Hooves thunder the Heart
Chapter 1 Poison Ivy
"Ladies and Gentlemen please put your hands together for the brilliant Tifa Lockhart and Indi" the voice boomed from over head as his voice faded out the music blared and Tifa Lockhart entered the arena cantering bareback to the centre of the arena before bringing the beautiful appaloosa to a halt then getting the Indi to rear and the famous Tifa Lockhart began another award winning performance, she was the star of the show, the best all round rider that Gaia had seen in years since the loss of the great Odin knight. The routine began its finale with her signature bow and 'stair' move. As she and Indi moved to the centre of the arena once more several horses had been released into the arena ranging in height and after a tiny gesture all but one, the little Shetland pony known as Lucky lined up. Tifa chased the little pony around a little bit and worked the crowd until she turned her back on the little pony and Lucky stopped dead facing her looking for attention. Little Lucky then made his way to the largest horse known as the Beast where Tifa had already vaulted herself on, she asked him to bow just as Lucky had taken his position as the Beasts legs. Once the horse had bowed Tifa and Lucky raced each other to the end of the line with Lucky just beaten her as she stepped onto his back then after asking him to bow she summer saluted off his back and all the horses in the line up bowed as the audience went wild as the horses finished their part in the routine by lying down and all of them acting like they were asleep. She bowed once in the light from the overhead spotlight as the audience began one last round of applause before the light went out and everyone got the horses out. Tifa Lockhart did have away with horses well until.
The manager of the Show Rufus Shinra was waiting at the arena entrance/exit his hands folded over his chest as Tifa approached with Indi following behind without the use of a head collar. Indi stopped just behind Tifa as she paused by Rufus Side.
"Well done again Tifa you brought the house to their feet once again" Rufus chirped Tifa nodded and tried to sidestep him, he was the only part of this job she hated after all he did nothing but hit on her.
"Tifa we have just had a load of horses arrive tomorrow I would like you to start training them for the show, they are going through the medical checks at the minute but by morning I want tack found and fitted and then they all must exercise I'll issue you with a list in the morning of which ones you will take under your wing" Rufus explained.
"Alright I'll put Indi to bed then is it alright I check on the new arrivals I would like to see what ones will work in my part of the show" Tifa replied
"Fine whatever just don't get in the vets way" Rufus said stepping aside to let Tifa and Indi past.
After putting Indi to bed and making sure he would have enough haylage to last the night Tifa made her way to the tie up where the new arrivals where all lined up as the onsite vets worked on the horses. Immediately Tifa's eyes fell on the on the horse furthest from her, a stunning black mare with a white stocking and two with socks as she got closer she noticed the mare had a white blaze that had was slightly skew whiff and covered her eye which Tifa noticed as she made her way into the stall that the eye the blaze covered was indeed a wall eye. The mare was stunning and with its beauty Tifa was sure she was going to be a fine addition to her team and after a quick check over of the other horses, she left then to make a formal request for the horse.
The following morning she got her wish, a new stable boy she remember seeing the night before briefly was in the large indoor school with the black mare tacked up and by his side. "How was she getting her ready?" Tifa inquired
"Ivy was really good well behaved, picked up her feet when I asked, no fuss when I put her bridle on and adjusted it" The blonde hair man replied
"Good" Tifa muttered then got to work adjusting her stirrups and tighten her girth.
"Ready?" the boy asked
"Yeah can you give me a leg up then will you please just hang about just in case" Tifa replied she turned and got a proper look at the stable boy and recognition flashed in her eyes she was sure she had seen this boy before.
"Um what's your name" Tifa asked as she centred herself in the saddle.
"Cloud Strife, it's nice to finally meet you Tifa Lockhart" Cloud said and again recognition flashed in her eyes. She was sure she had seen him before but she had no time to be thinking of this handsome man right now she had a job to do. Cloud moved back and took a seat at the mounting block.
"Right Ivy time to ride" she whispered as she gave the horse a gentle squeeze with her leg and Ivy bronked and then took off down the school, suddenly Ivy stopped dead in her tracks and reared, Tifa stayed seated and when Ivy's front hooves hit the floor, Tifa kicked the horse on but it just made the horse go backward toward the kickboard, Tifa let out her rein and Cloud had already began to move towards Tifa and the naughty Ivy. With a loose rein Tifa gave Ivy another nudge forward but again she just went backwards, so Tifa had no choice. "Cloud can you bring me a stick please" she asked she never liked to use sticks but this horse had to be corrected that was the only time she would use a stick if they needed to be corrected. Cloud reached her, Ivy clamed and he handed the stick to Tifa and quickly withdrew, Ivy snorted, Tifa tried again with her leg but got the same result, so taking up the rein in one hand she reached round with her inside hand and gave a tap up with the stick, Ivy bucked then and for the first time in a long time Tifa was unseated and as Ivy took off Tifa found herself on the deck. Ivy careered towards Cloud coming to a stop in front of the mountain block snorting and huffing as Ivy stared at Cloud. Cloud took the reins and lead Ivy back over to Tifa, Tifa was still on the ground her hand clutching her ankle.
"You alright?" Cloud asked offering her his hand
"I think I twisted my ankle can you help me get to the block" Tifa replied. Cloud helped her up and slowly they made their way to the block, Ivy was still snorting at Tifa and as they reached the block, Aerith one of Tifa's friends and riding partners waltzed over as she saw the limp Tifa was walking with.
"Hey what happened here?" Aerith cried running over to the school
"Fell off Ivy here she unseated me in a buck" Tifa answered
"Tifa Lockhart being unseated in a buck, I think you're losing your touch" Aerith laughed lightly.
"Maybe" Tifa giggled a little
"Cloud will you take Ivy back to her stable" Tifa said as Aerith helped out and lead her to the closest rider's room.
Cloud stood in the riding school keeping his eyes on the girl that had just hurt her ankle riding the horse that stood by his side, Ivy pushed her nose into his back so Cloud ran his hand along her neck and then he really just wanted to ride her regardless of what he had just witnessed, he used to ride when he was younger when he would visit his aunt and would ride under her instruction and he had become rather good but it had been some time since he had last been on a horse after the lost of his aunt two years ago he hadn't had a chance to ride and with him standing there by a beautiful black mare that reminded him in not so many ways of the pony he was taught on he couldn't pass up the opportunity to ride a horse like this, so without thinking he adjusted the stirrups and boosted himself on board. Ivy stood at a halt as Cloud adjusted the girth and gathered up his reins. Cautiously Cloud gave a gentle squeeze with his leg and Ivy took a step forward towards the track so Cloud squeezed again and Ivy kept moving forward. Cloud worked Ivy just in walk for a little while working on a few basic school movements, circles, serpentines and figures of eight before he attempted moving her up into trot, Ivy 's trot was a little rocky at first but once he got into the rhythm of the trot it didn't think he would be flying out the saddle anytime soon he repeated the same exercises he did in walk with her and by the time he brought Ivy back to walk and let her cool off Ivy was sweating. Cloud had no idea that Rufus and Tifa's trainer had been witness the whole thing from the viewing booth that sat almost above the riding ring and they were impressed they had seen their best rider not able to get the horse to do the most basic of things but a novice that didn't even have a riding hat on had tamed the beast and already the wheels in Rufus mind had began to turn.