deceptive and be masking a multitude of flaws. It was going to be a very tough time and a very tough decision… but she was looking forward to it with every fibre of her being.

Of course Lahja did not expect Connor to hold any real responsibility at the farm while she was away, but he had a sensible and knowledgeable young head on his shoulders and could be counted on to keep an eye on one mare. Besides, if he kept Psyren busy with some exercise and attention while he was at the farm to care for Sona anyway, it was one less horse for the rest of the staff to worry about. His reaction made Lahja smile, and she chuckled softly and nodded. “Thank you, I appreciate that. You know how wild she gets when she thinks she can get away with being naughty.”

As Sona began to settle down Kaaos did too, but he was still tense through his back and paying far too much attention to the gelding so Lahja kept asking him to do little things to keep his focus reined in a bit. Bringing his nose right in, stretching his neck down, a few steps of half-pass. Just small, easy tasks to get him moving forward in a more sensible manner. Eventually he lowered his head and snorted, and felt less like being sat on a coiled spring. “There is no shame in a pleasure horse, especially if that is what you are happy with having. Not every horse needs to be a Grand Prix champion or win the triple crown.”

Connor's next question genuinely took her by surprise, and Lahja glanced over at him with a curious smile. “I... think that wouldn't be a problem at all. In fact, I think it could be interesting for both of us; it has been a while since I have instructed anything other than the absolute basics.” As Kaaos relaxed more and started idly mouthing the bit, Lahja gave him a gentle rub on the neck. She made a habit of cross-training most of her horses for both saddle and harness. This was partly because it was good for them both physically and psychologically to have variety in their training programmes, and partly because when time was short in winter or the height of the busy summer season it was much more efficient to have four people ride at once than to spend so much time hitching, working and unhitching just one or two horses at a time. “If you don't mind staying behind later after your shift on the weekends, we could do it then.” She pondered for a moment, then added “Aliyana would be a good match for you at first, I think. She's patient and well schooled, which is what you would need at first, and she's just coming back into work so the easier exercises would be good for her.”

[Connor Anderson]

Funny how breeding operations started small like that. Connor had seen the old pictures of his grandfather and father starting out their racing stable, and knew it had grown a fair bit since then. “If anyone can do it, you can,” he said with an encouraging smile. It might not mean much coming from a fifteen year old stable hand, but he meant it nonetheless. He admired Lahja for many different reasons, and he knew she could make a go of the breeding side of the business.

At least in their respective equine worlds, things remained the same no matter how different they were. Connor had watched his parents scrutinize bloodlines, movement, other offspring, everything when trying to look at outbreeding some of their mares. Some went soley for speed, others for distance. Connor knew his parents aimed for soundness first, then speed and distance. It was no good having a great horse who would inevitably break down in a tragic accident, or be a ticking time bomb. Worse, passing on those genetics to offspring. He was happy Lahja was the same, doing her homework ahead of time. “Whoever you pick, he’ll be the right one.” Besides, it would be neat having another stallion around.

Being responsible for Psyren was a little like winning a mini lottery in Connor’s mind. She could have chosen anyone for him to watch, but Psyren... was his favorite. She was so very spirited, yet she knew how to settle once she had your undivided attention. He’d ridden her several times during the winter to keep her in shape for the busier months, and loved the very different feeling. Sona was wired for speed, but Psyren was pure power. “She’ll be an angel while you’re gone. I’ll make sure she stays out of trouble for everyone.” He didn’t mind attending to her, especially if he was there for Sona in the first place.

Sona eyed the stallion as he half passed, tossing his head but otherwise walking calmly. Now he was done having his usual power battle with Connor, he seemed more interested in the smaller horse. Connor kept his fingers tight on the reins though, knowing full well that Sona could start up another riot easily. “He’s a good pleasure horse. Challenging, but good.” There was no fun in working a push button horse. Sona had always had his challenges, but Connor had worked hard to face them. A few years ago he wouldn’t have thought to dare take him on a trail ride without the gelding working himself into a sweat and spooking at every bird and tree. Baby steps, but they were steps.

