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!.
Katerina gave the older mare time to warm up, spending time on the lateral movement to get the mare to soften, lot's of transitions to get her warm and moving. By the time they were called in - first to go, which was never Kat's favourite - she felt like Cal was in a good place. As they trotted the outside of the ring, the mare picked up a little tension, and Kat frowned, working on bringing the tension back down before they were called in, and they were turning down the middle line.
The test seemed to go well enough, though the slight tension never quite seemed to leave the mare. She could feel it through her hands, and Kat's face adorned a frown without realising, unsure why she wasn't as soft and willing as usual. Perhaps she was sore, or tired, or just not feeling it today. Her movement was smooth and as flowing as usual, but the neck was where she was unwilling. As they finished up and Kat bowed, she reminded herself to have the physio out sooner rather than later to check everything was okay for the mare. She let her stretch out as they exited the ring, patting her long neck and taking her off from the arena's to walk off the tension and cool down in her own time.
"Thanks." Mik said as Nat took Glory's reins and led the buckskin over to the warm up arena and Mik finished getting his bay ready for dressage test and then took the horse to the warm up arena and began to work the horse through his passes, getting him soft on the bit and supple, ready for the arena.
He laughed as the Clydie cross all but bounced under him, as they rode around the outside of the arena, waiting for the bell to sound and then as he heard the bell he collected the horse and they entered the arena. The large horse floated from one gait to the next, moving off his rider's cues, while Mik did his best to keep the horse's attention on him and not letting the horse predict the next move, as it was hard to pull things back together once things started to unravel.
The rest of the test went well, in Mik's opinion, and he held back a grin as they rode down the centre line for last time and saluted before he released the reins and turned the gelding to exit the arena on a loose rein, letting his grin surface as he rubbed the gelding's neck, making sure not to mess up the braids. "Good lad" He praised the horse, who walk with his head held high, as though he was proud of his own work.
Dallas was impressed with the young mare, so far she'd behaved very well for her age and her lack of experience, and he was pleased with how she had gone in the warm up. She seemed focused, and though she felt a little nervous under saddle and unsure, she took direction from her rider and moved on as she was instructed. She had always been a sweet mare, though anxious, but he felt with a confident rider who would stick with her through the years, she would flourish. He didn't want to keep her, she wasn't quite for him, but he liked her attitude.
Settled her as she gave one of the plants a side eyed look, he turned up the centre line feeling the mare panic a little, feeling the change in environment. Dallas sat quietly, keeping her together and closing her legs around her in reassurance. As they went through the movements, he felt her slowly begin to relax - partly that she was tiring now, she was young and not as fit as his older horses, and also now that she felt confident in what she was doing. She almost dropped out of canter early, but he kept her just enough together, and she resisted him at times out of worry, but he felt they'd done a decent test once they'd finished and given the final salute. He gave her a good pat and let her walk out on a long rein.
Mik sighed as he had to fix four braids in the middle of Glory's mane, as the gelding seemed to have rubbed them out while waiting for his turn in the arena. "You just love creating work for me, don't you?" He joked with the buckskin as he sewed the last one into place and then led the horse to the warm up arena, knowing that they were going to be pushing it to get warmed up before they were due in the ring.
Just as he thought, he had barely ridden the horse forward before their turn was up and he rode the mostly cool horse toward the arena, trotting around as they waited for the person before them to exit and when the bell sounded he asked for a collected canter and they rode down to the centreline, halted at X and saluted before asking for a collected trot and they rode forward before tracking left.
Even without their normal structured warm-up, the gelding took everything in his stride and with a half-halt to alert the horse there was something coming up, Mik was happy that the horse did everything that was asked of him, even if Glory seemed to take offence to something that was just outside the arena and he fell in on one of their circles, though Mik wondered if the gelding though the test was a little below his skills and wanted to add some excitement into the routine.
As they rode down the centreline for their final time, he once again halted the horse at X and saluted before they exited the arena on a loose rein. "That wasn't too bad, eh, lad?" He asked with a laugh as he rubbed the horse's neck. "Might need to challenge you a bit more though."
Cora patted the bay's glossy neck quickly and then headed over to the main ring for her test. She felt a little rusty, but it was good to be showing again. The horses were loving the atmosphere, and performing well with it, though Ezra couldn't help playing up a little in the warm up. She took her turn around the edge of the ring before the bell rang, and then she was turning down the centre line. Ezra fought a little with the contact, locking his neck. He had a habit of getting like that when he was anxious, and she tried to settle him with her seat as they went through the movements, working the reins gently to encourage him to relax.
Their circles were a little stiff, and Ezra never truly relaxed through his back like she knew he could which was a shame for her, but he gave some lovely paces and their transitions were on point, the gelding response to her subtle movements, even if he felt unsure. He was a good lad, easier to persuade than her second ride, even when he felt nervous about what he was doing, she just needed to build more trust between them for him to settle quicker. She gave the judge her final salute and then released the contact on the reins, somewhat disappointed she hadn't managed to get Ezra to soften as much as usual, but still pleased with how he'd gone otherwise.
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