Canni was quite surprised to meet the newcomer to the Outskirt Stable. His unusual clothing was the first indication that Chesty was an outsider in the lands that she had grown up in. Yet another distinct observation was the pair of round ears that he sported. Such features were restricted to rural folk living in the heart of the Faron region. Such people, called Ordonians, were apparently keen to keep to themselves, not unlike the Zoras to the east.
His demeanor was uncertain, and his body was drenched in sweat. Apparently the rampant perspiration was from a manual task that Embry ordered him to do as a test. Such a practice was not uncommon, even for experienced stable hands who were merely looking for work in a new environment, but she could only imagine the strenuous nature of the labor Embry had tasked the peculiar stranger.
"Canni, this here is Chesty. He's looking to do some work at our stable, so I trust you to instruct him in everything he'll need to know as a new stable hand." Embry ordered. "If he asks a question, you be sure to answer him, unless it's something only I would know."
"Yes sir." Canni answered. "Umm, where should I start?"
"You've already taken care of the morning feed right?"
"That's right, sir."
"Then just take him along with everything else you're going to do throughout the day. Don't be afraid to take your time. I suspect we'll have a slow day today." Embry said. "I'll be back at the front desk if you need me."
With the initial introduction concluded, Embry trundled around the stable, leaving the two adults alone.
Chesty could now plainly see the woman in charge of being his senior partner in understanding his duties. She had fair skin, black hair, dull green eyes, and a small nose. Her thin lips drew into a friendly smile as she extended a gloved hand towards him.
"Name's Canni. Nice to meet ya!"
"My name's Vernon, though I prefer my middle name, Chesty." The young man replied as he shook Canni's hand firmly.
"Well, no need to beat around the bush. Let's get ya acquainted with dealing with horses." Canni instructed as she turned towards the horse pens. "You ever ride a horse before?"
"I was a little boy back then. My lessons didn't carry over to adulthood."
"Then let's start from the top."
The following days saw Chesty learning various tricks of the trade as a new stable hand. Every morning, he, Canni, and another young man named Trott fed the horses, cleaned the pens, brushed the horses' manes, and ran through the steps to properly saddle the beasts. After four days of Canni's tutorship, Chesty was able to carefully take care of the horses that were owned by travelers that occasionally dropped by the Outskirt Stable.
All of the travelers were Hylians of various ages and purposes. Some were humble explorers, using the chance to grow through the struggle of living in the wilderness. Other guests of the inn were merchants selling various wares, from arrows to ingredients for meals. The latter goods were frequently purchased on Embry's initiative.
One such individual was named Beedle. He was an unusual man, with a high pitched voice, an oblong nose, and beady eyes which looked the slightest bit further apart than the average person. To Chesty, he was an eccentric, but he was good mannered, and clearly sought good deals for himself and his customers.
Chesty had purchased a proper wallet from him, as well as a few proper arrows. Their heads were made of hardened steel, and their fletching was excellent. In a land with unknown dangers, it only made sense that he keep a good stock of ammunition just in case.
The benefits of serving as a stable hand in the employment of the Epona Company was that housing and meals were free. Although the food was nothing extraordinary, and the beds were hardly luxurious, Chesty felt quite content to not sleep on the cold, hard ground. Without needing to spend money on rent and groceries, he was content to gather and save money, mainly in the form of twenty rupees a day. Each crimson gem, smaller than the digit of a finger, was kept in his new wallet, which he secured in his backpack. As he had already exchanged the necessary money to Embry for a map, he spent days on end thinking of how to spend and manage the funds for the future.
Each day allowed Chesty to acquire or build on his newly earned skills as a stable hand. Roughly a week after first arriving in Hyrule, he was secure in all that mattered. However, the former soldier had much to learn, and as much as he body ached with the labor he performed, he at least had a bed to turn in to after the job was done.
Chesty awoke bright and early. The Sun had not quite risen, but the young man resisted the urge to simply stay in bed and rest his eyes. He rose to his feet, a plain, cotton shirt and wool pants being his sleepwear, courtesy of Embry. He walked out back with bare feet, where he was safe from the risk of stepping in animal droppings, and drew up a bucket from a well behind the stable.
