#otherwise known as a dressage horse | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

riddles-n-games · 6 months

Text

So we all know the Hawthorne brothers are all fine as heck Texan born-and-raised gentlemen which means other than the fancy schmancy stuff they do throughout the series, they probably know how to ride. And I don’t mean English riding, I mean down and dirty in the dusty sand, bucking bronco Western riding. Given that ole Tobias Hawthorne was loaded, not only did he make riding lessons an essential for his grandsons but he also owned a big-ass stable on his property. I know it’s never mentioned in the books, only that Vincent Blake owns a ranch, but you can’t convince me otherwise that this Texan billionaire didn’t have his own stable on the property. No chance, no way; I think he’d be considered a fraud if he didn’t. Anyways, when the boys were comfortable in the saddle and more skilled with controlling their horses and riding, only then did their grandfather start making them choose specialties. As they got older, they took part in rodeos and competitions, producing another bout of trophies for the old man to put up in his office. Like always, the boys proved Hawthornes came and conquered, being the best of the best.

Nash-Of course, this man’s the best of the bunch. He is the most experienced and rather well rounded in all disciplines. It’s part of what lets him live his cowboy fantasies but he does have practical use for what he learned. His grandfather has many prized cattle breeds, mostly the famous Texas Longhorns along with Ankole-Watusi, American Brahman, and even water buffalo (Hawthorne cheese is where it’s at) so he often leads the cattle roundups and if he ain’t a sight to see when he’s roping up stray calves (those muscles though; I see you Nash). As said earlier, he’s pretty good at everything in this style of riding but competitively, he’s mostly into western pleasure yet also enjoys reining just about as much. His Appaloosa-Quarter Horse mare, Chili Pepper (yes, named by the one and only Xander and no, it’s not because of Horseland; if you know, you know) excels at these and is a bit of a showoff (Nash is pretty sure the feisty thing is self-aware whenever she prances sassily around the ring after a win). But, for them, that’s easy stuff, light work, and Nash likes a bit of an adrenaline rush now and then so on the more energetic side of things, his favorite event is cowboy mounted shooting. In practice, he’d sometimes sneak out one of his grandfather’s Winchester rifles to get a kick out of it (lowkey this boy always tried finding small ways of rebelling against his grandfather’s wishes). However, when he was 19, he quit the rodeo shows and big competitions in another effort to show the old man he didn’t have control over him and that actions spoke louder than words. Nowadays, Nash does mostly local events for the fun of it but has attended some major ones in the last few years, twice at the State Fair and once at the Calgary Stampede; Xander and Jameson even went with him in a show of support.

Grayson-Though he prefers English riding and excels in classic dressage, his Western specialty is cutting and his Arabian stallion, Onyx (known as Bandit Noir in the show ring) is a nightmare for the calves when he starts switching sides at lightning speed with his front legs. Sometimes he gets so excited after Gray has singled out a calf that he starts zipping towards it in a zigzag motion that Grayson has to restrain him a bit so that he doesn’t go overboard. When he was younger, he trained him to do this move after he watched a documentary showing gazelles use this technique as an evasive maneuver to escape cheetahs and thought it was a cool trick. He perfected it in two months flat. His Shagya Arabian mare, Moonlight, is more calm but her focus is unmatched when she’s cutting and she’s also his chosen horse for working equitation. Grayson was the one who inspired Xander to also learn this discipline and they would do training sessions together; he also let his youngest brother ride Moonlight in competition at times. Surprisingly, he also did barrel racing alongside Jameson and of course, these two got very competitive over this sport. They set several records at competitions and even a few national records at rodeo events but Jameson had more in the end.

Jameson-Barrel racing, need I say more? It’s his favorite event and discipline of choice. The faster his horse goes, the better the thrill and the dizziness to go along with it. His Nokota stallion, Rhubarb, is the speediest barrel racer of the Hawthorne horses and proudly bred by his grandfather. For fun, he would get more barrels and see how fast he could go bareback and one time the crazy boy decided it would be a good idea to ride backwards while his steed ran the course. Of all the brothers, Jamie’s the one who loves the riskier events (because of course, not that that’s surprising) including saddle and bareback bronc riding, calf-roping, steer wrestling, even bull riding (steer riding until he was 14). But he’s also the one who has the most bruises and scars from Western events. He was banned from doing bull riding after Nan attended two of his competitions and both times the rider before him had a nasty fall, ending up in hospital. Jameson may have never fallen in the most major competitions but he did have some close calls with being almost run over and even suffered a bad kick to the ribs during one of his practice runs. Although the old woman is weathered from her rough years and is still a badass, she still cares for her great grandsons very much and hates to see them get hurt. So as reluctant as he was to leave the sport, for his Nan, he did. Occasionally he also participated in team roping with Nash, always taking up the heeler position while his brother handled the horns because Nash didn’t want him to get hurt until he got older and insisted on trying the header part for himself. He got used to it quickly from all the times he watched Nash during practice seshes but his oldest brother always watched off to the side with pursed lips knowing his risky behavior. They were three time champions in a row from 2016-2018 with one time him being header. Being the adrenaline junkie he is, it’s no shock that he loves doing stuff at breakneck speeds and other than barrel racing, he is amazing at pole bending. Jameson enjoys a good test of agility and has a great Mustang-American Paint mixed mare named Misty who whizzes by the poles so quickly that everyone in the stands is always quoted saying they blinked and missed the entire round.

Xander-He was a bit more reluctant to even start out any events but Nash and Grayson coaxed him into them and eventually he got settled quite quickly into trail class, working cow horse, mounted drill with Jameson and Grayson, and versatility ranch riding. He dabbled in western dressage but got annoyed with it because he never felt synchronized enough with his horse and his trainer got frustrated with him many times. Trail class ended up being his major and he trained with two Quarter Horses that were bred by his grandfather, Rona and Rolo (nicknamed Roly Poly). He would switch between the two and both were extremely good at delivering but Rona, his mare was ultimately better equipped and motivated while his gelding, the mare’s full blooded younger brother served better in mounted drill. Xander conducted experiments to see as to why but it seemed like the gelding thought the routines were simpler to learn and always finished with a happy buck when they finished. But as he got older and hit his growth spurt, Xan felt like his height was becoming a negative factor to riding anymore of his horses in competitions so he stopped. His grandfather offered to buy him a ready, trained horse better suited to his stature so he could continue but Xander declined since he didn’t want to restart with training and he was awfully attached to Rona and Rolo. Instead, he continued competing but in halter and western showmanship classes where his horses shined just as brightly with shiny ribbons often being pinned to his horses’ halters as a prize.

Anyways, hope you enjoyed this! This has been sitting in my drafts way too long but @hathorneheiress has given me the push I needed to get it out here for you guys to read. It's only part one of my horse headcanons. There will be more about the Hawthorne family's current horses and their equine history in the next one.

