Visitors! (Lahja)

[Connor Anderson]

Connor was excited for a multitude of reasons today. For one, though he wasn’t scheduled to work, he was at Lahja’s place for two reasons. The first was the biggest reason he wasn’t working today. His parents had flown from Kentucky to Vermont for the weekend to visit, as well as to see the farm their youngest son wouldn’t stop talking about, and to meet his employer, who Connor also liked to talk about. Since they had made the arrangements for the trip, Connor had been excited. He missed them, and though he’d seen them at Christmas for a whole week with Charlie in tow, that had been months ago. Even Skype wasn’t the same.

The second reason he was at the farm was for a dressage lesson. He’d already taken Sona out for an exercise session, letting the gelding run off some steam before cooling him out, giving him a quick bath, and then sending him out to his turn out with his pasture mates. He wanted Sona to look good for his parents, though he was sure the gelding would find the smallest mud puddle possible and roll in it, rendering his hard work completely null and void. It was just who Sona was.

After Sona’s exercise, Lahja had given him a lesson in dressage, before going to attend to some work, leaving him to practice. To his delight, she’d recently had him start working her new Friesian, Peer, for his lessons, and though the gelding was more of a challenge than Aliyana had been, he was enjoying the change. His parents had said they would stop by around noon to tour the farm and meet Lahja, which had allowed him the time to deal with Sona and attend his lesson with Lahja before they’d arrive.

Unfortunately, he lost track of time. Still mounted up on Peer, he guided the gelding carefully around the outdoor arena, practicing the training level test Lahja was teaching him. Trying hard to keep him rounded in the corners and give the cues as softly as possible, he was actually pleased as they completed the test and halted in the middle of the arena. Peer stood square, just as he was supposed to, and stood calmly for a moment before tossing his head. Proud of him, Connor patted his neck and grinned. “Good boy, Peer.”

Soft clapping from the other side of the fence caught his attention, and Connor lit up when he saw his parents standing there. While his father seemed to be studying Peer with his usual analytical gaze, his mother looked thrilled as she waved at him. Peer watched the adults with a mellow expression, waiting for instruction. Connor was only too happy to give it to him, asking him to walk calmly to the fence. “Hi Mom! Hi Dad!” Lindsey beamed up at him, watching him dismount smoothly. When had he gotten so tall? How was it possible he’d grown more since Christmas?

“Connor! We made it! You Dad didn’t even get lost once.” As it usually did, mischief was clear in his mother’s eyes. When it came to business, Lindsey Anderson was all about seriousness, but when it came to family, she was very different. Clark, on the other hand, was serious more often than not, though his wife was good at coaxing him to relax. “You looked great up there. I didn’t know you did dressage.” A light blush dusted Connor’s cheeks.

“I’m learning. Lahja – um, Miss Morgan is teaching me. You should see her on her competition horses. She’s amazing.” Lindsey grinned and offered a hand out to the black gelding in front of her, letting him smell her before she touched his muzzle.

“I’m sure she is. I’m just happy you’re happy here. I can only imagine how much more you’re learning here.” Her expression turned serious for a moment. “You’re still doing okay in school, though, right?” Connor nodded, stroking Peer’s neck out of habit.

“Yeah. If my grades slip, Miss Morgan will cut my hours until I bring them up again. I promise, they’re good.” Lindsey nodded and glanced up the drive.

“I trust you. Now, where are we going? You said you’d show us around and introduce us to Miss Morgan.” Connor nodded again, looping Peer’s reins.

“Yeah, I will. I just need to put Peer away and brush him out. I’ll show you around properly after, but you can at least see the barns first. Miss Morgan will find us, I’m sure.”

“All right. Just lead the way.” Lindsey was clearly proud of her son, and she happily followed behind him as he unlatched the gate to the arena, making sure it was latched securely behind him. Taking Clark’s hand, the two of them made their way to the barns. It really was different from Copperpond, but that was to be expected. This was a carriage business and boarding stable, while theirs was focused on racing. Lindsey was excited to see it, and though he didn’t show much, Clark was looking forward to it as well.

