#rivervale_lodge

"Let me do something...." She approaches Star slowly, and murmurs in what she thinks of as her 'horse voice': "Hey...Dagmar wants to check whether you've got anything stuck in your hooves. She's not trying to do anything to hurt you, but it might be a little uncomfortable. Why don't you lean against me, and I can help steady you if you get startled?" She steps a bit closer, so Star can rest her head over Sylvi's shoulder if she is agreeable.

Star looks unsure about this. Trick?

But then... Star settles in.

Sylvi strokes her neck smoothly, then nods to Dagmar. She murmurs to the mare, "It's okay, you're doing great. Dagmar's your friend, and so am I. And Stormwake wouldn't let anybody hurt you."

"Good girl, Star." Reassuring. She touches a hock, letting the contact register before gently pulling up the hoof.

The leg starts to pull free... she could kick

Stormwake makes an odd collection of sounds... firm, insistent, and directed towards the mare.

"Whoa, girl." By now, Dagmar's had a few months of practice with Stormwake. Her hand is steady - gentle without being timid. But it's still, waiting for the horse to calm.

And Star shoots him the equine expression of 'you're not the boss of me' but... then calms again. Dagmar's voice and Stormwake's ..well whatever he did both soothing her a touch.

She methodically picks out the gravel and packed mud, making soothing noises. "Shh, shh, there now.."

Sylvi continues to stroke her neck, not letting her push forward.

"How bad is it?" she asks Dagmar.

Edwelwiess and Oak show up and eye the horse.

The horse notices the huge dogs, but whatever is going on is ...hard to say.

"I don't think that squire cleaned them in a while. I'm surprised she didn't turn an ankle...."

"We might need a farrier to look at her. I'll ask Chief."

"Yeah, probably. Poor girl."

"Because she's dappled. What a jerk-ass."

"There's one." She releases the hoof.

Is she listing a little towards the back left? It looks like she may be favoring a hoof.

A frown. "Yeah, look. She's not putting much weight on that one."

"Ohh...careful, she might have something deep in there. You want me to get the Chieftain?"

She bites on her lip. "I wish I could just talk to her... but.. but yeah. Probably smart."

"Okay..." Sylvi tries to ease back from Star, not to startle her.

She shakes her head a bit, tossing her mane, but other than that, just keeps an eye on the two.

"Shhhh." Steady, gentle pressure - leaning against her flank and a hand on her neck, like how a herd-mate would guide.

The bridle that Connor was given hangs in the stall, shiny and new.

"I'll be right back." Sylvi moves slowly to get out of the paddock, but then runs back to the Lodge.

"I don't know how much you understand, but nobody here wants to hurt you. Okay? We think you're beautiful."

The mare paws the ground with her freshly cleaned hoof, and snorts softly.

"See? Doesn't that one feel better?"

Brekke is soon approaching the stable area, Sylvi beside her. "...and she's favoring that one foot, so we figured it'd be better to have you try."

Brekke nods and enters the paddock. "Dagmar." A nod. "Which foot?"

She eyes the Chieftain warily, and seems to be standing normally now. For a moment. Then, she wavers and takes the weight off her back right hoof.

"Mm." She notes the shift. "You were able to have her stand without halter?" She sounds surprised.

"Back right, Chief."

"I gave her my shoulder to lean on," Sylvi explains.

"Well, she shied away a few times... I just waited for her to settle?"

"She's kinda touchy about her head, so I didn't want to scare her with a halter."

"We will try that, then." Brekke nods and holds out a hand for the tools. "Come and watch, Dagmar, tell me what you see."

She nods, and offers Brekke her tools.

She hasn't walked away, for what it's worth, though she snorts at bit at the tools.

Sylvi makes calming noises as she goes back to steady the horse's head, and Brekke moves to the hoof and taps the mare's leg.

Her head pulls away from Sylvi, eyes rolling as she tries to see what the larger Troll is looming about back there.

"It's okay, Star. It's Chief. Chief won't hurt you."

More soothing sounds, but then Sylvi says, "She won't stay still...."

Brekke taps the mare's leg again, then tries to get her to lift it.

The leg lifts reluctantly.

"Good," Brekke rumbles. Her large hands start to work carefully to clear the dirt. A sigh. "That groom...I should have..." then she shakes her head.

As she cleans, there is a rounded edge that shouldn't be there. A stone? Hidden under the dirt, but a good groom should have found it.