wintersongequine

[wintersongequine]

Chapter Eight - River Daughter and Fisher King

29th of July - 1 am.

My phone buzzed, bringing me out of a deep contemplation of a big photograph of me jumping in France with Soul. It sat opposite the sofa in the office, beneath my desk where I did most of my admin work as well as phone calls and the like.

I looked down at my phone.

"Hey it's Sasha..."

The text read, some message or other from a girl that leased a horse of mine all the way in Dubai.

Then my phone rang and I answered.

"Is this Miss Wintersong?"

"It is," I mumbled, stifling a yawn.

"This is Andy's friend Steve, I'm delivering a couple of horses to you."

I straightened up.

"Ah, yes. Hello Steve."

"I'm just pulling into your driveway now." He said, the rumble of the engine drowning out his voice for a moment.

I got off the sofa and stepped into my boots.

It was a warm night, the moon riding high and stars out shining brightly. As I shut the door, the yard light came on, illuminating the quadrille and half blindimg me in the process.

I turned the corner to see the lorry just pulling into the courtyard, Blue lights shining out and the ears of a couple of horses just visible behind full haynets.

As soon as it stopped, I walked forwards and shook the hand of the man that had just stepped down from the cab.

"How did they travel?"

"The stallion was quiet, they sent a lot of stuff with him, and he travelled nicely and loaded like a dream. The mare gave me issues, however."

"Oh no, nothing too bad, I hope?"

"Well, I nearly called you. She wouldn't load, at all, and then she bolted back down the aisle. I was patient with her and it took the better part of an hour to get her on the lorry. That's why we're so late but we managed it in the end."

I sighed.

"She's at the side door, and the boy is at the back."

He handed me the passports.

"River Daughter and Fisher King. Well now I know their names."

"The mare is called Goldberry or Goldie and the lad is Osprey but the woman called him Osy."

"Excellent. We'll take her in first, at the end of the quad and to the right it's the last stable before the big door."

Goldberry clattered out of the lorry and jumped off the ramp. Her ears were back and eyes wide, but her curiosity took over when she finally calmed down and stood, looking around.

She was taller than I had expected, standing at around 16.3hh. She was long backed and well-built, with four perfect white socks and an incomplete blaze on her face.

"You're going to need time, aren't you? Lots of time and lots of work."

She was strong on the ground as we walked, Steve making sure she didn't run off with me or get herself in trouble.

"I think she's in season and not enjoying it. Luckily I have my vet coming in a few weeks to look at one of my others. I think we'll have to have a conversation about you, won't we?"

She seemed to relax when she was in her stable and I left her, directing Steve to the box where Osprey would be staying while in quarantine.

Osprey was about the same size as Goldberry but was much more well-mannered and quiet. He seemed a little shy as he came sweetly down the ramp and stood, sniffing me and my pockets.

"He's come with a lot." Steve mumbled as he went round to the lockers on the side of the lorry.

"How much is a lot?"

"Rugs mostly as well as a nice leather headcollar and a letter."

I looked at him.

"A letter?"

"Yeah, from the woman that was selling him. She asked me to give it to the new owner and I said I would. She wanted you to read it. I'll put it in his rug box for now."

Osy wasted no time in his stable and set to rolling as soon as his headcollar was off.

I said goodbye to Steve, thanking him profusely for the trouble he had gone through to get my new horses to me.

He only smiled, said Andy owed him a drink, and left.

--

Osy's rug were nice but the letter really intrigued me.

To Osy's New Owner.

My name is Wilma and I am the executor of my close friend Jasmine's will. Jasmine passed away at the age of twenty after a long battle with cancer, leaving behind me, Osy and her devastated parents. Osy was her best friend, the one who brought her out of her self every now and then but, in the end he could not save her.

Jasmine's dream was to have her own foal and, with some generous funding from friends in the sport and strangers all over the world, she had enough money to buy an embryo. Osy was everything she could have dreamed of and more, even as her treatments made her weaker and weaker. But she always managed to go and see him every single day.

