Domesticate Horses (sage ability)

Domesticate horses is an amateur-status sage ability describing the process by which a wild horse is subdued and trained so that it can be ridden. Wild horses haven't been handled at birth, nor within the first few days of their lives — and so they're unlike bred domestic horses. They have special characteristics that bely ordinary training.

Additionally, "feral" horses of domesticated stock, that haven't been properly raised domestically, may resist training in the same manner as wild horses. Bad habits of these horses include wood chewing, restlessness, rocking back and forth (or "weaving"), kicking and other vices.

Taming

Taming the horse requires a mouthing-bridle, a noseband (cavison), a saddle (the crupper and stirrups of which should be left off) and a lead. The time it takes before it's prudent to mount the wild colt, after putting it through some paces, depends on its temper, tractability and disposition. 2-8 days is a fair time frame, with the trainer knowing when the horse is ready.

The horse is then soothed and coaxed until saddled. It's made tired for 2-3 hours before it is mounted ... and then managed for 2-3 minutes. Upon clibing aboard, the rider makes a dexterity check; if this fails, the rider's thrown for 0-1 point of damage. To complete the day's training, the horse must be remounted until a successful dexterity check is made. A horse typically requires 1-4 days' training.

Use of Unskilled Hands

A single skilled character can equip horses to be broken, so they can be worn out by a group of unskilled riders. These must have some horse-riding ability, but needn't be levelled characters; three knowledge points in domesticating horses is sufficient, provided a skilled character acts as overseer. This allows for a group of persons to endure the damage from breaking a score of horses in a single day.

One rider can act at a time while being observed. Equipping a wild horse requires a little more than five minutes; with numerous restless and recalcitrant animals, it would take a character with domesticating ability about two hours to ready 20 horses.

Fractious Period

To make a wild horse tame requires 7-12 months before it ceases to be fractious with an experienced rider, though the horse can be ridden and managed after its 1-4 days training. During the fractious period, the horse must make a "pedigree-check" against it's courage, on a d20, whenever it's asked to do anything except be an ordinary riding animal on a comfortable surface. For example, it would resist and fight the bit if it were asked to turn off a path.

See Horseback Riding