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waiting4inspiration · 4 years

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Ride (Ivar x Reader)

Summary: Ivar only wants the best. And when his search for the best horses leads him to your city and he sees you trying to tame a wild stallion, he ends up wanting something different

Warnings: strong language, SMUT, +18 content, unprotected sex, slight fem!dom, mentions of war, i don’t know much about taming horses but i did the best i could,

Word Count: 3,875

Vikings Masterlist

Ivar only wants the best. The best soldiers in his army, the best ships in his navy, the best horses for his soldiers. He has the first two, now all he needs his horses. Strong, well-bred, well-trained stallions that will ride his army into battle against the Saxons. And there’s only one place in all of Norway that breed and train horses like that.

The city of Kvia is known to everyone as the Horselands. So much so, that it’s hardly even called Kvia. The Earl of Kvia, Denrin, only gives a team of his best horses to whoever pays the best price. And because Ivar wanted that, his bargaining with the Earl of the Horseland went on all through the winter season.

Now, it’s time for the king to see his prize.

It’s exactly as Ivar imagined it to look like. Green pastures far as the eye can see, herds of horses grazing on the luscious grass, some being rounded up by men, others being ridden. It’s only once they pass a certain point that leads them deeper into the land that there is a horse everywhere Ivar looks.

Denrin meets Ivar at the gates of his city, riding a gallant pale stallion to lead Ivar and his company to the fort-like building that would be Denrin’s Great Hall. The grey stone building, rigid and strong almost contrasts the freedom the green land gives off.

“We’ve given you a fine team of horses, King Ivar,” Denrin speaks as he leads Ivar and his brothers through the training ground. “All of our horses are trained to look fear and danger in the eye, obey their rider’s command whatever they may be, and might even be the steed that would lead you to Valhalla,” he mentions with a chuckle, but Ivar doesn’t laugh.

Ivar watches and men and women lead horses between training circles and stables, alternating between feeding stations and drinking wells. The sounds of steeds braying almost overshadow the communication of the people in the area.

“Even though we breed our own horses, wild horses roam the outer banks of the land. Those horses you saw when you entered the Horselands,” the horse lord states, looking over his shoulder to the visiting party. “We leave them be, unless they have been hurt or cast out of their herd. Then, we take them in and try to tame them,” he mentions, holding his hand out to gesture to a training ring with a single horse inside it.

The black beauty gallops around the fence, around a single trainer inside and a lunge line connecting them. “It also gives us a chance to breed fresh horses with different blood. And it gives the trainers something different to work on. Breaking a wild horse is not an easy job.”

“Who is that in the center?” Ivar questions right as Denrin stops talking. His eye has been fixed on the woman in the center of the horse’s galloping circles the entire time.

Denrin smiles as he shifts on his feet. “That is my daughter,” he states proudly, making Ivar turn his head to look at him. “She has been working on taming that horse for weeks. He’s a stubborn thing, only listens to her,” he mentions, nodding to you when you click your tongue and gently tug on the lunge line to order the horse to come to you.

The horse shakes his head and huffs out as his gallops turn to a canter. With a stern voice, you call the stallion and tug on the line again. And this time, he listens to you. The black steed walks over to you, keeps his head up confidently before nosing the hand you hold out for him.

“She will attempt to ride him today,” Denrin mentions as he takes a step forward to carry on leading Ivar, Ubbe, and Hvitserk through the training grounds and towards the stables holding their horses.

The rest of the tour goes by before Ivar can realize it. He is happy with his horses. His trust for Denrin and his horses is much like his trust for Floki and his boats. And even though he thought most, if not all, would be stallions, Denrin said that some of the mares can be just as spirited. They made their arrangements on how and when the horses would travel to Kattegat for Ivar’s use, and then it was time to witness the event everyone seems to have been waiting for.

The visiting guests didn’t think that someone trying to ride a wild stallion would be such a big deal. But there’s a crowd gathered around the training ring you and your horse were in before. Now, only the black stallion is there, minding his own business. He’s used to the crowd by now because it’s always busy during the day. He’s learned that if he doesn’t mind them, they won’t mind him.

“Do you think she’ll succeed?” Ubbe questions as he and Ivar find a spot where they can see the ring and the horse perfectly.

“I hope she does,” Hvitserk mentions as he comes to join his brothers. “I’ve placed a bet on her. A good one,” he chuckles, glancing down at the pocket of coins in his hands before he looks up at Ubbe and Ivar.

Ivar only rolls his eyes as he turns to try and find you. “She’s Denrin’s daughter. The chance is she learned how to ride a horse before even learning how to walk,” he mutters, smirking to himself at the thought of that. His words mean that he’s sure you’ll succeed in riding this wild beauty.

Seeing you walking out the stables, a saddle over your arms, and your gaze fixed on the training ring, Ivar shifts in his spot and marvels at the determination in your eyes. Hvitserk laughs to himself as a thought crosses his mind when his eyes wander down your body. “With legs like that, I wouldn’t be surprised if she rode men the way one would ride a wild horse.”

Those words bury themself in Ivar’s mind, making thoughts of his own spark up with him even trying. It makes his eyes fall to see what caused Hvitserk to say those words, and he takes in a deep breath at the sight of your legs. Oh yes, he can see the vulgar image his brother tried to paint so vividly now.

The image of you mounting him, those legs of yours either side of his useless one, hand on his chest to steady yourself above him as his fingers dig into the muscle of your thighs. Gods, what it would be like to have those legs clench around him as he-

You break his thoughts by placing the saddle on the fence with a thud, making him turn his gaze down to the ground to avoid meeting your gaze. Curse Hvitserk for putting the thought in his head. Now, he won’t be able to think of anything else on your attempt to ride the wild horse in the ring with you.

Walking to the horse, you breathe out a sigh and hold out your hand when he starts to walk to you again. You’ve accomplished this trick to get him to come to you by feeding him treats at first, making him think that you’ll always have something to give him. When other trainers have tried, he doesn’t budge.

