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!.
Savannah raised her eyebrow - she was shocked that the seemingly well-behaved boy got in trouble at school. "Are you saying that you got kicked out of school?" That was something younger Savannah would dread - it was something that was always enjoyable to her - probably because it was consistent during her youth. "That's not too far from here. Did your whole family move here? Or just you and your parents?" Her parents still lived in Ireland, though she went to go visit them during the holidays.
The woman could see by Othello's actions that the subject of the illness was a touchy one. She glanced over at her own horse as she didn't want to come off as creepy. "Ouch, you are okay though? You mean like rock climbing?" Any sport could be dangerous - she knew that. Plenty of people she knew back home had broken bones riding horses - let alone falling off of a cliff. "Don't tell me your new habit is getting back into climbing." Savannah chuckled - children were resilient and stubborn - if climbing was a true hobby of his - he would still keep going, right?
"That's... Leo isn't it? What do you know about him?" She remembered him being a part owner of Seven Oaks as he was there when she moved Monte and Poppy in to the barn. The woman nodded and nudged Poppy into a trot, keeping it slow in case Othello was nervous. "Have you trotted alone before?" Poppy was used to working on the collected trot - it was something the bay mare actually enjoyed.
Savannah was relieved she had ridden well with Monte. The gelding was much more relaxed during his previous lesson, making the brunette happy with his progress. He was much farther along than Poppy, though both of them loved their dressage work.
She didn't have any appointments at the pet spa that morning, so she slotted in a lesson with Leo. The woman would ride Monte right after, though the bay Warmblood deserved her attention too. The woman had asked one of the stablehand's to bring the mare inside as she had slept in a bit.
With the help of Christopher, Poppy was tacked up in no time and Savannah herself got ready at the same time. She thanked Chris as the red head handed her the reins and the pair headed off towards the outdoor arena. The brunette smiled as Leo opened the outdoor arena gate for them.
"Hello again, I had so much fun during the lesson last week that I'm back. With a different horse this time, this is my younger mare Poppy." The bay warmblood looked nice in the apricot orange - Savannah always wanting to make an impression during her lessons. The woman fixed the tack and stopped the mare beside the step stool and got on, waiting for her first instructions.
Candy bounded back to the stranger, sitting beside him - looking up with her brown eyes. Savannah laughed, clearly the guy wasn't a weirdo - the Frenchie was a good judge of character. She would have barked and growled if he was weird.
"Oh good, I'd hate to think she disturbed you. She usually sticks by my side, especially around the water. I had a client text me though so I got distracted." Savannah felt better now that the man was fine with dogs - she had encountered some people in town that didn't like them, so she was always cautious - though Candy was really just a sweetie. Savannah approached the man closer, so that she didn't have to speak loudly over the waves crashing against the shore.
The woman nodded, Candy did have a unique name after all - though her littermates were all named after a food of some sort. "Nice to meet you, I'm Savannah. I would have thought you weren't joking, but since Candy seems to have taken a liking to you, I trust you. She's a good judge of character." It took her awhile to warm up to her boyfriend, though the dog was a puppy when she was introduced to Duncan.
"Ah, a bartender huh? Lots of late nights then I bet." She didn't want to admit that she hadn't checked out the newest drinking establishment yet, though she tended to spend her evenings at the barn if Duncan was working - or getting paid to fight someone. "We do, especially when the weather is nice like today. Do you come here often?" Candy closed her eyes as she was getting attention, not that she got any of it at home.
"Do you enjoy working at the Pirate bar? I don't think I've been there."
Monte was being doted on by his long time owner, contently munching on an apple slice Savannah had given him recently. The woman had the dark colored gelding tacked up, misting some mane and tail spray through his hair before brushing it through. She hadn't ever ridden with Leo before - so she wanted the pair to make a good impression. The woman had debated showing up in her show gear, though Duncan had advised her it was too much.
She knew what Leo looked like as he was the one who was there when she moved Monte and Poppy in. The brunette let out a sigh, relaxing herself before she led the gelding outside, towards the indoor arena. Savannah knew her two horses were looking forward to being ridden outside again, though they were used to the rainy Spring that England brought them year after year.
As the pair approached, Savannah could see her instructor was already in the ring - with an older looking dog. Thankfully, both Monte and Poppy were used to Candy, her Frenchie. Savannah put on a warm smile as they opened the arena gate, letting themselves inside before closing and locking the gate behind them.
"Hi Leo, we are ready for your torture today." Savannah laughed as she got on Monte, patting him on the wither before the pair began their warmup.
Savannah knew Candy wouldn't go far as she got herself organized. She clipped the matching leash around her shoulder, allowing it to hang by her hip as she walked towards the water. Her phone dinged in her pocket, so she quickly pulled it out. It was a client wanting to book a nail trim for their cat, so she quickly replied that the date and time suggested worked for her. When she lifted her head from her phone, she realized that Candy had gone farther than usual. The woman moved her head side to side as she surveyed the beach.
