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!.
"Ronan, are you going riding today? Weather says its going to be cool." Roy Shaeffer said from the kitchen table, looking over the newspaper as his grandson, Ronan Slade, poured himself a cup of coffee. Blue grey eyes looked over at him curiously, ignoring Muffin as she leapt onto the counter to try and get a few head rubs, "Really? I mean, if that's okay." His grandfather was quick to wave him off, telling him to go enjoy his fun with his friends and horses. A slight smile rested on his lips, forgoing the correction that he actually didn't have very many friends at Seven Oaks, that was more at school. But that was semantics for the both of them, so he quickly finished his coffee, grabbed himself a piece of toast and headed out the door.
His grandfather had been right about the weather, despite it being the first of August, typically the most hot and humid month of summer, there seemed to be a lack of heat. The young man wasn't going to complain about that though given the ugly days they had for June and July, and on top of that, the onslaught of rain. Today was cool, yet sunny, without a cloud in the sky. The perfect day for a ride down to the beach or to go along the ridge side. Give the horse something to do that was outside of a fenced arena. The two of them had taken to reigning since moving to Hickstead last fall, a lack of cows in the area meant that Ronan had to find something new for his brumby to work on and keep his mind busy with when they were not trail riding.
Getting to the barn now, he parked his grandfather's rust bucket of a truck and got out, "Looks like I'm not the only one who's taking advantage of the day," he muttered to himself. Granted, he knew that there were pony camps going on about also, even more so a reason as to why a trail ride was a great idea today. Ronan made his way to the barn, only to run into one of the stable hands, "Horses are out in pasture, halters are out there also." River Bloom informed him, gruff and annoyed by everyone's existence as always. He just nodded and headed on his way. Ronan himself was beginning to think that he was the only one who never took insult to the older man's attitude, as he heard Odette Lachepelle complain about him all the time and a new acquaintance, Brooklyn Hazelton, appeared terrified to death of the crabby stablehand despite that sassy mouth of hers.
It occurred to Ronan now that River hadn't bothered telling him just which pasture Max was in, but that shouldn't be hard to figure out with a sharp whistle. There was a whinny that responded to it, although, no chestnut brumby came running to him now. Frowning and grabbing the halter off the gate, the young man followed to fence line now to his horse and it would appear, Max was not alone. On the one side of the fence stood Max, chest pressed up against the fence as his neck arched over it as he investigated a new friend - a foal. Old enough to think it was independent of its mother, but young enough to not be a yearling. He could make out the words 'Radar' on the halter, "I don't think you belong here, buddy." He said now, as he took a step forward, and the foal cocked his head now, daring Ronan. Well shit. This might be a little more complicated than he thought unless Rory Way magically showed up.
"People ought to quit worrying so much about whispering to their horses and just start listening to them." —Greg Darnall
Rory finally had a moment to herself - riding Joy before work started and just finished a lesson with Merlin. The stallion had bucked her off after having way too much fun jumping over an oxer. She had just finished turning the stallion back out in his private pen, having hosed him off as well.
She hung the leather halter over her shoulder and went to go check on the yearlings. They were happily playing along and she was shocked that Brooklyn wasn't there hanging out with them. The brunette did a head count, making sure all of the young horses were accounted for. She headed to the mare and foal field, seeing Max in a different field nearby - as well as Ronan and a horse who didn't look like it belonged there.
The woman raised her eyebrow, jogging off towards the gelding field. "Someone isn't old enough for the gelding field yet. Hey Ronan, long time no see. You mind giving me a hand catching him?" She unclipped the lead rope she used for Merlin from the halter and threw the halter by the gate - stepping inside the pen. "If you try and pen him in a corner, that's usually how I get him. How have you been anyway?" The colt bobbed his head and let out a whinny.
Ronan couldn't believe that he was currently having a stare down with a foal - this was not how he imagined his day starting off. There always seemed to be something going on at Seven Oaks as of late though, if it wasn't annoying giggling teenagers, dealing with confetti canons from Leo White, or the horses being stupid, it was something or the other. This might have to take the cake though. The young man was still pondering on what to do when he heard a voice behind him: "Hey Ronan, long time no see. You mind giving me a hand catching him?"