When Osy was grown up, and she was able to go out, she used to love jumping him around her local arena or taking him on long walks and talking to him. He gave her strength and I think it was him that kept her going a lot of the time. But her body was failing her and six months ago her cancer became terminal. Her decline was ruthlessly rapid, robbing her of everything she used to love to do but when we brought Osy to the hospice garden and she saw him, weak as she was, her face lit up.

Before she died, she told me what she wanted to happen to Osy, she picked the auction, the date, what he would go with and of course, what to say in this following letter.

Hello,

My name is Jasmine and you are now the owner of my best boy Osy. I have had him from birth and we have had many adventures together. I know you must be a capable person but, I have to tell you about Osy and what he likes and dislikes.

Osy loves carrots a LOT, you can get him to do nearly anything with carrots. He likes them in his food, as treats and even in his water for some fun carrot bobbing.

He likes cuddles, especially before bed and before breakfast. He'll stop you from mucking out and will get annoyed if you ignore him.

He doesn't like going out in the field by himself but will be okay if there are horses near him or preferably on the other side of the fence. He really hates having his face brushed but stroking it is fine.

Osy will do anyone proud if they know his routine and what he likes and doesn't like. He's given me so much and I know he has more to give.

All of the best,

Jasmine.

P.s. give him a real big hug from me.

#star stable oc #star stable online #star stable roleplay #starstable #star stable edit #ssoblr #sso

[wintersongequine]

Chapter Eight - Leap of Faith.

28th of July.

"You're cleared for takeoff." My physio said, grinning broadly as she typed away on her computer.

The pun made me roll my eyes but I was grateful for it, my mood had been at a real low point ever since Luna died, and I managed a weak smile.

I thought I would be happier to hear the news that I was allowed to jump horses again. It was, after all, what I loved most and what my career was focused around.

"Are you okay?" She asked, touching my arm.

"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm okay. I lost one of my horses last week and I was just thinking about her."

She nodded sadly and I got up to leave.

"We'll have a couple more sessions and then I'll see you every now and again for follow ups, okay?"

I smiled.

I stopped for a burger at a drive through on the way home and sat in the car park watching an auction I would have gone to. Foals of all shapes and sizes were the main focus but as I scrolled through the catalogue, I saw a couple of older horses that caught my attention.

A dark bay gelding, five years old.

A chestnut mare, ten years old.

Both went through the auction and both barely met their reserves.

When a beautiful Palomino mare came striding into the ring, I felt my heart leap into my throat.

She pulled the lead cleanly out of the handler's grip and went pelting around the arena, jumping a barrier in the meantime with a solid half a foot clearance.

An eight-year-old mare with more stamps in her passport than myself, imported from America and then sold at a busy auction.

She jumped the barrier again and, after bring caught, jumped the free jump with grace and talent.

"Bidding starts at..."

--

I don't know what made me do it, whether it was the good news I had recieved or the feeling she had given me but I didn't just bid on her once, I bid on her again and again, just meeting her reserve and then adding a little more. I was in a bidding war with someone I knew, who was sitting in the auction room by himself, the owner of a stud where if she went to him, wouldn't be ridden.

So I bid until he didn't and won.

I started at the win for a while and then sent a text to Andy.

"I just did something."

He called me, sounding worried until I told him I had been watching the auction.

"You know the Palomino that just went through?"

"You didn't."

"I- I did."

Andy laughed and I gave a reluctant chuckle in return.

"Looks like you have yourself a project and a half. Pretty sure I have a friend at that auction who can drop her off on the way past. Hey, check out the second to last horse in the calendar."

It was a bay and white tobiano stallion, six years old and 16.2hh.

"Oh I like his breeding. Monet always produces good horses even as a private sire. What do you think?"

But a message popped up on my phone before Andy could reply, it was W and he was also watching the auction from his parents' house.