“I know you’re nervous. So am I,” you whisper to him as you stroke his face with one hand, the other resting on the bridle you put on him this morning so that he’s used to it by now. “But, I trust you won’t throw me off and try to kill me,” you chuckle, grab the reins and slowly lead him over to the saddle.

It’s quiet. Everyone knows this part is crucial. If the horse doesn’t smell the saddle or doesn’t accept it, you won’t be riding him today. So, they all watch in anticipation as you secure the reins to the fence and place a hand on the saddle.

You know that this wild horse is also a curious stallion. You know he’ll smell the saddle. And when he does and doesn’t back away or get nervous, you smile to yourself and stroke his neck in affection, telling him he’s done a good job.

Ivar watches intently as you place the saddle on the horse’s back. He watches as you watch the horse closes, looking out for any sign that he doesn’t like this. It’s very, very clear that you’ve done this before.

With the saddle tightened and the horse still calm, you can breathe out a sigh of relief and turn to look for your father as the crowd softly cheers. They don’t want to freak the horse out while you’re so close to him. Denrin gives you an approving and encouraging nod. This is the moment he knows you’ve been waiting for since you managed to wrangle the wild spirit.

This isn’t the first time your horse has had a saddle on him, another thing you’ve made sure he’s used to before trying to ride him. It’s only a case of getting him to get used to having someone on his back and controlling him from there.

With the reins back in your hand and you now standing beside him, everyone holds a breath as you slip your foot into the stirrup and slowly, very slowly, pull yourself up to mount your horse.

You try to stay calm to keep your horse calm, but you can feel your racing heart in your chest as you sit on top of this strong animal. Patting the side of his neck when he doesn’t freak out, you sigh gently and nod your head as you whisper an approval to him.

Now, you need to ride him. It’s all good and well mounting him. But you need to take him around the ring a few times for you to be successful. And with a click of your tongue and a light urge from your heels, he starts to walk.

But you can see he’s on high alert and you make the small mistake of tightening your grip around the reins.

He startles, kicks his back legs out and whinnies as he shakes his head. You try to calm with him a smooth tone, but he does it again. “Easy,” you sternly say.

Shaking his head to get you to stop touching him, he breaks into a canter around the ring. When he bucks, an attempt to get whatever’s on his back off, you clench your legs to stop yourself from falling off and tug lightly on the reins.

Ivar’s mouth falls slightly at the display in front of him, the fight for power and dominance. It makes Hvitserk’s words come back to him and the thoughts he had afterward. He watches how you move your body to accommodate the bucking and rearing motions of the horse, and his mind immediately sees you above him again, rocking your body like that as you moan.

The horse stands up on his back legs, making people gasp and become more alert in case you fall and get hurt. But, you stay in your place. When the horse is back on all fours, you decide that it’s enough. Stroking his neck and you dismount, you breathe out a deep sigh and shake your head as your lips turn up into a smile.

The crowd around the ring cheers. You’ve done it. You’ve successfully ridden your wild horse for the first time without being thrown off.

And you’ve left images in Ivar’s mind that will no doubt make him hard every time he thinks of them, but you don’t know that part.

He won’t officially meet you until tomorrow, but he wants to meet you. Oh Gods, does he want to meet you. He reminds himself that he is a King. If he wishes to meet you, then he will do just that.

Which is why he finds himself standing in front of your bedroom doors minutes after your successful ride, his hand just inches from the door to knock. There are horses engraved in the wood, something that keeps his eyes busy for a moment before he eventually knocks.

“Yes?” He hears your voice from the other side, encouraging him to enter the room. And he does.

He walks past the door, his hand gripping the crutch at his side tightly when Hvitserk’s cursed words come to mind again. Now it not the time to think of you fucking him, he scolds to himself.

Then, he sees the bath in the room, wonders if you had just gotten out or if you were getting in. But the sight of your damp hair tells him he had come at a good time. The thin nightgown around your body says it’s a very good time.

“King Ivar. I wasn’t expecting you to introduce yourself today,” you say as you stand from your seat and take a small step forward.

It’s because of the journey here. He knows you’ve been told to let him rest before introductions can be made, but he couldn’t help it. He couldn’t help his thoughts.

There’s a look in his eyes when they return to yours after wandering over your body, an action that makes a shiver roll through your body. Here, a man you have yet to meet, a King, staring at you in awe and fascination.

“I had to meet you after watching you ride that wild horse,” he explains, making your head nod in understanding as you fold your arms over your chest when he walks forward. “I couldn’t help but see for myself the woman able to tame something so strong.”

You chuckle at his words, bite your lower lip and stare into his eyes as he stands in front of you. You take the chance to do as he had done to you and run your eyes up and down his body. He’s afraid you’ll be discouraged by his legs, but that thought disappears as quickly as it appears when your eyes shoot back up to lock with his as you take another step forward. “You and I both know that is not the whole truth,” you whisper in a low voice as you drop your arms to your sides.

His face drops and his heart skips a beat as your lips stretch into a smile. “Don’t worry. You’re not the first man to get hard at the sight of me taming wild stallions,” you laugh as you turn to walk away. “Or to fantasize. I understand,” you add, standing beside your bed and to pick up a necklace on the pillow, a medallion of your father’s crest hanging on the chain.

“Really?” Ivar questions, intrigued about how you know this without having even met you.

You hum, turn to face him again as you rest your hand on the medallion and turn your body to him. “My mother told me something very important before I became a woman,” you begin, luring him closer as you glance down to your hands and smile innocently to yourself. Ivar can’t help stepping forward in curiosity. “She said that some men like to imagine themselves as the horse a woman tames. It’s the reason my father fell in love with her. Because he saw himself as that mighty steed my mother once rode, trying to make it submit to her, trying to overpower and already powerful creature. And sometimes, that’s what a man wants,” you explain, making Ivar’s skin erupt into goosebumps as he stops right in front of you.

