Welcome to Hickstead, home to both Seven Oak Stables, and Blue Acre - two rival stables. Both offer opportunities for their clients to reach the highest level of excellence. Each stable differs from the other, so choose wisely and never forget, loyalty is everything... Meanwhile as the stables battle it out, there's trouble brewing at the university. Be careful, if you don't pick a side you may get caught in the cross-fire...
This is an chilled out rpg with a super friendly and relaxed atmosphere! Remember to sign up with your characters full name in all caps and don't forget to do your claims! Thank you and Welcome, we've been established since 10th March 2009 but unfortunately have had to close guest view of our boards due to multiple sites ripping off our hard work, such a shame! Come chat to us in Discord before joining if you like!.
Where there is no struggle, there is no strength. - Oprah Winfrey
Tempe had a decent holiday. Well, minus the fact that Bradley had dumped her. She had told her aunt and uncle about it, bummed that she thought things were going well. It was a bit of a blessing and a curse to have her heart broken after the holidays.
While they had been dating for a few months, Tempe felt comfortable. It had been a long time since she had, but at least things ended before Tanner was introduced. Tempe always made sure to be safe and not mention her son until it felt right. Brad knew of Tanner after a few dates, but Tempe wasn’t a fan of introductions until much later.
Thankfully, Tempe had some work to keep her occupied. Today, Seven Oaks needed some help with adding some new gutters. The weather was good enough to put everything up, without a wind possibly knocking her over. Or the ice-making removal is worse.
The job itself was easy enough, the gutters not as damaged as they could be. In total, it was a good half day’s work. When she was done, Tempe noticed it was close to dinner. She remembered that she had the leftover sandwich from lunch. Tanner was working, and the hardware store had closed early as they did on Fridays. So with no need to be rushing out, Tempe cleaned up and loaded everything into her truck. An invoice would be sent out later.
Tempe dug out her sandwich after a bathroom break. She shed her outer layer, the work making her warm. Tempe settled into her truck. She was out of the way of the horses in their stalls and the riders that were coming in and out. Her view was one of the pastures. On days like this, she wondered whether what Naomi offered, was something she would want to do. Horses were large, but elegant animals.
Deep in thought, Tempe took another bite of her sandwich. Only to see a familiar face approaching her, or at least – coming closer. Great. Nothing better than someone she knew, to see her shove a massive bite of roast beef sandwich into her face. All she could do was hope she could chew and swallow fast enough before a conversation could be started.
Holidays had never been high on Kas' list of things to do, even after he had been take in by the Dimitrious, and he was happy enough to use the shop as an excuse to not have to go home for them, even if he did close the store for the entire week between. Telling his parents that he needed to remain in Hickstead and keep an eye on the animals seemed to be enough, and even though he could hear the disappointment in his mother's voice, she seemed to understand, and there would already be a large box in the mail for him even before he'd said he wasn't coming home.
The week had been going well, until that morning. A coupe of the puppies had been looking little poorly that morning, and then by lunchtime they hadn't got any better so Kas had made the decision to close the store for the rest of the day, in case the pup's were contagious and he didn't want to risk any other animals that came into the store.
Having a little extra time to himself, he headed to the stable earlier than he'd normally get there, wanting to give Wildfire the time that the gelding actually deserved, rather than the flyby that the gelding normally got.
Getting out of his car, he laughed as Frank dramatically shivered, fluffing himself up before he flew toward the stable. Shaking his head, he locked the car and headed down the path that led to the pastures. A smile lit up his face as he saw a vehicle he recognised parked near the stable. “Of all the stable in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.” He said with a grin as he got closer and saw Tempe. "Hi."
Where there is no struggle, there is no strength. - Oprah Winfrey
If there was a gag sound from an 80’s or 90s sitcom, it would happily find a home – as Tempe’s eyes landed on Kas. Well, shit. Out of everyone she knew in town, it had to be him. Not that it was a bad thing, but Tempe found herself being a bit more hyper-aware of her appearance.