"Check out the stallion coming up. I really like him and I know you're watching the auction right now."

I told Andy as much and he chuckled.

"You two are like peas in a pod, you know. Go for it."

I bid, and I won.

Two horses in one night.

"I'm going round the drive through again and getting myself an ice cream for that, once I've paid of course."

--

The excitement of winning two horses in one auction had mometarily overshadowed the news that I could jump again but this was back to the forefront of my mind the following day, when I was leading Soul in from his field, ready for some work in the arena.

Soul only did some real jumping every two weeks or so, with most of his regime consisting of lunging, polework and gymnastic exercises, as well as plenty of hacking and time spent in the field. Andy or one of the working students had taken this job on but, now it was my turn.

I had done some cross-poles and a little upright without telling anyone, mostly on Life and sometimes on Moon.

I patted Soul's neck as we walked. He liked to keep in step with me, stretching a little and sometimes looking up. Running around in the field usually make him sleepy but, I knew as soon as he saw the arena, he would come alive. He was patient with me while I picked out his hooves and brushed his mane and tail and started on his body.

It wasn't until I got round to his face did I realise I hadn't even tied him to the hook. His rope was just draped over it.

"You really amaze me sometimes." I said, kissing his soft nose and tying the rope properly.

Though I knew he would probably be exactly where he was when I came back from the tack room, I took no risks. He was worth too much to me to risk him getting loose and getting hurt.

Soul's jumping bridle, saddle, girth and boots all felt like old friends in my hands but it wasn't until I picked up his best navy blue saddle pad did it really sink in.

"I'm jumping in the arena, just to let you all know." I said to the yard group chat as I walked Soul to the arena and opened the gate.

I put him by the fence while I carried poles from the edge of the arena and set them up with their wings and blocks. This would be an easy exercise, a few gymnastic exercises followed by an upright to a big oxer.

I mounted up, and got a good long warm up before we started jumping. Even little jumps had me smiling but it wasn't until I turned him down the line to the fence did I realise what was happening.

Soul needed no pushing

One

Two

Three

Four strides to the first

One

Two

I felt like I was flying for those half seconds I spent in the air, bending low and then sitting back as he came down, light as a feather and into the turn.

"Oh my god, oh my god." I whispered into his mane as he cantered round.

#star stable oc #star stable online #star stable roleplay #starstable #star stable edit #ssoblr #sso

[wintersongequine]

Chapter Seven - A new face.

21st of July - Late Evening.

We buried Luna beneath an Oak tree in the corner of her field. A truly beautiful place and a beautiful evening. John and Maddie had left on an emergency call and only Vick and a yard girl remained to stand with me while we watched a local builder digging a whole and gently lowering her in.

I couldn't watch that part.

When I went up to the stables alone, it was to find the Fleabitten Mare, Rumour, with her head out of her stall. I went over, I hadn't actually met her yet as I had left Vick to sort her out and get her stall ready.

She sniffed my hand and swished her tail.

"Let's take you for a walk, yeah? You'll need to stretch your legs."

Her headcollar was made from a rich, coppery leather with beading across the noseband. Her lead rope was a dark brown and matched well. She was gentle, if not a little apprehensive as I opened her door and asked her to back up.

I knew I probably had some scent of blood on me even though I had changed clothes and showered for a while.

I led her out of her stable and around to the front of the property. The avenue of trees still had plenty of grass and I knew she would prefer that rather than an amble around the arena.

She wasn't strong but she kept pace with me the entire time until we got to the grass. There she did pull a little, but I had dealt with stronger horses like Gaze or Royal and didn't mind being jolted every now and then as she moved around.

"You're an interesting one, Rumour. You've had two flights, a stay in quarantine on both sides, and you've taken it all in your stride. I would say you're the most well-travelled horse here, but before my accident, Soul and I were all over Europe and Life has moved from America after living in Texas all her life. She might have the most steps out of all of us I think."

I patted her neck just I saw Andy's Land Rover through the hedge.