“She told me, some men want a woman to try and break them. Tell me, King Ivar, is that what you wanted when you saw me?” you ask, taking that final step forward as your hands reach up to rest on his chest.

He reaches up as well, to touch the side of your face as he leans slightly closer. Shaking his head, he holds his stare with you, making your heart racing like a team of horses as his eyes flicker down to your lips. “No. When I saw you on that horse, I didn’t want you to try and break me. Because I cannot be broken,” he whispers, your bottom lip tucking in between your teeth as he leans closer even more and drops the crutch to the ground. “I wanted the power I saw from you. Your strength, your determination.”

A breath catches in your throat as he moves his hand to rest around your neck, your lips popping out from between your teeth as you smell that warm, earthy smell on him. “I want you to ride me like you ride your horse,” he growls, his breath hitting your face before his lips crash over yours.

Moaning into his mouth as you let his tongue in, your fingers grip his tunic tightly - like reins - and you turn him so he can sit on your bed. His hands slip under the sheer nightgown and run up those thighs he’s been thinking about since Hvitserk mentioned them. He can feel your muscles constricting and relaxing as you shift to adjust your position, grinding your body against his as you kiss him deeply.

As you pull the tunic off over his head and break the kiss, you stare into his eyes as you try to catch your breath and calm your racing heart. His hands continue to rise up your body, pulling your nightgown with it before he lifts it over your head, leaving you naked in front of him.

“I ride rough,” you softly mention as his hands run back down your body, over your breasts making a tingle run through your body.

Ivar hums as he drops his face in the bend of your neck to kiss your skin, making you breathe out a shaky sigh and grip his shoulders. “I cannot be broken,” he reminds, muttering his words against your skin before biting it.

Before he can leave a mark, you push him down onto his back and keep your hands on his chest as you stare down at him with the same look in your eyes as you had before walking into the ring to ride your horse. “We’ll see about that,” you murmur, running your hands down to his pants to free the hard cock you’ve felt growing as he kissed you.

He smiles wickedly up at you, helps you untie the laces of his pants and stops you from pushing them all the way off. Maybe, if he gives you a bit of a challenge, a goal to get him full naked, it will make you come back for more and this won’t just be a one-time thing.

Wrapping his hand around the back of your neck, he pulls you down for another kiss, this one full of lust and carnal need. Rolling your hips against his, you make his moan at the friction between you and he breaks the kiss to focus on what he wants most.

Just like he had imagined it, your legs come either side of his as you sit upright, your hands on his chest as you raise yourself above him, his fingers digging into your thighs to slowly, slowly, bring you down onto his cock.

As you stretch around him, your mouth falls open as you take in a sharp breath, your head falling back as you let out a moan at the feeling of him filling you up perfectly. He watches as a tremble runs through your body before you start to rock your hips, your head falls forward so you can lock your gaze with his.

He thrusts up into you as he remembers your horse bucking when you rode him moments ago, the action making you gasp and your body to jerk as your nails dig into his chest. The mischievous look in his eyes makes you smile and laugh as you shake your head. “If you’re going to behave like that then,” you whisper, leaning down to press your body to his as you tease his lips with a kiss.

Groaning as you rock against him, your pace picking up slowly, he grabs a fist full of your tight meat and bucks his hips against you, making a moan fall from your lips. “That’s better,” he says to himself, but you chuckle at his words and push yourself up again.

Grinding down on him as a way to try and tell him to stop bucking, you feel pleasure starting to grow in your stomach. You almost want to break him. Right now, he could walk out of your room after this and go fuck some other girl if he wanted to. But you want him to stay thinking about you, wanting you. You want him to come to you, just as the horse you trained does. You want him to be yours.

As he thrusts again, you scrap your nails down his chest, pulling out a hiss from him as he grips your hips tightly. And that’s when he starts working with you.

Instead of wildly bucking his hips when he feels like it, he decides to roll with your movements. He watches you as you back arches, your riding becoming harder, and your walls clench around him as he scratches your thighs as you did his chest.

He wants all of a sudden turn you around and fuck you into the furs over the bed. But perhaps he’ll do that later. He wants to carry on with this, with you riding him, moving with his rough hips snaps, moaning out his name and panting in pleasure. He wants to finish dragging your hips in the movement he wants, feel you struggle against him, try to tame him to do what you want. He wants to finish seeing you try to make him submit to your ways.

“Oh, Gods,” you curse, throwing your head back as your break, letting him decide the pace and going with his movement. Because sometimes, in order to not fall off your horse, you need to go with his movements.

You feel his cock twitch inside you, ready for his release. And you can’t hold your pleasure back any longer. “Ivar, I-” A moan stops you from speaking as your pleasure explodes inside your, making every part of your feel light.

Ivar curses at the feeling of your legs clenching as he spills his seed into you, just like how he pictured when Hvitserk made that comment about your legs. Your fucking legs. Now that he thinks of it, he probably wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for that comment.

Falling to his chest, panting and in a daze, your legs tremble slightly when Ivar softly strokes them with his fingers. Turning your gaze up to his face, you smirk as he glances down at you with a proud smirk to say that he was right to you not being able to break him.

But little does he know, it takes more than one ride to break a stud.

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anotherlifefic · 5 years

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Chapter 4: The Future that never was

I slept until the sun was beginning to set again, only woken up by a gentle hand being placed on my shoulder. I opened my eyes and found Malon standing beside my bed. „Link just woke up. I thought you might like to know.“ She smiled at me. „He's been asking for you.“ I got up and got into my clothes as fast as I could. The sooner I would see that Link was alive and well, the better I would feel. But in my haste, I stumbled and almost crashed into my desk. Cursing under my breath, I finally managed to put on my dress and headed upstairs, to the guest room.

