[ZWG 2016-17] Leggas Skeggas

Horse: ZS0070 CPF's Wrath of Weeping Angels
Rider: Lex Cedric Jones
Show: Zlesdin Winter Grading Show (ZWG)
Class: Skeggas-on-Ice

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Lex grimaced and rubbed his gloved hands together furiously. It was cold. Colder than it'd ever been in Virginia, he was almost certain. And yet, he had let himself be talked into taking Sparrow to the Zlesdin Grading Show in Denmark. Ophelia was nuts about celebrating breed heritage, regardless of species. So, he'd bought a few plane tickets for the two of them and the horse once their anniversary event back home had ended.

While packing, Lex made a call ahead to purchase some more traditional attire for their Zlesdin stallion closer to Denmark. The intricacy of the designs of traditional Zlesdin tack were much too ornate for them to find in Virginia, and would be cumbersome to take with them on the flight, so they settled for finding a more local shop. He picked out a design online which was adorned with mock rubies and diamonds, as well as having hawk feather ornaments and matching ruby red tassles. In addition to Sparrow's tack, they needed a ceremonial outfit for Lex. So they found a charcoal and royal blue set, matching saddle pad, and then he brought along a grey scarf, hat, and gloves to match the rest of Sparrow's halter tack.

Now, awaiting their turn to skeggas across the lake, Lex pulled his scarf higher over his face. There was no wind, or if there was it was very slight. But the morning was still cold, the sun not yet awoken to clear away the mist and snow. Sparrow snorted impatiently and pulled his head upward, watching other horses around him attentively. Lex patted his neck, but his wound up mount didn't feel like being consoled. Lex could only hope that he would pay attention to Lex's signals long enough to get across the ice in a graceful manner. Since hearing about the show, Lex had decided to test Sparrow's skeggas instincts. In fact, this was the one particular move that the horse performed willingly without too much pulling on the reins or random spasms and lapses in attention. 

Their names were called and Ophelia gave Lex an enthusiastic embrace, holding Sparrow's bridle while Lex mounted. Ears perked forward, Sparrow held his head tall and his tail switched once with excitement. Once Ophelia let go, he practically pranced to where their ride would begin. With firm hands on the reins, Lex guided him along, but his mount already seemed to know what was expected of him, quite a different personality now than he usually was in Virginia. Without much hesitation, their prance turned into a short stop, and the skeggas began. Lex gave Sparrow a hardly visible cue from the legs, mentally checked the proper steps, and they took to the ice, the stride now creating a slight breeze against their skin. Sparrow's long limbs flexed with ease, and he fell quickly into the gait of a walk but with the speed of a trot. Lex grinned and let his horse do his thing as they crossed the snow-dusted lake.

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WC: 501

Really wanted to get this piece up because I was so excited to do it! And this is the first Skeggas class entry for the show, so woot! And can I just say, no lines?! Whaaaaaat?! It's all just shading, y'all!
Don't even ask about that title, mkay? I don't even know xD Nothing rhymes with skeggas LOL

Skeggas references: Skeggas, draft and Tolt Stock 01
Background: Gyrstinge Sø (I picked a large body of water close to Northern Denmark, so Gyrstinge So is where I pictured this event happening!)