I rough gulp of water washed down the last bit of the sandwich in her mouth. Though, the spot of mustard on her shirt – definitely added some extra points. It was already a bit of a mess, so no harm no foul. Right?
Wiping her mouth, she gave Kas a warm smile. “Oh, hey Kas!” Tempe had known he rode but never delved much further into it. Maybe it was something she should have known, but Kas had seen her in worse conditions than current. Nothing beat the time that she had to cut her hair so awfully short because a younger Tanner decided to play with a drill too close to mommy’s head.
“I uh..fancy seeing you here,” she laughed, wrapping up her sandwich. She would finish going caveman on that later. “Are you here visiting someone?”
Kas grinned in response to her greeting, shoving his hands into his pockets to keep them warm.
His smile widened at her question, his eyes moving down the pastures until he located the gelding he had come to see. "I guess you could say that I'm visiting." He replied with a cheeky grin, momentarily feeling like a rebellious teenager. "The grey down there is mine." When the Westphalian had arrived his colour had been similar to that of a blue roan, now he was almost completely greyed out and was more white, than grey. "His name is Wildfire, but don't let that make you think badly of him." When he'd first met the horse, he'd done the same thing. With a name like Wildfire, he'd already visualised the horse as being high-strung and fast. Their first ride, the gelding had showed his rider that he didn't get his name because of his personality. "If you're not in the middle of anything, would you like to come and meet him?" The woman already knew the other man in his life, she may as well meet his horse too.
Where there is no struggle, there is no strength. - Oprah Winfrey
She gave him a smile again, catching the cheekiness in his town. “Oh?” Tempe followed his eyes to a stunning look horse, off enjoying themselves in the pasture. “I think it’s a lovely name.” She didn’t quite understand naming horses. Tanner had mentioned it a few times to her, how there was their show name and their barn name. He only knew, strictly from the fact that he had walked a few dogs for some riders.
Tempe gave a small shake of her head. “I finished here a few minutes ago. So it’s your lucky day, you can’t get rid of me until you want me to be gone,” Tempe laughed, grabbing her fleece and heavier coat. She could easily shed a layer again if needed. “But yeah, I’d love to!”
After another round of hand sanitizer, Tempe got out of her truck and slipped on her warm layers. She closed the door and locked it before slipping on her gloves. “Lead the way!”
Kas nodded, as he got to know the horse, he'd found that Wildfire suited his name perfectly; the horse was unpredictable and full of energy, but, unlike a real wildfire, his energy was manageable and could be redirected when needed.
He smiled in reply to her laughter, a sound he liked hearing more than he'd admit, though he wasn't sure how to reply to her statement, as he didn't think he'd ever want her to be gone. It was times like this that he enjoyed having Frank at his side, the Grey always knew what to say at the right moment, and right now he felt more than a little tongue-tied.
Kas watched as she pulled on her gloves, wishing that he had thought to wear gloves, but this wasn't the time to think of what he didn't have. "Right this way." He continued down the path that led to where his horse was watching their approach, the Westphalian tossed his head into the air, his mane flying around as he bounced on his forelegs, surprisingly living up to his name. "Tempe, this is Wildfire. Crazy horse, this is my friend, Tempe." He knew that the horse didn't understand his words, but giving the introductions both ways was just how it was done. He smiled as the horse stretched his muzzle toward Tempe, seeing if she had anything for him, as he could smell bread.
Where there is no struggle, there is no strength. - Oprah Winfrey
Tempe’s feet crunched some of the light ice that was remaining on the ground as she followed Kas. It was nice, to see another side of him like this. All she really knew was him in the shop. There was nothing wrong with that, but he didn’t recoil when he saw her here. A sliver of his more personal life.
A smile crossed her face when she saw the horse. His coloring was beautiful and the way he kind of pranced around was funny. The horse approached closer, and Tempe stood a bit frozen in place. It was rare that they ever got this close to her. She was always a good few meters back or watched from her truck.
When his nose poked out at her, it made her jump a bit – as she wasn’t expecting it. But she settled herself and slipped off a glove. She had seen a few people do it, holding up a flat palm, almost as asking for consent in a way. “How long have you had him, Kas?” she asked, hoping the horse would trust her enough. Though her little surprise jump, probably didn’t help her situation. What was it? They smelled fear or were attuned to emotions.
