Taking It All In Stride [C Fair Horse Show] (Open)

Kire
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Taking It All In Stride [C Fair Horse Show] (Open) Jul 25, 2012 14:41:17 GMT -5

Post by Kire on Jul 25, 2012 14:41:17 GMT -5

Does, Says, Thinks, Sunny

10:45 am

Checking his watch, Oscar realized it was almost time for the horse show. There was about fifteen minutes left before it would start, and he would need to enter his four horses and get them organized. He clucked to his mount, urging the stallion to pick up a trot. He was riding his horse, a bay stallion that he had owned since he was foaled. Sunny, the proud leader of the group, did as asked and Oscar was glad to see the other three horses follow suit. Though he was riding, he still managed to lead three other horses without a fuss. None of the three would cause trouble with Sunny there, knowing that the stallion would put a stop to it even if he had to use tooth and hoof.

As he trotted between the numerous booths that lined the sides of the street, he glimpsed a few other horses with their owners. Some of them were beautiful, with delicate markings and bright eyes. He reached down to stroke Sunny's neck as he realized they may be in for a tough time. It took only a few more moments before he reached the show ring, a large oval surrounded by a four foot fence, plastic he noted, it wouldn't do much to stop a run away horse. The based of the ring was a semi-deep layer of sand, the coarse granules had been sprayed with water to keep the dust down. It would be decent turf to ride on, soft on the feet but dense enough that the horses wouldn't sink. He personally preferred sand to hog fuel.

At the side of the arena lay poles and standards, indicating some form of jumping. Oscar smiled, knowing how much Sunny loved to jump. How much would it amaze the crowd to see the stallion jump a course with only minor instructions from him. Patting his horse, he dismounted and ran up the stirrups before taking the leads of the other three horses in hand, allowing Sunny to freely walk beside him. Arriving at a small tent, that was set up to look out over the ring, he went up to the table. On the table lay nine blank lists, each one titled with some form of riding. Four of the sheets were for English riding, and the other five for Western. A schedule resided at the top of the table, it read;

11:00 am - Dressage (English)
11:15 am - Western Pleasure (Western)
11:30 am - Halter (Both)
11:45 am - Reining (Western)
12:00 pm - Cutting (Western)
12:15 pm - Show Jump (English)
12:30 pm - Freestyle (English)
12:45 pm - Freestyle (Western)
1:00 pm - Results Announced

Please note that times are subject to change due to participation levels.

He realized that if he wanted to stay and watch the entirety of the competition, he would have to miss the pie eating contest. It didn't bother him though, he wasn't going to be participating in it and he didn't think anyone he knew enough to cheer for would be either. Besides, he would give up a lot more than pie for Sunny. Reading over the lists, he signed up Sunny for Western Pleasure, Reining, Show Jump and Freestyle (English). One of the mares with him, a a pale skewbald named Rohsa, was a beautiful Dressage horse, and so he signed her up for that. The other two, a tall piebald gelding named Night's Flower and a chestnut mare named Devil's Pet, he listed for Halter (English). That done, he returned to the horses and moved them so they were out of the way.

Retrieving the brushes he had stored in a pack tied to Rohsa, he began to brush the horses. He started with Sunny, removing his tack and placing it on a nearby picnic bench as he curried the gleaming ruddy-orange hairs. Absorbed in his work, he wouldn't notice anyone approaching, but he knew the horses would warn him of anyone's approach.

Tags: Anyone | Words: 602
Other: Alright, so there will be two main categories (English and Western) that branch off into more.
English; Dressage, Show Jump, Freestyle, Halter
Western; Western Pleasure, Reining, Cutting, Freestyle, Halter

Dressage - The art of riding and training a horse in a manner that develops obedience, flexibility, and balance.
Show Jump - The competitive sport of riding horses over a course of fences and other obstacles in an arena.
Western Pleasure - A western style competition at horse shows that evaluates horses on manners and suitability of the horse for a relaxed but collected gait cadence and relatively slow speed of gait, along with calm and responsive disposition.
Reining - A western riding competition for horses where the riders guide the horses through a precise pattern of circles, spins, and stops.
Cutting - An western riding event where a horse and rider are judged on their ability to separate a single animal away from a cattle herd and keep it away for a short period of time.
Freestyle - Open competition, judging done on originality and performance of individually selected moves.
Halter - Horses shown "in hand," meaning that they are led, not ridden, and are judged on their conformation and suitability as breeding stock.