44 notes · View notes

friesianbreederscanada · 6 months

Text

Discover the Perfect Friesian Dressage Horse for Sale Today

The Friesian horse breed has a powerful appearance. When considering other characteristics, this is the perfect dressage horse. This is a sought-after breed of horse since it does not disappoint. When you are looking for a dressage horse, consider the following factors in a Friesian horse.

Interactive

When looking for a dressage horse, it is important to get a horse whose character is interactive and social. Knowing this makes the search for dressage freshian for sale to be easy. You can count on a Friesian to make a show as a dressage horse easily. In addition, it is social and will only be afraid of loud sudden noises. Otherwise, the horse is good to receive cheer and upload.

Majestic horse

A shy horse cannot be perfect nor a dressage horse. You need a horse that is majestic in its movement and will present well as a dressage horse. Their movements are seamless as well as possessing a commanding move. Friesian horses are enthusiastic and you can easily tell it is not an ordinary horse, by its character and outward appearance too.

Easy to train

Since Friesian horses are known to be highly intelligent, they can easily get trained. It shouldn’t be worrying if you get a Friesian pony without dressage training. Rather, it is very easy to train them on your own or by a professional. It takes a short time and minimum resources to train a horse for dressage. Training a horse can be expensive, especially if the trainer needs to travel from afar, a few times a week

Professional handler

As stated earlier, the Friesian horses are highly intelligent. This could mean the horse seems stubborn or difficult to handle sometimes. This is the reason behind being a professional handler if you want it to be a dressage horse with impeccable presentation and performance.

#dressage freshian for sale #friesian horses

0 notes

robot-unicorn-attack · 5 years

Text

☽ FLOWER, 25

“ I said that I am a fairy and they prefer to dance and fly as a butterfly but they made me talk and walk, and I hate walking and talking. ” —Sasha Pivovarova ( like something out of the RISE script for “Flower” )

Real Name: AURA PHILYRA Agency: 𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸 (Sky World) FC: Ming Xi Unicorn Name: PAGEANT PRINCESS Place of Birth: Moon City

Appearance: While Aura has not permanently altered her looks in any way, “Flower”’s image can fluctuate because of the “holo-veil” the RISE team insists she wear over her face in public, and of course, while racing. It’s essentially an undetectable face-mask that plays off of and digitally alters Aura’s features to give her an exaggerated doll face- ranging from the intentionally synthetic-looking (ex. large doll-ish eyes), complete glitter/tattooed face or even a face-scramble that confuses camera lenses to keep people from taking images of Aura without the agency’s authorisation while she’s out and about. Her naked face is hardly ever seen.

Wardrobe: Whatever fits within what the RISE image consultants call “Pixie-bot” which verges on creepy, fake-y “living doll” territory but with a fantasy element given her pretty steed is a Pegasus model. They were considering “Loli-bot” for Aura early on- because of her age they were sure she could pull it off. Aura would have stomached the aesthetic, too, just to get paid. Thankfully, however, the “Pixie-bot” idea was floated due to Pageant Princess’ particular winged model.

[She’s definitely not against the pretty clothes and costumes- it’s the personality they want to go along with it that she dislikes.]

Places most likely to be found: Aura is either at the RISE training track with Pageant (practising or watching someone practise), asleep (snoring) in her teeny RISE apartment (the more important, the bigger the apartment- if that tells you anything), or since she’s promoting herself as Flower, RISE has her going out to club events on Unicorn City most nights.. and management says she isn’t allowed to drink anymore given her last indelicate drinking debacle.

People mostly likely to be with: On the training track, she’s most likely to be with RISE’s training team (mostly techies who might as well be speaking a whole other language to her when they go on about Pageant’s internal mechanics), but she doesn’t really care for them. She also sees her teammates- Supernova and Sunbeam- there a lot, but.. they don’t really care for her. Otherwise, Aura’s out in the City’s nightlife with strangers and the occasional RISE babysitter dragging her around by the arm to make sure she sees and talks to everyone she should be (and avoids everyone she should be). She really can’t even make a friend that way, much less a love connection, so.. Aura’s pretty much a loner, but not by choice.

Strongest character trait: of Flower: Sweet / of Aura: Obstinate

Public Image: Aura plays The Long-Legged Bimbo to Supernova’s polished Heroine and Sunbeam’s beloved Sky-Daughter personas. [And- those really creepy “robot” ig models that are really just like cgi ? That’s the vibe- that level of weird perfection, and just as superficial and ditz-y. If you’re going to “Twilight” a racer- might as well go all the way with it.] Her “role” among her RISE companions makes her feel like a complete joke, but she’s determined to be taken seriously by making herself into a winner.

Racing Strengths: Truthfully, there aren’t many by way of skill- just determination (and many years of tears of frustration). Dressage is a forte, with a big lean on Pageant who’s perfectly suited to the required elegance.

Racing Weaknesses: All of it. Everything. Slow, but.. still coming for you.

Personality: In reality, Aura is much more strong-willed and uses biting sarcasm with abandon. “Flower”, however, is the giggly, disarming costume that Aura dons publicly. Flower is confused easily, but fun-loving and excited to be where she is at any given time. She says “Oh !” in dreamy realisation a lot and smiles prettily even when she loses. But Aura, in private, feels a bit deflated, tired- maybe a little ashamed at what she has to do in order to stay relevant in the racing industry. Lately, she’s felt awfully lonely- because no one around her really knows her- but she tries to let it be enough that darling (though dumb) “Flower” is never alone and always surrounded by fans and icons.

Biography:

The eldest of five children, Aura grew up in the overcrowded rookeries of a little-known moon- whenever she talks about where she’s from, no one ever seems to know what or where "Moon City” is. So, to avoid long-winded (and perhaps embarrassing) explanations, she generally tells anyone who asks that she’s originally from Ice World.

Aura was “scouted” by a RISE recruiter at the age of sixteen while on a trip to Unicorn City with friends to catch a race- the first she had ever seen ! Apparently, the recruiter liked her looks, but that was just about all the “talent” she had to give at the time as she had never even touched a mechanical horse, let alone ridden one- forget raced ! But, desperate to leave the slums of Moon City behind her for good, Aura quickly signed with RISE and was almost immediately thrown into the deep-end with her horse- Pageant Princess- only to embarrass herself in her first televised race by dropping in dead-last. Aura hadn’t expected to win or anything, yet it was still disappointing, and her management decided to set her aside for a few seasons- to train her, fix her image, cultivate a fan-base for her through a commercial campaign for uv beauty products, and within the last year, little promos that depict her as living in a little virtual fairy cottage on Sky World that she only leaves to dominate the track with the winged Pageant Princess and to attend various high-society Unicorn City bacchanals brimming with beautiful, glowing people. So far, it’s been a successful campaign and her fan-base is rapidly growing. RISE fully expects Aura to be ready to race in this new season- and more than just compete, but actually win. And, really, that’s all Aura wants- to win and cement herself as a serious racer among her fellows...and make the big money to share with her family back home on Moon City.

