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!.
As far as stallions went, Croatian was very well mannered and respected his owner both in the saddle and on the ground, but he could be a little tricky to handle all the same. He was opinionated, and liked to show off - but it wasn't always in the best way. The warm up had been a little testy, and as they headed down the centre line on their test, Kat could feel the energy beneath him like a bomb, ready to explode. He was holding it together though, and she stayed soft and gentle in her hands, keeping him calm and reminding him to stay soft and round over the back.
despite his age, they hadn't done many competitions together. She was still getting used to him out at events, but as they completed their circle in a shapely manner, Kat couldn't help but feel that there was some improvement. She pressed her lips together to avoid murmuring - not wanting to have points deducted on her own idiocy - as she changed the rein and circled again. He fell in a little, threatening to shrink the circle and she pressed her inside leg carefully to his side to discourage it. As they came to a stop and a salute, Kat smiled and quickly patted the stallion, walking out with a little bit too much energy still as she went to cool him off and find out her score.
Angél worked Sandman in the warm-up arena, wondering if she had made a mistake entering the large gelding in dressage, as she still felt that she was being left behind with a lot of the gelding's paces, just because she was so used to riding the short stride of ponies. However, she wasn't known for giving up, and the worst that could happen was that the gelding wouldn't place and they would have to try harder for the next show.
She worked the gelding at a trot as they waited for the bell to sound, and when it did she rode him down the centre line, halted at X, saluted the judge and squeezed the horse forward, tracking right. She did her best through the test to keep one step ahead of the horse, making sure that he moved off her cues, not her trying to play catch-up as he went through the test with no help from her - which she knew the horse was fully capable of doing - and she made sure that she kept up with his paces.
With the test full of circles and serpentines, the gedling seemed to think the whole thing was below him, though he did everything that was asked, and Angél was pleased that he didn't decide to suddenly throw in an advanced move. When they rode down the centre line for the last time and halted, Angél bit back a giggle as she gave her salute and the gelding gave a sigh - as though to say thank god that's over - and as she straightened up, she turned the horse around and they exited on a long rein, before she broke out in giggles as she wrapped her arms around the gelding's neck.
I’d always thought I was above being fascinated by anyone but myself.
Sage Lavigne finished tightening the girth on his dressage saddle, the dun stallion letting loose a heaving sigh. Blue eyes rolled, "Yeah, Orb. You gotta work." The young man didn't really care of dressage - it had always been his least favorite part of eventing, but even he wasn't going to bitch and moan about it and risk his job with Naomi Campbell. He hardly got along with his fellow grooms, and he wasn't about to give either young woman a chance to sell him out if they had it in themselves to do so.
Once ready, Sage put his foot into the stirrup, stepped in close to Orb now, and swung himself up swiftly. Checking his reins, he played around with them, checking in with the dun stallion. It was the young sportshorse's first show after all, and truth be told, Orb could be a bit of a wuss sometimes. All in all though, Orb seemed fine. Perhaps he was saving his antics for the cross country course. They went to the warm up arena, limbering up, before it was their turn to for the main arena. They stepped in, walking down the center before stopping and saluting - all eyes were on him now, both admirer's and haters. A slight smirk couldn't help but to twitch at his lips, and with that, they moved forward.
Orb bent his neck, stretching out into that smooth dressage posture as he went to the working trot. Sage made sure that each transition was as smooth as possible, after all, it wasn't just Orb who could get knocked off points, it was the rider as well. They moved through their lead changes and paces, gliding over the grey sand. The circles were fine, the serpentine, well, Sage could feel that needed a little more work back at the barn. There was no doubt the judge's noticed it too, and soon after the thought crossed his mind, Orb tripped. Sage remained up right, squeezing the stallion forward as he caught his footing and swiftly recovered now. There went all of those points. Still, his face remained void of emotions.
They finished the course, stopping once more down center line to halt and salute. Once the claps came, only then did Sage relax. While it wasn't the best, the young man couldn't fault Orb. All things considered, it was a good ride for a first show. He learned forward and patted the dun stallion, as they walked out the arena now to go join the rest of the Blue Arces riders and to cool down.
Lexi had never competed in a horse show before, and she had to admit she was ridiculously nervous. She'd taken the time to register Asterix so they were eligible to compete, and she'd been lucky enough to have some training with her husband's family to feel up to scratch. She'd just entered the novice dressage, feeling that would be the best place to start. Asterix was a wonderful horse, he put up with her meagre riding like an actual saint, never made a complaint and always seemed just happy to go along with whatever - but he seemed particularly excited to be out and about. Most of the time, they spent riding time hacking the trails, and occasionally had a little jump in the school. The last few weeks, she'd spent more time in the school than ever, working on circles and transitions.
She took her time warming up, making sure she was comfortable, and had Rix moving forward off the leg and gave him time to warm up and stretch. He was a well school gelding and responded to her mildly accurate commands. Lex was called in next, and she tried to remember everything Leo had taught in their dressage lessons, and James had said in their sessions. Things kept flying straight out of her mind as she turned up the centre line with grim determination. She tried hard to make it as easy as possible for Asterix, giving him time to hear her commands, asking in advance, and supporting him with outside leg and inside hand. As they finished the test and she saluted, she relaxed her reins and enthusiastically patted the chestnut's neck with a whisper of thanks. He'd done her proud and tried his best, and she felt like she'd ridden well, it had been a good test.
<3 JAMES EDWARD WHITE | TWO SONS (JARAD & TAITE) | ONE DAUGHTER (RORY) | ONE HORSE (ASTERIX)
Maeve finished getting her mare ready for the dressage arena, making sure that her braids were neat - and the cheeky horse hadn't rubbed them off while standing at the truck - and when she was happy, she mounted up and headed to the warm up ring, keeping out of the way of everyone else as she worked the mare in quietly, not asking for much, but making sure that Sugar was feeling loose and relaxed.
Entering the arena, she knew that there was no time to run through the test again, and she just had to trust herself that she knew it, and hadn't overworked the mare with it so that Sugar wasn't going to anticipate any of the movements and not wait for the cue."Half halt and breathe." She whispered when she had turned away from the judge, keeping her hands light on the reins, squeezing a little to bring the mare into a better frame.
She rode through the test, knowing that she could have been better, but as they finished and halted for the salute, she could feel that the mare was standing square and she knew that for a young horse, Sugar had done her best. Her rider... there could be a lot to say there. She squeezed the flaxen chestnut forward as they turned and left the arena on a long rein, waiting until they had exited before she gave the horse a good pat for a job well done.
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