The water was used for almost every need imaginable, from cooking to washing. However, Chesty preferred to take his canteen down to the nearby river, to fill it up. He would then, to the confusion of many, boil the water and cool it before consuming. Although he was in a new land, he did not forget the survival lessons taught to him by his grandfather and encouraged during his service in the military. Moving water where fish happily swam in was likely to be fresher and with fewer contaminants than a well with potentially dubious quality.
As for why Chesty used the well water in the morning, it was mostly for cleaning himself. He could not wash himself in a shower, so he instead grabbed a clean cloth and soaked it in the bucket. With as much speed as was possible, he would wipe every inch of his body underneath his clothes. This system was surprisingly effective. Although he still had some body odor, it was not so overwhelming, and he felt better working the stable when he felt somewhat refreshed. Once the wipe-down was completed, he would deposit the cloth in the laundry basket to be washed and dried later by Myti.
Next, he returned to the stable to put on his uniform, composed of trousers, gloves, wool socks, leather boots, a vest, and a bork hat like Embry and the rest. Mornings consisted of a rotation of duties. The horses and donkeys under the Outskirt Stable's care would be taken out for some grazing. At least two people would watch over the beasts while two others cleaned the stables and refilled the water troughs. Hay would be redistributed where it was needed, and tools would be taken out for further care of the horses.
Two horses on average would be given hoof trims and new shoes. Putting on horseshoes proved to be a difficult and tedious activity, but Canni and the others showed understanding and patience when instructing Chesty in the skill. By two weeks, he could comfortably trim overgrown hooves and file them down to appropriate size. Success could vary from horse to horse, but Chesty would prove more skilled at this than Trott, a coworker with a rather anemic metabolism.
Every mount would be given a brush down and an overall check up to ensure they were healthy. So far, not one of the creatures in the Outskirt Stables had suffered any undue ailment, but life was full of chances.
Chesty's tenure as a stable hand taught him many things about the stable and its workers. Embry was the consummate professional and leader. He constantly kept an eye on the stable's supplies and was prompt in ordering more when shortages looked increasingly likely. Although hardly extrovert, he was a considerate and reliable man.
Myti was as motherly a figure as could be expected. She constantly gave friendly greetings to the weary traveler. Outside of the usual duties she had to perform at the stable, she was a reliable informer of what directions to take as a traveler. Myti would happily explain specific places on the map which Chesty had purchased, even giving advice on which regions to avoid for the sake of safety. Out of everyone who worked at the Outskirt Stables, Myti was the most likely to give verbal praise to Chesty's improving skills, which the latter greatly appreciated.
She and her husband Embry had a single daughter, a rosy cheeked five year old named Haite, who was almost the spitting image of her mother. It was apparently common for stable workers to pass on skills and employment down to their children, to the point where Haite, who was but a girl more concerned with play than work, wore a miniature equivalent of her mother's outfit. She usually ran about the entire stable, content to ignore Chesty as another boring grown up.
Trott was a quiet man with an unusual appetite for gourmet meat. His work ethic was consistent, but a bit on the slow side. Little else could be said about him, aside from his dietary quirk. Otherwise, he was generally reliable, even if his cravings became a matter of amusement to the others.
Toffa was Canni's grandfather and the eldest of the workers at the stable. In his mid eighties, he wore his life experiences on his face. His weathered face, covered partially with a shaggy little beard and a paint brush mustache, was pink from years of wind swept days south of central Hyrule, where he originally grew up. His cavernous eyes lit up whenever he recalled memories and tales from a bygone age.
Rather appropriately, he was descended from a long line of skilled stable hands. Frequently, he was tasked with giving physical examinations of the horses to ensure they were not suffering from injuries, parasites, or diseases in general. No one knew the well being of equine companions like Toffa did, although his granddaughter Canni was quick to learn such relevant information.
One day, the old man took Chesty aside to give him a run down of things to look for in a horse to ensure they were healthy. In this case, an explorer had dropped off a tawny stallion while he arranged for sleeping arrangements and borrowed the outdoor cooking pot to fix an afternoon meal. It was to be a stand-in for a typical horse, providing a standard under which all horses were to be examined and judged.
"Young Chesty, I think it essential that I lend you the secrets to keeping your horse in prime condition."
