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!.
After yet another ass kick of a lesson with Stephanie, Kennedy knew she better smarten up. Rosso was still in great shape, but clearly she was slacking. Her driver suggested that she take the dark bay stallion on an easy trail to cool their minds. Kennedy reluctantly agreed, complaining that it was too hot and that being by the water wasn't really her thing. But sure enough, she led her stallion into the trailer and allowed Lorenzo to drive the two of them off to the beach trail.
Twenty minutes later, the truck rolled to a stop. Lorenzo parking it in the area designated for trailers and Kennedy hopped out of the passenger side door. She opened the back of the trailer and got inside, clipping her lead rope onto the leather halter and backed him off. Having already brushed the stallion beforehand, she just tacked him up - deciding on the teal set for Rosso. After she tightened the girth and put on the boots, she put her helmet on and led him towards the mounting block, getting on before waving to Lorenzo that she got on safely.
She nudged the stallion forward, weaving him through the trees that led towards the sandy beach. The stallion kept his head high, wondering what was going on.
Alpha had been getting sour with her lately, and Harlow Alenko had no idea why. It was so unlike the sports horse. Usually he was nothing but a cuddly teddy bear with her. Okay, so she admitted that perhaps she had spending more time with Beamer than she had been with Alpha, as the young horse needed it while Alpha could be trusted. That might have something to do with it, in fact, both Ty and John had suggested it to her. Harlow wasn't entirely sure if she believed their idea that horses could have true feelings of jealousy, but at this rate, the young woman was willing to try anything to get her bond back. So, with Ty's help, she had loaded up Alpha into her trailer, and drove him to the beach.
It was a change of scenery, and it was something that the pair of them had not done in a long time. In fact, Harlow couldn't remember the last time she had taken the gelding out for a beach ride. Hopefully, this would do them both some good. As soon as she unloaded him, Harlow could already see a difference and his nostrils flared, taking in the salty air and his tears twitched at the sound of distant waves beckoning them. He still gave her a little sass as she tacked him out, correcting him when needed, and sweet talking him when he was being good, "Maybe at the end, I'll even let you go deep into the water." Harlow didn't care much for getting her Le Meuix gear wet, but she packed the appropriate tack to do so. Besides, this day was about Alpha and not her distain for getting dirty.
Once they were settled, she mounted up and they were off to the beach. While Harlow was allowing this to be her horse's day though, the young woman corrected him whenever he thought he could try and be funny about launching into a speed she didn't want. She worked Alpha, circles and figure 8's right there on the sandy beach before she felt like she could trust him to not be stupid. After that, they let loose and thundered down the sandy shores to their hearts content. As she pulled him up now, slowing down to turn and go in the opposite direction, her brown eyes caught someone entering the beach now: a horse and rider. Harlow's eyes narrowed, suspicious as always. The horse looked nice, and even she couldn't deny their outfit and color coordination was on point, and expensive. But what Harlow didn't like was how that stallion was holding his head, and his rider looked rather preoccupied. While she couldn't kick anyone off the beach, Harlow was always quick to try and nip stupidity.
She and Alpha made her way over to them, and Harlow flashed her sly cool girl smile now, "You two look cute," she called out, "First time beach riding?"
I made my decision to test the limits 'cause it's my business
thanks aofie!
Twenty One . Professional Jumper . Heiress . In a Relationship with TY XAVIER WEBBER
Kennedy moved the stallion towards the water, allowing his hooves to touch the cold, wet sand. She serpentined him to keep the stallion busy, finally getting him to lower his head. Something about the salt in the air made Rosso more alert. She wondered if the previous owner worked him on the beach before a big competition or something.
The stallion snorted as Kennedy asked for the trot. The brunette rolled her eyes, the stallion had as much attitude as she did - making them the perfect pair together. She heard thundering hoofbeats coming behind her and Kennedy brought the bay back to the walk. She glanced over and saw another brunette with a light colored horse - neither of them she recognized before. "Cute wasn't really what I was going for, but thanks." Though being beautiful on the back of the horse was something she took pride in - more in the show ring though. Beach riding meant she could wear her older clothes. "Yes actually. Though we've been on trail rides together. And you?"
She sat up and practiced her position. All the things that Stephanie yelled at her for were flooding back. She really needed to sit up before the jumps - it was messing with her horse's form. "I don't think I've seen you around before. What barn do you ride at?"
