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!.
It felt a little weird still to her arriving at any other barn that was not Ryan Sports Horses, but after careful consideration and the recommendations from both John and Marie Ryan, Harlow Alenko had retired her most senior horse, Aristocrat, to Blue Arces Stables. People could say what they want about her when it came to being a cold blooded bitch, but as far as her horses were concerned, the young woman did care about their well being and health. Besides, the warmblood had served her well over the past decade, and it was the least that Harlow could do for him. Retirement seemed to suit the stallion well, although he still required light riding three or four times a week, usually flat work or a nice lazy hack, since management informed her after a few weeks of doing absolutely nothing but being doted upon and groomed, Aristocrat appeared depressed by a lack of a job. So she made time in her schedule now to appropriately ride him when not working with her other two horses at the Ryans' Barn.
The one annoying thing about Blue Arces though, at least for her opinion, was there always seemed to be a lack of stablehands whenever she arrived. It was like they knew she was coming and proceeded to hide. And while that annoyed Harlow quite a bit, the young woman kept her bitching to herself merely to prove a point that she was fully capable of taking care of her own horse without being waited on. She ventured out to the paddocks to collect her stallion now, whistling and calling his name, and it was not long before he left his friends and appeared before her. Thankfully, no one else cared to follow him, so getting him out of the pasture had been no issue at all. Leading him back to the barn now, Harlow simply cooed to him and informed him they were looking at a lovely hack this morning in order to beat the summer heatwave. His ears twitched and swiveled at every word, always comforted by the sounds of her voice.
She set him up in one of the grooming stalls, connected by the cross ties and quickly left to retrieve her grooming kit before she went to work brushing out caked dirt and dust. Harlow was always gentle during this process, as she had discovered early into her ownership and early equestrian life that her horse could be sensitive to the brushes. As she took a step back to admire her work, Harlow caught something, or someone, out of the corner of her eye. She knew that fake platinum dye job from anywhere. The young woman frowned, knowing that in her two months of being at Blue Arces, she had not seen that man's bitchy mare, Dreamer, anywhere. In fact, now that she thought about it - the pair had been absent for a while from the arena. It had been nice, the pair had been one of her main arch rivals at almost every show. Always on equal turf, it was fifty fifty who would take the prize leading to the jump off - but every time she won, Harlow had made certain to gloat about it and rub it into him behind the scenes. The young woman stepped out from the grooming stall, her arms folding as she sneered, "What are you doing here, Maddox Black?" It was a valid question, Maddox had all but disappeared from the public eye, "I was beginning to think I whipped you off for good in Dublin."
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
The only reason he was even out of his apartment was because he'd heard rumours of some worthy riding prospects, otherwise he wouldn't have even bothered. Ever since Dreamer's death, his heart had not been in the same place and despite the offerings that had been thrown his way, he'd simply ignored them. Too many big name companies and flashing cameras that could and would only become distraction and useless. So stepping out solo seemed the better alternative - it wasn't like he couldn't afford it. So he strode through the stable block like he was meant to be there.
"What are you doing here, Maddox Black? I was beginning to think I whipped you off for good in Dublin."
That snide little voice made him pause in his steps and tilt his head slightly, feeling his heart involuntarily spiking with anxiety but as he turned around, he fixed Harlow Alenko with his typical withering glare. He could feel his muscles tense, more out of reflex than anything else, and he hated that but showed nothing as he stared at her as if she were a bad smell.
"Harlow," he said coldly, "Glad to prove you wrong. I see you are some how hanging on in the leagues, especially against some very mediocre talents."
Casually he put his hands in his pockets, "I have business here. Quite simple. What puts you here?"
Dark brown eyes watched as the young man's steps came to a halt, so sudden, that Harlow was certain that she had gotten to him. Her lips could not help but to twist in a smirk as his head tilted back towards her ever so slightly, as if to confirm who the voice belonged to. But Harlow knew that there was no way that Maddox Black could ever forget her voice. They had too many fights and too many competitions between them over the years to either of them to ever forget one another - bitter rivals to the bitter end. The young woman couldn't deny Maddox's prowess on his mare, they had always been one to be reckon with - a challenge that Harlow and her horses were always chomping at the bit to take on.