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LYRICS
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Taking It All In Stride [C Fair Horse Show] (Open) Jul 27, 2012 5:22:40 GMT -5

Post by LYRICS on Jul 27, 2012 5:22:40 GMT -5

Thought I would help by listing all the entries here. Go figure =)

ENGLISH

DRESSAGE
1. Rohsa (Oscar/Kire)
2. Virago (Teal/Lyrics)

HALTER
1. Night's Flower (Oscar/Kire)
2. Devil's Pet (Oscar/Kire)
3. Sparring (Teal/Lyrics)

SHOW JUMP
1. Auburn's Sunset (Oscar/Kire)
2. Sparring (Teal/Lyrics)
3. Chestnut (Feather/Feather)

FREESTYLE
1. Auburn's Sunset (Oscar/Kire)
2. Virago (Teal/Lyrics)
3. Chestnut (Feather/Feather)

WESTERN

PLEASURE
1. Auburn's Sunset (Oscar/Kire)

HALTER

REINING
1. Auburn's Sunset (Oscar/Kire)
2. Lieutenant (Teal/Lyrics)

CUTTING
1. Lieutenant (Teal/Lyrics)
2. Chestnut (Feather/Feather)

FREESTYLE
1. Sparring (Teal/Lyrics)
2. Chestnut (Feather/Feather)

Last Edit: Aug 2, 2012 17:22:19 GMT -5 by LYRICS

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Taking It All In Stride [C Fair Horse Show] (Open) Jul 27, 2012 6:02:31 GMT -5

Post by LYRICS on Jul 27, 2012 6:02:31 GMT -5

and if we could float away;

Since the girl had enjoyed her break in the morning she had been rushed off her feet, as predicted. Her mother Natasha was good at clipping and preening the horses to show perfection, but Teal had soon busied herself with adding the final touches on their team of ten; snipping any long hairs that made them look scruffy, redoing the braids she thought unsatisfactory, and polishing the tack one final time, disguising their wear as they hadn’t been able to buy any new leather recently. A handful of people stood to watch as she worked - some to admire, some to offer advice, some to ask for assistance. Teal found herself rushing around to fulfil everyone’s requests, and wishing they would simply go away. Eventually Natasha shooed her off to prevent her nitpicking on any more flaws, pressing the fact they hadn’t even entered down their horses on the required sheet. Teal wiped the dust off her dirtied clothes and redid her hair as she went along, cursing that, despite her hard work, things had to be done at the last second.

One rose grey, the youngest of their band, turned around and watched curiously as she hastened to find where the schedule was taped, giving out a grunt. Glimpsing back, she smiled at his inquisitiveness – Sparring had always been more curious than cautious, and would hopefully stand as a good stud in a year or so. Whether it was sun, rain or fall it was almost essential they take him this year, if he should win anything the stallion’s name would circulate and would result in good business for the mother and daughter pair. Teal had been adamant she ride him, unable to escape the temptation of a prize ribbon, seeing as he had the largest potential of their stock. Russet, Nevida, Thistle and Lieutenant also had fair chances of placing, and though the rest were the best behaved, were not particularly flashy. These horses; Taurus, Jester, Bronze, Rogan and Virago, were mostly there to attract anyone who might be fortunate enough to afford a suitable mount. Maybe, if the cards played right, they might be able to sell one for a good price. She’d just have to make sure no one would get away with a five-finger discount; it was not uncommon to see an owner fuming over a sly horse thief stealing a fine specimen.

Good thing she recognised the boy from the horseshoe-throwing stall, otherwise she might have missed the tent which held the lists for each competition. Stopping briefly, she saw his own team of horses around the tattered cloth of the tent, but instead of marvelling at them, eyed them more critically, trying to find flaws that her own produce could take advantage of. Frustratingly, she found little, but instead watched from a distance away as he shifted them out of the way of the door. Striding into the small room she examined each sheet, adding a variety of names underneath those Oscar had already written. This year she would only be riding Sparring, Lieutenant and Virago, and Natasha would take care of the rest.

