Disclaimer: This is a wonderful work of fiction, I do not own SOA or anything related to it, I do however own Taru and her pretty, pretty ponies.

MUW D'Bellegirl: Thanks doll, that's something I needed to hear right now.

Lady Ramona: Thanks darling, I did like it to a degree but I try to aim for 1000 plus words, some chapters write themselves and others are as painful as pulling teeth.

Riding Lesson

=Taru's P.O.V=

"Morning Kerrianne"

She looked up and smiled as she entered the kitchen. "Morning"

I shifted my weight from foot to foot as I flipped over another page on the newspaper as I waited for the kettle to boil. "I've got to head to the stud and finish up some paperwork and check on some of the mares, you can stay with Gemma today if you want"

Kerrianne looked up and shook her head quickly. "No, its ok, I'll come with you"

I chuckled softly and glanced over at her. "You sure? It's going to be boring, mostly slogging through paddocks to check on the broodie's and taking care of left over paperwork I couldn't be fucked finishing yesterday," I ran over the date in my mind. "And I have to get Dev ready for tomorrow too"

"I'm sure" She said quickly.

I paused before nodding lightly and poured water into my mug as the kettle flicked off. "How come you don't want to stay with Gemma?"

She stayed quiet for a moment. "...She scares me"

"Hmm," I grinned softly. "She scares me too some days," She relaxed a bit and started for the fridge. "Have you ever worked with horses?"

Kerrianne looked over, a loaf of bread in her hand. "No, we live in the city and Jimmy would never let me, said it was too dangerous"

I couldn't help but laugh. "He's right it is dangerous," I folded the newspaper over and dumped it on the table as I sat down and flicked my laptop open. "But then again breathing is dangerous most days," I logged onto my emails and scanned through them before opening one from a Russian woman I'd been conversing with about a new stallion. "I can teach you some things if you want"

"Really?"

I glanced over my shoulder and nodded. "Sure, Duke needs some love anyway, I've been spending too much time pawing over Jess and her new foal since she was born," I ran my eyes over the email and couldn't help but smile. "Before I forget I've got a show to go to tomorrow," I twisted slightly to look at her again. "You can come with if you want"

"A horse show?"

I nodded squinting slightly to get a better look at the picture's I'd been emailed. "Yeah, inhand and under saddle," I glanced at the time and grabbed a scrap of paper quickly jotting down a 'to do' list. "I need to get Dev and Duke ready, I haven't had a chance to clean Dev up since he finished racing" I jotted down a note to get a sedative on the way to the stud, Duke was good with getting cleaned up and ready for the ring but Dev, Dev hated the clippers and I would undoubtedly need them to trim him up properly.

"You don't mind me coming with you?"

I glanced over and gave her a smile. "Of course not, I could always do with a hand at shows but most people don't trust Dev, even though he acts like a complete gentleman"

"Why don't they trust him?"

"He's a stallion and a thoroughbred to boot, most stallions are aggressive when they're faced with the prospect of lots of mares and quite a few thoroughbreds are nut bars and a half," I chuckled softly. "I've worked with Dev since he was six months old, he was dangerous at one point in his life but he's as quiet as a lamb now" I finished jotting out my list and tucked it into my wallet.

I wrapped my hoodie tighter around myself as we stepped into the small office building; Jenna was busy at her desk with some paperwork. "What the hell are you doing here? Isn't it your day off?"

She looked up in surprise. "I could say the same"

"I have paperwork to finish off and two horses to get ready for tomorrow"

"Likewise but I don't have horses to get ready"

"Go home and leave it for Monday"

She twisted her lips before sighing and giving a soft nod. "Alright, are you sure you don't want me to stay and do it?"

"I'm sure, now go"

She gathered her things after putting the paperwork away in a drawer and left. I shook my head lightly watching her go and started towards my office swapping my trainers for a set of old boots. "First things first, I need to go check on Jess and Lady then go see my boys" I grabbed a pack of marshmallows out of one of my drawers and started towards the old flat bed we used around the farm.

"This place is massive"

"Two hundred and fifty acres divided into three titles, two one hundred acre titles and a fifty acre," I said as I parked up by one of the paddocks, I slipped out and gave a sharp whistle, Jess' head came up and she gave a whinny before picking up a spirited trot towards us, her filly cantering at her side. "Just be careful of the fences," I motioned to the wires running across the tops of the wooden boards. "It's all hot wired to stop them chewing on them"

Kerrianne gave a nod and leant over the fence to stroke Jess's face; the mare lowered her head snorting softly and nuzzled her palm. "She's gorgeous"

I smiled brightly. "If you like her now wait until you see her in the dressage arena, she moves like a dream"

The filly beside her snorted and nickered softly keeping close to her mother's side before taking a brave step towards Kerrianne, she reached out stretching her neck and nudged her hand before jumping back and giving a loud whinny.

