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!.
Christopher cut into the top pancake, making sure it was cut into bite sized pieces - lifting his head as his new coworker spoke. "Sorry? Who is that?" Some days he felt stupid - pulling pranks might not have been the best idea when he was younger. Reading books wasn't really his thing, but he got steady jobs despite all that. He set down his knife and picked up his fork - starting to eat his pancakes.
"Two out of the three I know how to make. The Long Island iced tea and the martini." Back in the States, he lived in a town that barely had 700 citizens - so there was nothing fancy about it. "So the club gets fancy? Does that tend to happen often?" He hated to sound clueless, but fancy wasn't anything he had ever experienced before. Christopher nodded in between bites of pancake, waiting until he was finished the current piece before speaking again. "Interesting. I mean it makes sense that the fancier drinks come right after work is done."
He hoped he was making a good impression, but by the fact that he had even been invited to the interview was saying something. Chris hadn't talked to any of his relatives he was going to apply to work at the Lounge yet, rather wanting to share the news of him actually getting the job. "It was more of a dive type place. A bar in a small town in the States with less than 700 people. Definitely more a beer kind of location." There wasn't much reason for Tourists to stay there - meaning it mostly required him to pour beer from a tap and mix a few drinks.
Duchess kept straight down the quarter line, lowering her head as Chris added pressure with his legs. He turned her to the left and rode down the wall, continuing at the walk. Chris kept his eye out as not to run into the other rider. "Oh fun, I hope you enjoy it here." So far, Christopher was enjoying the new barn. There were a lot of differences between Seven Oaks and the barn he worked at in the States - but his cousins were great at helping him adapt.
"Have you been riding long?" He made sure to turn his head this time when he spoke. Chris wondered if she didn't hear him the first time, or if she had a hard time hearing in general. The man steered the paint mare across the diagonal to change directions. Duchess swished her tail, concentrating on her next hoofbeat. "And who are you riding today?" He was terrible at remembering the horse's names at the barn - except of course his own.
Christopher moved himself up into the two point, practicing his balance in the saddle. He pressed his weight into the bottom of his heels. It was something he knew he needed to work on - wondering if Lily or Leo could give him a flat lesson once he got more settled.
"So, are you saying you drink enough so that Moses can pay all the employees?" Chris was sure he didn't, but between his cousin and the rest of the regulars he was still getting to know - he was sure it had to be at least partially true. The red head set the beer glass down in front of him, while he continued to dry more glasses to put away in the cupboard above him. "I'm not accusing you of anything! I just know how prickly they can be sometimes and by the way you just waltzed in here like some royal prince, I had to assume."
He didn't know his coworkers very well yet, but they all assured him that the bouncers knew what they were doing - and that everyone was on the same team when it came to evicting someone from the Lounge. 'Are you sure it's your handsome face? I thought most people saw you and ran the other way." He wiggled his eyebrows jokingly as he put another clean glass away.
"She would! Glad to know you are still terrified of her. I haven't run into her yet, but with me working here that could all change." When he had first applied for the bartending job, he was worried that Amber would be the one training him, but he was pleasantly surprised it was someone else. "One beer coming up. How have you been? Getting ready to spoil those kids of your for Christmas?" Chris picked up the glass he had set aside for Leo and placed it under the tap, pulling the lever to release the amber liquid into the beer glass.
The paint mare walked on as soon as she felt her rider nudge her sides. Christopher had only ridden Duchess at Seven Oaks for a little over a month now, but the mare was still settling in to the new routine. "She got out of quarantine a few weeks ago, so I wanted to bring her back slowly." With it being Winter, there weren't many competitions - so it was the perfect time to slowly allow both of them to settle into their new life.
"Well, welcome to the barn! I haven't been here that long either. Moved here at the beginning of November." He was sure no matter how new she was that she would know who he was. The owners were his relatives after all - and he had the same last name as them too. "It's been awhile since I've jumped either. I'll probably just do a few small jumps after I've warmed her up." He would have to talk to Leo about signing up for lessons.
He started by allowing the mare to walk down the quarter line, practicing steering with his legs rather than his hands. "I'm Christopher by the way, but people around here call me Chris...among other things." He joked, sure his cousins had come up with some weird and crazy names for him behind his back. "How long have you been riding for?"
Christopher was stuck with the opening shift, which he didn't mind. He had only been in Hickstead for a few weeks now but it was already started to feel like home. It felt nice for him having more family members around him after his years abroad.
He started cleaning his area of the bar, also making sure that his beverage area was well stocked. Moses had given them all a warning that it would be busy with the holiday season approaching. A palate of clean glasses was placed in front of him by the dishwasher and he quickly started putting them away. He was in a groove with it all, when he heard a familiar voice. "Well look what the cat dragged in, I didn't expect you to be here!" He set the glass that was currently in his hand and walked over to his cousin. "Did you have to bribe the bouncers to let you in, or are you some sort of special customer?" He joked, grabbing a glass from the cupboard above his head.
"If you want that kind of service, I think you'll need to find another cousin to do it for you. What can I get you? Did you want something to eat?"
Christopher smiled at his new coworker, glad he didn't completely goof up and show up at the wrong place or time. It was something he was trying his best to work on, without completely losing the goofy side of him. "Perfect, glad I'm in the right spot." Working at Seven Oaks was easy enough, as long as he didn't get lost on the drive from his house to the barn.
"Yep, that's me. Though thank you for not calling me Christopher. Always makes me feel like I'm in some sort of trouble." He wiggled is eyebrows at the joke. Chris was what everyone he knew called him. His name Christopher was only reserved for older family members that loved to scold him after pulling a prank or two. Chis made his way over to the food and picked up a plate, filling it with pancakes, scrambled eggs and some bacon to start. He smeared some butter on the pancakes with a nearby butter knife and poured some syrup over them.