Though the inability to live as her normal self has taken a toll on Aura over the past years, she has at least been able to comfort herself with the knowledge that she is helping her family- that she is making them proud by working herself to exhaustion to become better- the best ! She means to win this season, no matter what it takes.

Relationships:

Snow - Racer crush, actual crush. A much-needed ally on the horizon. Aura knows of Snow (who doesn’t ?), and has bumped into her at glamour events from time to time. They’ve only raced together once- years ago in Aura’s very first race (when she was a baby ((16)) !)- and naturally, Snow beat Aura...thoroughly. But that was to be expected. Aura’s followed Snow closely since Snow’s return to racing and looks forward to their next head-to-head.

Sky -

Ice -

Supernova - RISE “Teammate”. Aura idolises Supernova and has for years, but she worries (and would be so mortified to know) that her hero really thinks of her as a fool who’s only good for getting sad drunk (once !) at company promotional events...where Aura may have vomited in front of her... Aura hopes that winning more races will convince Supernova that she is the real deal ! (Her ultimate dream would be to have Supernova mentor her !)

Sunbeam - RISE “Teammate”. Okay, so Aura’s a little jealous of her because she’s the pride and joy of RISE and she seems to have the respect of Supernova ! And she’s pretty and talented ( unmatched technique~ ) and allowed to have her own personality- it’s too much for Aura to stomach sometimes. She really likes to avoid Sunbeam socially if possible.

Flame -

Nyx - **danger by taemin plays** Sol and “Flower” have met before, while Flower was relevant for a second as a teenager ( - they danced at a club the night before she finished dead-last in her first race ), but it’s been a while since their paths have crossed- though Aura is well-aware of Nyx’ success. Now that Flower’s back in the game, they’re sure to see each other more and more.

Widowmaker - Aura is sensitive to ~vibes~, and she knows there’s something with Eleni. “Just look at the way she looks at me...” And, you know what, consider Aura intimidated. But even though there is some miscommunication between the two of them (most of which Aura is not aware of), Aura isn’t confused about the sort of racer Widow is- and she knows Eleni’s not to be approached lightly...but also, like- “What did I do~ to catch that death stare ?” It does bother her.

Playlist:

sit still, look pretty by daya

favriel by grimes

alone by halsey

medieval warfare by grimes

i am the best by 2ne1

heavy metal and reflective by azealia banks

nightmare by halsey

**sweet dreams (are made of this) by emily browning

nightmusic by grimes, ft. majical cloudz

**from the ‘sucker punch’ soundtrack

Headcanons:

Owns Snow/S.C. merch- if Snow ever discovers the holo keychain, Aura will literally die of embarrassment. #aurivana

Her salary is meager- but that’s because she earns almost solely for RISE at the moment with promos and brand deals. Everything she owns- the high-end couture and jewellry and even the holo-veil- aren’t really hers- they’re on loan from RISE. And whatever coin she does manage to earn goes straight to her family on Moon City, so.. she’s almost always skint.

Aura’s RISE apartment is.. like a mouse’s hole, spatially. The bed is lofted above the kitchen area, and the bathroom is the only room with a door. A glass door- but it’s still a door. But the lighting is always an ambient, calming violet-to-indigo that reminds her of home.

If she were a vine she would be the one with the child staring down the barrel of a squirt gun and he just says “shoot me”.

Aura’s RISE handlers- it’s usually a big guy named J.J. who is really just a strong-arm type (which confuses Aura- like, do they think she needs a bodyguard or are they afraid that she might run away if left unsupervised ? It’s unclear to her.)- do not let her drink at parties anymore. Not only has she nearly vomited on an industry icon (and personal idol), but she’s also broken character (a big no-no) to tell off the son of some CEO that apparently wanted to work with RISE on a future endeavour (oops).

Yeah. She’s almost been fired a couple of times, but at this point, RISE has sunk so much money into Aura that, actually, the only fiscally smart thing to do is keep her around and train her up.

*Daydreams about Marivana* #secretsecrets

#flower #racers #pageant princess #racer info #aura #written by fanfan !

10 notes · View notes

ainawgsd · 6 years

Photo

The Oldenburg is a warmblood horse from the north-western corner of Lower Saxony, what was formerly the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg. The breed was built on a mare base of all-purpose farm and carriage horses. The modern Oldenburg is managed by the Association of Breeders of the Oldenburger Horse, which enacts strict selection of breeding stock to ensure that each generation is better than the last. Oldenburgers are tall sport horses with excellent gaits and jumping ability.

Until the 17th century, horses in the region of Oldenburg were likely small and plain, but strong enough to be used to work the heavy soil of the Frisian coast. One of the first to take a vested interest in organized horse breeding was Count Johann XVI (1540–1603). Johann XVI purchased high-class Frederiksborgers from Denmark, refined Turkish horses and powerful Neapolitan and Andalusian horses for use with his own breeding stock. His successor, Count Anton Gunther (1583–1667) not only brought back from his travels the most desirable horses of the time, but made the stallions available to his tenants.

Rigorous stallion inspections were held beginning in 1715 in Ostfrisia, and spread to Oldenburg in 1755. Such inspections became mandatory under state regulation in 1820. These processes enabled breeders to mold the horses quickly to suit the market. In time, the Oldenburg and its neighbor the Ostfriesen became "luxury horses," stylish, high-stepping carriage horses, though they were practical farm horses as well. What set the Oldenburg and Ostfriesen apart was the lack of a state-owned stud farm.

All the roles that the Alt-Oldenburger played – carriage horse, artillery horse, farm horse – were overtaken in succession by mechanization during the 1940s and 1950s. However, increased leisure time and expendable income set the stage for recreational riding to come into its own, which it did. Oldenburg breeders changed direction, moving towards producing riding horses of the same renown as their carriage horses. And technology continued to change the Oldenburg. Advances in artificial insemination techniques meant that stallions did not have to be nearby to be part of the breeding population. Since the 1970s, use of horses from all over Europe has increased exponentially. German Warmbloods like the Hanoverian, Holsteiner, Westphalian, and Trakehner, in addition to Dutch Warmbloods and Selle Français continued to modernize the Oldenburg.

The modern Oldenburg can best be identified by the "O" and crown brand on the left hip. Horses of the "Oldenburg International" program have a similar brand, with an "S" within a crowned, incomplete "O". Underneath the Oldenburg brand are the last two numbers of the horse's life number. The official brand can only be placed on Oldenburg horses prior to 2 years of age. A digital micro-chip implanted in the crest of the neck is another identification method used.

The appearance of an individual Oldenburg can vary, and it is usually better to describe any warmblood by its actual parentage. However, Oldenburg is known for producing among the most "modern" examples of riding horses: expressive heads and long legs. Otherwise, they are selected to fit the model of a sport horse, generally built uphill with a reasonably long neck and a long, moderately sloped pelvis. Ideally, they stand between 16 to 17.2 hands. Oldenburg has, as part of its liberality, been very forward-thinking about unusually colored warmbloods. Most Oldenburgers are black, brown, bay, chestnut, or grey, but tobiano pinto stallions are also included in the roster.