After he’d asked his question, he’d fiddled with his reins a little, almost nervous for the answer. His mother would have told him to have confidence, but it was hard. Finally, her answer made him relax a little. “Really? That would be amazing, Lahja. Thank you!” Her suggestion prompted him to nod in response. “Yeah, that would be okay!” He could take the later bus back to Hammel, or at worst, call a cab or walk, if it was nice enough. The notion of riding one of her horses to do it just about floored him. “Aliyana? Are you sure? I mean... um...” His face turned red. “She’s yours, so... I didn’t... um... wow. Thank you?” Aliyana was sweet, and Connor was excited. Nervous, but excited.

[Lahja Morgan]

Connor's never-ceasing politeness never failed to make Lahja smile, and she gave a soft nod of her head in appreciation. “Thank you, that is very kind of you to say.” The truth was that it was a massive decision that could impact the farm for many years to come. If she picked the right stallion the herd would blossom and the show team strengthened with another solid competitor in the ranks. If she picked the wrong one, the bad genetics could possibly tarnish the bloodlines for generations to come. It was a lot of pressure, and while she felt confident that she would make the right choice, it was still always nice to hear a little support from the sidelines. That she truly did appreciate.

Lahja knew that Connor adored Psyren, which was why she had asked him to keep an eye on the Friesian mare. Psyren flourished under extra attention so hopefully they would both feel the benefits of it. With Lahja gone for a couple of weeks the rest of the team would be pushed more to keep all the horses exercised and in good condition, and a little more one-on-one time could only be good for Psyren, especially from someone who could handle her little quirks. “Good. I will expect updates as to how she is behaving; especially if you decide to pop her around some of the jumps in the fields.” Lahja didn't make much use of the miniature cross-country style fences around the farm, they were mainly there for the sake of the livery owners. However sometimes she did take some of the horses down there for variety in their work schedules and she knew that Psyren loved tanking around the course. “If you do that though just be careful; she gets incredibly strong once she gets going. Make sure you have someone with you to spot, just in case.”

With little exercises to focus on Kaaos began to settle, still keeping an eye on the gelding but not being fixated on him like he had been at first. That was the problem with having a super-fit horse. There was just so much energy and power and strength that sometimes it bubbled over, and without a way to vent it off it often turned into ridiculous behaviour. Lahja prided herself on the fact that her horses were all in that hyper-fit state, but they didn't display any of the stable vices or massive temperament issues that so often went along with high performance horses. She credited that to their very varied work schedules, as well as the fact they were all allowed time out in the paddocks every day to just relax and be horses. “That is good; you want a challenge. You never learn anything from impeccably mannered horses.”

Smiling at Connor's reaction to her agreeing to give him dressage lessons, Lahja chuckled lightly, and nodded when he asked for confirmation about riding Aliyana. “Well, her foal has gone now and her first few sessions back in work have gone well. She's a little unfit, but she will be a good teacher for you while you're still learning. Were you wanting to just learn the basics, or are you hoping to perhaps compete one day?” It would be fun having someone to teach; it had been so long since she had instructed anyone in anything other than the basics, and the more she thought about it, the more Lahja was looking forward to the challenge. “Do you think Sona is settled enough to have a trot?”

[Connor Anderson]

Lindsey Anderson had always tried to instill good manners into her boys. Just because they had technically been raised in a barn didn’t mean they had to act like it. Of the two boys, Connor had always been the one to use those manners all the time. Curtis could do it around clients visiting the farm, or with other trainers he worked with racing their horses, but around his family or friends, those manners often vanished. Connor worked hard to ensure he used them at all times, even when it would be easiest not to. It was a good habit, especially if he wanted to go into the business side of things, like his mother. “You’re welcome,” he answered with a smile, playing with a chunk of Sona’s mane that had flipped out of place. Lahja knew her breeds, and he was confident that she’d make the right decision.

It definitely wouldn’t be a hardship to devote some extra care and attention to Psyren. Connor was there for work and for Sona anyway. As long as he made sure his homework was done, he didn’t foresee a problem with it. Already he was trying to plan what he could do with her while Lahja was away. Some work in the arena, probably, or outside if it stayed nice. Popping her around the cross country course hadn’t actually occurred to him, but now Lahja mentioned it, the idea was appealing. “I’ll send updates, sure.” He had faith in the mare, though. For as sassy as she could be, she was also a brilliantly hard worker. “I might try the jumps with her. If she gets too rough, I’ll make sure to remind her to listen.” He’d just have to make sure to remember to get a spotter, which wouldn’t be too hard.

