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Post by daine2 on Nov 8, 2012 11:02:11 GMT -6
Sugar was jigging in place, eager to run. Her rider laughed at the mare's eagerness as she checked the cinch, tightening it a few more inches. most people nowadays buckled the cinch on western saddles, but Bronwyn preferred the old fashioned method of tying it. The mare sidestepped eagerly, mouthing the bit. Sugar hadn't been ridden in several days now, as Bronwyn had been working with her other horse lately, and the stocky fourteen-three hand bay varnish roan Appaloosa had a lot of pent-up energy. The horse had known immediately what they were going to work on when the gag bit went into her mouth; Sugar knew that different bits meant different things, and a gag bit meant barrels and poles. the sight of the barrel set-up in the arena, and the poles to be used for pole-bending laying in a heap just outside the arena had hyped up the already hyper mare. Bronwyn checked the tack the mare wore one last time, tightening the dark chocolate bridle a notch and making sure the saddle and breast-strap were tight enough one last time. The girl took excellent care of the tack, as she had won it at the state barrel racing championship just last year. The right-side stirrup-fenders were stamped with the words: 'Bronwyn McCord
&
Picture Perfect
2011 Barrel Racing State Champion
Maine' Bronnie knelt down to make sure that the mare's yellow SMB II boots were tightened appropriately, having a little trouble due to Sugar's dancing around, but she managed to get them checked. "Calm down, Sug!" She laughed, straightening back up and looping the antsy mare's reins over the top rail of the arena fencing. Bronwyn left the mare to sidestep to and fro, heading towards where she'd left her helmet a few yards away. She never rode without a helmet, as she believed in protecting ones head and brain from injury. |
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Post by selma on Nov 8, 2012 11:34:03 GMT -6
Calvin led his dark palomino mare over to the outdoor arena. The teen hadn't worked his mare since he had got here two days ago and she was starting to get a little worked up. He had seen on the arena schedule that the arena was empty and so he could go and ride.
The muscled teen reached the arena to find a teenage girl in the arena, with what he assumed was her horse tied up to one of the rails. He unlocked the gate and led Sunday through. She neighed a whinny to the other horse who was jigging in the spot, as she was led by her cowboy, Calvin. He led her over to a fence on the other side of the arena, and did a easy release knot with one of the reins. He glanced over his Quarter Horse's attire, before looking at the Appaloosa in the corner. Calvin had tacked up in a dark brown all-purpose Western saddle, matching leather bridle, along with a matching breastplate, bright red saddle blanket and matching red polo wraps.
The cute teen was hoping to do some barrels and so he was happy when the girl started pulling out some barrels, and put up some poles. Calvin had never tried poles on Sunday, but his mare liked barrels so he assumed that she would also like poles. He headed over to the teenager to help her and to introduce himself. "Hey, my name is Calvin Stone," he said givng a charming smile and offering his hand to shake. "That is my mare Sunday," Calvin said glancing over at his mare as she flicked and swished her tail around in annoyence. "Do you mind if we run some barrels?"
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Post by daine2 on Nov 8, 2012 11:47:33 GMT -6
Bronwyn wouldn't lie, she did struggle a little with setting up the barrels. They were large and she herself... well, she wasn't the tallest girl around. She had just started dragging the second barrel across the arena, planning on setting it out the furthest, the last one they would circle before coming 'home', and she was struggling a bit with it. From the weight, she guessed it probably had hand in the bottom or something, as it was obviously weighted down with something.
She released the barrel at the arrival of another boy, a student, she could tell. Bronnie glanced towards his horse before he spoke, releived when she spotted the western tack. Good. That meant she didn't have to put up the barrels and poles to accomodate an english rider. Not that she meant the thought in bad taste, she just really, really needed to work sugar, and flat-work, today... well... it wouldn't really be a good idea, not with the mare so eager to run.
The girl realized she was thinking off in space while the boy was talking and snapped back at attention just in time to hear his name and the rest of his words. A smile spread over her face as she sized him up before shaking his hand firmly. Bronnie may have been a girl, but she hated a weak handshake when one was offered, and made it a point to always have a firm grin, regardless. "As long as you help me drag the barrels and set them up out there," she pointed, "I don't mind sharing the set-up. I'm Bronwyn McCord, the jigging Appy in the corner over there is Sugar." She motioned towards her stocky mare. The horse may have been short, standing at only fourteen-three hands, but she was built like a tank. She was fast and quick on her feet, light in the bit... honestly, the mare looked like a appaloosa-colored Quarterhorse and moved like one too.