A few moments later, she saw the black and white Frenchie at the feet of a man. It took her a moment to realize she didn't know who he was, but she approached anyway. "My apologies. She's my dog. You don't have food on you do you? She usually doesn't leave my side usually." Candy wiggled at the sight of her owner, bounding back over to her. Savannah bent over slightly and gave the dog a scratch behind her ears before standing up again. "You aren't allergic to dogs are you? This is Candy by the way." The French Bulldog ran towards the water, stopping as the edge - allowing the water to wash against her paws before running back to Savannah's side.
Savannah didn’t have an idea what it was like not to have a sibling. Her parents constantly had foster children in their house, so the Taylor home was always noisy and busy. “I do admit, I miss my siblings. They are back home in Ireland from what I know. Where are you from originally if not here?” Savannah could tell he had an English accent, but she knew she wasn’t always the best at placing where people were from. Her Irish accent was still pretty present, despite being in Hickstead for a few years now.
“I mean your dad isn’t wrong. Free climbing a cliff wall isn’t exactly what I’d call safe either. Honestly, if you think about it no Sport is truly safe. Though where is the fun in that?” She was surprised she said something like that. Having Duncan live with her was rubbing off on her. “I see. Mothers seem to always worry about their children. Accidents happen and you always learn something from it. Is there something that makes her more protective of you? Or is it because you are an only child?” As Savannah was the oldest of her siblings, her parents seemed to always have their hands full with the others, leaving the brunette to go off to the barn and ride at such a young age.
Poppy flicked her bay ears forward as a squirrel crossed the path in front of them. The bay mare was starting to get impatient. “Ah yes. If you go on YouTube there are a lot of examples of dressage riders showing to music. It’s something I’ve been doing for ages now. Is there a dressage coach you can ask? Do you mind if we start trotting up ahead?”
“Ah, thank you for the explanation. Most intelligent people get their remarks from wanting to prove their intelligence in a not-so-nice way.” Working the pet salon meant dealing with a wide variety of people - not all of them were kind and respectful of her or the work she did. There were some clients who thought they knew better than her, which wasn’t exactly easy to deal with. “Only child? That must not be too bad then. Or would you want a sibling?” Savannah never knew what it was like to be the only one - her parents had constantly fostered children when she was younger.
The woman nodded, the Whites would be the best people to talk to about starting Eventing. “I mean, riding isn’t exactly the safest sport so I do understand. Though what sport is one hundred percent safe?” Even something like running could be considered dangerous - tripping over a rock or a fallen branch was always a possibility. “Oh goodness. My dad was the one who panicked over me riding. Though he knew my mom rode as well so I don’t know why.” She shrugged her shoulders as well, not understanding why. “Is she feeling better about it now though?”
Savannah patted Poppy on the shoulder after she had remained calm at the walk. “I think the University may have a sewing class, maybe the teacher could be of some help if you wanted to continue the idea?” She wasn’t someone who was creative enough to learn how to sew - that was something she went to her aunt back in Ireland for. “Hip Hop? That would be a great choice for Dressage, it’s becoming more and more popular there too. Have you tried it to a test yet?”
The brunette had closed the pet salon for the day, surprisingly it was still bright outside. After she cleaned her area of the shop, she headed over to the stairway that led up to her apartment, picking up the harness and leash set by the door. She was about to call Candy when she glanced down and saw the stocky black and white Frenchie beside her. "Alright Miss, Let's go for a walk. It'll kill time before Dad comes home." The dog tilted her head, not understanding what her human was saying.
Savannah chuckled and put the mint harness on, clipping the matching leash on to the ring and led the dog to the car. She opened the door and lifted the dog into the car, fastening the dog seatbelt. Savannah got into the drivers seat and began driving off to the beach. The hot summer sun meant the two of them needed to be somewhere cool. Not much later, the car pulled into an empty parking lot.
She made sure the coast was clear before she clipped the leash and unclipped the seat belt attached to Candy. The woman picked up a small tennis ball and stuffed it in the pocket of her shorts before lifting the stocky dog out of the car - setting her down on the concrete. She locked the car behind her and the two headed off towards the path.
"Do you really think book smarts are everything?" She raised her eyebrow - with her various amounts of foster siblings, not all of them were book smart, but they were successful in their own ways. "It's just a matter of who you ask." Teachers of course drilled it into their students that being book smart was the most important thing. "Ah, typical boy genres. Any favorite book in particular?" There were way too many books to choose from, but maybe there was a specific book for Othello.
