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!.
barn name • Park, Parker owned by • RIVER ARLO BLOOM barn • Seven Oaks Stables age • Nine breed • Swedish Warmblood height • 16.3 hands discipline • Show Jumping, Cross-Country - Minor Dressage gender • Stallion likes • Black Jelly Beans, Jumping - will jump anything, Ear and Jaw scratches, Swimming, Farriers [likes to lean on them], water - will try to eat the hose! dislikes • Going Slow, Riding Spurs, Stiff Riders, Other Stallions, Geldings, Small Animals and Children strengths • Bold Jumper, Nimble weaknesses • Hard-Mouthed, Doesn't like Change fears • Dogs, Water-Jumps, Whips overall personality • Park is generally a chilled out stud who has decent ground manners and understanding of space around people. Though he is a bit mouthy and has bitten people before. Aside from his nibbling tendencies, Park is not malicious or violent, and if he does turn, its usually out of reaction to something that offends him - a hard voice or unnecessary force on his part. He is generally easy to control and bring under control, rarely wild from moment to moment, unless there is a lady around - then he's all but deaf to reason, so rider beware. He's a leading horse and will assert himself to no end. He's also a bit of a goof, getting himself into situations that defy general logic.
thanks aofie!
Thirty Three . Professional Equestrian . Stable Hand - SOS . LGBTQ+ . SINGLE
It had been a few months since River Bloom had bought 'The Parkour Demon' aka Parkour from the sale yard. What had started out as an impulse buy had turned out to be an excellent prospect for him in turn of getting back in the saddle. Yes, he had Raven, but she was tried and true, and thankfully the sort of mare who could be asked to show within a moments notice without too much preparation upfront. Parkour had been different. The flashy bay stallion had been out of the game for a few months it seemed prior to River buying him, but what he had lacked in conditioning and discipline, Parkour had more than made up for it in heart. Spiritually, he had also helped River as much as Raven had, though he'd be loathed to admit it to just about anyone.
There had been a break in work at Seven Oaks, which meant that it would be riding time. While River wasn't sure if he and his two horses were completely ready for getting back into the show ring (his own accident injury still bothering him), it didn't stop the man from training his horses like they were going to. He had nearly gotten all the muscle back on Parkour, now it was just conditioning and continuing to feel out the horse, create a bond both on the ground and in the saddle. River didn't entirely feel like he was entirely in sync with the stallion, unlike his mare, but he felt like they were getting close. They still had some arguments from time to time over approaching the jumps and checking each other moving around the arenas, but thankfully, everything seemed to be soothing out.
River left the barn before any of the clients could stop him and headed out to the pastures now to collect Parkour. Approaching the the pastures, a black mare came running up to one of the fence lines as soon as she saw her human. The man stopped, offering her some gentle strokes to her face before moving to her neck and offering a solid pat, "Sorry girl, you're my second ride today. I'll be back." Raven's ears twitched, before flattening against her neck when she realized that River was walking away from her and towards the stallion area. A shrill whinny escaped her, and she threw a good kick out for measure as she watched him leave. River could feel the mare's gaze boring into the back of his head, but he ignored it.
It was a shame he couldn't keep Parkour and Raven together, but truth be told, River wasn't sure who less trustworthy. Parkour, cause he'd likely try and make some babies, or Raven, who was cranky and somehow knew she had been sidelined due to the stallion. Either way, he'd likely never risk it. Thankfully, with Seven Oaks pastures being so big, he'll be able to go a different route back to the barn without having to walk by her, sparing the three of them any antics. Blue eyes saw the flashy bay now out in the pasture, and River gave a sharp whistle to draw Parkour's attention and soon waited by the gate, curious to see if he would come.
it must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero
thanks aofie!
