Day 3 Liberty - Anya and Razz

The first two days blew by and Anya was incredibly grateful to have most of the day off after their orienteering trip. The riders she had been with were a delight and sharing some cocoa and a nice dinner with them afterwards had been a wonderful wind down from the chilly ride. The third day had been thankfully far slower and Marcus opted to take care of Razz so she could have a small break after the last two. With a good lunch in her she finally stepped into the bustling stables to meet him.

Razz was excited to say the least, she could sense a fire in the young stallion as he whinnied at the sight of her. He bunted and nuzzled his head against her as she greeted him and entered the stall. “Hey buddy, I missed you too!” She laughed and gave him plenty of scritches. Once he was satisfied she fetched his grooming caddy and began to work through his mane, tail and coat. He had rolled the night before so she soon found herself picking shavings out of his silky hair. The motions were relaxing and spending time with Razz before their final debut was nice.

Around them was all sorts of noise but it was a calming background chatter of excited riders talking about tonight and the end results of the showcase. Who would get top placing, who had the best looking horses, what breeding stock was being advertised. Everything she heard was like any other show but all of it revolved around the beautiful Loshenka breed. She hadn’t been involved for long but this event had solidified both hers and Marcus’ interest in the breed. Any doubts they had about potentially breeding Cardamom and maybe even Razz someday disappeared as they spoke with fellow owners.

Gently she ran a fine comb through Razz’s mane and tail, picking out the last few shavings and pieces of hay. He let out a soft nicker and rubbed his head against her as she worked. A smile spread over her lips at how sweet her boy was, he broke every expectation for a stallion she had ever heard of. But he had also been raised and trained well and she was eternally grateful for that. Anya was among those who didn’t mind working with them, finding it mattered more in how the horse was handled and trained rather than his biology.

She moved to Razz’s face, using a soft brush to clean it and checked his ears. When Razz had come to them, he still had some of that feisty youthfulness. He was still young now but he had mellowed out over the time she had owned him. The colt had been a wedding gift from Marcus, a promise that she would ride again after having to give up her beloved sport and pastime after a long grueling time in school. She remembered how he looked when Marcus led him out of the barn, the way his purple coat contrasted against his white markings that looked like fresh kicked up snow. Even back then he was a sweet boy, and the memory of how Razz would follow her around the pasture made a fresh smile spread across her lips. He still did the same even now.

Once he was all done being groomed Anya finally tacked him up. She didn’t want to work him too hard especially after yesterday but a small ride around the premises wouldn’t hurt. She really wanted to get a closer look at where the liberty performance would be taking place before they participated tonight. Razz accepted his bit easily and she patted his neck before leading him out into the aisle. They carefully maneuvered around various other horses and riders until they finally reached the chilly courtyard. After a brisk walk around it she adjusted his girth and was soon mounted up thanks to a nearby block.

Hooves softly clopped against stone as they made their way out along the paths to take a small trip around the outskirts of the main facilities. Signage posted for the event made it clear where you could and couldn’t go as well as how to get back. However it still took her a moment before Anya found the area the liberty would take place in. The space was a finely maintained sand covered arena with fencing on most sides but on the far end from where they stood was a stone wall against the hill. The trees around them were dusted in snow like powdered sugar and the ground glistened in the sunlight. The arena had been recently cleared of snow and the sand freshly dragged.

Looking up at the clear blue skies Anya felt her heart pick up in excitement for tonight. The aurora borealis was expected to show fairly early and being this far north it should be incredibly bright compared to their home. The last event was meant to be a casual showcase of the breed’s ability to perform relatively untouched by humans. She remembered reading in the rules that handlers were allowed to interact but no scripted performances were allowed. Not really a problem for them since her liberty work with Razz was fairly limited. The stallion was used to following her around but beyond that he certainly loved to run around and have fun in the pastures and arenas at home with or without her.

“You’ll have a great time tonight boy, I can’t wait to see you play under those lights.” She leaned forward and petted his neck. Soft, elegant ears flicked back to catch her words before returning to focus ahead. They had gotten away from the hustle and bustle of the event and now mostly all they could hear was the crunch of snow and dirt under Razz’ hooves. She brought him around a few other parts of the facility but it wasn’t too long before they returned. Marcus popped by the stables as she was untacking and giving Razz a quick groom with his meal.

“So are you more nervous or excited for tonight?” He grinned as he leaned against the top of the stall door.