Oldenburgers have been very successful in the sport of show jumping. Bred to be courageous, cautious, powerful, scopey, and correct over fences, the Oldenburg Verband was #7 in the WBFSH ranking of studbooks in show jumping. The Oldenburg has also become particularly successful in dressage. Oldenburg horses have competed in Dressage at the Olympics.

#equine abc's #O #oldenburg #oldenburger #warmblood #horses #source: google

76 notes · View notes

inquisitorhierarch · 6 years

Text

I’m having a fucking existential crisis right now

there’s a bunch of people in a discord server I go to talking about horses... and like a whole bunch of them are talking about how common and normal it is to punch horses as a form of discipline and i’m just like... fucking dissociating. I have never known a single person in all my years of working with... so many different equestrian sports... to punch a horse for any reason, let alone discipline. like, showjumping, dressage, cross country, endurance, regular trail riding, horse racing, steeplechasing... not one. not ONE.

but all these people from a certain unnamed country are like “uh yeah everyone punches horses” “you don’t punch horses? that’s weird you know you’re supposed to punch horses right they don’t understand anything otherwise” and i’m just... I can’t stop. i’m gone. I've dissociated so far I don’t think I can come back

it’s like finding out that people in some place all sleep in cocoons strapped onto the side of a wall and are convinced it’s normal and you’re weird for not doing it. I can’t think of a single thing that punching a horse would solve, least of all behavioural issues

please don’t hit your animals. please

5 notes · View notes

pasofinoassociation · 3 years

Text

Why You Will Just Love a Gaited Horse

What is a gaited horse? It is a type of horse that moves with an exaggerated, high-stepping action. Gaited horses are usually known for their smooth and comfortable ride because they have what we call "big feet" meaning they don't need to take such small steps when walking which means the rider doesn't get sore after riding long distances like on other breeds of horses. A gaited horse can be used for many different purposes including trail riding, endurance riding, dressage, show jumping and more!

Trail Riding

I am sure you have seen a horse before, but have you ever seen one that can trot and pace? These horses are called gaited horses. The gait the horse performs is determined by its conformation and training. Gaited horses were bred to be used as work animals on farms and for transportation in rugged terrain. They're also known for being great trail riding mounts because of their smooth gaits, endurance, strength, intelligence, good disposition with riders of all levels of experience, light footedness over rough terrain due to their natural tendency to travel at an ambling gait or amble while traveling downhill which prevents them from getting sore feet or developing sores on their legs due to the constant pounding they would otherwise get.

Endurance Riding

When endurance riding, it is important to have a horse with the stamina to keep up with the rider. Gaited horses are often preferred for their ability to cover long distances at an easier pace than other breeds. It takes a special horse to go the distance. One that can walk for hours at a time, without tiring easily. When most people think of endurance riding, they picture the grueling race across deserts or mountains, but it is really more about long-distance trail riding than anything else is. These rides are often full of breathtaking scenery and endless miles of country roads with few cars on them. The horses must be able to carry riders over difficult terrain while maintaining their composure in all situations. They need patience and an easy temperament as well as stamina for this type of work, which gaited horses has proven they excel at!

Dressage

Dressage is a very specific type of riding that requires the horse to have a smooth, controlled gait. Many dressage riders are looking for a gaited horse to use in their discipline. Gaited horses have an extra, natural gait that is not present in most other breeds of horses. For this reason, they are ideal for the slower movements used by dressage riders. The best-gaited horse should be well muscled and not too heavy or light on its feet. It should also be able to carry itself with good posture while still having some flexion in its joints during movement. Some popular gaits include the rack, pace, amble and trotter - all of which are perfect for dressage because they allow you to keep your seat upright while maintaining contact with your horse's mouth at all times.

Show Jumping

Show jumping is a sport that requires speed, agility, and an attentive rider. A gaited horse with its powerful trot can provide the perfect balance of power and efficiency for show jumping.

A gaited horse is one that has an even paced gait such as the Trot or Pace instead of the faster gallop, which makes it easier to control than other horses. This type of horse will be able to carry you safely over jumps without slowing down or stumbling because it is not pushing off too hard with its hind legs like other horses might do when they are tired or stressed out. Gaited horses are also more comfortable in their movements.

#gaited horse

0 notes

downtowndaegu · 7 years

Text

BTS as Horse Breeds

(I know it’s weird, don't judge me) This is based on personality^^

Namjoon:

Akhal-Teke

Akhal-Teke are a rare breed which are often viewed as wise Horses with distinctive features that are not seen in other breeds. They are usually calm tempered and sweet, as well as simple to work with if you know how to treat them correctly. Otherwise, they become rather spirited while having a difficult temperament. This breed is often celebrated for their beauty, intelligence, and sophisticated nature.

Tae:

Thoroughbred

(jk this gif is more accurate)

Thoroughbreds are bright horses, quick learners, fast and charming. They usually are playful and full of life, but some can be timed and sensitive. They work best with someone who has an energetic spirit, which helps them develop their usually sweet and loving nature to their companions/owners, showing off their people-orientated side.

Jungkook:

Russian Trotter

Russian Trotters have a tender and youthful temperament. They are tough creatures that can withstand any task, while still being gentle, full of life and energetic. It combines quickness and agility, as well as a milder temperament. These horses are quite talented and can be found on Olympic sporting events like dressage or on Racetracks.

Hobi:

Knabstrupper

Knabstrupper are pretty happy and gentle horses with a unique look. They are very eager to be trained (and are intelligent), as well as willing. They’re caring and loving, yet they still have the ability to be strong when they need to be. The most popular Qualities are their intelligence, gentleness, unique coats and their versatile usefulness.

Jin:

Frisian

Frisians are known for their beauty and elegance. Patience, Signature Look, and their sweet nature are their best qualities. Their gentle and kind spirited, as well as being full of Life and almost have a human-like spirit about them. Very unique in their personality and looks, these horses have no shame in showing off their elegance. Due to their sweetness and patience, these horses can make great horses for children, despite their size and power.

Jimin:

(Quarter) Paint Horses

(Originally I was thinking about choosing Quarter Horses for Jimin, but due to the only difference between Quarter and Paint Horses being their coat, I decided to go with Paints)

Paint Horses are extremely loving and patient creatures, with a unique colorful look. Paints are eager to please their owner, are highly Intelligent, calm and docile. They are very versatile and get used in (Primarily)Western-, English- and Racing-Sport. Paints are gentle, usually allowing the owner to do anything they please, while still having a “horse version of ‘Sense of humor’”. I have the Luck to work with this wonderful breed every day and they truly are unique and amazing creatures.

Yoongi:

Mustang

Mustangs are wild and free-spirited horses, that can not be easily tamed by anyone. Quite standoffish to strangers, they can have quite the attitude and trickiness due to their intelligence, if not treated fairly. With honest love, a lot of patience and trust, you can win these creatures over, revealing their loving and special personality. They should only have one to two carers, which they develop a strong bond with. It’s not easy to win their trust, but in the end, it’s worth it.