"Someone's coming to see you."

Just like when Andy and Vick greeted me with Summer, I positioned myself front of the stable block entryway and waited, watching the car come closer and closer.

"I was wondering where Rumour was, why are you out here?"

I jerked my head in the direction of the car.

Vick's jaw hit the floor and she desperately hid behind me.

I actually understood it this time. Our new boarder was wearing a pair of blue grey shorts and a grey tank top that showed his body off well.

If I was interested, I would have blushed as well. He was very well-built, broad-shouldered and muscular. I had the inclination that he would be using the gym quite frequently.

His sunglasses flashed as he looked around, a soft smile on his handsome face as he took in the buildings and then us.

His smile became a grin as he came over and stroked his horse.

He whispered something in Korean and turned his attention to me, extending a hand.

"I'm Jae."

I was expecting more of an accent but, I was surprised.

"Hi, I'm Scarlett. My friend Vick is behind your horse."

He looked and sure enough she was there, face aglow and muttering.

"Hey." He said as she finally looked at him.

And her knees nearly gave out. The only noise she could make was a faint squeak.

"Well, shall I give you the tour? There's quite a bit to see."

He nodded and took Rumour's lead rope from me. We went through to the stables first, pointing out various things.

"Her stall is right there. She's settled in really well and goes on walks most days. She's been eating and drinking well."

"Good, I'm glad. So, Vicky, Andy tells me you set everything up, what do you think of my girl?"

Vick opened her mouth once and then twice before answering.

"She's great- really friendly and gentle."

Behind Jae's back, I was grinning like an idiot at Vick.

When he turned to speak to Andy, she muttered something choice words and showed me a couple of fingers to boot.

"Rude," I mouthed back and we moved on.

"This is the outdoor arena, all weather surface. We have a good amount of jumps over here. Over the fence are the back paddocks, the stallions are on the left, mares on the right alongside some of the geldings. We're currently building our indoor arena on the other side of the stable block."

We walked around until the sun went down.

"Can you show him where his part of the tack room is? I have to talk to Andy."

Vick understood what I meant. The excitement of having a new person on the yard was gone, even Jae understood.

When they were gone, I just looked at Andy. He was the second person I called after my dad and his devastation would stay for me for a long time. We walked down to the oak tree and stood there in silence.

He put his arm around my shoulders, and we talked about Luna until the sun went down.

#star stable oc #star stable online #star stable roleplay #starstable #star stable edit #sso #ssoblr

[wintersongequine]

Chapter Six - Luna

21st of July.

I thought my day would start normally, you know, get up, get dressed, burn the toast and stumble out of the house but when I woke up, I felt something bad was about to happen. Not in that moment, not even in that hour but something would.

Checking the news helped calm me a little. Foreign Wars, Celebrity breakups and warnings about climate change aside, filled the page from breaking news to football.

No one had called in the night, no one had texted.

Ordinary.

I couldn't shake the feeling.

I checked and rechecked the milk for my cereal and found no deadly tropical spiders lurking in the fruit bowl. No live wires in the sink or trip hazards at the front door.

Normal.

When I went outside and wasn't immediately struck by lightning or squashed by a falling wall, I let myself relax, just a little.

"Morning!" Vick said with a cheery wave and a smile quite at odds with her usual grumpy morning self.

My quizzical look made her frown.

Yes, much more like her until I remembered who was arriving today.

"Oh I forgot the new guy was arriving. Bet you're excited."

Her frown was replaced with a blush so deep that it would have put Barbie to shame.

"I mean it'll be cool to have someone new here."

"That's the only reason? Not looking to get some Korean-

"Oh shut up!" She said, nearly poking me with the business end of her bedding fork.

I went into the tack room then to find Andy taking Moon's saddle down from the rack.

"You're riding him first today. It's going to be a scorcher."

Moon's black coat would have meant he had to come in out of the field hadn't it been for the double benefit of him ruining his fourth fly sheet this summer or the fact that he had jumped a fence before and made his own way back to the stables.