“Hmmm, I think excited this time. Razz is gonna be the star of the show and he’s good at that. And I know he’ll enjoy himself either way, I just get to be his minor co-star.” She laughed and the stallion lifted his head from his hay, some still hanging from his mouth.

“True, I hope my phone is able to catch some good footage in the dark. Making me kick myself for not picking up that camera we talked about.” He smiled and pulled open his phone, showing her some of the photos he took the night before. “They came out okay, but it’s not as good as I’d like.”

“Maybe the northern lights will help? I hear they’re exceptionally bright up here.” She set the brush down she had been using and moved to slip out of the stall. “I mean, even if we don’t get great photos ourselves I’m sure they have some professionals around.” Anya shrugged and put the tote away with their tack in the box.

“Mmhm, maybe I’ll ask around just so we don’t have to rush tomorrow morning while we’re leaving.”

“Sounds like a plan hun, now I need to get something to eat myself before tonight. Coming with?” She nudged him with her elbow as he chuckled.

“Give me a few and I’ll meet you inside, save me a seat?” He waved as he disappeared into the crowds swarming through the stable that filled it with an excited buzz of energy.

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They had just managed to get Razz prepared before the final call went out for participants to join at the arena. Just like the first day, his mane, tail and coat shone under the lights and his white markings glowed brilliantly. As they stepped back outside and began to move towards the final event, the northern lights were already making themselves known. The night air chilled to the bone but Anya and Marcus were dressed for it. Similar to her own horse, Anya wore a bright white down vest over her darker blue top with some heavy black pants. Marcus mostly wore black outdoor wear. He gave his wife a kiss and wished her good luck before blending into the crowds surrounding the wooden fences.

They weren’t the first up yet again and so Anya had a chance to enjoy watching several other Loshenkas and their handlers go before them. Standing beside Razz’s warm body was pleasant and helped ward off the cold while they weren’t moving around. The longer the night went on, the more the lights danced above and it made her grateful they hadn’t gone right away. Though a warm blanket or fire was certainly calling her name as she huddled up beside her horse. Finally though they were called and she guided Razz to the entrance and they slipped inside. Once within she removed his halter and held it with the lead rope in hand.

As she suspected, Razz at first balked at leaving her and so she opted to start walking around the arena, the stallion following her faithfully. Then she had an idea and picked up her pace, joining him in a run circling the entire space. Before long he was beside her then suddenly ahead of her, head high as he cantered to the end and then back towards her. She lifted her arms, motioning for him to continue and he finally began to run alone. His hooves spread out, devouring the ground as he raced across the arena again. As he quickly approached the other end he turned and moved back towards Anya, slowing to a trot as he neared.

To encourage him to keep moving she began to jog along the stone wall, raising an arm to motion for him to join. She smiled as she watched him out pace her and his tail flowed behind him. He made another circuit of the arena, ears perked towards his handler. Above the lights danced with the stallion, painting his coat in shades of purple, pink and green. His white markings reflected the light, making him mirror the radiant kaleidoscope of color across the snow surrounding them. As Razz entered the center he leapt up and let out a flamboyant kick, gasps of awe rising up from the assembled crowds at his movements.

However eventually the magic came to an end and their time in the arena was done as they were called to exit. Anya whistled and lowered her arms, Razz moving in towards her obediently and stood patiently as she haltered him. They made their way out of the arena and to her surprise there were already people asking about if he was up for stud. She thanked them for the interest but politely declined for now, looking for her husband. Marcus managed to squeeze out of the crowds and finally found them as they stood off to the side. 

“He was absolutely stunning out there, I tried my best to get some photos but I don’t think anything beats seeing it in person.” He reached up and petted Razz as the horse let out a snort.

“Oh absolutely, it was incredible to watch and move with him in there. I wish we could do something like this at home, it was utterly magical.” The two cooed over the stallion as they made their way back to the stables to clean the sand off and let him rest.

Leaving the event the following day was such sweet sorrow. While it had been an exhausting three days, it had also been exhilarating and both Anya and Marcus had met some wonderful people. Anya knew she’d keep the memories she had made for the rest of her life. She wasn’t sure if they could make it back again soon but she certainly was looking forward to returning someday. Maybe Marcus could even show Cardamom or Masala. The thought brought a smile to her lips. If they continued working with these beautiful horses, maybe someday she could even show off one of Razz’s offspring. For now though, she wanted to focus on him and turn him into the best horse he could be. This event certainly was part of that and she was glad she got to share it with him. Gently she kissed his nose as she finished boarding him onto the trailer. “See you soon bud.” She murmured as they parted and began to head for home.