Although there was not much time left until the competitions began, Teal looked up, considering whether to meet again with her competitor or not. Deciding it couldn’t hurt, she ambled out of the tent and to the side, where Oscar was now totally absorbed in grooming each horse. They pricked their ears and raised their heads at Teal’s approach. She kept to the far side of them should any be spooky or unfriendly to strangers, but tapped the dark-haired teenager on the shoulder, grinning casually.

"Looks we’re up against each other, buddy"

fly up to the surface and start again

Last Edit: Jul 27, 2012 6:22:14 GMT -5 by LYRICS

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Taking It All In Stride [C Fair Horse Show] (Open) Aug 5, 2012 17:42:41 GMT -5

Post by Phoenix on Aug 5, 2012 17:42:41 GMT -5

ooc- I'm not an expert in horseback riding so don't mock me!

ic- I look around in awe as I stroll through the carnival, trying to capture everything at once. I'm as entranced as I am every district fair. Astounded by the towering, colorful, tents, the amazing contests and their winners, the sheer light-heartedness and joy of it. It was almost magical. Almost like when Mace won the Hunger Games a few years ago. His brother's face pops into my head. He wasn't so lucky. Poor Elon... no, don't think about that now. There's time for that later, after the carnival. Now all I want to do is enjoy the moment.

The fear I've been trying to hide in the back of my head finally breaks free as I approach the tent I've been searching for. I hear horses neigh and hooves stamp the ground as riders prepare the beautiful animals for competition. And this time, I'm one of them. But it hadn't been easy to convince myself. It was embarrassing that I owned only a single horse, and a stray at that. Chestnut's a young and very lively quarter horse, with a reddish-brown coat, and black mane and tail. I had found him a year ago, a few weeks after Maple and Hoof, my last two horses, died of unknown causes. I was devastated. My life was over, until I ran into Chestnut, pacing back in force behind my house! When nobody claimed the beautiful horse, I, obviously, kept him. For the next year I trained him nonstop. What an amazing horse. Soon he could herd the cows as well as Maple and Hoof combined. I'm so happy nobody claimed him.

In past carnivals I mostly watched, cheering the competitors on from the benches. I just wasn't interested. But the one competition that always entranced me was the horse riding contest. They were so graceful and elegeant, I was dumbstruck by the end. But this fair, as soon as I woke up this morning, I knew this fair was the one. I was gonna ride my way to first place.

I'm able to control my fear as best as I can, which isn't much, but still. That's until I see the competition. What was I thinking? Suddenly I feel like a lost child, which just angers me. The sheer amount of horses makes me want to punch the wall for thinking I could win. They were obviously thoroughbred and well-groomed, veterans in these competitions. The riders didn't look much worse. I've seen the competitors before, from school, but I didn't know them very well. What were their names again? Teal and Oscar? Yeah, that was it. Oscar had four, while Teal had, well I can't tell. I can't tell if the horses behind Teal were hers or somebody else's. Suddenly this didn't seem like such a great idea. Not by a long shot. But there was no turning back now, at least not to me. I had spent the whole freaking morning grooming chestnut until he looked almost as good as the other horses -- almost. Glancing towards the signup table, Chestnut apparently reads my mind. He suddenly trots towards the table, and I'm forced to follow.

There were nine events, four English, five Western. I've used both saddles, so at least I'm not restrained to one style. Chestnut was the liveliest horse I've ever seen, so if I even think about entering him in any of the slow, obedience events, it would end in catastrophe. So, instead I choose the fastest, most difficult events there are. I quickly scribble my name and Chestnut's under Show Jump, Cutting, and both Freestyles.

