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!.
The young bay stallion's hooves crunched along the gravel pathway beside his human. Amanda had reluctantly dragged him out of his private pen, but Amanda wanted Waylon to be looked at - so that she could build a professional relationship with one of the local vets.
The crunching turned into clip clops as their feet hit the pavement of the barn aisle. The older woman pat the stallion on the neck, glad that she had someone she knew make the move with her. When they got close, she turned Waylon to face her and backed him into a cross tie. She clipped both sides to each side of his leather halter and removed the lead rope. "He should be here soon, then you can go back outside and play." She wanted to give him a few days to settle in before she started riding him.
She knew Waylon couldn't understand her, but she liked to think he could at least recognize her voice. The woman put her hand in the pocket of her jeans and pulled out a sugar cube and giving it to him with a flat palm. As the horse was munching on his treat, she heard someone approach them.
"Aright, what's next on the list?" Nathan 'Nate' Drummond asked the woman besides him, his fingers tapping away on the steering wheel of his truck. Besides him, Lachlan the vet tech laughed, "New client at Helping Hooves." Well, that certainly caught his attention. Green eyes glanced over at her now, arching an eyebrow, "Since when does Helping Hooves have clients outside of the Ledor-Kita's?" He watched the young woman shrug before she put in her headphones - signaling it was the end of their conversation. Nate couldn't help but to roll his eyes - only she could get away with that when it came to him. Throwing on his own music on the stereo now, the pair headed on their way.
He had been helping out the Ledor-Kita family for a while now, but it had always been them, given they owned all the horses and rescues on the property, or so he thought. Maybe they were expanding? Tea Shop only provided so much money to support the rescues. Not that Nate minded picking up a new client, just meant more in his own bank account and a future raise for Lachlan besides him. Half an hour later, they were pulling up to the white and green business barn. It was always fun to admire the differences between the four barns in the area - each having their own spin. Parking the truck, he got out and walked around to grab his back, Lachlan was looking over their paperwork, "Amanda McKenzie and Waylon," she read off now, "Cross ties on the schooling side. I'll join you shortly. I need to talk to Sabrina about something."
Nate nodded, given way to their unspoken dialog, before he headed to the schooling side of the barn now. A few of the curious horses poked their heads out, "Hilda. Tigger. Hope you two are doing well," he said with a grin as he walked passed. It appeared to be a quiet day today, nobody was in the outdoor arena, and it appeared to be the same with the indoor. Up ahead, he heard soft talk from a woman, and it wasn't long before Nate found the owner. There was an older woman there along with a deep blood bay horse, quarter horse by the looks of it given that Lachlan hadn't shared the breed with him, "You must be Amanda," Nate said with a smile, "And I take it this here is Mr. Waylon? I'm Dr. Drummond, but feel free to call me Nate in person. Is this just a check in and getting to know each other exam?"
My thoughts are scattered and gritty underneath my feet
The bay stallion lowered his head, quite content that his human was paying attention to him since the move. Amanda smiled, it was always so fascinating to her how quickly the young horse settled in wherever they went. She hoped that this would be their final move. No one knew who she was and the Ledor-Kita family had hired her basically on the spot.
A voice from the vet made her snap out of her thoughts, turning her head towards where the voice was coming from. "That would be us, it's nice to finally meet you rather than talking over the phone." Waylon was up to date on his vaccinations before he left, but she was a good enough horse owner to double check if England had different regulations. "Yes, I know I sound like a crazy horse lady but I just want to make sure he survived the long haul over. He was in quarantine before moving here." It also gave her the perfect opportunity to create a professional relationship with the vet.
"Where can we start? Waylon has a puppy like personality so don't worry about him getting kicked or anything." It was the main reason Waylon was able to keep his breeding abilities. Amanda was happy she was finally able to ride him again rather than a trainer doing it for her.
Without a doubt, the best way to get to know me is through my music
thanks aofie!
Fifty-three - riding instructor at Helping Hooves - Separated
"Ah yes. Now I have two faces to the names," Nate replied, offering out his hand for a shake. A chuckle escaped Nate at the owner's comments, "No no, you're not a crazy horse lady. I have a few of those, and just from these thirty seconds, I can tell you're not one of them." At least, not so far. Truth be told, between the air that Amanda McKenzie gave off and the way she was dressed, she was very different from some of the high rollers he had at Blue Acre and Ryan Sports Hall. Green eyes glanced over the bay gelding, "Well, I do like puppy horses. Makes my job a lot easier. I have a vet tech too, Lachlan, she's out in the truck right now. You might get to meet her today, not sure. We're covering some others while we're here."
The man moved towards the gelding now, offering his hand to Waylon for a sniff before moving his hand to his cheek to touch him, "There now, I'm not going to hurt you," he murmured to the horse as his hands worked their way over his body now. Nate kept his hands moving slow, as they glided over clipped fur, "I'm just going to feel him over, make sure he doesn't reach to my touch in any way. Never know what goes on when they're sitting in quartentine. Might bump themselves or the fence or some of the horses attempting to greet them. We can move onto tempature and measurements afterwards." He glanced over his shoulder now and smiled at Amanda, "Your shot records were all in order. I might recommend one or two shots based off of season here, but this should be an easy appointment for the both of you."
He was half way through Waylon's body now as he asked, "What made you want to come here anyways? Most people I know go over to Seven Oaks or Blue Arce. Not that there's anything wrong Helping Hooves here. You're just a unique case to me."
My thoughts are scattered and gritty underneath my feet
Amanda nodded, it was nice for her to be able to recognize the local Vets. She was a very hands-on owner - even when her trainer back in Nashville solely rode him - Amanda wanted to know how the young prospect was doing. “Same goes for you.” She reached her hand out and shook it, letting go before it got awkward. “What makes you say that? Waylon here was at a training barn back home so I rarely got to ride him due to my previous career.” She questioned, not quite knowing the horse culture around Hickstead quite yet. Nashville was crazy for cowboys and cowgirls - hence why she was drawn to the Western riding.
She smiled at the man, reaching out with her hand to pet Waylon on the nose. The stallion lowered his head, closing his eyes briefly before Amanda took her hand away. “For a stallion, he really is a puppy. Ever since he was a foal apparently, though he came from a good breeding barn.” She did her research when it came to buying her next horse. “Sounds perfect.” Amanda would have to memorize names now as she was bad at it.
Waylon lowered his head when he sniffed the man’s hand, huffing as he realized that the strange man didn’t have a treat. He swished his dark-coloured tail, waiting to see what the man would do. “Ha, he thinks you have food. I did visit him every few days and they didn’t say anything when he left quarantine but you never know.” Amanda shrugged her shoulders, she didn’t know the vet team at London Heathrow - though they passed their exams, right? “Oh, I hope he doesn’t have a fever.” The quarantine stable was almost like a hospital - germs everywhere.
“Can you write which shots he needs? I can book an appointment for them.” She kept track of his vaccine records - the stallion had his own file folder in her office at home for him. Waylon stayed patient as the vet checked him over - Amanda was glad her horse was behaving. The vet was someone he saw often - making sure the stallion was healthy to breed. “I heard about them needing a coach. The other barns seemed to be full or didn’t answer my application, so Waylon and I settled down here. Is it because it’s mostly the Ledor-Kita’s horses?” She was curious about the other barns - though Helping Hooves just seemed like a soft, comfy place for the two to relax and heal after a rough year.
Without a doubt, the best way to get to know me is through my music
thanks aofie!
Fifty-three - riding instructor at Helping Hooves - Separated