None of these Gifs/pictures are mine, except the second Paint Horse Picture:)

~Admin Moon

#bts as #bts #admin moon #bts imagine #what is this

24 notes · View notes

crosscountryapp · 5 years

Text

Anxiety strikes at any level - How do you deal with it?

Anxiety can affect any competitor at any level. You can be winning or otherwise and still have competition anxiety. So how do we deal with it?

By 5* event rider Libby Lowery

Horse riding is an extreme sport. It’s only fair to get nervous whilst riding. Nerves are a good thing. They let us know that what we are doing is important to us, that we know we’re crazy for riding a 500kg+ animal at solid obstacles that don’t fall down and that we have people who have helped us along the way for whom we want to do well. You have worked really hard to get to where you are and it is important to you. So, how do we deal with the anxiety of wanting to do well, relatively or on the scoreboard, when it is time to compete?

Englert and Bertram (2012) suggest that there are two parts to anxiety; cognitive anxiety and somatic anxiety. That is, the negative thoughts that we have as well as the physiological changes in the body such as increased heart rate. Consequently, in order to attempt to conquer sports anxiety, you should use both physical and mental strategies.

BREATHE! This is a strategy that I find works best for me and is really simple. When you stop breathing as often, there is less oxygen going into the bloodstream and therefore less oxygen going to the brain. In order to have rational thoughts your brain needs oxygen. Those jumps come up really quickly at times and horses can change in an instant. It is a lot easier to handle these moments when you’ve got oxygen going to the brain. Breathing regulated breaths can also help slow the heart rate which is a physical sign of nerves. It is definitely the first place I would start when trying to conquer my nerves. The University of Melbourne has more information on the psychological benefits of breathing which can be found here.

Have a plan. And a back up plan - particularly for cross country. Know your lines. Know your horse. Know your strides. Find a strategy to help you with this. Cross Country App helps me.

“I think that I’ll do these related corners on a positive 4 stride. However, should we chip, I’ll take a slightly different route and aim for the 5 strides.”

We’d all like our competitions to be textbook performances but that’s rarely the case. There’s nothing wrong with having a back up plan. And a back up back up plan. You can practice this at home at times as well. Practice doing combinations using a different number of strides. Get your horse to react to your leg and power through in 3 strides and then come around and see if you can do it 5 or even 6 strides.

Be organised. When you’re rushing to be on time the heart rate increases and so do your stress levels. Preparation is important. If you have done your homework you’ll feel more prepared and less stressed. Know your test. Know your course. Know your lines. I find CrossCountry App to be a great tool as when I can’t remember what a jump looks like I can just look it up on the course. I can document all my plans and any special notes about the lines I want to take.

Focus on today and each task as it comes. It doesn’t matter what happened at this event last year. You and your horse are in a different place today. Don’t worry about the cross country before you have done your dressage. Finish each stage before focusing on the next one. I heard a great quote in the film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

“My philosophy is that worrying means you suffer twice”

Try not to worry about who is judging or the jumps or the arena you’re in. Focus on the areas you can prepare for and control.

Think positive! This is more of a psychological strategy. If you see a massive jump or a really technical combination, don’t think of it as massive or really technical. My second 2* (new 3) was a massive CIC* in Canberra. I walked the xc for the first time and called my mother and said something to the effect of “I think I’m going to die”. Obviously, my stress levels were through the roof. I was so lucky to have a friend to walk the course with me for the second time and at every jump she said to me “You can do this. Your horse is amazing”. It became less about the jumps and more about the fact that my horse had shown that he would look after me, no matter what. And he did. We were one of about 13 that finished out of 32 starters. It also helps walking with someone who knows you and your horse. I was my first CCI** in Adelaide and I saw the first jump and was thought it was huge. I was very fortunate to be walking the course with someone who was also riding it and who had known my horse Skye and me for quite a while. Not wanting to show off just how nervous I would make comments such as “Should I be worried about this one?” or “Do you think this could be a tough one?” and he would just shake his head and say “Nah it’s fine”. And he said it about enough fences that I started to think it was all in my head - which it probably was! My coach and I had a strategy for what lines I would take and it made it that little bit less daunting. It all helps.

Everyone gets nervous. It’s okay to be nervous. At times it’s probably what keeps us safe. You’ve picked a dangerous sport and a few nerves can go a long way to keeping you safe. Practice your breathing, do your preparation, think positively and it will all help. And if for this event it doesn’t help there will be another event. Try to think positively. Don’t let your nerves stop you from loving this fantastic sport. You will make mistakes. You’re only human. And that’s okay.

Bibliography

Englert, C., and Bertrams, A., (2012). Anxiety, Ego Depletion, and Sports Performance. _Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, _34, pp.580-599.

Written by Libby Lowery

Elizabeth “Libby” Lowery is an Australian based amateur eventer and marketing co-ordinator. Libby has been around horses all her life and began eventing in 2006. Since then she has started and campaigned multiple horses. Her most notable success was with KL Kismet (Skye). Libby and Skye started at Ev60cm and went on to place 5th at the Australian International Three Day Event in the CCI4* (now CCI5*-L) in 2014 and complete the event again in 2015.

#crosscountryapp #eventing #nerves

0 notes

theglobetrottergp-blog · 6 years

Text

I’ve always liked watching the change of the guard in London, however it is far from being as impressive as Quito’s changing of the Guard which occurs every Monday morning at about 11AM. For starters, the president and his family come out to wave to the public from the balcony!

I stumbled upon this completely by accident. When I first arrived in Quito I was a bit too jet lagged to venture far from the hotel though I did pop to Independence Square for an hour or so, I didn’t exactly get to know Quito well by the time I left for the Galapagos. I had only a few hours to explore on the Monday before my flight to Lima, Peru, and so I decided to take a free walking tour organised by the Community hostel.

Whilst free walking tours are like gold dust ( I mean, what easier way to make money from tourists is there?!) I can’t say this was a particularly organised one! I got separated from the group less than an hour into the tour. We were told to wander and take photos in the square and meet back under the palm tree (erm which palm tree?!) So I decided not to stray far from the group and instead settled on taking some photos of a demonstration occurring nearby. 2 minutes later, I looked up and the group had completely disappeared! Some people I know did manage to complete the tour and they did say it was a great way to see the city with a short amount of time! So if you do decide to go, just watch the guide like a hawk!

I was not too disappointed however as there was so much going on in Independence square that day that I was quite happy wandering and people watching again. The biggest benefit of doing the walking tour was that we were told about the Changing of the Guard ceremony which I would never have known about otherwise! Having visited there briefly in my slightly zombie-like state the previous week, I was unlikely to go again. I had actually been planning a trip to the Basilica which didn’t happen but I guess I’ll just have to come back another day!