Quickly guiding Chestnut away from the table before I could erase her name, I walk to the nearest open stall, which was next to Oscar and Teal. I groom Chestnut until I'm satisfied with his appearance, then I start with, wait, which saddle? Well, Show Jump is my first event, so might as well put on the English saddle. I probably should put my hair into a braid, but does it really matter that much? I go through the routines in my head, trying not to make eye contact with any of the other competitors.You can do this... you can do this... you can do this... I try to focus on this single line, repeating the thought over and over in my head. You can do this, you're smarter than them, you've taught Chestnut well, you can do this... But as I keep glancing at my competition, my stomach drops lower and lower and lower, until it seems to hit the ground. How in Panem am I going to beat these guys, these... experts? Obviously they've done this before. And so many horses! I'm way over my league here.

Well, when in doubt, distract yourself. "Good luck," I say, turning towards Teal and Oscar. My voice echoes against the stalls, and I realize that nobody has said a word until now. That really helps my mood. No, seriously, thank you everybody. But there was no taking back what I said. Anyways, maybe if I started a conversation I will forget about some of my million worries. Worries about me falling off the horse, and getting last place, and being laughed at, and... stop it!!! I faintly notice my watch hitting the 11:00 mark. It would start any second now. Any second...

You can do this...

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Last Edit: Aug 5, 2012 18:21:52 GMT -5 by Phoenix

Kire
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Taking It All In Stride [C Fair Horse Show] (Open) Aug 5, 2012 23:20:19 GMT -5

Post by Kire on Aug 5, 2012 23:20:19 GMT -5

Does, Says, Thinks, Sunny

10:55 am

He had spent plenty of time on grooming his horses, and they were sleek and clean. He had bathed them the day before, but nothing beat a good brushing right before the show. Having just finished with Petty, he startled slightly at the sudden tap on his shoulder. Like a horse, he lifted his head and turned to stare openly at the spot where the speaker stood, relaxing slightly when he saw who it was. It was Teal, the girl from the horseshoe toss booth. "Looks we’re up against each other, buddy"

He smiled at her, nodding a greeting. When her words sank in, his smile became a grin. "You've got that right. But I think we all know who the real star is." Behind him, Petty, true to her nature, snorted. Rohsa nipped her as Sunny flattened his ears at her. Oscar smirked at the exchange, it having captured his attention. He turned back to Teal. "Petty thinks she's the biggest competition here, but even Rohsa knows it's really Sunny."

His expression shifted back into a grin as he looked at the three horses trailing behind Teal. "All yours?" He appraised them, using his years of experience around horses to aid his judgement of the Equidae. The young rose-gray stallion in her group of three watched him with an inquisitive eye. Behind him, Sunny flicked his tail, snorting softly as he, grudgingly, admitted that the stallion was alright looking. That was when, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a flash of ruddy brown.

Turning his head instinctively to gaze at the cause of the colour, he spotted the liver chestnut stallion being led by a girl a couple years younger than himself. The horse was a lovely mahogany colour, easily impressive and obviously high strung, but his owner was a little timid. Oscar knew that the overall impression of horse and rider was more important than just that of the individual. She turned to look at them and made a small noise sounding like "good luck". Nodding to her, he watched as she checked her watch. Glancing at his own, he saw that it was eleven. The horse show was about to start.

11:00 am

He put each Sunny, Night and Petty into a stall before quickly tacking up Rohsa. He had finished and hopped on when the person before him had started their run. Doing a bit of walk and trot work near the outside of the arena, he breathed and focused on working with Rohsa. When the gate opened behind him, he felt ready. Clucking to the mare beneath him, he nudged her forward and they entered the ring. He was allowed a lap around the edge of the ring before he was required to start. At the end of his lap, taken at the trot, he was announced to the small group of onlookers. "Our next rider, a proud ranch hand and horse owner, please welcome the young, but talented Oscar Thoroughbred and his mare Rohsa."

The praise from the announcer didn't reach him, though if it had he would have thought it was exaggerated and only served to attempt to raise the crowd's interest level. Instead, he let everything escape his attention but the horse under him, and the series of moves he had planned in his head. Urging the mare into a trot, he directed her down the center line, keeping her straight with minute movements until they had reached the far end. From there, he turned left and trotted up the longside until reaching the point just before the curve. Staying silent, he only asked for the next gait with a squeeze of his heels. Rohsa, expertly trained as she had been, slid into the canter with an effortless stride.