It seemed to take the other young woman a moment or two to realize that she and her horse were not the only ones on the beach, something that annoyed Harlow. She wasn't the greatest at waiting around to be acknowledged, in fact, she utterly hated it. Harlow hated it even more when waiting was followed up with a cool thanks that came after a correction. Still, she reigned in her bitchy girl attitude for the time being since this girl was unknown to her and this was also not Ryan Sports Hall, "Oh? What were you aiming for if not cute then?"
She inched Alpha a little closer, but not by much. Harlow merely did it so conversing would be easier and they wouldn't have to yell at each other over the waves and the wind, but she had caught that the other girl's horse was a stallion, and she wasn't about to risk anything with Alpha. The young woman seemed to have him mostly under control, but Harlow caught some form discrepancies and it was currently hard to tell with how confident the girl was feeling at the moment sitting in the saddle, and if there was one thing Harlow didn't like being around, it was a lack of confidence, "Ah. It shows," she replied now, "And no, this isn't our first time. We just haven't been here in a while." A snort escaped the haflinger warmblood cross now, as if to remind her of something, "Admittingly, I haven't been giving Alpha here enough attention...so this is our bonding time."
Dark brown eyes merely watched the girl now finick with her position. Perhaps this conversation wouldn't last long. Harlow had half of the mind to turn and leave, she could share a beach and not talk to her, but the follow up question both gave her an excuse to brag and be bitchy, "You haven't seen me before? Do you not show locally or internationally?" She asked now, her brow arching, "I'm Harlow. Harlow Alenko. I train under John Ryan at his barn, but one of my horses is retired to Blue Arces. I'm sure you've heard of them." In fact, this girl looks exactly the type who would board and ride there, "So...you are?"
I made my decision to test the limits 'cause it's my business
thanks aofie!
Twenty One . Professional Jumper . Heiress . In a Relationship with TY XAVIER WEBBER
She shouldn't have expected to be alone on the trails. It was Summer time and all the equestrians around town were getting their horses out of the arena. "Beautiful more like it, but I'll take the cute compliment." The rider beside her was clearly also decked out in the newest gear. Rosso gave the flaxen horse the side eye as he walked in step with the large bay stallion.
"He's fine though, defiantly used to different riding situations." Being on the Italian Olympic team meant Rosso had been trained professionally - and used to different climates as well. "Do you not like coming here or something?" Riders had their preferences but, most of them enjoyed the beach trail. Reminding them somewhat of a tropical destination. When the topic switched, it was Kennedy's turn to glance over at the other rider. "So, you have more than one horse then? It must be sad for him not to spend time with you." This made Kennedy happy she only had one horse - secretly hating if she paid attention to one over the other.
As they rode along, Rosso began settling down. He was used to it just being himself and Kennedy as she paid extra for private lessons with Stephanie. "Clearly you don't know who I am either so maybe I'm not the only one who lives under a rock." Most people recognized her either from the barn or as a burlesque dancer. "Locally for now, though that's going to change shortly." She was starting to convince her parents that she needed to do more shows - it's how she could get better.
"Now I've heard of you. I'm Kennedy, I ride at Blue Acres. Wait, is your retired horse Aristocrat or something?" She had heard the stable hands talking about him while she was getting Rosso ready for a lesson. "And this is Rosso, I'm sure you know him. He competed at the Olympic games in Tokyo before I bought him."
If this had been a group setting, Harlow probably would have rolled her eyes at such a response to being nitpicky over a compliment - the irony being that the young woman herself was just as nitpicky about compliments herself. However, like others, it was hard to fault oneself instead of others. She wasn't in a preaching mood though, and as their horses lined up and walked side by side, Harlow knew this conversation was for the long haul, and if she got tired of it, then the sass and eyerolling could come out to quickly end it. A frown sat on her lips as the stallion gave Alpha a side eye now, one her warmblood cross was more than happy to return. As a result, Harlow merely fiddled with the bit now to redirection attention, figuring circling out for now would make conversation difficult.
"Ah, well that's good," Harlow responded before musing, "I wasn't sure earlier. He looked like he was being a little hot for you." Although, the young woman supposed that was expected of most young stallions. She knew well enough to not wrap all stallions up into one box of crazy, Aristocrat himself had always been quite mellow, even before he started hitting 'senior' territory. The question prompted a shrug from Harlow now as brown eyes looked to the waves, "It's not that. It's just a lot of work. I don't mind loading and packing my horses, but I hate driving the truck and trailer. I usually make my boyfriend do it for me." Alas, Ty, had only been able to help her pack and load, leaving her to handle the drive. As for the horses, the young woman nonchalantly added, "I have three. Two show and one's retired but still requires light riding."