The Changing of the guard ceremony

The ceremony draws quite a crowd, a mixture of locals and tourists alike. There is heavy police presence and armed police positioned on all the top balconies in the square! There is a musical procession of the guard in all their finery along the balcony of the presidential house – where government is held and the president could live though chooses not to – the house is therefore open to the public (though you must arrive early and register with your passport to book a tour.)

The president, his family and what I presume are his advisors, then come out onto the balcony to wave to the public. There is a speech ongoing via tannoy but I could not tell who was giving it from my position in the crowd and my Spanish is no where near good enough to tell you what they were saying!

After watching the procession on the balcony for a bit, I turned my attention to the monument to heroes de la independecia where there was a military band and also guards on military horses dressed up like they were in a dressage competition! It was quite amusing to watch as the horses were clearly getting bored and starting to misbehave whilst the guards riding them tried desperately to control them and keep a serious face. Once one started playing up so did the others �� just like naughty school children copying each other! The national anthem was then sung and then the naughty horses were given chance to trot through the crowd, their riders carrying flags. It was all very interesting to watch – colourful, musical and clearly a matter of honour and pride for the locals in attendance. Shortly afterwards, a group of locals dressed in traditional dress started doing a dance in the street which was really fun to watch.

After the procession, there were groups that started popping up with banners that appeared to be making peaceful protests about something. Before I lost my guide she told us that protests following the ceremony on a Monday were common and usually in relation to government decisions that the public disagreed with. Apparently, they were often successful! The mayors buildings were on the opposite side of the square so depending on who they were protesting against determined which side of the square the protest happened. However, the most noticeable thing was how peaceful and civilised the protests were!

People watching in Independence Square

One of the things I love to do when I travel is to sit outside a cafe and soak up the atmosphere. Changing of the Guard ceremonies aside, Independence Square is still a really interesting place to visit and always seems to be a hive of activity! It seems to be a popular place for locals to sit and ponder on benches, probably soaking up the atmosphere like me. Little bands pop up here and there performing with a varying degree of abilities (ok I’m being polite, other than the military band, all other bands I heard were an insult to the ear drums!) What made me chuckle even more than the wailing, was the tourist police who travel around by Segway! I’m not convinced they’d be much use in a police chase but I guess it saves their feet! I personally found the tourist police so helpful. I stopped to ask one a question and since he was unable to answer it, he personally escorted me to the tourist information centre so I didn’t get lost! The police in developing countries often get a bad rep as being corrupt and not taking tourists seriously, but I have to admit I was impressed by how kind and approachable this guy was and also by how many police were present! That said, I did see quite a few shifty characters wondering around with seemingly no purpose looking a little suspicious and so I held on tighter to my belongings always keeping my money card separate to my purse (usually in a money belt or tucked away in my bra if needed!) Any potential pick pocketers must have been disappointed however, by the lack of tourists and the huge police presence blocking them!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Whilst wandering aimlessly around soaking it all up, I stumbled across a really lovely cafe in a courtyard. I later learnt the courtyard was called Paseo Arzobispal and was within the Archbishops Palace where the Bishop still resides. It was so nice I actually went back again! There were plants wrapping around they pillars, flowers in full bloom everywhere and little angel statues dotted between. Up in the balconies were lots of gift shops and stalls to browse (but again no tourists to sell to!) This was probably why I got followed by one seller around the entire balcony – she was like my shadow waiting for me to pause a fraction too long to look at something before she’d pounce with the hard sell! I escaped with my purse intact and headed back in a taxi (after a little bartering)to my hotel. On the way back I noticed a sign in the taxi window “no smoking, no eating, no guns…” This place gets more eye opening by the second!

Have you been to Quito? Any other top tips where to go?

The Changing of the Gurad Ceremony in Quito, Ecuador I’ve always liked watching the change of the guard in London, however it is far from being as impressive as Quito’s changing of the Guard which occurs every Monday morning at about 11AM.

#changing of the guard ceremony quito #City Guide #ecuador #independence square #Quito #South america

0 notes

publisher1977 · 7 years

Text

Barbara Lawlor, Gilpin County. Two former Nederland students, who are also brothers, have gone into business with their mom. She’s the boss. They are all three auto mechanics who have followed their desire to be their own bosses.

The Gilpin Auto Works, a car repair shop, in the green building of Roy’s Last Shot, is hardly noticeable. There are no large signs on the road or the building, there are no banners, no colored lights saying they are open, or closed.

#gallery-0-4 { margin: auto; } #gallery-0-4 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 33%; } #gallery-0-4 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-0-4 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */

There are however lavender walls accented by burnt sienna, hardly typical for an auto repair shop, but this shop is not typical.

For the past three years, Jennifer Godlewski and her sons Michael and Matthew have operated the Gilpin Auto Works, somewhat under the radar. They don’t advertise or otherwise announce their whereabouts; all of their business has been word of mouth and repeat customers.

Last Sunday morning, the three of them were at work, the boys working on a couple of trucks and Jennifer holding down the computer. They have found that people appreciate having their vehicles worked on over the weekend and they try to take Mondays and Tuesdays off, but will also accommodate people’s needs.

The Godlewskis grew up learning their way around car maintenance and repair and it seemed natural to turn their abilities into a money-making venture for all of them. Jennifer grew up in Boulder, attending Casey Middle School and Boulder High School. After she graduated, her mother, Marielle Gerard, bought a ranch on Lazy Z Road where she worked with her dressage horses.

When Jennifer was in sixth grade, she told her mom she wanted a dirt bike and her mom agreed, but said she would have to learn to work on it herself. So she did. Whenever anything broke or wore out, Jennifer had to fix it or replace it. After high school, she decided that she loved working with vehicles and studied at Lincoln Tech, Denver Automotive and Diesel, becoming a certified mechanic.

For 15 years she worked for others, ultimately at the Gilpin Garage and then for Mountain Man.

“It was about then that I needed a break,” she says. “So I worked for mom at her horse ranch. Every now and then someone would ask me to fix their car and soon I got pretty busy.”

Jennifer’s son Michael also went to Nederland schools until high school when he transferred down to New Vista. He finished his high school education at Boulder Universal, an online school.

He says, “At that point it didn’t matter what I did as long as I owned my own business. I was very interested in high end, fast luxury cars.”

Michael joined his mom in working on cars for neighbors’ and friends. A South Beaver resident let them use his garage to work out of and they had at least two jobs a week. He studied his mom’s tutorials, read her course books and did research online. He convinced her that they should find a bigger place, go into business together.

The boys would learn on vehicles, take on projects, do it until they got it right and then sell the cars. It was like being paid to go to school.

One night, Jennifer was talking to Roy and Barb, the owners of The Last Shot and they said the back of the old feed store was available and there was already a bay that had been used to store hay. At this time, Matthew was still in school, but he too was developing auto mechanic skills. It was beginning to look like a serious family business.

They moved into the store with the understanding that for the first year, they wouldn’t be able to pay themselves. They bought tools and paid bills and stayed afloat. They weren’t rich.

“But we met a lot of people we liked,” says Michael. “We settled in and we’ll stay here until we need a bigger place.”