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Post by selma on Nov 8, 2012 12:12:19 GMT -6
Calvin liked her firm handshake. His Uncle used to say only realy riders have a firm handshake, and with the teen's past experience in had been true. "No problem, and it is nice to meet you Bonwyn McCord," Calvin gave his charming smile to the girl before picking up the third, and last barrel.
Calvin had saw the girl struggle with picking up the barrel, and he had to admit that it was heavy, but he had worked with cattle all his life and so he was fine with it. He carried the barrel over to the farthest place in the pattern. It was the place where the pair turn around as fast as possible and run home.
The strong teen turned back to the girl, Bronwyn, before guesturing to his mount. "Wanna mount up?" Calvin backed away from the girl only turning towards Sunday when he had covered half the distance. He didn't see why they still couldn't mount up so he didn't wait for her response.
Being a cowboy he had learned the hard way that you always should tighten up your cinch before mounting, and being a cowboy he preferred to use the tie up cinch so it took longer. In his own little world he quickly, but securely tightened up his cinch about two inches. Made sure the headstall was still in correct place, and untied Sunday. He could see in her eyes that she really wanted to run the pattern. "Just wait." Calvin whispered into his mare's ear. He scratched her on the neck, before flicking the one rein over the mare's neck, and flinging himself in a graceful manner onto the palomino's back.
Calvin adjusted himself untill he was comfortable before heading off at a nice jog along the rail. He would quickly warm her up before doing the pattern and maybe even trying his hand out at the poles.
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Post by daine2 on Nov 8, 2012 12:27:38 GMT -6
Bronwyn gave him a relieved kind of smile when he took the last barrel and set it up. She had not been looking forwards to manhandling that one way out to the far end of the arena. She nodded a 'thank you' to him as he made his way back.
The girl also headed back towards her own mount, tightening her helmet a notch as she walked. She tugged the reins down from their loop around the arena-railing and tossed them over Sugar's neck, holding them in one hand, along with a bit of mane, and grasping the back of the saddle with the other. Bronwyn swung up into the saddle in one smooth motion, having to be quick today, as the second her booted feet left the ground, Sugar had spun in a fast circle and bolted a stride or two, eager to go. Bronnie tugged the left rein, pulling the mare's head to her knee. Sugar spun in a fast circle before stopping and finally the girl was able to situate herself in the saddle and set her feet in the stirrups.
"Silly thing. Relax, Sugar." Bronwyn told the mare afectionately, tugging at the medium-length mane that she'd spent years growing out. She hated that Sugar had the typical Appaloosa mane and tail, but years of careful care had helped it some... The mane and tail would never be think, or very long, but it was what it was...
Bronwyn could tell from the slight tremble that coursed through Sugar's body that she was ready to bolt at a moment's notice. The girl grinned to herself. This promised to be a fun training session. The mare usually only got like this at a competition...
She picked up the reins, loosening them slightly, and asked for a walk around the arena, letting the mare walk to half of the length of the arena before asking for a jog. Sugar had her head in the game, and willingly did as she was asked, though her movements were faster than normal. She was focused, though.
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Post by selma on Nov 8, 2012 12:48:36 GMT -6
Calvin watched as the antsy mare do her stuff, and admired the riders gently calm ways with her. He could tell that she was one of the good cowgirls. Some, would yank on their horses mouths for no reason and wouldn't warm up their horse before racing the pattern. It made him sick to think of the things bad people did to their horses.
"She is very nice!" Calvin spoke in a nice tone to Bronwyn across the arena. He admired the Appaloosa nice mane and tail, because horses of that breed rarely have long manes and tails, and he like many other people liked long hair on the horse. He glanced down quickly at his mares long white glossy mane, that took no effort to grow, it just was naturally like that.
Calvin sat deep and didn't even bother to touch his reins and Sunday moved her gait down to a even paced walk. She dropped her head to be in-line with her withers, just like Calvin had read they were supposed to, at least on the AQHA circuit, not that he had ever been on it. Calvin moved the one hand not holding his rein up and scratched his beautiful Quarter Horse on her soft golden neck, before placing his hand back on the side of his leg.
The teen glanced over at the girl making sure that she was fine, before picking up a left lead canter. Calvin went with the three beat motion of his mare and gently reined Sunday to pass Bronwyn at a fair distance, as he didn't know if her horse had any vices, but it sure didn't look like it.