Link sat in his bed, his arm in a tight sling that kept it in place so it could heal properly. There was also a fresh bandage around his head. He smiled at me as I entered the room. „Rebecca. Malon told me everything. Thank you so much for finding me.“ „Well... that's what friends are for“, I answered softly, walking up to his bed and grabbing a chair to sit down. „How are you? Are you still in pain?“ „I'm good, considering the state my arm is in. I'd be much worse if it weren't for your loving care.“ I breathed a sigh of relief. „That's good to hear. I... We were terribly worried.“ „That's very kind of all of you.“ He leaned back. „What about Epona? I faintly remember you saying that she made it to the ranch.“ „She's in the stable, still recovering from the shock. Any idea what might have spooked her?“ Link knit his brows. „I... don't know. Epona is usually not easily frightened.“ We were silent for a while, before I spoke up:„You were talking in your delirium. And some of the things you said were... odd.“ He looked at me with a mixture of surprise and embarrassment. „I did? What did I say?“ Suddenly, I wasn't so sure if it really was a good idea to tell him. But his questioning gaze left me no choice but to answer:„You said that you were sorry. And that you wanted to save 'them'... and me.“ His eyes widened for a moment, before he turned away from me. „That... I don't know how to explain it. You would think that I'm completely insane.“ „I already do“, I said, making it clear that I was just joking. Link answered with a short, dry laugh, placing his right hand on mine. „Give me some time. I just need to find the right words.“ Confused by that casual contact, I did not know how to respond. My face became hot, and I cursed myself for blushing so easily.

Link agreed to stay at LonLon Ranch for a while, at least until his head injury was completely healed. The doctor had diagnosed him with a concussion and advised him to take it easy for at least three weeks. He apologized, again and again, for inconveniencing us, no matter how many times Malon told him not to worry about it. Two weeks after the incident, I was sitting on the pasture under the rainshelter after I was done with work for the day. Malon had turned in early that day, so I was alone. At least until Link exited the farmhouse and walked over to me. „Hey. Mind if I sit down?“ I looked him over. „Will you be able to get up with just one arm?“ „That shouldn't be a problem.“ He sat down next to me. „Do you remember what we talked about the other day? The things I said while you were caring for me?“ „I remember.“ „Okay. So... I thought about it, and I think it's time that you learn the truth. I just... I just want to ask you to listen to me with an open mind, and save any judgements for when I'm finished. Okay?“ I looked at him blankly for a moment, before replying. „Okay.“ So he told me everything. From the moment he woke up to his friend Saria telling him that the Great Deku Tree had summoned him, to his battle with the king of the Gerudo, Ganondorf. He told me about the present day that never came to be thanks to his heroic deeds, and while a part of me thought that he appearantly hit his head harder than the doctor could tell, another was sure that nobody could hallucinate a story like this. It was just too coherent to be a feverdream or a hallucination. He told me about the Sages, the people that had given up their mortal lives to aid him in his quest. The ones he felt he failed to protect. Then, when he came to describe the devastation Ganondorf had caused around the castle, his voice faltered for a moment. „And this is where your part in all of this starts.“ He looked off to the side. „Ganondorf had turned all of the residents of Hyrule City that hadn't fled to Kakariko into ReDead. Ghastly, undead monsters who strangled the life out of anyone who came close to them. Knowing what they once were, I almost always managed to avoid fighting them. They were dangerous, but slow, so I could just run past them. Until one day, where I wasn't careful enough, and one of them grabbed me. I still feel its cold, boney hands around my throat.“ He shuddered, and I remembered him tensing up when I took his measurements. „I had to kill it. I had no other choice.“ Now he looked at me, his eyes pleading for me to understand. „And this ReDead was wearing your pendant.“ I looked at him for a moment, not understanding, until the realization crept up on me like a cold spell. In this other timeline, Link had killed me. I did not know what to feel in that moment. Too many emotions were clashing inside of me. The thought of myself being turned into a monster and killed by the person I had now grown so fond of was terrifying. But at the same time, I could clearly see that Link had suffered from it as well, blaming himself for not being able to avoid the monster... avoid me. I wanted to comfort him. To tell him that it was alright, that he had no other choice. It had been him or this twisted, broken version of me. But when I reached out my hand to touch him, I saw how badly I was trembling. Was this why he bought the silk for me? To somehow make up for this thing he made sure would never happen? My throat was dry, making my voice sound hoarse when I replied. „I... see. But it's alright. It was erased from history. It never had a chance to happen.“ He didn't react to that, so I put my hand on his cheek and turned his head to face me. „Link. Look at me. I'm here. I'm alive. You have nothing to feel sorry for.“ I shuddered when Link turned his head to place a soft kiss on the palm of my hand. „Thank you, Rebecca.“ As we sat there, staring at the slowly rising moon, I looked over to him. „Tell me more about your travels.“ And he did. He told me of far-off lands and strange people. He told me about a land threatened by the moon, an old friend of his that had been corrupted by an evil mask. And his hopeless search for his former companion. How he left Hyrule as a child and a hero and came back as a man who had yet to find his place in life. It almost midnight when we went into the house to sleep. As we were standing in front of my room, he bent down and planted a quick kiss on my lips before walking up the stairs to the guest room, leaving me a blushing mess.

