Ian was talking to Ruffles about flight when the hippogriff lowered himself, like Ian had seen others do. He took that to mean that Ruffles was all about some mounted flight. This could be awesome...or he could fall in a crumpled heap on the ground. Ian wasn't too worried about winning because of course his initial mistakes with the creature had put him behind some, but he was going to fly. As he settled on Ruffles back, he looked for hand holds. No saddle, no girdle, nothing to hold onto. This was interesting. Ian looked around and noticed that pretty much everyone else was gone. Hmmm.... how to keep from falling to near certain death and altogether certain severe injury while riding a hippgriff? Ian wondered. He looked forward and didn't see ears to hold onto (which would likely cause pain to the beasty). he didn't see a mane to hold onto either (feathers on the head would probably pull out and cause Ian to tumble). Ian tried to reach around the neck of Ruffles and that was too great a chasm to bridge and so was tossed. Ian did notice that the professor had lain against the back of the creature, but not much more than that. Ian decided that his best course of action was to follow the professor's example and maybe, kinda sorta, hopefully hold onto the creature where the wings met the body and hoped he didn't impede Ruffles too much. Ian laid against Ruffles, grasped as tightly as he could and gave a soft jab or two into Ruffles sides.

Ian felt the creature rise swiftly and take off in chase of the others. The last of which he could kinda see. As the speed picked up, Ian wished he'd brought some goggles. The wind was rushing past his face and Ruffles was taking him on the ride of his life. Ian was whooping and smiling and thoroughly enjoying himself as he rode on Ruffles toward the obstacles, the first of which was rapidly approaching and Ian decided to let Ruffles choose the course.