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!.
There is one 'warm up' oxer as part of the class - this is jumped first - and then the rider comes to the great puissance wall in the middle of the ring. The oxer will remain the same height at 1m60, whilst the wall will start at 1m40 and raise 10cm at a time, it will be capped at 2m20 should anyone get that far.
One a horse knocks or refuses either the warm up oxer or the pussiance wall, they are out of the game. If we get to the maximum height of 2m20, and the fence is still cleared, the remaining contestants will draw.
Leo gave Phoenix a moment when they entered the ring. The atmosphere was electric, and the supporting crowds were huge - almost every seat in the stands were full, and he didn't want the horse to get full of himself. Well, not too much. A little bit of ego helped get them going, but too much and the gelding got cocky. The bell went, and Phoenix picked up a canter, circling wide before they approached the first fence - the oxer. He settled him a little, trying to keep him relaxed. There would be a few rounds of this and he didn't want the horse to over exert himself early on. They popped the oxer, and Phoenix gave a buck of delight which made the crowd chuckle, before heading for the wall. He felt the chestnut try to shoot forwards, the excitement palpable, but he held him steady and they hit the perfect stride, sailing over it easily. On landing clear, he grinned and patted the horse, waving to the crowd to play up to them as he liked to do.
Mik rode Glory in the warm up ring, keen to see how well the horse would do in the puissance class, as they hadn't done the class since arriving in Hickstead, and the gelding loved to jump, so he hoped everything would work in their favour... and then wouldn't give the horse ideas to jump out of the pasture when they got home.
Riding into the ring, Mik looped around, giving the horse a good look at the wall he'd be asked to jump, even though it was a good height right now. And when the bell sounded he circled the gelding again before he lined the horse up to the oxer and rose out of the saddle as he let the horse have a look at the fence and then they were over it and heading to the wall. "Behave." He muttered as the buckskin threw his head into the air, though the gelding sorted himself out as they took off and flew over the wall with room to spare. "Settle." Mik laughed as the gelding bucked his way back to the gate. "Save your energy for the jumping."
Lily felt incredibly rusty, being back in the showgrounds, and she was working hard not to let Adonis feel her nerves. He'd already been a bit of a tit in the warm up but she'd managed to hold it together and sit tight, and she was hoping the multiple rounds would settle the horse - either that, or he would get progressively more difficult to hold as he worked out the course was the same each time. She settled him with a quick pat and then released her hold to let him spring forward into a canter. He leapt with the release of the contact, and she was quick to bring him back - though it took a few strides.
The first fence was a little extravagant, he threw his head above the bit and shot off for the warm up jump, clearing it by several miles. Lily gathered him on the landed, but Adonis fought her every stride to the big fence. God were her arms going to ache tomorrow. She kept her hands down and light, even as the bay threw his head around and tried to rush - the last couple of stride were a bit frantic, but he stayed on his haunches and pinged the wall in a wonderful rounded motion. She patted him again on landing, then had to focus on her seat as the horse let out a few explosive shapes to the sound of the roaring crowd, and took a minute to come back to Lily so she could safely exit the ring.
<3 LUCAS JACOB COLE | THREE DAUGHTERS (ROSE, FELICITY, CLAIRE) | ONE SON (SLADE) THREE HORSES (SAFFRON, REBEL, ADONIS)
River Bloom couldn't believe it that he was back in the show ring - this had been a long time coming. Yes, it was just a local show, but to the broken rider, it meant so much more. Truth be told, he hadn't been certain if he would have pulled it off. Addiction and depression often overcame his will and strength, and yet, here he was and he wasn't sure who he had to thank. Maybe Kaleigh. Maybe Raven and Parkour. Maybe someone else. Anywho, River had no more time avaliable to be sappy as Lilly White completed her round - it was his turn.
"Ready, girl?" The dutch warmblood huffled, her ears pointed forward. She was more than ready. They entered the arena now, and he asked her into a canter, which Raven picked up nicely. She had missed the area and the excitement just like River, perhaps more than her own rider. The turned and sored over the warm up oxer with ease - the pair were ready to rumble as he they took one more circle around the arena and headed straight to the Puissance wall. Five strides. And then Raven jumped jump and forward, River moving forward in two point with ease, following the gravity of Raven's jump as they moved over the wall and landed back down on the other side - clear as day, her feet hadn't even brushed the wall.
It was hard not to the celebrate as they road off - given the class wasn't even over, but already, River could feel himself smiling as he gave his mare a good pat.
it must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero
thanks aofie!
Thirty Three . Professional Equestrian . Stable Hand - SOS . LGBTQ+ . SINGLE
It had been a while since Ben had done a puissance. It used to be his forte with Albatross - the long backed, gangly pinto coloured gelding might not quite look the part, but he sure could jump, and he had the bravest heart of gold Ben had ever known. They were surprisingly well matched - Ben never felt he looked the part either, but he tried hard. He took time to let the horse warm up, he was getting on a bit and needed all the time to loosen up and feel supple before he started jumping. He was in great shape and fit as a fiddle, but Ben didn't want to chance anything.
Entering the ring to his announcement, he ran a hand over the horses neck and did a small lap before clicking him into a canter. Alb popped neatly into the gait, politely pricking his ears and picking up the pace as he approached the warm up fence. Ben steadied him slightly with a light hand and the two sailed the first fence. Ben took his time on the turn to the main jump, giving Albatross time to see the wall and take it in. They kept their approach on an even pace and three, two, one... popped over like it was nothing. Ben smiled and gave the horse a gracious pat, bringing back to walk to let him settle down and keep warm for round two.
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