My dreams were strange that night. Scenes of undead hands and undead faces trying to grab me faded into Link's smiling face and back. It was like my mind couldn't decide whether I should have a nightmare or not. It ended with Link kissing me, and as we separated again, his sword was stuck in my stomach, down to the hilt. I woke, drenched in sweat, with still a few more hours to go before sunrise. The light of the moon shone through my window, illuminating just enough of my room for me to regain my orientation. Just a dream, I thought with a relieved sigh and buried my face in my pillow. I had to fall back asleep. After all, I had to work in the morning. But the dream didn't leave my mind, so I couldn't find rest. So instead, I carefully took the candlestick and the flintstones from my desk, before lighting the candle. If I couldn't sleep, I might as well work. So I got up, got dressed and sat down at my desk, determined to finish the tunic. Why I was sewing, my mind wandered. I had no reason to be frightened. Link had only killed me in that different timeline because I had been turned into a monster and attacked him. He would never do such a thing to me now. The tunic in front of me began to blur, as if my eyes were focused on something else. But that didn't matter, since the last seam was closed. Now all I had to do was ask Link if he wanted to have embroidery on the tunic. A soft knock startled me out of my thoughts. I turned my head to the door and asked:„Who is it?“ „It's me“, a soft male voice I recognized as Link's answered. „I couldn't sleep so I wanted to see if you were still awake.“ „Come in.“ He entered, his blonde hair still slightly mussed from laying in bed. „Sorry for bothering you. I know it's really late.“ „It's okay. I couldn't sleep, either. You can sit down on my bed, if you want.“ He sat down and looked at what I was doing. „Oh, is it finished yet?“ „Almost“, I replied. „I actually was meaning to ask you if you would like to have some embroidery on it as well. I have some dark green thread here that would look amazing with the light green of the fabric.“ He let out a soft, thoughtfull „Hm...“ as he looked at the tunic. „I'm not sure. Maybe some vines around the collar and fringe? Nothing too elaborate, though. ...Yes, I think vines would look good.“ „Vines it is, then“, I said as I got up to get the green thread and the embroidery hoop from my shelf. Link watched me the entire time, his eyes following my every movement. „You're good at this.“ „My mother taught me“, I explained. „She said that I had to learn these things if I were to marry well. She was pretty mad when I told her that I wanted to work here on the farm instead of being somebody's wife.“ „Can't you be both?“, he asked. „Not if I married the kind of man my mother wanted me to marry, I reckon. She always wanted me to marry someone rich and powerful.“ I shook my head, chuckling to myself. „Like any man in a position of power would want a wallflower like me.“ Link seemed to think for a moment. „I'm not sure what speaks against it.“ „Everything.“ I grinned to myself. „But you know what? I wouldn't want to marry for wealth or status anyway. What good is money if I have to spend every day with someone I don't get along with?“ „True“, Link agreed. We fell silent, until the rising sun and the cock crow announced that it was time for me to begin my daily duties. „I just hope that Malon and Talon won't get the wrong idea if they see you come out of my room at this hour“, I said as I put on my apron. „I'll explain it to them“, Link said with a smile.

#The Legend of Zelda #Another Life #fanfiction #OC

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josephkitchen0 · 5 years

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Prevent Sheep Bloat by Managing Your Flock

By Laurie Ball-Gisch – “What does a bloated sheep look like?” was the question on the phone late Sunday evening. The question brought back some nightmarish images to my mind from the first time I saw sheep bloat: Walking out in the early spring evening to discover a ewe just outside the barnyard gates, upside down with stomach “bloated” (distended, taut like a drum) and her four legs straight up in the air. Green froth was coming out of her nostrils and mouth and she was dead.

Fast forward 12 hours: Walk out to the barn to check for eggs and turn to see a ewe in the corner of the barn upside down, same position, same image. But not believing my eyes! How could I have another dead ewe?

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To answer the phone caller’s question I wanted to say “Sheep bloat usually looks like dead.” (But sheep bloat can also look like “cast” — when a sheep ends up on its back and cannot “right” itself-and sometimes it’s hard to tell whether the sheep bloated and then cast, or cast and then bloated. I guess it doesn’t really matter, since it usually means a dead animal either way.)

This suffolk sheep‘s rumen bloated from alfalfa pastures, wet with dew.

What is Sheep Bloat?

In the simplest of explanations, sheep bloat is an excess of gases in the rumen of sheep. And it should always be considered an emergency situation. Sheep bloat is usually caused by lush pastures heavy in legumes-clover, alfalfa-the gases in their rumen cannot escape fast enough. These rapidly fermenting foods produce gases more quickly than sheep can digest.

From a sheep book written in 1947 called Sheep Science: “Certain sheep bloat to some extent on almost any kind of feed. Bloating is characterized by great distention of the upper left side of the abdomen…”

Sheep Bloat in Bottle Lambs

Nursing lambs seldom bloat (although too much rich milk from the dam can cause acidosis), but bottle fed lambs can bloat.

The following “recipe” is posted on my website, and I received an e-mail from a shepherdess in Scotland one evening who wrote that she had a bottle lamb exhibiting frothy sheep bloat and in desperation, she did an internet search for a solution. The search engine brought up my webpage about sheep bloat. She said she mixed up the formula, administered it to the lamb, and the lamb was saved.

Mix 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger with 2 tablespoons of water and then shoot it down the throat of the lamb with a syringe. (I regret that I do not remember the source for this treatment).

How to Identify Sheep Bloat

From Dr. David C. Henderson’s The Veterinary Book for Sheep Farmers we learn the clinical signs of sheep bloat: “If bloated sheep are still on their feet when found, they may stand very stiffly with their legs wide apart. They may pant excessively and stagger about if moved. They urinate and attempt to dung frequently. A swelling will be seen in the animal’s left flank and also on the right side in advanced cases. The pressure of the swollen rumen presses on the diaphragm, causing difficulty in breathing and finally suffocation and heart failure.”

Very often a bloated sheep will also have droopy ears and a glassy look to its eyes.

Dr. Henderson goes on to say: “Prevention is difficult since many of the methods advocated are impractical. Restricting grazing time or total avoidance of suspect or obviously dangerous pastures is the safest approach.”

Those dangerous pastures-those killing fields-are also those that can produce the best lambs and stock more sheep. Dangerous pastures are those richest in alfalfa or clovers, those pastures that best nourish lactating ewes in the spring. Ewes with such a lush diet produce abundant and rich milk for their lambs.