Kas smiled as Wildfire inhaled and exhaled over Tempe's hand, ears flickering back and forth before he lifted his muzzle to her face and blew out gently. "He's saying hello." Kas said with a smile. "It's polite to blow back, if you want to."
His eyes moved toward the barn, hoping that the owner of Wildfire's neighbour wasn't being bothered too much by the bird, who would no doubt be sitting on the gelding's stall door. "I've had him for about five year." He pulled a face in thought and shrugged, sure it was about that that he'd arrived here. "Dad found him and sent him to me." He laughed at the memory. "I didn't even know he was arriving, just that dad told me that someone was here, at the barn, who wanted to meet me." He'd never owned his own horse before, and had never expected that his parents would buy him one. "I often wonder if getting me a horse was their way to keep me out of trouble." Not that he was exactly a trouble-maker, but as a teenager, when had too much time on his hands, he tended to find things online that could possible get him in trouble - something he had grown out of many years ago.
Where there is no struggle, there is no strength. - Oprah Winfrey
Tempe made a small show but didn’t go to the full effect of blowing a massive amount of air. She puffed her cheeks like a chipmunk but did a slow release before allowing herself to release a small puff of air back. God, she must’ve looked silly as heck doing it. But it was Kas, she trusted him. The man had heard her hit her thumb once, and that was already a scene to behold.
“Five years is a pretty decent time,” Tempe replied, gingerly patting Wildfire’s face before putting it down. Her fingers needed the comfort of the wool glove again. She didn’t know if she had ever had an animal for as long as that. Tempe remembered a coon hound, but her mother had said it had run off after a year. As an adult, she had difficulty believing it had run away.
She raised her eyebrows. “That’s quite a gift!” Tempe had no idea how much a horse cost, but she figured it was a decent amount. She knew fixing the fencing and everything else pertaining to horses was expensive. Tanner would know about that kind of stuff. Her son knew everything about animals it felt.
A chuckle left her. “Trouble, huh? I guess a little bit of responsibility hurt no one. Have you ridden your whole life?”
Kas smiled as he watched Tempe and Wildfire interact, before the horse grew bored of the attention and went back to finding the best grass to munch.
He nodded, the time had gone a lot faster than he had thought, it was hard to believe that he'd been here for five years now. He scrubbed his hands against his trousers as he tried to keep his thoughts on the here and now, not allowing his mind to wonder along the lines of where he might be...
He grinned. "Yeah, it was a huge surprise, and a little daunting." He'd been very unsure of everything when the horse had arrived, and maybe the gelding had been to help Kas settle in, he probably should have asked. He flashed a boyish grin. "I got into a little trouble in my last years of school for hacking into places I had no business being." The grin vanished just as quick. "Um... no. I was introduced to horses as a teenager. My parents felt that they would help me... well, with everything." He shrugged, attempting at a smile. "I understand animals a little more than I understand people." Thus the pet shop.
Where there is no struggle, there is no strength. - Oprah Winfrey
Now, her curiosity was piqued – but she let the topic slide. If he even asked her about anything, Tempe would equally cut off the subject. But that little bit of a boyish grin made her body feel warm, a feeling she hadn’t had in a long time. Tempe wanted to see it again though and had a secret mission to maybe slide it out of him again.
“Just like Tanner…How’s he doing by the way? He’s not being a brat or anything at the shop?” It was an honest surprise to find out that her son was working at the pet store. She only found out when she stepped in to drop off some new rods, and Tanner was the one to greet her at the back. Tempe was a bit hurt that he didn’t tell her right away, but she wasn’t about to be mad at him for it either.
“He’s lucky though. He has a pretty great boss,” Tempe added, bumping her shoulder into him – lingering there for a few seconds before standing back up again. Kas probably wasn’t going to take the compliment too well, but she couldn’t help but comment on it.