They cantered around the corner before performing a circle in the center of the arena. Finding a circle, for all it was without using the fence as guidance, to be too easy, Oscar squeezed Rohsa's side with his right heel, telling her to spiral in. The mare easily tightened her circle until it was only ten meters in diameter, keeping her canter before spiraling out gracefully. Next to show off her gaits. Reining her back, Oscar brought her down to a working trot, letting her go at that speed around the corner before giving the signal to shorted her stride. Collecting Rohsa's trot resulted in a highly up-and-down motion that was barely faster than the speed of a walk. Then, he relaxed and she flowed back into her working trot. The extended trot required more work, attempting to keep her from cantering while cuing her to extend her stride. He succeeded for a moment, but then she broke into canter. Hissing in dissapointment, he continued with the exercise in the canter.

First, he shorted her canter, bringing the strides down from eleven feet to nine. They kept this slow, bouncy, stride until reaching the far end of the arena once more. Then he relaxed and she fitted herself back into her working canter. Thankfully, Rohsa was good at the extended canter, and he nudged her to lengthen her stride. Stretching her legs, the mare went from eleven feet to thirteen within a few strides, travelling around the arena at a fast but balanced pace. Lifting himself off of the mare's back, he shifted himself into a half-seat, urging Rohsa into a hand gallop. She was not trained to gallop, but hand galloping she could do. Putting on a burst of speed, she raced around the edge of the ring in a controlled run.

Using half-halts, Oscar brought the mare down into a working canter, doing one circuit of the arena before reining her back into a trot. Happy with that performance, he halted her in the center of the arena and dropped his hand and nodded his head in a salute to the judges. Smiling, he walked the tired mare out of the arena. Nodding to Teal, knowing that she was next on the list, he dismounted in one practiced move, landing gently on the ground beside Rohsa. Leading the mare, he walked her in circles to cool her out, changing direction every so often so as to try and keep from becoming bored. He knew that it was important to cool out a horse, otherwise they could go lame, but he always tried to make it as interesting as possible.

Tags: Lyrics | Words: 1062
Other: ~~THAT IS MAHOGANY!~~ But anyway, we need judges...

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Taking It All In Stride [C Fair Horse Show] (Open) Aug 6, 2012 8:32:04 GMT -5

Post by Phoenix on Aug 6, 2012 8:32:04 GMT -5

Right before I finish tacking up Chestnut, I realize that Cutting is actually before Show Jump, and that I put on the wrong saddle. Nice. Quickly, I re-tack the mahogany horse, just as the bell rings for the first event. Dressage. I didn't sign up for that event; all my events are at the end. My heart relaxes as I realize that I have an hour before Cutting begins. Patting Chestnut on the nose, I watch as the other riders walk towards the ring, their horses trotting beside them.

Soon the stables are nearly empty. Without the sound of so many horses, they seem eerily quiet. I lean towards Chestnut."I know you can do it. It's me I'm worried about." Cutting should determine that, anyway. While it involved quick maneuvering from the horse, the success of this was based a lot on the rider's skill. If I managed this, I was good to go. And that after would be Show Jump. And that's where Chestnut would really shine.

I decide to take Chestnut for a short trot around the stables to ease my nerves. Gently putting a hand on the saddle, I swing myself onto the horse's back. I already feel better. The leather saddle under me, Chestnut's black mane in front of me; the familiar surroundings quickly calm me down. Clucking, I start the beautiful horse at a trot, which should warm up his legs. A few stable-lengths should be enough.

My watch reads 11:07. How many laps am I by already? Three? I turn to start another, when suddenly, Chestnut picks up the pace. Oh, crap. I knew what was coming next. There was no stopping him now. "No, Chestnut, stop." I snap firmly. But I only barely manage to shift into half-seat before he takes off. Galloping the same path that he trotted took only half the time, if not less. Soon we reached the fence, and before I could scream, he jumps it and lands on the other side. And no, he doesn't stop there. He keeps galloping, down the carnival path. We miraculously manage to not run over any pedestrians, and it's not until five tents down until he skids to a stop.

