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!.
River Bloom had watched a few of the earlier contents ride in the Intermediate Showjumping class, but truth be told, he had only cared about one: Kayleigh Haydn. She and her horse, Boss, had done an impressive around and judging by the ride - fastest time with zero faults - she might end up on top. Still, that didn't bother River, but he knew that he would likely get a ribbing from her all the same, deciding to compete against her.
He went and grabbed Raven now, fully recovered from their other class, and ready to rumble once more. River lead her to the warm up arena, and started to work her through her paces amongst the crowd. Trot, Canter, and Jump, before their number was yelled out. They were next. He turned the black dutch warmblood towards the entrance now and she stood there patiently as Cara Kitchi of Blue Arces finished her round. Given the go ahead, the horse and rider entered the arena now. He had the course memorized, and this was the perfect introduction back to showing.
River asked his mare to move now, and she picked up the canter from the walk as they circled the arena once before heading to the first jump. Raven took it with ease, but as they continued the course, River could tell she was feeling a little sluggish. He didn't have to fight with her to slow down, instead he had to encourage her to speed up. Perhaps she was having flash backs of their accident given this hadn't been an issue in the earlier class or at Seven Oaks.
The man encouraged her where he could, but decided to play it safe for today, as Raven deemed herself the caretaker, being dainty with her jumps verses the speed demon River knew the dutch warmblood could be. Either way, despite not being the fastest, it was a clear round. And the sound of claps brought a smile to his face, as he leaned over and gave her a great many loving pats as they trotted out of the arena to a nice cool down.
it must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero
thanks aofie!
Thirty Three . Professional Equestrian . Stable Hand - SOS . LGBTQ+ . SINGLE
Maeve worked Nuc in, getting the grey settled and listening to her aids, not worrying too much about the jumps in the warm up area, as right now, she wanted the horse's attention on her, that nothing else around them was anything for him to worry about.
She took him over a practice jump a couple of times before their number was called and she drew in a deep breath, trying to pretend she was as cool as a cucumber as they entered the arena. She rode a large circle to let the gelding have a good look at the fences she would be asking him to jump and she asked for a canter as they rode through the flags.
While she didn't want to rush the horse through the course, as that was not a good way to introduce him to competitions, and would probably end with him crashing through jumps, she also didn't want to err to the side of caution too much and incur time faults. "Let's just have fun." SHe told the horse with a smile as she asked him to pick up the canter a little, keeping her legs on him as they approached the first fence, and waited for it to come to them, staying with the horse as he rose into the air and easily cleared the jump.
Making sure to keep with the horse the whole way around the course, she kept his speed in check when she felt him fighting for his head, but she didn't interfere with his mouth as she kept her hands light, asking for turns while they were going over jumps and cutting corners when they could - the benefits of already having ridden the course once - and a smile broke across her face as they rode through the final flags, and she threw her arms around the horse's neck, giving him as hug as they left the arena, sitting up with a laugh as he shook his head in protest to the PDA.
Cara closed her eyes as she rested her head on the saddle flap of Charger's saddle, doing her best to stop her heart from feeling like it was going to hammer out of her chest. Straightening up, she shook her head, banishing spots, and she blew out a breath, once again cool as a cucumber - at least on the outside - and she finished getting the dark bay ready for the arena.
After working the horse in, and then going over a couple of practice fences, she kept him moving as they waited for her number to be called, knowing that it was her job to keep the youngster's attention on her, even though his ears were flicking around like antennae as he picked up every sound around him, his feet never staying still even when his small rider asked him to stand while she did her final girth check.
Riding into the arena, she rode a large circle, letting the gelding look at the fences, before she asked for a canter and they rode through the flags and headed toward the first fence. She sat tall in the saddle, waiting for the jump to come to them, correcting his stride with a quick half-halt and then let him do all the work and she smiled as he flew over the fence with the ease of his bloodlines, and she did her best to keep riding on that high as they approached the next fence, and she nodded as the gelding cleared the oxer - though not with the same flair as the first fence, as something outside the ring had caught the gelding's attention. The next two fences were done with ease, and then as they approached the double, Charger seemed to take offence to the fillers on either side of the oxer and skidded to a halt. "Easy" Cara breathed as the gelding snorted with stress, and then shook his head as she circled him around and asked for a canter as they rode toward the jump again. Applying her legs as they approached, she sat deep in the saddle, her eyes on the upright on the other side, and moved forward as the gelding almost cat-leapt over the oxer, though this brought a rail down, and the falling rail spooked the gelding, though he managed the bounce stride, and took off as his hooves were on the ground again.
Knowing that the horse had lost his confidence, once she had him listening to her again, Cara raised her hand to her helmet, retiring from the class, knowing that anything else they did in here wouldn't teach the horse anything, and showing was supposed to be fun, and Charger was having anything but fun right now. "We need to get you out more." SHe told the horse softly as they left the arena.
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