Matthew followed in Michael’s footsteps. He also went to New Vista, but two years later. During the 2013 flood, he missed a lot of school time because it was difficult to get to Boulder and so he also went online to graduate.

“I’m following in Michael’s wake,” he says.

The shop specializes in Subarus. Jennifer graduated Summa Cum Laude from school. She said there were only a handful of females and they all had something to prove so they worked extra hard. Now she and the boys keep up with the computer technology. She says they are building a business for the boys.

“They both have the aptitude. I am really proud of them. This is a small community and we have all known everybody for the past two decades.”

Just to test themselves, the boys took on the project of seeing if they could take an engine out of a Subaru in under an hour. No problem.

As the boys worked on the truck, handing each other tools, taking turns behind the wheel, Jennifer smiled and said, “We’ve been busy all week. Pretty soon, I’ll be able to go pick some currants at my mom’s and make some preserves.”

Gilpin Auto Works is located behind Roy’s Last Shot at 17268 Highway 119; Black Hawk, CO 80422.

Gilpin Auto Works, like mother, like sons Barbara Lawlor, Gilpin County. Two former Nederland students, who are also brothers, have gone into business with their mom.

0 notes

robot-unicorn-attack · 5 years

Text

☽ SUPERNOVA, 40

“From the ashes, a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring…” — J.R.R. Tolkien

Real Name: Assana Sylvain (tends to go by “As”)

Agency: 𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸

FC: Natalie Portman

Unicorn Name: MK II [+]

Place of Birth: Eleutheria, capital city of Sky World’s main moon, Candour

Appearance: A little bit earth pixie and little bit tired mom. Petite stature (5′2″), dark eyes, dark hair, iconic beauty mark on her right cheek, and radiant skin (except maybe those dark circles under her eyes), it’s amazing she hasn’t aged much since her heyday. At least As thinks so - 𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸 “politely” disagrees. Assana was given an ultimatum to either undergo micro cosmetic surgeries or wear a holo-collar to project a slightly less tired version of herself onto her own face in order to maintain her popularity and compete visually with the younger racers. Caught, as she always seems to find herself, between a rock and a hard place, she choose the holo-collar. When racing, the image projected onto her face is her own face from the end of her career (which coincidentally is messing with her head a bit).

Wardrobe: Honestly, before her comeback she wore whatever was most comfortable. Her public image under 𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸 is quite polished, graceful, and somewhat demure but fashionable (almost like a Sky World Audrey Hepburn or Grace Kelly). Her makeup tends to be on the “natural” side of things, but she gets a gold treatment sometimes on her hair and skin to highlight her “divinity” as Supernova. Her gowns flow and sometimes seem to float around her constantly (thanks to pinpointed anti-gravity tech). Occasionally you’ll see her wearing a golden circlet on her head. Her hair, which has been cut pixie short for many years now, is almost exclusively covered by a wig these days.

Having lived on a private estate on the moon of Elysis (picture a Lake Como-esque area) where she kept robot horses and played with her children most of the time, she tends to prefer natural materials and things she can move easily in. She prefers darker colours, finding they suit her better, but as an icon of Sky World, she is forced into pastels and florals. Being older now, she finds the racing costumes a little irksome and tiring.

There’s also the holo-collar she has to wear now in public and holo-visor during races. It appears as a laurel wreath style necklace that wraps around her neck but just slightly parted in the front (the ends of the “wreath” contain the projection cameras to flow the image upward from her neck ... something As finds a little insulting as she’s fairly certain there’s no wrinkles on her anywhere).

Places most likely to be found: Her apartment. It’s lonely, but she’d rather be there than pretending to be enjoying herself at photo ops and the Unicorn City clubs for promotions. She can also be found at the 𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸 training arena, in the unicorn stables, posing in yet another photo shoot, and, lately, doing promotional talks with the “mature set” as a new 𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸 tactic to gain more interest from females aged 35-100+ as they’ve seen a significant loss in interest from that particular group. (basically talking to mothers about why racing is ~amazing! As hates this.)

People mostly likely to be with: Typically her teammates, Flower and Sunbeam. Otherwise, holograms of her children (if she’s on a call which she will take anywhere, no matter what), 𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸 higher ups who like to trot her out for show and for meetings (investors just love~ meeting the Supernova), Glimmer (her agency assigned PA), and Atraxys (personal manager, also 𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸 appointed). Otherwise, surrounded by other racers and various support staff

Strongest character trait: begrudging determination

Public Image: As has been directed to maintain a similar public image to what she presented when she first started, but somewhat matured since it’s public knowledge that she is a mother of three. As the original circuit celeb, she’s a goddess of pure light - regal, caring, quiet grace, virtuous, clever (well-timed) yet tasteful quips, disciplined, influential, and a leader. Originally, she had been promoted as being something similar to Sunbeam’s image, but leaning into an athletic and youthful goddess-type (like a combination of Nike, Athena, and Artemis). She is now meant to add a motherly air to her persona (but without having it feel “old”), something she is struggling with. Her public image is a facade she finds easy to put on since it is somewhat close to her actual personality, but it also helps to hide the fact that As feels like she’s falling apart at the seams.

Racing Strengths: As a racing veteran, Assana has had the privilege of working with MK II for 24 years and the two of them are more in sync than any racer could hope to be. Her background in show-jumping and dressage has been to her benefit a hundred times over, and flows well with MK’s abilities. Stamina, steadfastness, and style have taken Assana far in the arena with clean lines and show techniques. They adapt well to situations and have fairly good advantage with foresight to compensate MK’s inability to make tight maneuvers.

Absolute trust and teamwork between racer and horse has been a must, which creates a strong bond such as that shared between Assana and MK. The unicorn is a tad on the surely side these days, and tends to try to bite at other handlers, Assana being the only one MK will let within an inch of her stable. As sometimes wonders if she an MK are intuitively linked as she finds her mood often reflected in her beloved horse.

Racing Weaknesses: Speed, mostly. Assana falls back in the routine of show-jumping when she’s racing. MK is not a fast unicorn, but he makes up for it in other areas. Agility when it comes to difficult turns and trickier tracks.

Assana and MK tend to not take risks, which has both worked for and against them in the past. Adapting a bolder style might become in their interest for the comeback if they want to keep up.

Personality:

as Supernova - serene, calm, regal, takes a loss with grace, elegant, eloquent and intelligent, distant, steadfast, resilient, honourable, smiles easily

as Assana - guarded, eager to please, thrives under pressure, caring, loving to those she is closest with, warm once you get to know her, a bit scattered off-track, still somewhat inclined toward perfection, a little sad, on the quiet side, eloquent of speech, sometimes distant, feels more at ease with the horses than people, almost a less heightened version of Supernova, determined, true to her word, somewhat mechanically inclined, likes a good laugh, passive aggressive, stays away from drama-mongers

Biography: Once upon a time, a little girl was born unto one of the most prominent and elusive families of Eleutheria, the Sylvain clan. A beautiful child with a blinding smile, she fit into the family’s picture of perfection, but as with most facades, this one was rotten underneath. Hardly adhering to the key values of most Sky Worlders, [redacted] and [redacted] Sylvain pushed their flawless image upon their young daughter, forcing her through trials of training in various arts and sports, seeking the right one for her to excel in, often locking her up in her gilded room when she failed to meet the lowest standards. It wasn’t until show jumping was foisted upon her, that Assana Sylvain found her calling.