Thirty Three . Professional Equestrian . Stable Hand - SOS . LGBTQ+ . SINGLE
- Rise – Katy Perry - Villain – KDA - I’m A Mess – Bebe Rexha - Anxiety – Julia Michaels ft. Selena Gomez - Sail – AWOLNATION - Rx (Medicate) – Theory of a Dead Man - Popular Monster – Falling in Reverse - Numb – Linkin Park
Thirty Three . Professional Equestrian . Stable Hand - SOS . LGBTQ+ . SINGLE
full name • River Arlo Bloom nicknames • Riv age • Thirty Two birthday • 31 March occupation • Professional Show Jumper gender • Male sexuality • Bisexual
the appearance
face claim• Phil Dunster
identifying features• Standing at a slightly blow average height, River clocks in at 5 foot 9 inches, which he claims it makes him pocket sized enough to give his horses some edge. He has a slight muscular built to him, mainly in his arms and calves, due to his work with horses. He has dark brown hair that is usually swept and styled up to one side or the other, blue eyes, and a tendency to not always be clean shaven. His most notable feature is a scar that cuts throw his left eye brow and narrowly misses his eye. If you look closely enough, one might notice that he walks with the slightest of limps and will favor his left leg. If one were to get in his pants, they would also notice a scar long the his left thigh. He also has THIS TATTOO on his right bicep.
the personality
likes • Horses - Particularly his own horse Raven, Jumping, Ambient Sounds, Pasta Salads & Grilled Chicken - Lunch of Champions, Keeping Busy, Ignoring Things He doesn't Want to Deal with, Getting Up Early, Men & Women who Challenge him to think, Breaking Hearts - Just hasn't met the one yet dislikes • Temptation - Liquor & Drugs, Dad, Therapy - Physical & Mental, The Sounds of Horses Freaking Out, Cross Country Jumps, Going on Hacks alone, Being Forced to Deal with Things, Reminders of the Past, Critics strengths • Horses, Laying Low, Getting out of Trouble weaknesses • In Recovery - Sobriety, A Pretty Face, A Challenge dreams • Overcoming his past, Getting back into the competition fears • Relapse, Injuring a Horse, Never Finding someone who is willing to accept all of him - recovery and all overall personality • Prior to his major accident, River tended to be a bit of playboy who thought he was hot shit and untouchable. He thrived under the spotlight - whether it was in the arena, in newspapers, or in the city scene. River could be an adrenaline junkie on top of having an addictive personality due to coming from nothing and then having everything, the only thing putting him on edge was his dad. Nowadays, River tries to be more of a thoughtful person and tries to be on his best behavior. He tends to keep himself busy, distracted, and it can be seen in full force at the barn whether its with his horse or helping around the barn - always having his headphones on and listening to peaceful sounds. Unfortunately, his perpetual stubbornness stuck around and he has a tough time swallowing hard realities and confronting things that he doesn't want to unless it involves him being a knight in shinning armor. Still, River does try and he knows he has a lot to make up for.
the history
father • Alfie Bloom, 48, Industrial Worker mother • Sara Bloom, 48, Unknown siblings • None important people • Julia Worthington, 42, Riding Instructor hometown • Manchester, UK overall history • River was born to Alfie and Sara Bloom in Manchester, England, as a accidental pregnancy's to two young people. The realities of parenting were hard for them, and their parents were just as hard. River's father took to drinking which would then lead to harsh words aimed at River, his mother - depressed, left. As he grew older, he took an interest in horses much to Alfie's annoyance. He should be into football - like a man, not pining around after large four legged animals that were stamped on the lunch boxes marketed at little girls. But River didn't care - he liked that they were wild and untamed, something he wished to be and out from the thumb of his father.
He took to volunteering at a local stables behind his father's back, where an instructor, Julia, took pity on him, and gave him lessons in exchange for his work under the rug. River took to horse back riding like a duck to water. As years passed as he honed his skills and took to local shows. As Julia saw his rising star potential though, she knew that River needed to move on from the local shows if he wanted to reach his full potential - with horses that she didn't have and trainers and/or sponsors that could bank roll him into bigger competitions. She told River what had to be done, knowing full well what his life at home with his father was like. He managed to grit his teeth and tell his father, who became enraged that he had been participating in a 'girl's sport' behind his back all of these years and swung at him. River left that night at age sixteen and never looked back.