[Lahja Morgan]

Much to her delight, Lahja had found that she enjoyed giving the dressage lessons even more than she had anticipated. It was a new challenge, which was something she always appreciated, and it gave her a truly unique opportunity to be able to watch her horses being worked while at the same time helping with the development of another person. That fact that she got along very well with Connor and that he was proving to be a quick and attentive student certainly added to the factor. The decision to move him on from the relatively unfit and out of practice Aliyana to the far more experienced and challenging Peer was not one she had taken lightly. Peer was a serious competition mount with world-class potential and working many levels higher than Connor currently was, but Lahja had been confident that Connor would be able to handle him, and that Peer would be a good spring-board to really push Connor forward. So far, it seemed to have been working really well.

Today Lahja had been working on introducing Connor to extended trot, which thankfully was one of Peer's specialities. Their lesson finished on a high note, and as Connor halted in the centre Lahja walked over and gave Peer's neck a rub. “Great job, you two are getting along really well! I'm going to go and give out the feeds. I'll leave Peer's outside his stall; can you give him his once you've finished?” Once Connor confirmed that he would, Lahja gave him a soft smile and petted Peer's neck before letting herself out of the arena and heading over to the feed shed.

On her way there she passed by Jessica, who was using a wheelbarrow to take a bale of hay up to the broodmare paddock. With all the foals now on the ground the mares were eating a lot more than usual, and keeping their grazing supplemented with hay and root veg was a pretty much constant chore. Lahja gave Jessica a smile as they passed. “Would you mind giving Aave a check for me, please? She was being a bit grumpy when her foal was feeding yesterday; just make sure she has settled down today.” Lahja wasn't too worried about the situation. Aave was always temperamental and she was probably just having an off day, but it never hurt to keep a close eye on these things.

The warm, earthy aromas of the feed shed had always been among Lahja's favourite smells, and she took a moment to indulge before getting to work making the horses lunches. At this time of day most of them just had a little chaff and some carrots alongside their hay, but the carriage and competition horses in heavier work got grains as well to help keep their energy levels and condition up. Mixing up the feeds was always relaxing, and Lahja was in a good mood as she stacked up the buckets onto a cart and headed out to the barns. The horses in the main barn were first, with Lahja leaving Peer's bucket outside his stall as she said she would, then she fed the horses in the smaller barn before heading up to the fenced-off barn by the house to feed the stallions.

As always all the boys immediately started devouring their lunch, except for Coyotl. The Black Forest Horse whinnied loudly, ignoring his food until Lahja had spent a good ten minutes scratching his neck and fussing him. He had always had such a sweet personality and adored people, and Lahja knew that no matter how much she was offered, he had a forever home with her. Eventually though the lure of the carrots became too much and he ducked his head into his stall to eat, and Lahja chuckled and rolled her eyes before heading back down to the main barn, cart in tow, knowing most of the horses would have finished by the time she got there so she could collect their now empty buckets.

As she approached the barn Lahja caught sight of Connor coming out of it, with two people in tow that could only be his parents. Lahja tucked the cart to the side out of the way and walked over to them, holding out her hand in greeting and fixing them with a bright smile. “Hello! You must be Mr and Mrs Anderson. I'm Lahja, and it's a pleasure to meet you both finally. Welcome to Montadale.”

[Connor Anderson]

Growing up with little in the way of official riding lessons, Connor had learned a lot from his parents and brother. His father in particular could be a tough teacher, but he had a critical eye and a wealth of knowledge that came from years of experience. Clark had also helped a great deal when it came to retraining Sona as a pleasure horse rather than a racer. Yes, Connor’s father often tired of the gelding’s antics, but like his son, they also made him determined to get the horse to learn. Though Connor had gone through endless hours of unofficial lessons on his pony, Flynn, and many more on the backs of young Thoroughbreds, but these lessons with Lahja were different. When she had moved him to working with Peer, he had been somewhat uncertain, but also excited. Psyren seemed to have sparked a real appreciation for Friesians, especially after exercising her under saddle when Lahja had been away. Now he had Peer, and so far they seemed to be doing well together. The gelding was the right mix of experience and challenge, and Connor really felt like he was learning with him.

“Thank you, Lahja,” Connor said with a shy smile, ducking his head slightly in embarrassment. “You’re a good teacher.” As for the feed, he nodded. “Yeah, when we’re done I’ll make sure he’s cool and brush him out while he eats.” Looking after Peer after his lesson was only to be expected, and he didn’t mind spending some extra time with the gelding.