Chris walked back to the bar, placing his plate on the bar top before taking one of the barstools. "Well, I did bartend a bit back in the States to make some extra cash. So I do know how to make the basic drinks, though if there are any special ones I'd need to learn that." He was lucky enough to be able to bartend on the side of his working student job to help pay his bills while living away from his family. "It wasn't a super fancy place like this though, so I'm sure I have a lot to learn."
Christopher did up the straps on the bridle, making sure it fit the mare's face without being too tight. The tall man made sure his tack was on correctly before leading the paint mare into the arena. "Oh you won't be, don't worry. It's been awhile since I've ridden her in a few weeks." He wanted to give Duchess sometime to settle in to the new barn before he slowly brought her back into work.
"I don't think I've seen you around though? How long have you been working here?" Yes his family members owned the barn but he didn't know everyone that rode or worked there yet. Christopher waited for the woman to get on her horse before leading the mare towards the mounting block. He tightened the girth, rolled down the stirrups and mounted his horse.
He picked up his reins and settled himself in the saddle before asking Duchess with a light squeeze of his calves. Christopher made sure there was plenty of room between himself and the other rider in the arena. "Were you just going to ride or did you want me to set up some poles on the ground and some jumps?"
Christopher was up bright and early as it was his morning to work at the barn. He helped turn out horses and clean stalls before he decided to ride Duchess. The other stable hands were taking their break in the loft, so he was basically on his own. The paint mare was left in her stall as Chris would turn her out with the other mares after he rode her.
The mare was impatient and pawed at the ground. Chris rolled his eyes and brought her into a cross tie, seeing that the one he had planned on using was already taken. He recognized the horse, but not the woman grooming it. Waiting until the woman had left, he snuck over and took the halter, moving it to one of the empty cross ties nearby. Before the woman came back, he went back to getting his own horse ready to ride.
After the mare was brushed, he got his jumping tack and put it on his horse, tightening the girth before he checked to see if the woman had noticed her halter was missing. Chris glanced over and saw she had left again, stealing her grooming kit and placing it in the other crosstie.
He unclipped both crossties and slid the metal bit in the mare's mouth, doing up the bridle once it was on. "Are you missing something?" He tried his best to hide the fact that he was the culprit. "Did you want some company in the arena? Or would you rather ride alone?"
Christopher didn't have any trouble getting up early. His job at the barn required him to be up at the crack of dawn anyway. He had been told that breakfast would be provided, but he made himself a cup of coffee.
It took him awhile to decide what to wear for training. He wasn't quite sure what the dress code was, but he didn't have anything super fancy. After finishing his cup, he headed off towards the Lounge. It wasn't a far drive, but he spent it tapping his fingers against the steering wheel in a nervous habit.
He found a free parking spot quickly, which wasn't surprising. Chris wasn't expecting anyone to be at the lounge this early - which made it a perfect time for training. Chris gave himself one last look in the car mirror before getting out of the car and heading inside. He could see his new boss unlock the door, so he hurried to catch up. "Thanks."
The smell of food caught his attention first, he didn't realize how hungry he was until that moment. Chris didn't want to dig into the food until someone else did, but he was ready to eat. "I'm looking for...Harper? The newbie is here for the training." He laughed, often opting to be funny in situations where he was nervous.
full name • Christopher Thomas White nicknames • Chris
age • twenty-three
birthday • January 31st
occupation • bartender and part time stable hand at Seven Oaks.
gender • male
sexuality • hetero
the appearance
face claim• Garrett Hedlund
identifying features• reddish blonde hair which he keeps longer on the top and shorter on the sides. He has blue grey eyes and keeps clean shaved for the most part. His height is 6'3' and keeps pretty active - between riding and hitting the gym.
the personality
likes • horses, competing, pulling harmless pranks with Leo, working with people and baking.
dislikes • his parents, coffee, sour candies, white chocolate and chronic liars.
strengths • mixing drinks and making people laugh.
weaknesses • overly competitive and being a clown.
dreams • raising a horse from birth and starting his own family.
fears • having another family member leave him.
overall personality• Christopher is the definition of a class clown. He loves making people laugh - even if it's at his own expense. Chris has a competitive nature - even against his own family members but only in the competition rings. He is a very family-oriented person, and some people describe him as loyal.
overall history • Christopher grew up with his sister and James. Their father was an abusive alcoholic - putting most of his aggression out on James but Christopher was still there and heard it all. His mother wasn't any better however - she knew it was happening and continued to let it happen. The three of them often spent their holidays and Summers with their cousins in London, this was when he became closest to Leo - often pulling pranks on the other family members together.
When his sister, Ashley was sixteen and left - Chris was devastated. He got a job at a local stable as soon as he was old enough to work. His love for horses came from his cousins, so this was when he learned how to ride - trying his best to spend as much time away from home as possible.
The opportunity arose for him to leave Ireland - the trainer working at the stables he rode at made an arrangement for him to be a working student in the US for Boyd Martin. All he had to do was save enough money for the flight. This encouraged Chris to work harder - wanting nothing more than to leave his parent's abusive home. He was successful and left the UK, more than grateful for the new opportunity.
When he was twenty, he got the news that James was actually his half-brother and not his brother. This didn't change their relationship - actually it brought them closer together.
News came of his sister's engagement and that she was pregnant. This made him miss his family dearly, feeling that he was missing out on his family lives.
About a week ago, his contract as a working student finished. It was the perfect opportunity for him to pack his things - and his horse (Duchess) back to Hickstead.
He will be working as a stable hand at Seven Oaks and as a bartender.
the role player
alias • Gabi
age • 28
other characters • more than the Flames have Stanley Cups