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!.
River had no idea why she had come to this place, she wasn't looking for a dang horse she honestly didn't ever want another horse. Yet here she was walking through the pens, her soft eyes scanning sick horses, built horses, riding horses, ponies and even one that resembled her late mare she had tragically lost. It seemed the farther she walked back the worse the horses started to look, some with snotty noses and others so old they could hardly stand. Her heart was aching with every horse she passed but when her ears picked up a squeal let out with effort her eyes flicked up locking on a pathetic looking horse who was trying with all his might to keep everyone away from him. Something about this horse peaked her interest as her eye wondered over his skinny ungroomed body, her heart squeezed as some men yelled at him as he just tried to protect himself, didn't they know he was scared and they were far to close.
Taking a few strides closer to the pen after everyone had left the horse with disgust on their faces, She left enough space between her and the poor horse she spoke to him. "Hey handsome what has you here, those guys were not to nice were they," her voice was so soft and calm it was almost hard to hear above the crowd of people that moved away to look at much nicer horses. She didn't want to get right up to the pen, not only because she did not feel like being bitten but also because she didn't want him to feel more trapped then he might have already felt. She scanned the bars of his pen looking for any kind of information, she wanted to locate it before walking around so that he did not feel like she was circling him. Was he while maybe a light color she couldn't quite tell do to the state he was in and her heart hurt for him.
River had wondered to herself as she walked down the trails, she had noticed some hoof prints that were just off the path and decided to fallow them. Maybe she would find a rider to draw finally as she picked up her pace notebook in hand, she had been wanting to do a quick drawing since coming to town however she had been to busy. Her light steps were close to silent as she traveled on her own, she didn't carry anything heavy with her just a few cookies and some water as she walked through the heavy brush. She had her hair pulled up into a bun and scoffed as it caught on a tree branch in a large group of trees. As she started to untangle her hair from the branch, her eyes landed on one of the most beautiful animals she had seen in a very long time.
The horse seemed to be in ok health as she watched them resting under the trees though their hind end seemed a bit off, their pelt a beautiful two tone color though she wasn't exactly sure their true colors. Looking around for a rider possibly down she felt a slight ping of fear, then realized if they had been apart of a barn he more then likely wouldn't have been this far out. Deciding she would maybe try to draw the magnificent beast she started to settle a good ways away, not to far he was hard to see but close enough that they wouldn't feel threatened by her. Pulling from her small bag a water bottle some charcoal pencils and her cookies she settled into a tree and looked up again setting to her drawing. Her soft eyes would flick up to him and back down as the pencil would glide across the page of her book, this horse truly could be beautiful she she worried about the way he was holding his hind end.
dislikes • Large groups/Busy places, Tea cold or hot, Roses, Cats, Riding in cars, Winter.
strengths • Reading horses body language, Hard working, Always focused on the task at hand.
weaknesses • Forgets to eat or drink, Oblivious to any and all fliting attempts by others, Usually has her head in another place.
dreams • She dreams to ride again, Wants to show at the level she used to be at.
fears • She fears riding again, Falling in love again, Losing herself to her fear.
overall personality • Shy yet confident River is a walking shell of conflicts, when she is alone good luck keeping her mind on you when in conversation. Some would explain her as air headed and hard to talk to but this is due to her lack of interest in the person in front of her, if you can keep her interested she is actually a smart and caring person. River usually tries to avoid any and all conflict even if it means it could get her into big trouble, she can often be so soft spoken that she falls into the background of most gatherings. But get her into the ring and River will most likely always be a pleasure to watch, with a cool confident air around her she can work with most horses, even the ones tagged as killers. She is always a much happier and carefree girl when around horses and spends a lot of time drawing them, if you find her doing so under a tree please approach with caution because she scares easily. When it comes to flirting and or romance, well count this girl out she is oblivious and never picks up on people who may try to flirt with her often brushing it off as them being nice. She is a bit burnt out on love at the moment thanks to her last and only relationship.
the history
father • Ryan May, 52, Horse trainer
mother • Willow Grace May, 50, Herbal medication.
siblings • N/A
important people • Andrew, 27, Ex-Boyfriend.
