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 had taken years, but Aurora had finally convinced her husband to start riding. She wanted to wait for show season to slow down and for her students to head back to school - meaning that she had her morning to focus on him and helping him get Phantom ready. She had arrived at the barn before him, wanting to clean his tack and bring him inside.
She threw her hair in a ponytail and started working. The dressage saddle needed the most cleaning as she hadn't had time after her most recent horse show. Aurora ran her sponge down the black leather saddle - hanging out by the chestnut stallion's stall. She kept her head down, reflecting on how she could improve - as usual putting way too much pressure on herself. Though these next few months meant qualification time for 2024. It didn't take her long to finish cleaning the saddle, knowing they would have to lengthen the stirrups when Andrew was ready to get on.
Clearly the chestnut stallion was paying more attention to his surroundings than Aurora was, as he let out a low whinny, signaling to her that someone was approaching. She blinked, getting herself out of her reflective trance and lifted her head. "Hey, glad you could make it a bit earlier. Figured it would be good for you to learn to get a horse ready too before we get you on." Aurora put her sponge beside the container of saddle soap, approaching her husband with a smile.
He was doing it. Andrew was finally caving and getting onto a horse. He knew the day would happen at some point. Andrew knew it was time since Alexi was getting older. Aurora needed help, but that wasn’t Maeve. He didn’t know why it was such a pressing matter for him, but the band-aid had to come off. Quick and painless. At least, he hoped it would be. Aurora wouldn’t let him damage himself too much.
Andrew got dressed and made his way to the barn, after dropping Alexi off at Courtney’s. He knew he wasn’t dressed properly, but jeans and a light cool jacket were better than athletic shorts and a T-shirt. “Yes, I’m here,” he smiled. “Ah, so free labor out of me too?” he joked. “But alright...you show me what to do first.” Gosh, he felt like a kid in grade school.
She reached down and closed the lid of the leather cleaner, just in case it would dry out. "Oh come on, this is all part of riding. Are you going to be one of those students that make the staff get their horses ready for them." Aurora smiled, walking over to he husband and giving him a gentle hug before letting go. She was itching to get him on the back of a horse for years - but playing hockey meant avoiding other extreme sports.
"You'll be on Phantom. The other two are a bit small for you." The chestnut stallion had a good head on his shoulders, and they'd only be on the lunge line to begin with. "His grooming kit is there in front of his stall door. The black rubber glove first, it's called a curry comb." The blonde opened the stall door, allowing Phantom to stick his head out. "How was your morning so far? School run go okay?" Aurora reached down and opened the grooming kit, leaving the lid open as she picked up the other curry comb and started on one side of the horse - starting in circular motions with her hand.
“I mean...I can be?” he snickered, grabbing the right brush. Andrew wasn’t a dumbass and wasn’t about to pull weaponize incompetence. If he could remember how to hit a certain skate routine, he would brush a horse. Andrew approached Phantom and let the horse sniff the brush in his hand, just so the horse knew what was going on. Also, to signal that another person that wasn’t Aurora was about to touch all over him.
“Yeah, it was fine. I was early as always, but it doesn’t help that we live a walking distance away from his daycare,” he replied, starting to brush along Phantom’s spine. “I managed to fix the toilet that was having issues and get a load of laundry done. It’ll be interesting to see how much more I can get done when Alexi is in school full-time. I might see if I can get into some more coaching. What about you?”
Aurora jokingly rolled her eyes - she thankfully didn't have too many students who outright refused to get their own horses ready. "Then be prepared to pay extra for my time to get Phan ready for you." Those that were in a rush, often paid a groom to get their horses ready for them. She did her best to save that for emergencies, but there was always someone available to help if needed. The chestnut let out a snort and lowered his head, recognizing it was someone he knew.
As Andrew brushed, Aurora shuffled around the tack room, gathering the stallion's tack - making it back just in time to hear Andrew talk about his morning. "Were his teachers there to let you two in at least?" She knew Alexi would never be late to school as the two of them knew that being on time was important - for more than just school. Aurora hung the snaffle dressage bridle on the hooks by Phantom's stall, making sure the leather straps were untangled. "Aren't you productive? Maybe you should think about going to trade school and be a plumber. Was it an easy fix?" With having four people living in their house now, there were always things that needed to be fixed. "Like hockey coaching or skating?" The woman was happy her husband had found his niche after retiring - Hickstead was less busy than Boston but, there was always an activity going on around them.
She was quickly done fiddling with the bridle, going back to watching Andrew brush her chestnut horse. "It's been quiet so far thankfully. Cleaned all my tack, coached a lesson and rode Indi. Most of my students are going back to school here soon, so I'm looking forward to it quieting down around here." The competition season was starting to wind down again and it was time for them all to work on things that were found to be bad habits in the show ring.
