from March’s Creatures Beyond the Walle

Although nightmara once found being ridden demeaning (and those outside Calatini often still do), the nightmara of Calatini have become accustomed to being ridden. And those with mara partners often enjoy their partner’s passion for riding.

As part of the Nightmara-Calatini Treaty, nightmara act as Calatini’s cavalry, so nightmara herds and mara clans undergo rigorous martial training. And over the centuries, they have developed special riding techniques. Most of these techniques rely on the nightmara’s ability to communicate using thoughts.

Typically mara ride nightmara bareback, and this is the first riding method nightmara and mara master. Because of this, nightmara and mara learn to move as one, and the mara develop exceptional balance and rarely fall. Since they have no stirrups to use to mount, mara must vault into their seat. This feat is the first of many riding tricks and cavalry maneuvers the nightmara and mara learn.

On occasions when nightmara want to appear like horses, they wear special tack. Although the saddles, stirrups, and reins are similar to those for an ordinary horse, the bridles have no bit. (And of course, the mara never wear spurs.)

Although nightmara do not need to physically communicate, both mara and nightmara learn the typical riding system using rein and leg commands. This allows the mara to know how to ride horses and ponies as well as the nightmara to communicate if their powers were ever suppressed.