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Post by daine2 on Nov 8, 2012 13:12:59 GMT -6
"Thank you!" Bronwyn gave him a smile, reaching forwards with one hand to scratch Sugar underneath the mane. "I try to keep both her and my gelding in good shape. Sadly, I've neglected riding her for the past few days." She said, her smile fading into a sheepish grin. "She's normally much calmer than this." The girl asked her mare to move towards Calvin and his mount, getting close enough that she could speak without half-yelling. "You said your mare is called Sunday?" She questioned, gazing at the pretty palomino. "She's a Quarterhorse, isn't she? She's got that big ole 'Quarterhorse butt'." She said with a small laugh, hoping that she had guessed right. Of course, Bronnie knew she could be completely wrong, as several breeds could have a 'quarterhorse bum'... just look at Sugar!
Her eyes lit up when she finally saw Sugar's head lowering as she finally got completely ito the 'game' and relaxed, though her focus and attention didn't fade out. Instead, the mare locked one ear onto Bronwyn, paying attention to her rider and owner like she knew to do. Bronwyn loosened the reins more, letting sugar haveher head completely and not checking her any longer, as she knew the mare would listen and do exactly what she asked now instead of trying to run out like she had wanted to do earlier.
The teen waited until the boy was a fair distance away before asking Sugar to lope as well. Bronwyn and Sugar, when they were working together, as they were now... it was like they could read each others mind. To others looking in at them, the mare hit the lope without any cue coming from her rider, though Bronwyn didn't fall behind or anything, she was right in cadence with the three-beat movement. As Sugar loped along the rail, Bronwyn settled the reins over the horn of the saddle, looping them so they wouldn't fall, and spread her arms out parallel to her shoulders, sitting straight. She cued with her legs and seat for the mare to cut across right at the center of the arena, well out of Calvin's way, and the mare crossed over, switching leads as she went from one side of the arena to the other. Her one ear never moved from its position, locked onto her rider, though the mare's other ear flicked back and forth as she moved.
"Whooaaa..." Bronnie articulated as they came to the arena gate once more. She picked up the reins as the mare performed a downwards transition, going from a lope straight to a walk, then a halt. Sugar wasn't breathing hard, as she was in excellent shape, and she danced in place for another moment before settling down. The mare could tell from Bronwyn's subconsious muscle movements that they were going to run the pattern soon, but Bronnie was planning on letting Calvin run it first, and she caught his eye, making a silent motion, telling him that he was welcome to the pattern before she let Sugar run it. She then asked for a slow walk back up the side of the arena.
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Post by selma on Nov 8, 2012 13:40:26 GMT -6
"Sunday is right, and yes she is a purebred. You know your breeds good!" Calvin agreed with her. He smiled at stayed in the spot watching her and Sugar do a flying lead change and other stuff. "Okay, is this a challenge?" he said with a joking grin.
Calvin had Sunday lope around the arena. He also tied his reins around the horn before placing his hands in the air in the same motion. He asked for a flying lead change on the rail before asking her to turn in a circle and go the other way only moving his hands up and down in a pattern. He smiled jokingly at her before stopping Sunday in a second by putting both of his hands down. Durning all this Sunday had managed simple self-collection and stayed very willing. He patted his mare and when Bronwyn motioned for him to exicute the pattern he did so happily.
Picking up his reins he picked up the lope from a walk and headed towards the first barrel. Calvin canter at a even pace towards the first barrel. He waited for the barrel to pass Sunday's point of hip before using outside leg and asking her to make a sharp turn towards the second barrel. He continued until he rounded the last barrel before he ran home at a gallop. "Your turn," he said in a cocky way. He didn't mean to rub the girl the wrong way, it is just that he hasn't ridden the pattern in a good few weeks.
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Post by daine2 on Nov 8, 2012 17:42:34 GMT -6
She gave him a smirk when he questioned about their riding being a challenge and pretended to eye him critically, though he grin told that she was playing as well. "Only if you want it to be." She said, crossing her arms and leveling Calvin with a look that was borderline competitive.
Bronwyn watched their run with an experienced eye. She and Sugar weren't championship barrel racers for nothing. He had a great run, she noted, realizing that she'd have to up her game to beat him, if she so chose to actually be competitive. She glanced down at Sugar's neck when the mare slung her head. And from the way it looks, we're feeling competitive…
"Pretty good." She said to him when he came back, giving him a slow smirk, "Stand back, cowboy. Let a pro show you how it's done." She gave him a smile and laugh just moments afterwards, letting him know that she was joking.