Brown eyes glanced back over again at Kennedy now and her stallion, who finally looked to be settling down, "Is he your only horse?" It wouldn't surprise her if that was the answer, Harlow suspected the other woman had her hands full with only the bay. For a moment, Harlow almost thought they might get along until Kennedy threw her rock comment right back in her face, "Excuse you, I do not live under a rock." She replied haughtily. It made her wonder what the girl must do if she was so convinced that one Harlow Alenko should actually know who she was. The mere thought of how Kennedy had just talked to her was getting the young woman all riled up, but in the back of her brain, she heard Ty's voice telling her to be calm and gentle, so she managed to bite her tongue before anything else came out that could be mean, "Oh? Taking the showing up a notch?"
An eyebrow arched at Kennedy's following words: "Now I've heard of you. I'm Kennedy, I ride at Blue Acres. Wait, is your retired horse Aristocrat or something?" Or something? Or something?! Aristocrat deserved far better recognition than that. The fucking nerve, "Yes. Aristocrat is mine," Harlow replied now, trying to keep herself from gritting her teeth as she started to recompose herself, not bothering to say it was nice to meet Kennedy, since she was beginning to think otherwise. Her gaze fell to the stallion once more now after his introduction, "Oh, I thought he looked familiar."And now wonder he's too much for you, she thought darkly to herself, "How did you find him?" Clearly, Harlow was not the only one here with money now.
I made my decision to test the limits 'cause it's my business
thanks aofie!
Twenty One . Professional Jumper . Heiress . In a Relationship with TY XAVIER WEBBER
Kennedy was shocked she got a compliment so quickly. She watched as the other woman didn’t roll her eyes or say anything. The woman took pride in matching with her horse, Kayleigh was a godsend when it came to that. She often custom-ordered her gear through the tack store when she felt like buying a new outfit. Kennedy watched Rosso out of the corner of her eye as if she were to monitor his reaction to the other male horse walking right beside him. The darker stallion didn’t seem to mind, though she was sure he was hiding his anger.
“Him? Rosso is pretty quiet for a stallion. Unless he is out in his private pen, that’s where he causes chaos.” She caused more chaos at Blue Acres than he did. The stable hands were forever grateful that the stallion was well-behaved - the horse was only a horse when he was outside. “I thought you’d like the independence of driving? Or is it the fact that the horse in the back of the trailer is precious cargo?” Maybe Harlow had a soft spot after all - though she always got someone to drive the truck and trailer for her. Her parents bought her own and Lorenzo didn’t mind driving them. “Boyfriend? Is he too busy with something else to spend time with you?” Kennedy sometimes wished she had someone steady, though she did love fooling around. “That must keep you busy then. How many days a week do you ride all three of them?” Kennedy didn’t know what it would be like having more than one horse, though with her two jobs - one was all she could juggle.
“It’s all I really have the time for honestly. I’d like a second horse but right now it’s not really ideal.” With her two jobs she was mostly awake at night, which meant she slept in for the most part. She also was paying for board and lessons herself. Kennedy scoffed, clearly neither of them knew each other. “I’d ask you to prove it but, I don’t know how you could.” It wasn’t like she was a celebrity or something. She just thought she was when she stepped on stage at the Lounge. “That’s the plan anyway. I’d like to do some shows in other parts of the UK first.” Things were starting to pick up again with the tourists visiting the Lounge so she was getting some pretty good tips recently.
Kennedy was quickly able to put two and two together. Now she knew who the other woman was. She found it odd that Harlow would board two horses at one barn and the other at Blue Acres, but everyone had their own situations to deal with. “Ah, okay now I know who you are. I’ve heard your name mentioned around the barn.” She now could put a name to a face. Usually she knew who they were talking about when it came to people boarding their horses at BA. “At least someone knows who he is. I was visiting the London International Horse Show with my parents a few years ago and saw him. After watching him jump I just had to have him.”
Harlow wasn't entirely sure when the other young woman claimed that her stallion was quite calm save for when he was on his own at Blue Arces, "I see." It certainly hadn't looked that way on the beach, and as the thought crossed her mind, she used some inside leg and outside rein to move Alpha out a bit more, and allowing Rosso more room despite appearing perfectly fine. With that said and done, Harlow relaxed a bit more as her brown gaze followed down the beach as their conversation carry on, "Precious cargo, and trucks and trailers are just bulky. I prefer to drive my sports car." Her gaze flicked to Kennedy now, "And you? You're telling me you trailered Rosso here yourself?" Truthfully, she doubted it. Harlow heard the Pietrangleos' had their own butler to take care of their daughter.