hometown • Nashville, Tennessee
overall history •When River was born the wind outside was whipping things across the may's back porch and her father was cussing so much a trucker would be proud, after fighting a storm while bringing in the horse stock he had just picked up from the auction he had gotten a text from his new wife stating its time. Running full tilt to the house and bursting through the door he entered the house to find his very calm smiling wife cleaning the floor, astounded he scrambled around grabbing bags, keys and wallets that had been neatly packed and sat by the front door. The trip to the hospital was quick though stormy and through everything his wife smiles softly at the panicking man, her husband she loved so much and couldn't wait to make a first time father. The birth was long but went along with no complications and soon River entered the world, Every day was spent either helping her mother tend to the animals on their homestead, or riding out with her daddy to round up the young horses for training. Her dad taught her to ride at the ripe young age of 4 years old on a crippled grey nag, She had picked the horse out at an auction and fought every kid that wanted to try the horse out. When her dad said the mare wasn't worth a penny she crossed her arms defiantly and pointed to the mare who stood with her head low. "She is River's daddy, she is rivers heart", seeing that his daughter was not budging he tossed the young cowboy $800 and scoffed as the four year old snatched the lead and drug the poor horse to the trailer.
Each step the mare took was calculated and soft as to not hurt the child in front of her, even when her old skinny body threatened to give out she stood strong to not hurt her new best friend. River spent hours in the barn feeding grooming and loving on the old gray mare, after month of vet bills and heart breaking nights the mare was plump and filling with life clearly fighting for her little girl. River was so excited when her father finally let her toss the saddle on the old grey horse, she clambered up into the saddle patted the faithful girl on her neck and turned to her dad. "Her name is Heaven daddy because when I'm up here I feel just a little closer to it", Her dad shook his head as his baby took to riding faster then she took to walking. Four more years that old mare gave to River and she in turn gave that mare the best four years of her remaining life, they went to every small schooling show she could find, and spent hours practicing for each one. They never won a single show but River never cared as long as she had her ticket to Heaven. The night River went out and saw her best friend on the ground her eight year old heart felt its first heartbreak, but she didn't scream or throw a fit, no that eight year old walked over slowly and sat by her old friend stroking her white hairs on her face softly. "Its ok girl you can go I'll be ok I promise", her tears spilled from her tiny blue eyes and began to soak the soft clean fur of her heart horse.
It took months for River to find another horse she got along with, even when winning competition after competition she never felt a bond with the horses she rode. One day her dad called into her high school and pulled river out of class, As she walked out she noticed the old stock trailer hooked up and her dad grinned at her waving for her to hurry along. It was sale day and they were going to get new stock, River watched as horse after horse went through the pen, some broke some deadly. Close to the end a fire red filly ran through the ring her head high and wild, fear causing the whites in her eyes to show, River jumped up raising her dads number high without a second guess. That fire red filly sold for a whopping 200 dollars to the blue eyed girl with her dads number, They had to run her onto a friends empty trailer for fear she would hurt the horses in her dads trailer. River spent day after day for three years fighting with that fire red filly, many nights were spent crying, wanting to give up and curseing herself for buying the stupid horse. Her father never let her give up though and soon she was riding and showing with her new partner, five years flew buy and 22 year old river rode that flame through to champion level jumping until one rainy day everything changed. All it took was one screw up from the tractor dragging the ring, one broken metal rake, one off chance that her mare would take the jump just an inch to close sending that barb into her hoof. The mare still jumped, she still tried and she fought to keep her rider, River felt the off landing before everything flashed before her eyes as the mare went hind end over front. The snap of the young horses neck rang loud in Rivers ears as the mares hooves popped up throwing her below the beast and causing one of the polished shoes to fly off slicing into Rivers chest.
River was in shock as her dad and mom rushed into the ring, she looked over at her horse, everything slowed and she let out a scream that stopped everyone in their tracks. Rolling to her side she crawled to her horse calling her name frantically as her father pressed a towel to her chest shouting that she was gone and they needed to get to the hospital. It took three paramedics to pry her from the horse that lay in the dirt, the horse she had let heal her heart from the loss of her old grey mare. They sedated her on the way to the hospital and she dreamed of the days she spent sleeping in her stall, the nights that she would work so long with her that her legs could hardly hold her up. She dreamed of their fist ride and first win, and then she woke to her sleep deprived father and puffy eyed mother, from that day on she avoided the horses only sneaking out to the barn to draw them running through the fields, never willing to get to close even when they would call to her for treats like she used to do. Years passed until she finally decided to move out to Hickstead, she needed a new start and this was her last option, she moved close to stables and spent a few days just watching and dealing with her sorrow.
the role player
alias • Willow
age • 28
other characters • None yet but i hope i can create more one day. ^.^