Julia helped him broker bridges with her connections in the Equestrian world and River took off. With the help of her connections, he was really starting to break into the big scenes for competitions and horses. A year later, he started to make the top 10 lists of rising stars in the Equestrian World and riders to watch. It was around this time Alfie tried to make an appearance back into his life, claiming he changed and he was wrong to call riding a sissy sport. Against his better judgement and Julia's warnings, River relented. Unfortunately, later it became clear that he should have listened to his old mentor. His father had wanted nothing but to leech off of his fame and money - Alfie had even took to studying tapes and books to learn all that he could about riding, just to criticize River after every show - no matter if he placed or not - what exactly went wrong and how he fucked up.
It didn't affect his riding, maybe his riding even flourished, but his life outside of the saddle began to take an extreme change. He took to drinking, drugs, a bully even, and a live fast die young motto on his lifestyle and dating life. He became the 'bad boy' of the Equestrian World by reputation and articles and pictures. There was not a stone or a rider left unturned by him if he could help it. Shockingly, it didn't affect his sponsors or his shows - his face put people in seats at the shows and he still rode well and won. If anything, his antics and riding skills made him more in demand. All the while in the background, he dealt with his dad and his constant critiquing and verbal abuse - never letting anyone know what was going on. Julia suspected and tried to intervene, but stubborn River just shut her out.
River carried on for years like this, never slowing down and living fast. No one bothered to correct his behavior and those who tried got left behind. Until one day, everything changed.
It was a competition day, he had been partying the night before a little too hard. When he woke up, River didn't have hangover, the affects were still flooding through his body. His trainers tried to get him to scratch, the sponsors pulled their horses, all but one. A horse that River owned himself - Raven. River didn't give a shit, he could still ride today, or so he thought and insisted but nobody wanted to touch him. He managed to get the bridle and the saddle on Raven, and got on him. Even the horse could tell something was wrong with his owner, it made him just a little bit squirrelly under the saddle. People started to try and stop him then when they rode to the arena, but he wouldn't listen. He could do this. He could also embarrass his father this way - a big ole fuck you.
And then he started, over one jump, over two jumps, and then that third jump came. The 5.5 foot triple bar jump. Raven took off, and the saddle went, River fell, and Raven, with the ugly yank of the bridle of the shifting weight, went down with him. Everything went black for River. What the audience saw was pure horror, River sliding off and lading on two of the poles right before the horse crashed on top of him. Raven broke free quickly afterwards and bolted up, but the damage was done. To the horse's credit, while his rider hung limply from a stirrup while crumpled on the ground, dragged amongst the poles, Raven did not take off, he simply pulled away before someone grabbed him.
When River woke up, it was several days later in a hospital bed and was informed that he had a metal rod inserted into his femur to repair it along with a hip replacement. Somehow, whether it was being still drunk or his horse, his face had remained in tact except for a small scar running throw his left eyebrow. The damage was done, just not physically but career as well. Sponsors dropped him, owners pulled their horses, barns dropped him, and no trainer or circuit wanted to come near him. Everybody left him - except for his father who came in to rip into him. And then Julia, who saved him from his father once more and got him kicked out of the hospital. River didn't know what to do, and Julia suggested that maybe once physical therapy was done, and he was discharged, that maybe it was some time to do a little soul searching and re-invent himself. Remember why he loved riding in the first place and competition and perhaps that sixteen year old boy who was only out to prove that he could ride.
So River found Hickstead, a little horsing community in a quiet part of England - remote enough to start anew once he was done with physical therapy. He would walk pretty well now, but getting back on the horse was proving to be another thing all together. River did bring Raven with him, the horse still a little squirrelly but all things considered - loyal unlike everyone else.
the role player
alias • forever age • n/a other characters • my herd