Well, that OBVIOUSLY showed my amazing control over this horse. I'm so glad I didn't sign him up for dressing, or he would have trampled the judges. I start scolding the mahogany horse, but soon, I do the thing I least expect. I laugh. Laugh like back at home, when we would leap in and out of all the neighbors' pastures, driving them crazy. Laugh like when I found out I could keep the horse. Laugh like I secretly do every year when I find out I haven't been reaped. Not a mean laugh, but a laugh of light-heartiness, a laugh of excitement. Turning Chestnut back towards the horse tent, I let him run again. Back past the five tents, over the fence, and right back where we started. I didn't know how long that took, probably only a few minutes, but it had vaporized all my fear and anxiety in my head. Sometimes that's all it took, a little excitement.

But I still had to focus on this competition. Should I go and watch, or stay in the stables? Maybe I should stay here. That way the other routines can't psyche me out. So I gracefully jump down from Chestnut's back and wait, quietly patting the horse and speaking to him once in a while. But that adrenaline was still pumping into my blood, and I knew the same applied to Chestnut as well. We were ready for anything.

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Taking It All In Stride [C Fair Horse Show] (Open) Aug 25, 2012 21:24:03 GMT -5

Post by LYRICS on Aug 25, 2012 21:24:03 GMT -5

and if we could float away;

Eleven o'clock.

She turned to her mother, holding the team of horses with Lieutenant at the lead. Nodding at her mother she went down the line, each horse secured to the one before by the lead rope tied onto a hook on the end of their saddle. If one was startled it would end disastrously, but with old Lieutenant at the front it would be unlikely. Besides, the stalls had cost five dollars each horse, and unfortunately it was something they couldn't afford. Third towards the end stood the roan mare, more fidgety than the others; good old Virago, personality to boot but pretty as a spring flower. Untying the rope that placed her between Jester and Nevida, she busied herself by checking the saddle was sitting nicely, that the bridle hadn't miraculously unfitted itself. Looking up at the old wooden clock, Teal knew she had to hasten to the arena, lest she miss her turn in dressage. She took to the small sand oval and with an easy stride she sat on the saddle and gently tapped Virago's sides, and without a further signal she launched forward - the mare had always been forward moving.

Within minutes Teal knew Virago was not at ease; she hadn't thought about keeping the other horses within sight or sound. Her ears were strained right forward, and she was tossing her head in an attempt to catch a view of her stablemates. Every so often she would let out a loud whinny, getting more frequent as time went by. The sixteen year old was mildly concerned, but she knew there was no way Natasha could bring the horses anywhere nearby. She caught a view of Oscar in the arena on his own horse, looking flawless in their changes and gaits. Time to go. Swallowing down nervousness Teal tapped Virago forward, waiting until Oscar was well out the ring before entering. She mumbled a half-minded congratulations to her competitor, more preoccupied with keeping her horse under control.

"Nice job".

By the time they were in the centre of the arena, Virago was fighting for her head. Teal bit her lip and stroked her neck, which did little to calm her down. Not now, Virago. Anytime but now. Handling her delicately, Teal steered her in a full circle in a slow, floating trot, though she could feel the mare's muscles tensed and her gait rather strained.

As Teal turned her into a serpentine the strawberry roan pinned her ears back and pulled into a magnificent pigroot, throwing in a few barrel kicks afterwards. The girl went tumbling down her mare's peppered neck and onto the ground, staggering onto her feet and dusting herself off quickly before grabbing hold of Virago's reins. Though humiliated, she tried her best to keep a straight face. Nodding to the impassive judges she lead her out the arena, keeping her head down in shame. The mare, cheeky little thing, seemed happy to follow now that she was out of the sand ring. Walking slowly back to where her mother and the other horses stood, she waited until she had tied Virago back into her place to tell her mother the bad news.

"I got thrown", she muttered.

Natasha immediately pulled her daughter into a short but comforting embrace, her light copper hair tickling Teal's face. Pulling back, her mother studied her to make sure she was unharmed, eyes sympathetic. Don't be upset, hon. We've still got a few events to go. She nodded, not meeting her eyes, and went to tack down Virago, grooming her coat that had grown damp with sweat. In twenty minutes Sparring was to go in the halter class, and Teal quietly went to prepare him once more, her confidence still stinging from falling off.

What a promising start.