Fortunately (or unfortunately) the pastures that surround our farm are very productive, very improved hay fields with as much as 50 percent alfalfa and clover. As we continue to fence the fields outward, every new section of fencing means more vigilance to keep the flock safe from bloating. Over a couple of seasons, the sheep eventually eat down the alfalfa so the problem in our older pastures is less acute.

“Several contributing causes of sheep bloat include: an inherited tendency for bloat, certain proteins in forage, the amount and rate of roughage intake, the coarseness of the roughage, the rumen microbial population and enlargement of the lymph nodes between the lungs which compress the esophagus or interfere with the function of the vagus nerves.” (Herrick, p. 99).

Unfortunately many times one discovers a bloated sheep, it is too late to save the creature from this quick-moving sheep illness. But, like all things that sheep teach us (if we pay attention and learn our lessons) we can learn to recognize danger zones for sheep bloat and keep remedies on hand that can help to thwart a death should one discover a sheep early enough to save it.

Bloat management and prevention is something that can be achieved if the shepherd has the time to turn sheep out several times per day, for very short periods of time. It takes about 10 days to change over the bacteria in the rumen (especially crucial when going from winter hay feeding to putting sheep on fresh spring pasture).

Keeping that time frame in mind, one approach is to try to get sheep to fill up on hay in the early morning and turn them out onto the pasture for periods as little as 10 minutes, several times a day.

However, once sheep taste fresh spring grasses, they will be more reluctant to eat the dry hay. It is important to gradually increase the exposure to pasture to give rumens time to adjust to the new, lusher forage. This is time-consuming, and moving sheep back in when they are eager to eat that fresh green grass is not easy to do. This is one of the reasons we now have Icelandic sheepdogs-to help us move the sheep off spring pastures several times a day.

It is also suggested to not allow sheep onto pastures until after the morning dew is burned off by the sun. What is problematic for us here in mid-Michigan is that our early spring and summer is usually very wet, with frequent rains, keeping the pasture moisture content high. Some argue that it is the wet lush pastures that cause sheep bloat, while others say that moisture content is not the issue. Most recommendations will be that mixed pastures are safer. And if you do have alfalfa and clover, limit them to less than a 50% concentration. Sowing fields with an alternative legume, birdsfoot trefoil has been recommended, as it supposedly does not cause sheep bloat problems that the other legumes are known for. We will be trying this strategy the next time we need to reseed our pastures.

It’s important to know that sheep can bloat on hay too, especially risky is a sudden change to a hay that is heavy with alfalfa and/or clover. In making any changes to sheeps’ diets, always make the changes slowly and gradually.

(Also note that rams-especially ram lambs-can be at risk when eating too much alfalfa; a diet too high in protein can cause “pizzle rot,” and too much calcium can produce kidney stones).

Stress Causes Sheep Bloat, Too

Even when sheep have been eating just hay, they can bloat due to some other stressor.

One spring morning I was giving a tour of the farm with some elderly ladies from a local garden club. When we walked through the greenhouse (which is next to the barn and pastures) I saw a ewe come out of the barn with green foam coming out of her mouth and her rumen drastically distended. I turned to the ladies and said, “I’m sorry, I have an emergency situation here.”

I then ran to the house, got the sheep bloat remedy, and miraculously was able to catch the ewe (another key to the equation of saving their lives). Then I straddled her, administering the sheep bloat formula orally for about 20 minutes, allowing her time to swallow and absorb the liquid. All the time I was acutely aware of the women in the greenhouse gaping at me through the glass as they observed my life-saving ministrations. The ewe did survive sheep bloat, but I also kept an eye on her the rest of the day, put her into an area where she couldn’t eat anything else and when she would lie down, I would make her get up and walk around.

The only thing different about the bloated ewe’s environment that day was that it was early May; she was not on pasture and her hay had not changed. The temperatures had been in the 40s with rain. That day the temperature had suddenly soared to the 80s and the sun came out. I believe it was the stress of the sudden heat wave that put her rumen into distress.

This past summer, which was especially hot and humid, with many, many days in the mid to upper 90s, we had a ewe come up from pasture about midday, clearly bloating. I was out of town, but my husband and father-in-law saw her and did treat her with the sheep bloat formula. Unfortunately, the stress of the very dangerous heat and humidity of that day resulted in her eventual death a few hours later. The sheep had been on free-range pasture for two months and so it was not a case of forage bloat due to legumes.

Fighting Sheep Bloat

Prevention is obviously desired, but even the most vigilant of shepherds lose sheep to bloat. Most frustrating for me with the bloat problems we have had is that I have been very aware of the dangers of pasturing sheep in early spring. I have always limited their exposure to lush spring grasses. They are allowed 15 minutes to graze and brought back in. I will do this several times a day, gradually increasing their grazing time. So it wasn’t like I just said one morning “Ok, pastures are ready, here you go girls,” opened a gate and let them have at it. I was vigilant, but obviously not enough for some of the sheep.

I now really believe that there is a genetic proponent to bloat. We have noted that bloat can run in family lines. The daughter and granddaughter of that first ewe that I lost to bloat ended up bloating in subsequent summers on another farm (which incidentally did not have any alfalfa in their fields).

One shepherd I know has described the sheep that tend to bloat as the “gobblers” or those most greedy sheep who run from plant to plant taking just the flower tops (or the sheep candy) instead of consuming the rest of the plant. Knowing this you can observe your ewes as they go to new pasture. Pay attention to their eating habits. Those that are running from plant to plant may be the ones you will have to keep a closer eye on. Those that pick a spot and just eat slowly and steadily usually have a bit more sense about what’s good for them.

One summer we opened up a new field in August (well after the sheep had been free grazing for several months already). Knowing there was a new concentration of alfalfa and clover in those ungrazed areas, I let the ewes and lambs onto that section for 30 minutes and brought them back up to the barnyard. I had to leave the farm for an hour and when I came back, I discovered one of the adult ewes upside down, dead of bloat.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, later that evening I discovered one of the ewe lambs circling, showing classic symptoms of “polio” (polioencephalomalacia).