Connor knew a thing or two about super-fit horses and their tendency to be ridiculous. He’d seen it at home constantly, with their active racehorses often dancing around and being silly prior to settling down and working. Most of them were without their temperamental problems, though there were always one or two that picked up bad habits, often from other horses at tracks. Sona probably would have been one of them if he’d been any good at racing. At least he seemed to have settled into being a pleasure horse, albeit a challenging one at times. “Yeah, that’s true. I’ve never learned more than I have with him.” His and Curtis’ old pony, Flynn, had been the epitome of a push button pony. He’d seen everything, and nothing tended to faze him. That was why he spent so much time with the weanlings and yearlings, teaching them manners and such. Sona had been a big step up, but Connor still didn’t regret it, even with his wildest days under saddle.

Lahja’s question took some consideration. Connor hadn’t thought that far ahead, really. Completing was something he’d never considered, simply because at home, even riding for pleasure was sometimes a luxury with the other, working horses to exercise, groom, and care for. He’d done a few gaming days with Flynn when he’d been younger, but Sona had never struck him as a horse that would handle those environments well. But he would be in Vermont until he graduated, so what was the harm in trying it out here? “I’ve never really done any competition, beyond just pony games when I was little. But I’d love to try it.” The more he could experience now, the better.

Sona’s ear flicked slightly at the invitation to trot, but his gentle pulling at the bit was once again denied by Connor. He knew better, and the gelding snorted as he relaxed his neck again, waiting for the instruction to be given. “I think he’s okay now. If he gets too fired up, I should be able to bring him back to walking again.” It was sometimes an endless cycle with the gelding if he’d been cooped up for any longer length of time, reminding him he had brakes. After giving him a half halt to listen, Connor gently nudged his sides with his heels. Sona was quick to transition from the calm walk to a long strided trot, swishing his tail as he went. Finally the trail was getting fun again.

[Lahja Morgan]

Lahja wasn't overly concerned about giving Connor some free rein with Psyren while she was away. The schedule had been carefully manipulated to ensure the horses wouldn't have to work while she was on her short trip, but Psyren moreso than most of the others needed to have her exercise kept up. Some of the others would have a complete break, some would do some light exercise, but Psyren and a couple of the others had to keep a schedule. That was always such a big part of the job; being able to learn the needs of each of the horses and be able to develop a programme that met all their needs while still allowing the business to function. It helped massively that Lahja had established a team of people she could really trust. “Good. Be especially careful if you decide to take her through the water; she will drag you into it at a gallop, if you give her a chance to.” Lahja wasn't trying to scare him, of course. She was just a real believer in making sure that people were aware of any potential situations that could occur. People couldn't prepare if they didn't know, and that's how serious accidents so often happened.

Smiling easily, Lahja nodded in agreement. “I'm sure there is still much more he can teach you.” She chuckled softly, rewarding Kaaos with a rub on the neck after he moved easily into a few steps of shoulder-in when indicated. “Besides, perfect horses are like perfect people; boring. I'd rather have a faulty project than a push-button finished product any day.”

Competing the horses had always been something that Lahja adored, but she knew that it wasn't everyone's thing. If she had the means to she would have loved to have competed full time, but she couldn't do that without sacrificing aspects of her miniature empire that she just did not want to let go of. Connor's answer brought another soft smile to her lips. “I am glad to hear it. I've got a few youngsters moving through the ranks, and an extra set of hands to get them on the rosters would certainly help.” Her tone turned slightly more serious for a moment though, as the motherly instinct kicked in again. “Your school work must always still come first, though. That was the rule for you working here, and that will still be the rule if you start showing too. Agreed?”

Sona's quiet fussing at the mention of a trot caught Kaaos' attention and the stallion gave a low whinny, nostrils flaring as he looked over at the gelding. Lahja gave him a nudge on the side, getting his attention again, and made sure he was settled down before giving him the cue to trot. The smaller stallion had to extend his normal stride slightly to keep up with the Thoroughbred but he was managing it with ease, his ears pricked and neck lightly tossing playfully. Lahja gave a half-halt, making sure he was still paying attention, and Kaaos tucked his head in neatly, knees raising high as he trotted. “Bless him, forever the show-off.”