Eventing Tryouts - Part 3

[kidjo]

It was a beautiful day as Ryan walked through the beginner cross country course. He could feel a slight breeze on his back and he was excited to see who was going to finish their tryout. He had picked a fairly easy combination, a combination with a ditch in the middle. He just wanted to see how students handled solid obstacles coming at them at a fast pace. It would be timed but that didn't matter as much as safety.

Out in front of him on that oh so familiar card table he had in front of him. Only this time it had a few safety vests on it, and some cookies and milk for the students hard work after their tryout. He was glad they were coming to a close, but not the hard part was coming. He was going to have to choose teams, which was always difficult because someone almost always was disappointed. He grinned, it was his signature grin, the one everyone loved, but he was more than happy to be here with his kids.

The Combo


((OOC - Just RP out the combo! And then I'll let you know you're times and scores for all the tryouts on July 1st as well as your placement))

[Onzyy]

The mare was ready this time for the last part of the trial. Darren had her saddled in the Stubben eventing saddle, flash bridle, and horse boots. He himself was wearing a black shirt, breeches, tall boots, hunter green protective vest, and gold skull cap with covering.

Today he would pull out all the stops for the cross country. It was by far the best part of eventing, and both him and Fuzz enjoyed it. Eventing was all about timing, and Darren thought out many ways how to achieve the best time for the combination. In the end, he decided on allowing Fuzz to work out her striding for herself, and he'll determine the speed. It almost always worked out.

Darren once again did his warm-up, and took Fuzz a good distance away, cantered in a circle, and asked for a gallop. Fuzz was strong at a gallop, and her strides long and ate the ground. A few strides before the first part of the combo, Darren collected Fuzz, and she changed gaits at a heartbeat, maintaining a strong canter. Up and over the first part of the combo, one stride, ditch, over second part of the combo. He brought her down to a trot, then walk, before dismounting and loosening the girth. He nodded at the instructor, took a cookie, and walked off, allowing Fuzz to just relax.

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Outfit: Here

[Ω-Admin-Cara-Ω]

Andie and Jack headed down to the cross country course, the gelding was wearing his jumping saddle - she was currently looking at a very nice eventing saddle. He was also wearing his protective boots, where he wasn't clumsy in jumping, at least show jumps moved when they were hit, the jumps here were solid. Rather than wearing a show jacket today, she had her hot pink protective vest over the top of a sleeveless show-shirt, and her Ariat boots.

She walked over to the instructor and smiled her greeting before mounting up. She studied the combination they would be tackling while she warmed the gelding up. When they were ready, it was time to tackle the combination.

She gave the gelding enough encouragement as they headed toward the first fence and she grinned as they flew over it with room to spare. As they approached the ditch, Andie made sure she was riding positively, she asked the gelding to increase his stride length and kept up his forward motion. She made sure to focus ahead, rather than looking down into the ditch, to keep her balance aligned correctly and allow the horse to give their best effort¹. Before she knew it, the last jump was looming in front of them and she rose out of the saddle as Jack flew over the solid jump. She stood up in the stirrups as she pumped her fist into the air. Sitting back down, she asked the gelding to slow to a trot and then a walk and rode back around to where they had started from, eager to watch the others ride over the combination.

[freebird]

Vanessa led her mare towards the final part of the trial, cross country. The mare donned her beautiful new eventing saddle as well as her lime green cross country boots. Vanessa liked the way the color popped against the dappled coat, and Vanessa herself wore a lime green protective vest. Smiling, she patted the mare firmly on the neck before looking towards the course and the others riding it. She knew they had tackled tougher at home, but she still wasn't looking past the course. She had seen enough accidents over cross country, and one wrong hit could turn out bad. Shaking her head to dismiss the thoughts, she mounted the mare and collected her reins before taking her away from the course to warm up. She asked the mare to canter a few circles, before facing the first jump and asking for a quicker pace.

Secret Eden began to gallop towards the first fence, her ears pricked and eager to go. Vanessa seesawed her slightly to slow her, and then leaned forward in two point position as she galloped. Right before the first fence, she squeezed extra hard and clucked to her mare, and the mare flew over it. She allowed the mare to gather one stride between landing and the ditch, and leaned back so she wouldn't disturb the mare's gravity. When the mare raced up the other side, she pointed her towards the second fence and squeezed hard again, extending her body into two point position. Secret Eden cleared the fence again, and Vanessa sat back, asking the mare for a canter. She slowed, and then even more to a trot. Leaning forward, Vanessa patted her damp neck firmly and then gave her a long rein when she began to walk. She was proud of her mare and was eager to hear the results of the trials.