"It's alright Lady" I stroked her face gently calming her and checked both mare and foal over closely before giving Jess a handful of grain, the other broodmare's in her paddock becoming more interested in us when they heard the rustle of the bag.

Jess snorted pinning her ears back and lashed out at the closest mare nipping her on the neck as she encroached on her personal space, both mares gave a squeal and several others gave a snort as they backed out of range of Jess's hooves, she was after all the dominate mare in the paddock and loved to tell others off when they got too close and started to jostle her and her foal.

"Come on, I've got to get Dev and Duke ready and that'll be a mission and a half with a stallion who hates the sound of the clippers"

I stepped into the Stallion barn and started for the tack room to grab two halters before heading down to Dev and Duke's paddocks with Kerrianne in tow; I stopped to check on Rocky and frowned lightly at his cover being halfway across the paddock. "Stay here a minute," I slipped into the paddock and gathered the cover before starting towards Rocky, the bay stallion snorted softly and looked up, his coat matted and dirty from the rain that had poured over the night. "How in the hell you manage to keep getting this off by yourself is beyond me buddy" He whickered softly looking towards me as I threw the cover up over his back again and clipped it into place before straightening it out and buckling the front latches again and gave him a quick pat.

I watched both Dev and Duke amble towards us and waited at the gate for both of them to reach us.

"He's huge"

I looked to Dev and nodded. "Eighteen hands and as gentle as a lamb most days" I stroked his neck and tied the rope halter off before throwing the lead rope up over his neck and quickly slipped Duke's halter on and tied it off before nudging the gate open, Dev snorted letting his nose rest against my palm as we started up the raceway towards the stables.

I let them into their stalls and shut the doors over heading towards the feed room mixing up their breakfasts before tipping each bucket into their corner feeders as I pulled off their covers, Dev's sporting a nice rip down the side of it, half of its filling spilling out. "Hitto Dev, I only just bought this for you" I shook my head lightly and hung it up outside his stall before starting towards Duke's stall with his grooming kit.

I tugged off Duke's cover and hung it up outside his stall before motioning to him. "I can teach you to groom if you want"

"Really?"

I nodded. "You can ride him too if you want, he might be nearly thirty but he's a sweetheart who never puts a foot wrong"

"You'd teach me to ride?"

I nodded. "If you want to learn I'll teach you, I taught my niece to ride"

She smiled and nodded. "Alright," She reached out stroking Duke's face carefully. "But I don't have a helmet or anything"

I thought about it for a moment. "I should have some old boots and a helmet that should fit because trust me you don't want to ride without one," I chuckled softly. "Been there done that, still do it and I've suffered several concussions, cracked skulls and various other injuries," I waved my hand slightly. "Everything's in the truck, I'll go get them in a minute," I patted Duke's rump lightly. "First things first is grooming him," I handed her a brush and quickly set about picking out his hooves quickly. "Just brush with whichever way his coat is lying" I instructed as I grabbed another brush and started to brush the matted muddy fur on his legs.

I handed Kerrianne the helmet and boots waiting for her to put them on as I adjusted Duke's girth and the stirrup leathers. "I'll give you a leg up in a moment and adjust the leathers when you're sitting right," I motioned to the lunge line. "I'll keep you on the lunge for now until you feel comfortable on your own"

Kerrianne nodded as I adjusted the chin strap of her helmet and gave her a leg up into the saddle before readjusting the leathers to the right length for her. I gave Duke a scratch under his forelock and led them towards the arena. "First things first, heels down," I gripped her foot pulling her heel down slightly. "It'll help with your balance, next thing is a straight back and chin up," I grinned giving her a nod. "It's much easier than it looks when you get the hang of it"

I let the lunge out slowly as Duke kept a steady walk and couldn't help but smile as Kerrianne relaxed and began to move with Duke, she clutched at the strap fitted around his neck as she lost her balance slightly, Duke slowing to a halt allowing her to reseat herself and find her feet again. I smiled softly watching the two of them on the end of the lunge and tugged out my phone snapping a few pictures.

Hitto - Damn it

Happy Valentines to everyone, I'm feeling a bit better and I did promise another chap so here it is.