Of course, he was also excited to see his parents. As he led Peer to his barn, he listened to his mother’s excited chatter as they crossed the farm, smiling to himself. His mother had always been enthusiastic and bright, which tended to balance out his father’s quiet, more serious nature.

“How’s Sona been doing?” This time the question came from his father, not his mother. Connor glanced back as they reached Peer’s stall.

“He’s good, Dad. Really good. He’s getting lots of exercise, and he seems pretty happy. He made some friends, too.” Sona spent a lot of time in the pasture playing and running with similarly minded horses, still very much just a colt at heart.

“We’ll have to see him before we go, won’t we Clark?” Lindsey smiled brightly at an offered muzzle in the next stall, happy to stroke it. “It’s funny, it’s been really quiet without him causing any trouble at home. He’s not scaring clients off anymore, at least.” As Connor led Peer inside his stall and began to untack him, he rolled his eyes slightly.

“He didn’t scare away that many people, Mom.” A few, maybe, from acting like a crazed maniac, bucking and showing off merrily when guests were touring the farm. But not a lot. Really.

Connor carefully brushed out Peer’s sleek black coat after bringing in his bucket, glad to look after the handsome gelding. Peer seemed content enough as he was groomed, occasionally leaning this way or that to get into the brush. By the time he was done eating his coat was glowing, and Connor was proud of his work. Taking the bucket, he figured the least he could do was return it to the feed room for Lahja. “Okay, we can go see the rest now. And see if we can find Miss Morgan.” His manners had returned mostly for his parents’ sake.

Thankfully, they didn’t have to go far. Connor smiled brightly when he caught sight of Lahja, and it only grew when she introduced herself. Lindsey was quick to meet the handshake, grinning back at her. “Hello Lahja! Yes, I’m Lindsey and this is Clark. It’s wonderful to meet you. We’re heard so much about you and your horses from Connor.” Beside her, Clark also shook Lahja’s hand, nodding in greeting and quietly echoing his wife’s sentiments. Connor held up the bucket from Peer’s stall to show Lahja.

“Peer’s done, and brushed out. He’s just in his stall.” Lindsey glanced down proudly at her son before looking back up at Lahja.

“We had no idea Connor was interested in dressage, but he looked really good doing it. He said you ride dressage yourself?” Lindsey had done some jumping when she was younger, but like many in the area, she had been drawn more to racing, and now only rode for pleasure. The track was for her boys, not for her.

[Lahja Morgan]

Lahja had always taken great pride in the way she ran her business, and especially the way she handled her people. She set her standards incredibly high and expected people to work to them to the best of their ability, but she was always quick to reward when those standards were met. That didn't matter whether they were her longest serving staff member or her newest temporary part-time assistant. She prided herself on being firm but fair, and it was something that had very much worked out for her. Lunches and chatting with friends and the like could wait until after the scheduled chores were done.

Of course Lahja knew that Connor would tend to Peer as he was asked to. Whether Connor was scheduled to work or not, if the horses were worked they had to get their after-care. Besides, it would give Connor a better chance to connect with Peer outside of the arena, which was essential if the pair were going to develop any kind of real working relationship, however temporarily that might last. Peer was up for sale after all and, no matter how difficult it may be at the time, eventually someone would take him home with them and Connor would be moved onto a different mount for his lessons. Lahja wasn't quite sure yet who that would be but there was still time to figure that out. New owners for high-band horses didn't come along every day, but they did always come along eventually.

Lahja met Lindsey's smile with a bright one of her own, shaking Connor's mothers hand first and then his father's. They both seemed pleasant enough people at least, which was a very welcoming revelation. The build-up to today had brought Lahja a little uncertainty and anxiousness. Of course she met people all the time and having people look around the farm didn't bother her in the slightest, but Connor had grown to become one of the most able student workers she'd ever had the privilege to work with. There was a small part of her that worried that Lindsey and Clark would not approve of something and would stop Connor from working at the farm, and that would be a real shame.

“I have heard many stories about yourselves too. I admit that racing has always been a bit foreign to me, but Connor has been teaching me.” She smiled fondly at the boy before returning her gaze to the parents. “I've watched a few races recently, watched your team running. They're all very impressive, you must be incredibly proud.”

