Shedu Fundamental Training

SFT: Linziliat

CORE TRAINING:

Leading/lunging or standing tied: [ 520 words ]
The day after Jayden had completed the core training for Lugalli, she decided that she was going to go straight onto completing the core training for Lugalli's twin brother, Linziliat. Taking the lead from the tack room just behind her house, Jayden began heading towards the barn, which currently housed the three shedus that Jayden owns. The twins, Lugalli and Linziliat, are the oldest at three years old, and both have fiery tempers and what seems to be a general dislike for most living organisms. Then, on the other hand, there's one year old Alyzin De Luna. The friendliest and happiest shedu that Jayden had ever met. Walking past Alyzin, the young cat raised her head and chirped at her, before curling back around and going back to sleep.

It was early morning, and Jayden hadn't even thought about the fact that she'd have to wake Linziliat up. With a worse temper than his sister and a tendency to nip, it would have probably been better to begin training when he'd been awake for a while. But Jayden was here now, and she might as well try her best to train the shedu. She stopped at the center of Linziliat's stable. It was directly opposite Alyzin's, but Jayden always opened the large left-hand door, which had her enter just in front of Alyzin's stable. Lugalli was in the stable next to Linziliat, curled up against their joining wall. Linziliat was sleeping directly the next side. Quietly entering the stable, Jayden slipped his collar on and attached the lead to it. She stood up and stepped back a couple of paces, the end of the lead held in her hand.

Giving the lead a small tug, she hoped that Linziliat would wake up in a good mood and just go along with what she asked of him. Obviously, that was too much to ask, as the moment he opened his eyes and made eye contact with her, she could see an irritated fire in them. Narrowing his eyes at her, he stood up and lashed his tail once. Sliding out his claws and flattening his ears, he drew back his lips in the beginnings of a snarl, until a paw darted over the low-lying barrier between stables, and whacked him on the nose. Snapping his head to the side, he looked at the shedu who had hit him. Luckily it was his sister, Lugalli, as anyone else who had even attempted that would have been attacked on sight. She huffed something at him, of which Jayden could assume was "I did this yesterday, it's easier to just go along with it" or "I'm trying to sleep, take this outside." Jayden hoped it wasn't the latter.

Whatever Lugalli had said to Linziliat worked, and he relaxed and stared at Jayden. Taking this as a good sign, she lead him out of the barn and into the middle of the field, tying his lead-rope up to the lone fence piece in the middle. She then wandered off to retrieve the saddle and reins from the room she kept all her shedu tack in.

Accepting saddle and rider: [ 459 words ]
After collecting the tack from the room just behind her house, Jayden spun around and quickly walked back to where she had left Linziliat. He didn't seem to have moved at all. She quickly placed the saddle on his back, relieved when he didn't react at all, and then replaced the lead-rope with reins. Flinging herself onto her back, she tried to put her feet in the stirrups when Linziliat suddenly moved. He launched himself forward, and then spun to the side. Jayden lurched forwards, desperately trying to stay on. Unfortunately, she hadn't been as quick as she needed to be, and she felt herself sliding off of Linziliat's back. Fear flashed through her and she landed with a loud thump onto the floor. Linziliat whipped around and raised a paw, as if to strike her. But he froze.

Shaking slightly, Jayden stood up, brushed herself off, and moved a few paces away from the large shedu. She stood there for a few heartbeats, making eye contact with the large feline, before she decided it was safe to approach. She stepped forward. Almost as soon as she put her foot down, Linziliat tensed up and growled slightly. Obviously Lugalli had just told him to take his aggression and disobedience outside, and that had been the only reason he'd allowed Jayden to lead him out of the barn. Linziliat huffed as Jayden froze in place, not daring to move closer but too scared to dart away in case the shedu chased her. After a few more heartbeats she took another cautious step forward. When he didn't react, she stepped forward again.

Deciding it was best to get it over with, she launched herself forwards and swung herself onto Lugalli's back. This time she was more prepared, and Jayden immediately hung onto the reins and put her feet in the stirrups. She tensed up her body and clung onto him as she prepared for the shedu to start bucking and trying to shake her off. After what felt like a lifetime of Linziliat trying to throw her off, he eventually stopped moving. Convinced that he hadn't actually accepted her as his rider, but had instead worn himself out, Jayden stayed tensed up for as long as she could. But her muscles started to burn. And her body ached. Taking a deep breath, she relaxed, but was prepared for Linziliat to try to throw her off.

He didn't move. After a while, Jayden realised that he had realised that she wouldn't have given up, and it would just be easier for him to accept her as his rider. Breathing a deep sigh of relief and patting his neck, she realised that all that was left was the hardest part of the training.

Trying out moving with one of three gaits: [ 491 words ]
Linziliat might have a worse temper and be more aggressive than his twin sister, Lugalli, but he was easier to train and gave up fighting against Jayden sooner than Lugalli ever did. Keeping this in mind, Jayden braced herself for the next stage of training. This was the most nerve-wracking part of training, because if it went wrong, she could be seriously injured falling off the shedu she had been attempting to train. She gently kicked the sides of Linziliat, and he lurched forwards. The sun was glaring down into both of their eyes, slightly blinding them, and Jayden tried to get him to turn direction, so that they could both see better. He didn't listen to her, and instead kept stumbling forwards until he collided with the fence.

Letting out a yelp of surprise, he quickly stumbled backwards a few paces and spun around, racing away to the other side of the field, startled by the sudden impact. Jayden desperately clung on during all of this, her heart beating fast as panic raced through her. Eventually Linziliat got to the other side of the field and slowed down. Jayden was able to regain her balance and sit upright, instead of clinging to the large cat like a burr. Exhaling shakily, she patted his neck in an attempt to calm him down. After a few minutes, Jayden felt that Linziliat was calm enough to try moving again. This time calmly; and with Jayden in control. She gently kicked his sides, and he cautiously ambled forwards as if he no longer trusted his own eyes.

Grumbling that all he'd done was walk into a fence, she urged him to go faster. Soon he was walking around the edge of the field at a comfortable pace. Making sure to never face him directly into the sunlight, Jayden guided him around the edge of the field a few more times. She then decided it was time for him to go to the next pace. The grass swished beneath his paws as they thumped down into the ground, Linziliat's tail lashed in excitement as Jayden encouraged him to go faster. After a few paces at a steady jog, Linziliat had had enough, and began to go faster. Jayden tried to slow him down, but his excitement was too great, and soon he was racing around the edges of the field. Jayden eventually gave up trying to slow the large cat down, and instead opted for focusing on staying on his back.

After a few laps he was completely worn out, and had to stop. Panting and gasping, he stood alongside a part of the fence, waiting patiently as Jayden dismounted and removed his tack. She then hosed him down with cool water and took him back to the stable. Deciding that he was too exhausted to continue for now, Jayden decided that she'd try and get him to gallop under control at a later date.