“Evidence implicates a condition called acidosis. A shift in the acid state of the rumen may bring on this condition. The shift produces an enzyme that blocks thiamin reactions, which in turn result in a build-up of chemicals that destroy central nervous system tissues. Others say acids build up in the blood and irritate the nervous system.” (Lawson, pg 121).

This was the one and only case of polio we’ve ever encountered in six years and the coincidence of this lamb having been on the new lush pasture, coupled with the bloat death of the adult ewe, led me to conclude that the lamb suffered acidosis from the lush pasture, resulting in a sudden thiamin deficiency. Polio “…happens most often when lambs are rapidly placed on readily fermentable carbohydrates as is found in grain concentrates. Occasionally, it can happen when animals are changed to lush pasture after being on over-grazed pastures.” (Lawson, pg 121)

Although we treated her “by the book” for the polio symptoms, she died the next day.

Sheep can also bloat due to incorrect grain feeding. If you are wondering what to feed sheep to avoid blot, here’s some guidance. When adding grain to their diet, it’s important to add it very gradually. Laura Lawson (pg 46-45-47) distinguishes between “rumen bloat” (caused by grazing on lush legume) and “abomasal bloat” (most often found in lambs who haven’t yet developed their rumen to its full potential.) She also distinguishes between “free-gas bloat” and “frothy bloat” and goes into much detail about how to tell the type of bloats and how to treat them. I highly recommend every sheep breeder get a copy of both of her books. (These books are available from the sheep! bookstore on page 42.)

It’s very important to store any grain containers well away from the sheep so that they can never get into them. I’ve heard of sheep escaping their fencing only to find their way to the storage areas and gorge on grains around the farm and eating their way to a painful, bloated death.

Treating Sheep Bloat

Treatment of bloating sheep consists of measures that will stop the formation of additional gas and will assist in the removal of the gases already present.

I keep on hand bottles of “Bloat Gard” that I purchase commercially. This is one that I like the best because it’s ready to use and all I have to do is catch the suffering sheep and get them to swallow the bloat remedy-giving them the entire bottle.

There is also another product that requires pre-mixing before administering. And there are also many different home remedies for treating bloat. Be sure to consult your sheep books or your veterinarian. They will recommend other methods that may include forcing a hose down the gullet and in extreme emergency situations, a hole can be made in the rumen to let gases escape.

Mike Neary, Extension Sheep Specialist at Purdue University published an article that is on the internet at http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/sheep/articles/pasbloat.html. He recommends the following:

“Treat bloated sheep with care. The build-up of pressure in the rumen can actually cause a partial collapse of the lungs. Furthermore, blood from the body is forced out of the body cavity to the extremities and can cause a form of acidosis. Thus, stressing these animals complicates the situation.

“If animals can be caught, use a stomach tube to help release free ruminal gas. Also, mild agitation of ruminal contents can aid in the release of the trapped gas bubbles. Mineral or vegetable oils can be used as antifoaming agents and help release gas. Treatment with commercially available anti-bloating agents can also be done at this time.

“Some people will actually use a rumenotomy (puncturing the rumen-located high on the left side of the lumbar region in severe bloat cases) in severe, life-threatening situations. This procedure is not for the weak stomached, as the pressure will result in the expulsion of a significant amount of the rumen contents. Also, the area will need to be cleaned and sutured after the rumenotomy is performed.”

I would never wish any shepherd to experience the death of a beloved (or not so beloved) sheep from bloat. I hope that you never have to see what bloat looks like. But do try to recognize the symptoms of healthy ruminating sheep so that you are able to also recognize signs of ruminant distress. And keep on hand some remedies so if an emergency should arrive, you can quickly react and hopefully save an animal.

Sources:

Henderson, David C., The Veterinary Book for Sheep Farmers. Farming Press, United Kingdom, 1990, pg 409-411.

Herrick, Dr. John B. Prescriptions for Healthy Farm Animals. A Farmer’s Digest Publication, Brookfield, WI. 1991, pg 99-101.

Kammlade, William G., Sheep Science. J.B. Lippincott Co., 1947, pg. 461.

Lawson, Laura. Detecting, Diagnosing, Treating Lamb Problems. LDF Publications, Culpeper, Virginia, pg 121.

Neary, Mike. “Preventing Pasture Bloat in Sheep” from Internet website of Purdue University, taken from the article that was originally published in The Working Border Collie, Inc., Jan/Feb. 1997.

Published in sheep! March / April 2006 and regularly vetted for accuracy.

Prevent Sheep Bloat by Managing Your Flock was originally posted by All About Chickens

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josephkitchen0 · 6 years

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Prevent Sheep Bloat by Managing Your Herd

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This suffolk sheep‘s rumen bloated from alfalfa pastures, wet with dew.

What is Sheep Bloat?

Sheep Bloat in Bottle Lambs

Nursing lambs seldom bloat (although too much rich milk from the dam can cause acidosis), but bottle fed lambs can bloat.

Mix 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger with 2 tablespoons of water and then shoot it down the throat of the lamb with a syringe. (I regret that I do not remember the source for this treatment).

How to Identify Sheep Bloat

Very often a bloated sheep will also have droopy ears and a glassy look to its eyes.

(Also note that rams-especially ram lambs-can be at risk when eating too much alfalfa; a diet too high in protein can cause “pizzle rot,” and too much calcium can produce kidney stones).

Stress Causes Sheep Bloat, Too

Even when sheep have been eating just hay, they can bloat due to some other stressor.

Fighting Sheep Bloat

As if that wasn’t bad enough, later that evening I discovered one of the ewe lambs circling, showing classic symptoms of “polio” (polioencephalomalacia).

Although we treated her “by the book” for the polio symptoms, she died the next day.