When Connor announced the Peer was settled down after the ride, Lahja gave him a nod and a smile. “Thank you. You did really well on him today. You just need to practice keeping your hands lifted a little; you don't need to brace on him like you do Sona.”

As Lindsey spoke Lahja looked to her, smiling softly. “He is coming along very quickly.” At the question, she nodded. “I do, yes. Driving is my business but dressage is my passion. I would be very glad to introduce you to the team if you would be interested. In the meantime, however, I'd be happy to leave you to get reacquainted, if you'd like.”

[Connor Anderson]

Connor’s parents would agree wholeheartedly with how Lahja managed her staff. They managed their own fairly similarly, rewarding them well for a job well done. It wasn’t uncommon for many of their staff members to attend a big race together, because in their minds, they were a team. Their horses wouldn’t race well if they weren’t well looked after. There wasn’t much turn over when it came to their long-term staffers. Their summer students were another story, as most of them just seemed to want to play with horses, not clean stalls or wash tack and blankets. But from what they’d heard from Connor, it seemed like Lahja managed similarly, and there was absolutely nothing to complain about there.

Connor liked the time he spent with the horses – from the carriage horses to Sona to Peer – on the ground versus working with them. It gave him a real chance to bond with and get to know them. He’d learned so many of their little quirks, just like he knew the horses back home, and he was happy to get to know Peer too. He liked the gelding, and respected him in a different way he respected Sona. Sona’s respect was born more out of the fact that he realized the gelding could have a spaz moment and actually hurt him, so he was generally cautious with him. But Peer was a whole other level of horse, and his training and manners deserved respect. He would be sad too when the gelding was sold, so he was making the most of his time training with him.

Despite Clark’s critical eye, neither him nor Lindsey had seen anything so far to indicate that they should pull Connor from his job. He seemed to love it, and respect Lahja herself, which had been good enough for them from a distance. Now they’d both seen the place firsthand, they were impressed. Especially when Lahja mentioned watching a few of their races. Even Clark cracked a proud smile – something that made Connor do a double take for a moment. Lindsey looked proudly at her son. “Thank you! We’re always proud of the horses, whether they place well or not. Clark is a great trainer, so it’s mostly due to him that they’re so good.” At his wife’s praise, Clark flushed a little.

“It’s not just me. It’s everyone’s hard work that goes into those horses. Training them doesn’t always help. The foundation needs to be there for them to flourish.” Case and point, Solar Flare. He may have had the right start, but the gelding just hadn’t been wired right to be happy as a racer. At least he’d found a happier place with Connor. As feisty as the gelding could be, he’d watched him grow from a firey colt to an unpredictable two year old to a moderately settled adult. Connor’s hard work had really paid off.

Under Lahja’s praise, Connor’s face also colored much like his father’s tended to. “Thank you Lahja,” he said in an almost shy tone. “I’ll try on the next lesson. I’m kind of used to having to brace. It’s weird to not have to.” He was determined to be a good student, and always listened to Lahja’s advice. One day he’d come out of a lesson without any mistakes. ... Hopefully.

Lindsey was so proud of her son and how far he had come. Connor had always been smart, and now he was proving it. “We’d love to see the team.” Glancing down at Connor, she gently laid a hand on his shoulder. “We did a bit of catching up already, and we’re taking him out tonight with his girlfriend. We don’t want to monopolize more of your time than necessary. Farms are busy, that we know.” Under his mother’s touch, Connor nodded his agreement.

“I told them about lots of the horses. Mostly Psyren, though.” That mare would forever be his favorite of Lahja’s crew.

[Lahja Morgan]

Running a business involving animals always commanded so many more levels of control than ones without, Lahja had found. If a trainee mechanic put in the wrong fuel the worst that was likely to happen would be an engine running badly, but if a trainee groom put the wrong feed to a horse it could result in a colic attack and even the death of the horse. The high standards weren't just there for appearances sake, they were necessary for the health and safety of everyone, human and equine alike. Lahja certainly ran a tight ship, but not only would she not have it any other way, it couldn't be any other way without becoming both unpleasant and dangerous.

