(D6 LA) A Late Lesson

[Ichiro Daisuke]

"Going straight seems to be easy enough." He seemed to have mostly perfected that during the earlier contest, well at least as far as he knew. "It's the turning and slowing down that I have trouble with."

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

This sounds familiar.

Yue ran her hand through her hair. "In order to stop the horse, riders often lift the reins up. However, Hikazume has been trained to respond to me shifting my weight back." She shrugged. "I do not often use the reins in combat."

[Ichiro Daisuke]

"Will she still respond to the reins then?" It might prove a problem if sh e didn't, and honestly he really didn't wish to be thrown. "I' can see where such training would be useful in combat though." Especially if he intended to use a bow mounted.

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

The Shinjo nodded. "I use the reins when I am not holding onto my tetsubo. She is a well-trained horse," she said with a bright smile. "It is a requirement for me to be able to use such techniques in combat."

[Ichiro Daisuke]

He wasn't sure if he would ever use a mount in combat, especially with his standings as they were. Still it might be nice to learn. "Alright then." He held the reins gently. "When should I start?"

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

"You may start whenever you wish, Daisuke-dono! If you wish to get her to walk, squeeze your calves together." Yue began to walk along, assuming that her steed would walk along soon enough.

[Ichiro Daisuke]

"Alright." He attempted to give the command a try, squeezing his calfs together in a attempt to get the beast to follow his lead. It seemed successful as well, as moments later Hikaru me started moving forward.

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

"Good!" Yue silently cheered for herself for not making a silly assumption by walking early. "If you want her to go faster, tap her on the side. You do not need to be too gentle, Daisuke-dono." She thought it needless to mention that he should not kick Hikazume with all of his might.

[Ichiro Daisuke]

He might be a Badger but he wasn't a animal, tapping the horse firmly he tried to increase his speed. Hopefully he wouldn't go too fast, he'd hate to be trapped on the back of a horse taking him to who knew where, especially when we couldn't turn.

"Like so?"

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

Hikazume entered a trot. She was not blasting off into the distance but it was easy for Yue to fall behind. "Good! You should try leaning in a direction. You do not need to lean too much. She will understand!"

[Ichiro Daisuke]

Lean? Okay easy enough. But how much was too much? "Leaning to the left then." He responded, perhaps in a effort to communicate with the horse his intentions. It didn'the help though as Daisuke leaned to far, cause the horse to turn perhaps a bit to sharply. Sending the Badger tumbling to the ground.

At least he managed to let go of the reins.

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

Are you serious? Again?!

Yue rushed over to the fallen Badger. "How are you? Do you need medical attention?" She retrieved her medical kit and held it out for him. "Did you take your foot out of the stirrup?"

Meanwhile, Hikazume grazed on the field, seemingly uncaring about another fallen man.

[Ichiro Daisuke]

"No." He groaned, rolling over into a sitting position. "Just a few bruises I think." He shook his head to clear it. "I might of taken my foot out of the stirrup?" It was as much a question as anything. "It all happened pretty quickly though, so I can't really say."

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

"Sou desu ka." She put away the pack and held out her hand. "You need to lean less, Daisuke-dono. It is a subtle change that tells Hikazume where you want to go."

[Ichiro Daisuke]

He stared at her hand for a moment somewhat unaccustomed to the gesture, but finally reached out a hand to take it. It would probably he thought of as rude if he didn't

"A subtle lean then." He repeated so he'd better remember. "I'll try and remember that."