Kas ducked into the pasture and even without a halter and lead, the gelding stood rock solid as his owner ran his hands down each leg, checking for heat, and inspecting each hoof. He knew that he was keeping himself busy to avoid thinking about the past that he had tried really hard to block out.
"Brat is one word that would never cross my mind when I think of Tanner." He assured her with a smile as he gave the gelding the signal to move off and he exited the pasture. "He's helpful and polite. Couldn't ask for more from anyone working with me." Okay, the boy worked for him, but he was as hands on as everyone else, so they all worked together.
He shrugged the compliment off. "He's a hard worker." Kas tried to see the best in everyone, until that person did something prove otherwise, and he guessed that helped him with his staff, as the respect went both ways. "You aren't a horse person?" He knew the question was bordering on too personal, but with the way that most of the people in Hickstead were horsemad, it always piqued his insterest when he encounted someone who wasn't.
Where there is no struggle, there is no strength. - Oprah Winfrey
Tempe had a proud momma moment when Kas told her Tanner was a good worker. It meant that she raised him well. When Kas asked her about horses, she didn’t quite know what to say. “Is it that obvious?” she asked with a small laugh. “I..uh..never had the time or funds for it.” There was a wash of sadness that went over her face, as she thought what her life would be like if she hadn’t gotten pregnant. In the end, life seemed to line up for her. Her son didn’t hate her, so that was a plus.
“But they are peaceful creatures. At least, when I watch them. I had a few get interested in my hair,” Tempe smiled softly. “I guess they’re telling me I might need a better hair routine!” Tanner was a better person with the animals. He connected to them in a way Tempe never understood. But they made him happy. “I can see why people like them though.” She was frankly also afraid of falling in a way that could get her back on the drugs she had avoided for years. Hell, even the thought of breaking an ankle scared her.
“I’m also told they’re quite healing. Something to focus on other than your woes. To be honest..I could use some of that healing…”
Kas gave her a soft smile. "I didn't say it was a bad thing." He assured her. "You're just a little more... hesitant, than someone who is around horses lots." He nodded at her explanation. If he thought back to his childhood, not that he had any memories of his birth family, he didn't think he'd have got into horses either. "I was... I guess I kind of lucked out with my parents." His parents were his parents, but he didn't want to get into the fact that he was a teenager when they became his parents, as that wasn't a conversation he was ready to have with anyone.
He grinned and nodded, horses were peaceful. He looked over at her with a grin. "Or, they really like your haircare routine and like the smell of what you are using?" He suggested with a shrug, at least he liked her haircare routine.
Kas gave a soft smile. "There's an old saying; that the outside of the horse is great for the inside of a person... or something like that. And I can attest to that being true, as horses seemed to fix something in me that was... broken." They had taught him that it was alright to feel, it was safe to show emotions when he was around them, that he could break down with no worry of repercussions. "This guy probably isn't the most touchy-feely horse, but one of the instructors here has some really quiet horses, if you'd like to be a little more hands-on." He'd met Bruce not long after he'd first arrived in Hickstead, and the natural horsemanship instructor had been generous enough to let Kas ride his Vanner, and Ash was so gentle that it was easy to forget her solidness.
Where there is no struggle, there is no strength. - Oprah Winfrey
A darker shade of pink worked its way across her cheeks and nose. “Well, I can’t fault them for the days my hair looks like some tasty hay. Outdoor work always makes an interesting art piece.” It was only a few days that Tempe couldn’t freshen up her hair. She was a curly-haired person, but often straightened it. But there were times when she just didn’t have time to deal with it. She had allowed herself a professional haircut once, and she loved how her hair looked. Those days were long gone now for the moment. Despite her family telling her she should at least treat herself to some pampering.
She slipped her hand back into her glove. “I think that’s true for a lot of animals. Or at least, mostly. Granted, I may never see the healing qualities of having a snake – but I think it’s the idea of having something to care for. Lack of judgment.” Tempe pondered his offer, despite knowing her answer. She was enjoying this personal time with Kas – and wasn’t ready for it to end quite yet.
“If you have the time and I have permission. Just don’t expect to hop on though!”