She made a huffy sound at the insinuation that her boyfriend was too busy to hang out with her, "Well, sometimes he is. Ty is one of John Ryan's grooms. But when he's not with John, he's with me." Okay, well, maybe he was with her a little bit less than that, but, semantics. Besides, Ty was her's and her's alone, and Harlow wanted to make that absolutely clear that he wasn't up for grabs. The young woman hated when other girls asked her about Ty, it always brought up a sense of paranoia in her - like they were out to steal her boyfriend from her. She welcomed the change in conversation now, "I ride Alpha and Beamer six times a week, and Aristocrat four times. I'm sure you ride just as much." And then, Kennedy's next statement caused her to raise an eyebrow, "Oh? How do you not have time? Don't tell me...you work?"
What had been off to a pleasant start in conversation between the two young women seemed to spiral a little, the both of them serving up some attitude with each other. But it couldn't be helped, at least, that's what Harlow thought. She didn't quite like how Kennedy Pietrangleo scoffed at her words, although, the other woman could probably say the same of Harlow, "I don't need to prove anything to you." She replied coolly now, below her, Alpha was now picking up on the attitude of his owner, making his own ears swivel and cause the warmblood cross to wonder if he should be sparking some of his own attitude. Harlow could sense it as well, but didn't quite correct him, not yet at least. As Kennedy claimed that she had heard her name at Blue Arces, she couldn't help but to roll her eyes, "Oh. I'm sure you've heard nothing but good things about me." The words came out biting and sarcastic, another sour point for Harlow, she knew people didn't like her, and that often bothered her, even though she'd never change her attitude.
Guess she wasn't the only one who used daddy's money to buy horses. That was the moral of the story of how Kennedy came to own an Olympic jumper, "Ah. I'm sure he'll take you beyond Hickstead circuits then. Maybe I'll see you on the road." And then, a thought occurred to her, "Who on earth do you train with then? I certainly don't see you at John's."
I made my decision to test the limits 'cause it's my business
thanks aofie!
Twenty One . Professional Jumper . Heiress . In a Relationship with TY XAVIER WEBBER
Kennedy wondered what Harlow’s horses were like. It seemed that Alpha was relatively calm so far. Rosso had groundwork and manners drilled into him from a young age - the reason why he could continue being a stallion. “It’s not like he’s a robot. He is allowed to have fun and enjoy himself.” She shrugged her shoulders - at least one of them didn’t have a father breathing down their neck.
“Ah, but you can’t really bring your horses anywhere fun by yourself.” She thankfully had Lorenzo who would drive the truck and trailer if needed - even to a competition. It was much nicer being able to trailer Rosso home after her classes were done rather than waiting all day for her barn mates to be done. “Oh god no. Lorenzo drives me everywhere.” Her parents wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to their best employee. The beloved driver knew all the tricks in the book to get them out of a sticky situation if need be.
Rosso flicked his ears at the gentle touch of flies landing on him - not paying attention to the gelding beside him. “Ah, so he’s a workaholic then. How long have you two been together now?” She couldn’t imagine what it would be like having a boyfriend - too much commitment for her. “At Luna Lounge and for my family, yes. I don’t really consider that work though. It’s fun.” Kennedy nodded - it sometimes got her into trouble but it made her life much more interesting. “I ride Rosso six days a week. I have two lessons a week on him.” Stephanie was a saint in the fact that she adjusted her schedule to fit her lessons in.
If Rosso could have rolled his eyes - he would have. The stallion was not impressed by the cattiness between the two riders. “Alright, alright. I just find it odd that you also ride at Blue Acres but you’ve never heard of me.” Kennedy shook her head - most of the boarders there knew who she was and often ran the other way. “Oh right, it’s always only bad things about you. Everyone shudders when they hear your name.” Kennedy felt she had a bit of competition - though they never really saw each other at the barn.
“That’s the hope anyway. He does love jumping so it’s just a matter of practice.” She reached down and patted the dark bay, realising he wasn’t putting up with her attitude. “I ride with Stephanie King at BA, sometimes Naomi teaches if she is away. Does John teach you?”