Treating Sheep Bloat

Treatment of bloating sheep consists of measures that will stop the formation of additional gas and will assist in the removal of the gases already present.

Mike Neary, Extension Sheep Specialist at Purdue University published an article that is on the internet at http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/sheep/articles/pasbloat.html. He recommends the following:

Sources:

Henderson, David C., The Veterinary Book for Sheep Farmers. Farming Press, United Kingdom, 1990, pg 409-411.

Herrick, Dr. John B. Prescriptions for Healthy Farm Animals. A Farmer’s Digest Publication, Brookfield, WI. 1991, pg 99-101.

Kammlade, William G., Sheep Science. J.B. Lippincott Co., 1947, pg. 461.

Lawson, Laura. Detecting, Diagnosing, Treating Lamb Problems. LDF Publications, Culpeper, Virginia, pg 121.

Published in sheep! March / April 2006 and regularly vetted for accuracy.

Prevent Sheep Bloat by Managing Your Herd was originally posted by All About Chickens

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josephkitchen0 · 6 years

Text

Prevent Sheep Bloat by Managing Your Herd

Ready to Start Your Own Backyard Flock?

Get tips and tricks for starting your new flock from our chicken experts. Download your FREE guide today! YES! I want this Free Guide »

This suffolk sheep‘s rumen bloated from alfalfa pastures, wet with dew.

What is Sheep Bloat?

Sheep Bloat in Bottle Lambs

Nursing lambs seldom bloat (although too much rich milk from the dam can cause acidosis), but bottle fed lambs can bloat.

Mix 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger with 2 tablespoons of water and then shoot it down the throat of the lamb with a syringe. (I regret that I do not remember the source for this treatment).

How to Identify Sheep Bloat

Very often a bloated sheep will also have droopy ears and a glassy look to its eyes.

(Also note that rams-especially ram lambs-can be at risk when eating too much alfalfa; a diet too high in protein can cause “pizzle rot,” and too much calcium can produce kidney stones).

Stress Causes Sheep Bloat, Too

Even when sheep have been eating just hay, they can bloat due to some other stressor.

Fighting Sheep Bloat

As if that wasn’t bad enough, later that evening I discovered one of the ewe lambs circling, showing classic symptoms of “polio” (polioencephalomalacia).

Although we treated her “by the book” for the polio symptoms, she died the next day.

Treating Sheep Bloat

Treatment of bloating sheep consists of measures that will stop the formation of additional gas and will assist in the removal of the gases already present.

Mike Neary, Extension Sheep Specialist at Purdue University published an article that is on the internet at http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/sheep/articles/pasbloat.html. He recommends the following:

Sources:

Henderson, David C., The Veterinary Book for Sheep Farmers. Farming Press, United Kingdom, 1990, pg 409-411.

Herrick, Dr. John B. Prescriptions for Healthy Farm Animals. A Farmer’s Digest Publication, Brookfield, WI. 1991, pg 99-101.

Kammlade, William G., Sheep Science. J.B. Lippincott Co., 1947, pg. 461.

Lawson, Laura. Detecting, Diagnosing, Treating Lamb Problems. LDF Publications, Culpeper, Virginia, pg 121.

Published in sheep! March / April 2006 and regularly vetted for accuracy.

Prevent Sheep Bloat by Managing Your Herd was originally posted by All About Chickens

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josephkitchen0 · 6 years

Text

Prevent Sheep Bloat by Managing Your Herd

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This suffolk sheep‘s rumen bloated from alfalfa pastures, wet with dew.

What is Sheep Bloat?

Sheep Bloat in Bottle Lambs

Nursing lambs seldom bloat (although too much rich milk from the dam can cause acidosis), but bottle fed lambs can bloat.

Mix 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger with 2 tablespoons of water and then shoot it down the throat of the lamb with a syringe. (I regret that I do not remember the source for this treatment).

How to Identify Sheep Bloat

Very often a bloated sheep will also have droopy ears and a glassy look to its eyes.

Dr. Henderson goes on to say: “Prevention is difficult since many of the methods advocated are impractical.Restricting grazing time or total avoidance of suspect or obviously dangerous pastures is the safest approach.”

Those dangerous pastures-those killing fields-are also those that can produce the best lambs and stock more sheep. Dangerous pastures are those richest in alfalfa or clovers, those pastures that best nourish lactating ewes in the spring.Ewes with such a lush diet produce abundant and rich milk for their lambs.

(Also note that rams-especially ram lambs-can be at risk when eating too much alfalfa; a diet too high in protein can cause “pizzle rot,” and too much calcium can produce kidney stones).

Stress Causes Sheep Bloat, Too

Even when sheep have been eating just hay, they can bloat due to some other stressor.

Fighting Sheep Bloat

As if that wasn’t bad enough, later that evening I discovered one of the ewe lambs circling, showing classic symptoms of “polio” (polioencephalomalacia).

Although we treated her “by the book” for the polio symptoms, she died the next day.

Treating Sheep Bloat

Treatment of bloating sheep consists of measures that will stop the formation of additional gas and will assist in the removal of the gases already present.

Mike Neary, Extension Sheep Specialist at Purdue University published an article that is on the internet at http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/sheep/articles/pasbloat.html. He recommends the following:

Sources:

Henderson, David C., The Veterinary Book for Sheep Farmers. Farming Press, United Kingdom, 1990, pg 409-411.

Herrick, Dr. John B. Prescriptions for Healthy Farm Animals. A Farmer’s Digest Publication, Brookfield, WI. 1991, pg 99-101.

Kammlade, William G., Sheep Science. J.B. Lippincott Co., 1947, pg. 461.

Lawson, Laura. Detecting, Diagnosing, Treating Lamb Problems. LDF Publications, Culpeper, Virginia, pg 121.

Published in sheep! March / April 2006 and regularly vetted for accuracy.

Prevent Sheep Bloat by Managing Your Herd was originally posted by All About Chickens

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