The girl turned her attention on her mare and she sat perfectly still in the saddle for a moment, simply breathing and studying the set-up. Then, with a quick motion, she flung the hand that held the reins up towards Sugar's ears, giving her the cue that they were running the pattern. Sugar bolted. Her neck stretched out as she did what Bronwyn had taught her. Her hindquarters heaved, and she kicked up sand as she made a beeline towards the first barrel.
The mare flew around the first barrel, hugging it, but not hitting it. Bronnie shifted the reins slightly, making sure Sugar didn't drop her inside shoulder as she finished circling the barrel and halfway across to the second barrel, she asked for a flying lead chance, which was performed without the mare even having to think on it, it seemed.
Bronwyn, used to the mare's tight turns, didn’t need to grasp the saddlehorn to stay centered, she leaned with the horse, going with her into the turns. They were a pair. Her smile grew as they ran towards the third and final barrel, Bronnie asking her to whip around it as they covered the ground. Sugar leaned into the turn hard, leaning so far that it appeared she might slide out from under herself, but she didn’t. They were cleared to run home!
The teen urged the mare back towards 'home' (what Bronnie called the start/finish areas in her mind). Sugar gave it her all on the way back, being short she could really stretch out in the arena, and her legs almost blurred as she ran. Bronwyn sat back in the saddle upon passing the start/finish point, and Sugar, so in tune with her rider, slowed as she felt her rider sit deep. The mare stopped a few strides later and threw her head up energetically as her blonde rider twisted in the saddle to give Calvin a wild grin.
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Post by selma on Nov 8, 2012 19:15:23 GMT -6
Calvin liked the girls competitive drive, just like alot of other men did. When he finnished the barrels and it was her turn to go her just asked Sunday to stand off on the side.
The teen gave her a grin of admiration and disbeliefe of the girl's cockiness, but it didn't throw him off, and with that he watched Bronwyn and Sugar run the pattern. He could tell they weren't no hobbyists at this sport and that was rare, at least at this school. So far, she was the first barrel racer he had met here during his time at Blue Ridge Riding Academy.
The pair of them showed trust in each other, and Calvin could tell that. The way Bronwyn just knew when her mare was going to turn sharp and when she was going to change speed, it was trully beautiful to watch. Some people say dressage is dancing with a horse, but Calvin thought that this was. Being able to be one with the horse, and speak a language diffrent from normal, one that was only spoken by two partners that bonded and had trust.
Calvin came out of his day dream quickly when she came to a halt. He noticed the devilish grin that she gave him after her run, and all Calvin could do was clap, so he did. Giving a joking laugh as he clapped. "Way to go cowgirl!" The muscluar teen smiled at her. He gazed up quickly to look at the warm sunny sky, but it wasn't to warm as there was a light breeze that tickled, but felt good on Calvin's toned skin. "Do you want to go for a trail ride, before the weather gets bad?" He asked her. "I think it would be a good cool down for the horses, as well as just a relaxing thing to do," he said with a gentle laugh.
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Post by daine2 on Nov 8, 2012 19:28:45 GMT -6
Bronwyn took a moment to lean over the saddle and rest a hand on Sugar's neck, the motion doubling to both check for warmth and let the mare know she'd done good. Excellent, in fact. The girl absolutely loved the bond she had with the varnish roan Appaloosa, and she wished that she had that strong of a bond with her gelding, but she didn't… not yet. Which, Bronnie had practically raised Sugar and Phantom had been bought already mostly grown, and he had also not had the easiest life throughout his early years… but she knew that their bond would come in time. He was still a good horse, but she wanted to be able to think something and have that almost telepathic bond with the geldig that she had with the mare.
She looked up at the sound of clapping and grinned embarrassedly upon spotting the source; Calvin. "Thanks." She said, grinning widely as the embarrassment left her face and she followed his gaze to the sky, listening to his question. She gave him another grin and a look. "What? You afraid I'll beat you at poles next?" She joked before getting serious and nodding slightly, shielding her eyes with a hand as she gazed at the sky again, feeling the breeze. "Yeah, a trail-ride sounds fun. Wasn't it supposed to rain later this afternoon and tonight?"The girl thought she'd heard it on the weather earlier, forecasting rain for that afternoon. She hoped not, though… they had gotten a lot of rain the past two weeks and didn't need anymore.
Notes: You wanna start a new thread in one of the trails? Any trail is fine with me.