"You are trouble." I said, leading him in.

No falling tree, no well-placed kick or unexpected head pain. Nothing.

A typical day.

I tacked Moon up outside his stable while Andy skipped it out and put his horse toys back in. Moon had recently found a way of getting his puzzle ball over his stall door and across the yard.

I had nearly tripped over it the day before.

He was antsy, and a little hard to work with but once his bridle was on, he seemed to understand.

"You are the weirdest horse I have ever had." I said, scratching his neck as I rode him into the arena.

"I'm popping out to pick up the new bloke from your dad's. I'll be back in a few hours!" Andy said from the arch, keys in hand. "John is here to look at Gaze!"

Gaze, my dark bay mare, had been on box rest on and off for the better part of six months, having torn a ligament while seemingly doing nothing in her field. Re-injuring it wiped the smiles off every face a month previous when she was allowed to go out in a small field with a friend.

Sure enough the vet appeared, along with his assistant and gave me a cheery wave.

Moon proved much easier under saddle, working over poles I had put down the night before in a complicated pattern I had found online.

"Good boy." I said as he cantered the last line and did his little proud trot.

I looked up and saw Luna in her field

Rolling

No

Not rolling.

I watched, refusing to blink. Maybe she had gotten her leg stuck in her rug again. It had happened before.

No.

I slid out of the saddle, leaving Moon in the arena and climbed over one fence and then another.

My hip ached but I ran, ran until was a foot away.

"No, no, no, no, no! JOHN, JOHN COME HERE!"

He couldn't hear me and I couldn't run.

Luna was thrashing, screaming and there was blood everywhere. The corners of my vision darkened and I looked up to see Maddie, John's assistant, in the arena looking at Moon who was without a rider.

Look over here, look over here.

She did, she understood. She ran and soon John was vaulting the fence, vet bag in hand.

He spoke, tried to find out what happened but I couldn't hear him, I saw his mouth move, saw his eyes move to Luna and I saw him pale.

"I know there's nothing you can do." I said after a minute.

He looked at me. Maddie was there drawing up sedatives to keep her still.

A shattered shoulder, a shattered leg that had gone through the skin.

Massive bloodloss or pain would stop her heart eventually but a powerful injection would stop the pain too.

I nodded at his words, meaningless words as Luna finally stilled and stopped thrashing.

I lifted her head into my lap and sat there singing her favourite song.

Ain't No Mountain High Enough sung by Diana Ross.

She looked at me, eye to eye as I sang and sobbed, calm and just slipping away. Summer's foal, the Princess of the yard who liked her music lay listening, dark eye reflecting the beautiful sky above.

No more snorts if I stopped singing, no more blinks of that soft eye.

She was gone.

I didn't need John's solemn nod to tell me that much.

#star stable oc #star stable online #star stable roleplay #starstable #star stable edit #ssoblr #sso

[wintersongequine]

Chapter Five- Boots and Fenceposts

17th of July.

Two weeks had passed since I got back to riding. I continued working with Life, the Grulla mare, often just riding around a paddock or along one of the trails. I had also moved onto Summer, going for a quiet hack around the local village with Andy on Luna and Vick on her horse Hera.

I was coming back from my first ride on Moon, my black gelding, when my phone buzzed in my pocket.

It was a text from Andy, who was in the office.

"Parcel for you. I think they're your new boots."

I grinned and got off, leading Moon to the washbay.

After a quick hose down, a good dry and some treats, I put Moon in his stall as it was too hot for him to go outside. He had also ripped his fly sheet which had, before, reflected the sun enough to allow him to go out.

He was content with staying out at night and coming into his stall with his toys and fan during the day.

After he was settled with carrots in his puzzle ball, I went to the office where Andy was, the fan on full and a cold glass of lemonade waiting for me.

"How did you get on?"