He glanced over his shoulder now to see none other than Rory Way. The teenager didn't talk to her much, but she was a nice enough adult. If memory served him correctly, she ran the foaling and breeding program for Seven Oaks, "Hey Rory," Ronan replied now, "I don't mind." The foal, Radar, seemed to be egging them on now as he watched the two humans now, bobbing his head and letting out a whinny. He wasn't sure how he felt about corralling Radar, mainly because despite being a baby, he still weighed quite a bit and could do damage should he feel like it, but Ronan reminded himself that he had been raised on a ranch and this should be a piece of cake, even if he was rusty.
"So, you go left and I go right?" he asked, figuring they would just push him towards the destination that they deemed fit. Max, on the other side of the fence, still looked quite intrigued by the situation as he tossed his head now and letting out a gleeful whinny, "Ah well. I was hoping to take advantage of the weather and ride today, but clearly fate had other plans. I assume you and Merlin had a good jaunt?" Not that he minded really, if today just ended up being a good grooming session, then it wasn't the end of the world, "Rory, are all of your charges little escape artists like this?" The young man asked wryly, before he advanced towards Radar now.
"People ought to quit worrying so much about whispering to their horses and just start listening to them." —Greg Darnall
Rory didn't know Ronan that well, but he didn't fit in with the giggling fit of girls. They would be hesitant to help her round up the young colt. She held the lead rope in her hand, hiding it behind her back - knowing how smart Radar had proved to be. "Honestly, don't tell Molly or Janie but I'm glad it's you out here." She did adore the two teens, but sometimes they could be a bit too intense.
Radar seemed to be more interested in Ronan rather than paying attention to her slow approach. The brunette nodded at his suggestion. "That works, try and get him close to the fence if you can." It would act as a literal third wall and help keep the colt in a corner, making it easier for them to catch him. "Well, if you have time I still have to ride Joy. We could ride together?" It was the least thing she could do after the teenager agreed to help her. She still had to ride Joy no matter what the answer was. "We did, thanks. Worked on our dressage today. Merlin decided not to buck thankfully." The blood bay stallion made his opinion known - he enjoyed the show jumping days and not anything else. "How is Max anyway?" She didn't deal much with the geldings, unless Nic wanted her to check on Ghost.
"No, it's just him. Granted, I don't know if it's because he is one of the only colts born this year or if it's his personality." She knew from the moment he was born that Radar would be the one that would keep her hands full. Speaking of the colt, he pawed at the ground and whinnied again - as if he knew they were talking about him.
A snort of laughter could not help but to escape the teenager at Rory's words: "Honestly, don't tell Molly or Janie but I'm glad it's you out here." Truth be told, Ronan wasn't surprised by that comment. Brooklyn Hazelton would be an annoying one as well, "What? Can't handle some horse-obsessed teenagers, Rory?" He said jokingly now. God. Living here really has rubbed off on him if he could ask wry jokes like that. Granted, in the grand scheme of things, Ronan knew that he should be paying attention to the little foal in front of him.
Blue grey eyes watched as Radar's little tail and ears twitched about, as if he was trying to figure out how to best run away from the two humans now. It probably didn't help that he had Max hollering about, no doubt egging the little guy on. Ronan knew it wouldn't be long before other horses in his gelding's paddock decided to follow suit and watch the show, only to add more to the chaos. He nodded at Rory's instructions, shifting a little bit as he walked forward now, trying to edge the foal towards the fence line and Max, "Ah sure. We can go for a ride if this doesn't take up our whole afternoon." He didn't have much going on today given the summer heat, which hopefully would come to an end soon, "Glad to hear about Merlin. Max is doing well, as you can see. Took a while, but I think he's finally settled in. I think his last spook was in January."
Ronan took a few more steps, watching as the foal pawed the ground and whinnied again, "Ah, an escape artist and a dominate personality. You do have your hands full," he commented, taking a few more steps, "At least it's only him." He wasn't really sure how he was going to catch him for Rory, but he made sure to seem big enough to cover the ground. Radar dance a bit now, really thinking about what to do, and Max's head hung over the fence now, trying to get to the foal himself. Ronan took a deep breath, "Alright Rory, I guess it's now or never?"
"People ought to quit worrying so much about whispering to their horses and just start listening to them." —Greg Darnall