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Post by selma on Nov 8, 2012 19:51:07 GMT -6
"No, actually, I have never ran poles." Calvin told her what a grin on his cute teen face. "If you would like we could do the poles at least once before we go to the trail ride." Suggested Calvin. He had been intrested with poles before, but never got the chance to try them. He didn't really know how to do them, and he knew he was going to look like a fool, but to him that was alright.
With that thought in mind he asked Sunday to pick up the right lead, and asked his palomino mare to head towards the first pole. He could feel her tense up with frustration. He chuckled a little, before giving her a reassuring nudge with his knees. They cantered towards the first pole and he gently nudged her to the other side of the pole.
Once they had went around the poles once, horribly, Calvin asked Sunday to halt. She did so happily, before walking over to the exit of the arena. Quickly tying his horse to the rail, he began to head towards the third, and heaviest barrel. "Let's see you go! I will clean up the barrels and than we can head out," Calvin told her with a gentle smile on his face.
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Post by daine2 on Nov 8, 2012 20:08:20 GMT -6
She ginned in delight when he agreed to do the poles at least once before they went for their trail ride, and she eagerly watched him when he took off on his mare. Bronnie knew poles herself quite well, as she and Sugar had won state championship in both the barrel racing and pole bending events the previous year. She hid her laughter behind her hand as she immediately saw his faults, and gave him a shaky grin when he came back, trying to keep from laughing."If you want, I can give you some pointers later on, if you're really interested in pole bending." She said, not being too successful at hiding her amusement.
She moved Sugar a few feet away before asking her to canter down past the six poles set up, cueing the mare to whip around and move in and out of the set-up, asking for flying lead changes in between every pole and zig-zagging through the pattern instead of 'weaving', as when weaving through the pattern, there were often more knocked poles due to the horse not being able to follow through with the hips. She kept a closer eye on the mare as they finished up the first leg of the pattern and spun around to start their second zig-zag through the group of poles.
Bronwyn knew that Sugar took off too quickly, and she adjusted her body position as much as she could in the split second she had before her knee nudged the pole. Bronnie was fairly confident that it would just wobble and not actually fall, but she couldn't look to see for sure until the mare got to the end of the second weave and ran back for home. The girl was relieved that the pole hadn't fell, though now she knew she should work more on Sugar with pole bending in the next training session she had with the mare. If they had been competing state championship with that run, they would have been knocked down to a second or third place…
She swung off the mare almost before Sugar had stopped and jogged back to the pole-bending course, starting the fairly easy task of putting away the set-up, glad that Calvin had volunteered to put up the heavy barrels. "Thanks for putting those up!" She called to him, "I know I was the one who got them out, so I should be putting everything up, but seriously, thanks for helping!"
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Post by selma on Nov 8, 2012 20:20:38 GMT -6
Calvin watched in admiration as she perfectly did the poles, at least in his eyes. "Thoose pole tips would be great he said laughing along with her." He picked up the second barrel and put it back in the corner where it belonged, before he went back for the last one.
Calvin had moved all the barrels back into place before he looked up to see Bronwyn moving the poles back. "Let me help you," he offered her making sure to add in a welcoming grin, even though he knew she was completely capable to do it herself.
Once all the poles and barrels had been put away he turned to look back at the girl. Even though they had just met, Calvin could feel something about her, that he liked in a friend, even though he hadn't had many in the past. The teen knew that something was going to come out of this, and it was all started this day.
Comming out of his day dream he turned towards Bronwyn. "Wanna get going?" He gave a smile as he started walking towards his mount. He quickly sprung up into the saddle, after checking the cinch and un-tieing his mare.
***Note: I will start the thread right now.***
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Post by daine2 on Nov 8, 2012 20:29:03 GMT -6
Bronwyn gave him a smile in return, nodding. "I'll write them all down that I know and give them to you, sometime, then." She said while watchig him finish putting the barrels away while she worked on the poles. When he offered to help, she nodded and thanked him again. She enjoyed having friends like this, and yes, she already counted him as a friend, possibly a great friend, if she were honest with herself. He was the type of person she liked to befriend. Too oten, in the past, she'd had friends who wanted her to pull both their weight, but he was so nice in helping out and all. She liked that in a person.
Bronwyn helped to carry the poles back to where they were supposed to be kept when not in use and set them all back up the way they had been when she'd gotten them out, all nice and neat. She liked to make good impressions on peple, and whoever kept up the arena's, she wanted to lessen their workload what little she could. No one ever had to clean up after her.
She followed Calvin's lead and also checked her cinch, tightening it another few inches, as it had looened a little, and then looped Sugar's reins over her arm and headig towards the general direction of the trails.
Thread Finished.
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