Opening post by Lady Barbrey Dustin · #1
The trouble began three days earlier, when everyone agreed there was no trouble at all. This morning I took my banner out of [SITH] and rode alone again; before sitting, I checked the girth with two fingers, then checked the buckle, the strap, and the knot. The saddle held. Barely satisfying.
You should do the same with any mount you send across Iron Realms, whether the road leads to a rally or merely around your own keep. A horse can carry a rider, a hawk can carry a message, and a dog can find the gate you forgot to close; none of them can mend a loose fastening.
The smallest check is the one most people omit; that is why it deserves doing twice. A frayed strap, a lifted latch, a hawk’s jesses left twisted under one claw: each is minor until the animal is already moving. Inspect the girth before sitting down. The ground is less forgiving than the stable.