Lahja listened patiently as Lindsey and Clark spoke. While she was a little familiar with some aspects of horse racing through the Standardbred's she had bought from auctions to join her team, beyond the basics it was like a whole other world to her. She could appreciate a carefully bred Thoroughbred but the intricacies of the sport were beyond her knowledge. Though Connor had been teaching her bits and pieces when she had a question about a particular ruling or bloodline she was still in no way an expert.

At Clark's assessment that training alone was not enough for a horse to flourish, Lahja gave an understanding nod. “I couldn't agree more. It's okay having the physical work there, but if the grooms and breeders and everyone else aren't behind the horses, they have no chance.” It was a philosophy Lahja very much believed in, and it was why she was always quick to reward her staff when they did well. It didn't matter how well she could ride or drive her horses; she would never be able to achieve anything if she didn't have her staff behind her every step of the way. That went for her assistant manager right through to the part time staff like Connor and Clement. “Your horses are always a pleasure to watch run, though. They always seem so much more settled and better adjusted than many of the others.”

Connor's blushing and shy tone warmed Lahja's heart to see, and she smiled softly at him. “I know, and I know you're trying. You are definitely getting better each time, I can see the improvements. You just need to learn to relax a little, I think. Peer will look after you.” Although the Friesian could be a little strong and determined he was always such a careful and patient ride, and it had been a real joy watching Connor learning under Peer's expert care. It really would be a shame when Connor and the gelding had to part ways but, sadly, that was always one of the drawbacks of the business.

As Lindsey mentioned about them going to dinner later and not wanting to take up more of Lahja's time than necessary, Lahja gave a polite smile. “It is forever busy, but I can spare some time easily if you'd like to spend a little while here. There's no events today so there's no rush for me to be gone.” While there was always more chores to be done than there were hours in the day to do them, the last thing Lahja wanted to do was rush them away after they had come so far. When Connor mentioned talking mostly about Psyren, Lahja chuckled. “I'm not at all surprised; you two have become quite attached. Shall we go and see her first, then? She's out in the side paddock with Wiley, Matome and Neo” Lahja said, indicating for Connor to lead the way.

[Connor Anderson]

Connor had been watching his parents run the farm since he was in diapers. He understood better than most students how things worked behind the scenes. It was one thing to watch and admire racehorses at the track, but entirely another to see how they got there in the first place. So much planning and care went into their breeding, training, and maintenance. He’d been around other owners and trainers when accompanying his parents to racetracks with their horses, and he knew that not everyone kept high standards. But he was happy his parents did, as did Lahja. Her standards had been easy to adapt to, as they were fairly familiar to him.

Despite his outward appearance, Clark was impressed. Lindsey was expressing it quite well for the both of them, which wasn’t unusual. Lindsey had more enthusiasm for life, the universe, and practically everything in one hand than most had in their entire bodies. But he loved her for it, and it worked for them. “I’m glad you agree. Not everyone does.” Too many times he’d seen trainers with no support pushing their horses for all that they were worth and beyond until they broke. It wasn’t a pleasant aspect of racing, but it happened. Thankfully, there were far more good than bad trainers out there. As for the compliments on their horses, he cracked a smile. “Thank you. We work hard to help them cope with the noises and sights of the track before they set foot on one.” A spooking horse was a dangerous one, and though sometimes there was nothing that could be done about it, most of the time the ones being skittish on the track were the ones not ready. “We have good lines, too. Anyone can breed a speed horse, but it also takes stamina, and a good head on their shoulders to win. Speed and stamina mean little when the horse can’t handle himself.” He was endlessly proud of the lines they had built, and was excited to see what their new stud could do to improve them.

Lindsey was pleased that Clark was actually participating in the conversation, rather than sinking into his usual quiet nature. She was just as pleased with Lahja’s clear affection for her son. She’d worried about him working at first, but now that worry had vanished entirely. Lahja was clearly a good woman. Connor smiled at the praise and nodded. “Thank you,” he said again, his tone still soft. “I like riding Peer. He’s so different from Sona in a good way.” He really would be sad to see the Friesian go once he was sold.

The idea of spending time at the farm, especially with Lahja to guide them, made Connor happy. He wanted his parents to see how nice she was, and how amazing Montadale was. With the mention of seeing Psyren, he nodded in excitement. “Yeah!” Lindsey had to laugh at her son’s enthusiasm as well. She’d heard a lot about the Friesian mare, and was very okay with following her eager son.