She watched as turned around fully to take her in, his glare as somber and icy as she remembered. She didn't appreciate the look - like might have just stepped onto a horse's manure pile - but in true fashion, it was his chore words that had gotten to her: "I see you are some how hanging on in the leagues, especially against some very mediocre talents." The young woman bristled, the insult injected like a knife between the ribs, but she kept her cool, "I think you've mistaken me for someone else if you think I ride against the sub-pare. And unlike you, I like to defend my crown."
Harlow's head cocked as the young man shoved his hands into his pockets, informing her that he simply had 'business', and didn't bother to elaborate, "What business?" She demanded, although she may have an idea. A horse. There were a few at Blue Arces now that needed show riders now. But it was hard to picture Maddox Black on anyone other than Dreamer, whenever she may be. As for herself, Harlow wasn't sure if she wanted to air her business to him if he wasn't going to give her his, but it would appear that her horse had other plans, "Like I'm going to tell-" An echo of a hoof step or two cut her off, and a large brown head was peering out from the grooming stall to the best of it's abilities, staring at Maddox now. A sigh escaped Harlow, "I decided it was time to retire Aristocrat, and figured this barn was better suited to retirement life than my trainer'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
He watched her as he pushed his hands into his pockets, feeling the all too common nervous tick setting in. He would not give her the satisfaction of seeing that little bit of weakness. He raised a brow.
"I think you've mistaken me for someone else if you think I ride against the sub-pare. And unlike you, I like to defend my crown." "Not mistaken, it's accurate - there are only sub-par riders for you to compete against. And it's cute you think you have a crown to defend," he scoffed, "You won't be wearing that crown long."
"What business?" She demanded.
He shrugged again, "Business Alenko, simply bunsiness."
"Like I'm going to tell-"
A sigh escaped Harlow, "I decided it was time to retire Aristocrat, and figured this barn was better suited to retirement life than my trainer's."
At that he felt some pang of envy and hatred rise up, twisting his features into something of a scowl - an expression that rarely bodded well for those on the other side.
"So, useless is what you are saying," he replied, his tone a tad more sharp and bitter, "No point in keeping a horse like that, waste of time and money really. Dreamer hit her peak and after that, well, I put her out of her misery."
He felt a slight lump in his throat - he was lying through clenched teeth about that. He had had to bury that mare, not put her down. He hated it, he missed that mare something fierce. But despite his inner sadness and rage, his expression didn't move from that scowl.
She watched her nemesis shift a little bit as he stuck his hands into his pockets, could it be a nervous tick? Harlow searched her brain, trying to remember given it had been a while since she last saw Maddox Black in the arena - something that she still thought suspicious. It wasn't long though before that millisecond of uncertainty was wiped away from the young man and he was already scoffing at her. His words made her arch a brow in return, before sneering back, "Well, if I ride against sub-par riders, than what does that make you? Given how often we're in the same arena." And damn right, she had a crown to defend. Still, it was hard to argue over semantics when there was still the mystery of why he was here at Blue Acres.
"You say business like its an acceptable answer for me," Harlow shot back. Of course, Maddox had always been a private person, it was a trait that annoyed the young woman to death and got under her skin multiple times in their history. This interaction proved to be no different. She always wanted to know what the competition was up to. After all, she just fessed up to retiring one of her own horses, one that the other rider knew well enough from their times competition. To fill the void, she gave Aristocrat a loving pat now, just to remind the stallion that despite this conversation, she certainly hadn't forgotten about him there.
What happened next though was something Harlow Alenko had not been expecting. Mentioning retiring her stallion brought a scowl to Maddox's face. Brown eyes watched as his lips curled back to spit words at her: "So, useless is what you are saying," he replied, his tone a tad more sharp and bitter, "No point in keeping a horse like that, waste of time and money really. Dreamer hit her peak and after that, well, I put her out of her misery." There weren't many things that could make Harlow Alenko quiet, but that had certainly been one, "Excuse me?!" She could feel herself getting riled up now, "We may not get along but I don't believe for a second that you believe that. I know you loved that stupid mare - I can't imagine you put her down." Was that why he was there? Was that mare really dead and buried into the grown? Her eyes narrowed now, "And say what you want about me, but don't you dare insult my horse like he's some nag."
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