Poppy flicked her ears forward after the butterfly left her vicinity. The mare tended not to like things too close to her - most of all things she didn't know or understand. "Maybe there is someone that can help you with that? The eventing coach at the barn maybe?" Any sport was dangerous - it just depends on how one looked at it. "Are your parents always so protective of you?" Savannah's parents thankfully were protective of her - it was difficult for her parents to juggle the large amounts of kids in their house.
The brunette nodded, understanding where the boy's thoughts were coming from. "I do too. Darn, do they not have ear bonnets for horses with bluetooth speakers in them? I think Poppy or Monte would like that too." It made her two mounts perfect for dressage - that and their movements were something people talked about for ages. "If you do plan on doing Eventing, then dressage is perfect. What kind of music do you enjoy?"
The dark brunette nodded, it was the reason majority of people read books. "I can imagine you are very smart. What's your favorite genre of of books though?" She allowed the mare to pick up the pace at the walk, knowing she was starting to get impatient. "Darn, maybe we can find some coins or pieces of gold anyway."
"It's our first ride outside as well. Poppy tends to be a bit funky. She really should have been a chestnut mare with her attitude." Right on queue, the mare pinned her ears back as a butterfly came fluttering towards her. "Does it have to do with getting your parents permission? Eventing sounds a bit crazy to me. I've only watched it at a show back home." One of her foster siblings ended up doing it and was in the progress of doing it professionally.
Savannah quickly calmed her mare down, patting her on the neck after the butterfly had left after it had flown away. "Yep, usually the music is only during competitions but some of us listen to the music we want to use during our hacks." It got her in the mindset and helped her with the timing of when the cues were.
Savannah was always happy to hear there were youth that enjoyed reading books - and not just on their phones or some sort of screen. "Cool, sounds like a book I need to read. Do you enjoy adventure books the most?" She probably had read it back in her school years, but that seemed ages ago. "You have an actual one? I wouldn't even know where to buy one." Not that she had the sudden urge to hunt for treasure, though geocaching seemed to be gaining popularity. "Is this your first ride outside of the season?" She understood how the young man felt, even her quieter gelding Monte was starting to get tired of being ridden inside.
"Oh! I ride at Seven Oaks as well. I just do dressage, Eventing is a bit too...intense." She also always rode dressage, even back home in Ireland. It was a passion her mother passed on to her, though only a few foster siblings followed suit. "And what kind of riding do you do with Harry?" If she had to guess, they would do something like show jumping or Eventing.
Savannah was glad that the rider didn't seem startled. She didn't recognize the young man at first, but due to her running the dog grooming she often rode at odd times. She sat up in her dressage saddle, still wanting to practice what she had been learning during her lessons even during a trail ride on the beach.
"How fun. Did you enjoy the book? I do remember reading it in school myself, though it seems like forever ago." Savannah smiled as she let the mare catch up to the gelding so they could ride side by side. "You'll need a metal detector if you want to find your treasure." Unless the young rider had a treasure map, it was the best way to go. Poppy happily walked along, enjoying the fact that they weren't riding in the arena anymore. "Why thank you, maybe we will find a treasure of another kind on our trail ride." It was nice having company as she typically rode on her own.
Savanah nodded, smiling as the rider introduced himself and his horse. "Nice to meet you both. I'm Savannah and this is Poppy. Do you ride at Seven Oaks or Blue Acres?"
It had so far been an exhausting day. Several dog parents had come into the pet salon needing a bath after their dog had rolled in some mud, which meant Savannah had a busy morning. She had ridden Monte before work, leaving the busier of the two horses for afterwards - hoping she would have more energy, which wasn't the case.
She pulled her car into the parking lot, letting out a sigh in hopes to release the chaotic energy that was buzzing around her. The brunette made her way over to the bay mares stall, moving her to a grooming stall to get her ready. It was finally nice enough to ride outside - something that Savannah took advantage of as soon as it was warm enough.
The mare and rider were ready to go, Savannah deciding to hit the beach trail for once in case it decided to rain on them during their trail riding adventure. She tightened the girth and mounted up after rolling down the stirrups, gently settling into the dressage saddle. Poppy walked on as soon as the rider got in the saddle, Savannah picking up the reins and heading down the path towards the beach. She heard an unfamiliar voice call out, turning her head to see if the man was talking to someone else.
"Going to find some lost treasure today are we? I apologize if I scared you." She didn't want to startle the younger rider with his horse as she didn't know either of them well. "Would you like some company? I promise I'll let you keep any gold we may find on our way."
Savannah is someone who most people confide in. Due to her ability to keep secrets from people. She doesn't like to be disturbed while working - so she hates answering the phone. Savannah loves to party and tends to go out to the bars when she can - despite the hangover headaches the day after.
enemies
With Duncan being her boyfriend - she is sure to have some enemies. The Gang they came across in Dublin would probably be enemy number one. She tens to be kind but due to her boyfriend and his past there are sure to be people out there that don't like her.
lovers
this category is closed - her boyfriend is a wanted ad