"Mr. Toffa," Chesty pointed out, "I don't have a horse."
"Not yet, you don't." Toffa corrected with a wrinkly smirk. "If you intend on traveling this land, a horse is about as essential as a canteen with water and a wallet full of Rupees." He gave Chesty a pointed look in the eye, unswayed by any potential excuses. "You can't fool this old man. The stable is but a job for you to purchase the necessary supplies for your journey."
Chesty gave an abashed face, averting his gaze. "Well..."
"It's nothing to be ashamed of. Plenty of Epona company stables have had turnovers. Many young folk like yourself are looking to find your own way in this vast world, and a life of being a stable hand is not for everyone." Toffa assured him. "All the same, I encourage you to pay attention. What I tell you could mean the difference between your horse serving you well for years to come, and having your steed lose its life to some preventable sickness."
The two men approached the newly admitted tawny horse. It was approximately fourteen hands tall, and it was clearly accustomed to human interaction.
"From the top, it is essential that you give your horse the chance to graze on grass and drink from sources of fresh water. They need those things to survive, and from the look of things, this horse has had all of his basic needs covered." Toffa began his explanation.
Indeed, the horse's coat was shiny, and not a single protrusion of bone could be seen as a result of starvation. It's ears were erect, and the stallion had no trouble keeping its head lifted.
"Let me ask you, Chesty: what is another essential thing for your horse to have?"
"Horse shoes?"
"Correct!" Toffa pointed to a wooden box filled with various farrier's tools, namely clippers and a large file as long as a person's forearm. "Get those pieces of gear over here, in case we need to get this boy's hooves trimmed."
It was a simple matter to get the tools so they were close at hand, Toffa then carefully lifted the stallion's right front hoof, revealing a round foot that was completely packed in with dark soil. There were no horseshoes to speak of.
"Looks like this fella could use a trim. Canni!"
His granddaughter immediately jogged up to the two men. "Yes, Papaw?"
"This new arrival could use a trim, and I'm too old to put my back in jeopardy for this job. Would you mind demonstrating how to trim a horse hoof?" Toffa requested.
"Certainly!"
Toffa gave a nod of appreciation. "Good. Make sure he can do it himself. Its a good skill, and if he decides to take up someplace else, he'll be a valuable asset." The old man then waddled off to inspect the other horses currently in the stables.
"So, you wanna know how to trim a horse hoof?" Canni asked Chesty.
"Your grandfather certainly thinks that would be useful, if I ever get on the road with my own horse and a stable isn't nearby." Chesty answered frankly.
"Okay then. Just watch how I do it."
Step by step, Canni gave a general description of the horse hoof and each external pet that could be named. The young woman bent over slightly as she grabbed the hoof from earlier and used her knees like a platform to hold up the ankle of the horse. Canni quickly showed off each relevant tool before scrapping away at the bottom of the hoof, removing dirt and other debris to reveal a pale underside where the sole and a v-shaped structure called a "frog."
"The frog helps to cushion the hoof when walking. That has to be cleared and trimmed to prevent injury or cracking of the hoof from too much leverage in the wrong area."
"I guess cleaning that part is essential." Chesty said, a grin growing on his face. "We ought to hop to it."
Canni snorted in a not so lady-like manner. "You've been taking joke lessons from Trott, haven't you."
"No, but I couldn't resist."
"Keep the jokes to yourself." She warned with a humored tone. "We've still got a hoof to trim."
After cleaning the frog, Canni grabbed a pair of clippers and steadily removed the edge of the nail. A near uniform horse shoe sized strip of keratin dropped to the muddy ground, and the stable's retriever, named Tori, snatched up the nail as a free snack.
Next, Canni grabbed the large hoof file and began to scrap away thin layers of hoof. The beveling made the hoof even, and just like that, the front right hoof was done.
"Now, it's your turn with the left hoof." Canni explained.
Chesty looked at the limb with uncertainty. He knew practically nothing of veterinary care, much less caring for a horse, but he knew that dithering on this duty would gain scorn, and he would rather not jeopardize his only source of income. He plucked up his courage, and walked around the front of the horse to try his luck with trimming.
"Wish me luck..."