Despite the heavy pressures of being perfect and demands for golden laurels from her parents, Assana truly felt at ease and in her element in the arena. She endured mental and emotional manipulation on a daily basis, but felt free when riding, her parents’ sibilant threats melting away into the crowds. That freedom made her want to win and winning was the one thing she could do of her own free will … and gave some respite for days after. She soon became well known for her jumping and technique, attracting the attention of a recruiter for the newly established Sky World racing agency, 𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸 . By sixteen, she was far away from the influence of her parents and quickly became the golden child of the circuit as Supernova. Her iconic appearance as a youthful goddess of victory took her far, beloved darling of galaxy. She was happy, for the most part, but not so blinded by her own celebrity to how both 𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸 and her parents were profiting and exploiting her. But that celebrity did come with perks – an apartment of her own, getting free things by endorsing products and places, a meager allowance (whatever wasn’t being siphoned off by 𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸 and her parents), and a support team that did seem to care, which was a strange experience for her. And then there was MK II. A dream of a robotic horse – they became so in sync and their motions fluid, critics praised them to all the moons and back, fans went wild just seeing their images plastered on billboards, products, and in their homes.

Regardless of the suffocating nature of her existence, of the things no one could control was Assana’s heart. It had been closed off and guarded for so long, suspicious of any kind gesture for fear of what would be expected as compensation (such were the transactional nature of all of her personal relationships to date), that the galaxy’s sweetheart never expected to trust someone enough to fall in love with them, to let them know the real her, until she met Draca. They tried to hide their relationship from 𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸 until the paparazzi got wind of it, which led to RISE capitalizing on it, boosting Supernova’s image as not only a victrix, but a romantic as well. When they became engaged, their wedding was The Event of the Year – highly publicized, featured everywhere, and was all anyone talked about even for months after. Assana and Draca decided on an intimate ceremony away from prying eyes before the big Event, an agreement that allowed them privacy for a special moment, something the cameras and 𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸 couldn’t take away. The publicized wedding itself was massive – over a thousand guests in attendance, cameras and candles floating all over, decorations to the heavens, and their gowns – oh the gowns! – Supernova never looked more like a goddess to the public, now joined in union with her own heavenly partner.

Assana went on racing for a few more years after that, during which time her private life became increasingly busy as the public craved more. Strangers followed with a hunger the adoption of an 11 year old girl from the mines of a Lava World labour camp, how the family interacted during racing season, the birth of their other two daughters, and the purchase of the glorious estate on a lake in Elysis, and soon after. Supernova and Draca were the power couple on top, but Assana still felt suffocated. Her parents continued to drown her in criticism, demanding to be given privilege to their grandchildren’s upbringing and more funds for their own ventures until Assana snapped. Buckling under the pressure, she took up drinking as an outlet and made a bargain with 𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸 to have her parents put into cryogenic rest “for their health” in exchange for an even larger share in Supernova’s profits, as well as an extended contract.

This did not sit well with Draca, who had spent a vast part of their relationship every race season worrying over Assana as she saw the races to be far too dangerous (particularly the increasingly close encounters Supernova seemed to be having with golems), as well as the expectations placed on Assana as Supernova, her public image, and the façade created around their private life as counter-intuitive to the core beliefs and values of Sky World. Assana shrugged most of it off, but it began to cause a rift between the two of them, each fight pushing them further apart. Draca begged Assana to retire before she killed herself on the circuit and to enjoy spending time with the kids as they grew up. Assana agreed, but signed on for spot cameos and promotions with 𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸 as part of their agreement for her retirement. Draca wasn’t particularly happy about this, but Supernova’s job was more infrequent than before, allowing Assana to nearly slip off the radar beyond a passing interest. Her retirement lasted for 10 years, during which time things became more heated between Assana and Draca until they ended things with a trial separation. The breaking point came following an incident wherein their youngest child was permitted by Assana to take one of the robotic horses kept at their estate out, during which time it was found that Assana had been drinking. The child, frightened after pushing a button by accident causing the horse to speed up, was thrown from horseback and sustained several non-serious injuries. Assana was declared negligent by her ex-wife, the final blow coming through the divorce proceedings when Assana was denied custody rights.

Alone and feeling defeated, Assana turned to the only other life she knew – racing. 𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸 was only too happy to take her back. She cleaned up her act, moved into the agency provided apartment (very luxurious, very large, very … lonely), and turned her focus on getting back into the game. She shies away from drinking, hates making club appearances (though thankfully much, much fewer than in her youth), and talking to her kids through hologram once a day to make it seem like she’s there. Overwhelmed by the changes to the industry since her heyday, Assana is determined to forge ahead and to make things right again in her world. Even though she sometimes feels like she’s falling apart at the seams, she will never let them see her fall – as her parents once cruelly told her, weakness is failure and failure is no option for anyone worth their existence.

Relationships:

Snow - As might be a little distracted on a regular basis, but she hasn’t not noticed Marivana’s indifference toward her ... which has frankly been a relief. She knows of Marivana’s past on the circuit (at least the official story, anyway) and did compete with her once before retiring, but Marivana was fairly forgettable then - something she certainly isn’t now. She’s good, and As appreciates that. She’s curious about the other racer and would almost like to get closer (friends only, lbh) since she’s never starstruck, but the ice queen act is hitting a little too close to home as it reminds her of her ex.

Sky -

Ice -

Sunbeam - 𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸 teammate.

Flower - 𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸 teammate. As is almost uncomfortably aware of how closely Flower watches her, and how embarrassed Flower seems to become every time they’re in the same space. (Is it because the poor kid puked in front of her that one time?) Ultimately, As does find her a little endearing and should probably try to be a good teammate and give her pointers. If anything, her innate mothering may come out and she might try to take the younger racer under her wing.

Flame -

Nyx -

Widowmaker -

Playlist:

high school sweethearts - melanie martinez

violence - grimes and i_o

show and tell - melanie martinez

waves crashing on distant shores of time - clint mansell

mothercreep - fka twigs

kill this love - blackpink

are you hurting the one you love? - florence + the machine

moon river - audrey hepburn / frank ocean vers.

cellophane - fka twigs

star treatment - arctic monkeys

recess - melanie martinez

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/sempero/rua-supernova/

Headcanons: (tba)

Family:

Draca {ex-wife, 42}

Jaina {adopted daughter, 18}

Xanthippe {daughter, 12}

Indigo {son, 7}

[redacted] and [redacted] Sylvain {parents, resting in cryostasis}

#supernova #racers #mk ii #racer info #assana #semp's writing

8 notes · View notes