"I'll be right here." Canni said assuringly.
It took two minutes to get the hoof properly supported between his knees. After that, Chesty erred on the side of caution, hoping not to harm the horse as a result of overconfident cleaning with a relatively sharp object.
Canni noticed this hesitation, but did not judge him for it. "I'm sure he appreciates your carefulness, but you can put a little bit more effort there."
"Maybe when I get used to it, I'll go as fast as you." Chesty grunted. Already, having his back bent to do even this modest work was beginning to put strain on his spine. Canni helped him move along, highlighting when to stop using a wide bladed knife.
Using the clippers on the nail was slightly easier. Towards the end, Canni helped him clip the very back portions of the hoof, so that the nail could fall off in a relatively smooth manner. The beveling portion of the hoof trim took the longest. Once again, Chesty held back from whittling down the sole and the nail as to not risk hurting the stallion under his care. Nevertheless, Canni was a patient teacher, and after another eight minutes of trying to get an even hoof, she deemed her male coworker's efforts serviceable.
"Congratulations. You just trimmed the front hoof of a horse." Canni patted Chesty on the shoulder as the stallion placed his left hoof back on solid ground.
"Thanks." Chesty groaned as he stood to his full height. His back did not appreciate the labor, and privately, he hoped that hoof trimming would be a relatively rare occurrence for him. "What's next?"
"The back hooves, of course!"
"Oh joy."
Canni gave a coy smile. "Let's get back to it."
Just as before, Canni serviced the left hoof as a demonstration. This time, a hoof Jack was used. It was a wooden stand with leather padding to support the back leg while it was being serviced. As a result, there no need for human muscle to support the foot. The general process was identical, with a clean, a trim, and a bevel to make the hoof best suited to support a horse and its weight on the road.
"Now to the back right hoof. It's your time to shine, Chesty."
"Wish me luck." He repeated, though his voice was a bit more certain.
This time, trimming the back hoof was somewhat easier. The use of a hoof jack to prop up the back limb made cleaning and trimming easier. Having a second go at the motions that Canni had demonstrated proved to be much smoother, and Canni commented little to correct her male colleague.
At last, the trimming was done.
"That was a pretty decent first try!" Canni exclaimed. "Now you know what to do if anyone requires that service."
"Are we putting horseshoes on this stallion?" Chesty asked.
"No. Those are surprisingly expensive. Only a few people can make them, and transport is difficult enough with all of the unattended pathways in Hyrule. A monthly trim or so is what we do as a result."
Chesty nodded in understanding. His back still ached, but he at least gained a new skill.
"Thanks, Canni."
"No problem. You should go see Papaw again. He'll probably run you through more stuff to look for when caring for a horse."
Without another word, Chesty met up with Toffa again, and the rest of the day was spent learning of various diseases and remedies to help horses in the unfortunate event that one of them became sick. When dinner time arrived, Chesty knew more about horses than he otherwise would have back home.
"You remember all the points me and Canni taught you, and you'll be all the more prepared for owning a steed of your own."
"Thanks, Toffa. I think I'll keep to this job for the time being. I still have a few more purchases to make before I decide to travel."
"That sounds quite wise. No need to rush headlong without the proper supplies. Where are you lookin' to go?"
"Home."
"And where might that be?"
"In relation to here?" Chesty paused, thinking back to seeing the map he had purchased out of pocket from Embry. Aside from the fact he could barely read the distinct text, not a single land mass or River was even vaguely recognizable to him. Though he did not reveal it, the discovery was a terrible blow to his moral.
"I'm not sure. The map is nothing like I've ever seen. Over a week ago, it was like I just popped up in a first clearing just north of here." Chesty sighed. "I'll figure it out on my own. Don't worry about me..."
Toffa stared at Chesty, his solid black pupils examining his younger compatriot with something akin to curiosity, and perhaps even pity. "Well, come sit by the fire and eat. Myti is making a poultry dish. You'll enjoy that."
That was one constant when serving as a stable hand. The food was surprisingly good, even when the means by which it was cooked where relatively antiquated.
Chesty let his worries melt away as he smelled cooked meat in the air. 'I'll have to ask Myti about the recipes she uses. They could be pretty damn useful...'