"We got twenty minutes under the avenue of trees at the bottom of the hill before even the shade felt too hot for me. Moon was fine though, that clip we gave him was what he needed I think."

Moon didn't like the clippers. Someone had to stroke him the entire time and bribe him with carrots, which was an improvement. Before, he had had to lightly sedated by a vet so we could clip him properly and safely. He was never aggressive, just frightened.

Moon was a strange kind of sensitive. One day a particular part of the arena would scare him silly, the next, he would be fine. He liked routine but would sometimes deviate from it wildy for a day. Vets, behaviourists, a dietician and a physio all said, after many expensive tests, that:

"He's just weird"

Which I understood completely.

His previous owner couldn't deal with his oddities and sold him to me and what a horse I got. He had talent, which had to be worked for. An understanding had to be reached.

"He's playing with his ball right now. I'm sure prefers being in the cool rather than eating grass, he nearly galloped into the box when I opened the door. Now, where's this parcel?"

It was indeed my new boots. Work boots this time and a perfect match for the details on Soul's saddle.

I tried them on, having gone with the same measurements I had always had.

"Wow, don't they look snazzy." Andy said, watching me get to my feet.

My phone rang.

"Hello?"

"This is Derek from Goldwheat Fencing. We're about five minutes away from you."

"Oh I nearly forgot you were coming. I'll get someone to let you in, just ring the gate when you get here."

Andy clapped his hands together.

"New fences at last. I had to put up another section of temporary this morning when I found Tuna Luna in the paddock beside the boys."

New fences, oh, I couldn't wait. The gate buzzed and I let them in, two work vans, some kind of contraption on a trailer and an articulated lorry piled high with wood for the fences.

"They've got everything they need so I've set them up in the workshed. They'll be here for a couple of days I think."

They were here to divide some of the paddocks into smaller ones as well as replacing some of the fencing in the lower paddocks that hadn't been fixed during renovations.

It would nearly double our capacity for horses.

"I've been thinking..." said Andy, his voice trailing off.

I looked up at him.

"Okay?"

"Why don't we take on a boarder or two? I mean we were going to set up a livery eventually and there's no time like the present." He said, glancing sideways at me.

"Dad and I were having this exact conversation over lunch just the other day. He's got an old work rider who's coming back from Australia soon and is looking for a place to keep his horse. She's already over here, coming out of quarantine in a week or two."

"Interesting. And he just so happened to sneak it into a conversation? Why don't we go for it, will be nice to not be the only bloke around here."

I rolled my eyes.

"He's 20."

Andy looked faintly disappointed. The word Old may have given him false hope.

"I'll call your Dad and arrange it."

--

In the evening, just as the sun was going behind the trees, I walked down to check on the guys doing the fences. They had been a steadily moving mass of fence, machine and tea breaks all day with the occasional one coming up to ask me about this part of the field or the other.

"How's it going?" I asked the leader of the group, a man with a red face and bushy blonde hair. He pushed up his hat and mopped his brow.

"Cracking on. We've got maybe one more field to do tonight and then we should be done."

"Wow, I thought it would be at least two days of work."

"You've got good ground here, no big stones to get in the way of the posts so we didn't have to worry."

I nodded, said my goodbyes and walked along the fence they had already finished. About halfway down, and still in full sight, I performed the all important tests.

I knew they were all watching me when I leaned against it, putting all of my weight to simulate a horse using it as a scratching post. Then, as they all stopped what they were doing, I kicked it, several times, on the posts and on the rails.

Both held.

I nodded at them and walked on.

Doing the same thing every few metres hurt more than I would have liked, especially when I forgot I was still in recovery from major surgery and needed to not inflict blunt force on my partially metal pelvis.

The resulting pain forced me to hobble back and use my crutches for the rest of the evening.

"You are an idiot." Vick snorted, seeing me coming through the archway.

"Well who else do you think had to do the kick tests on all of the fences?"

She rolled her eyes and busied herself with her haynets for the night.

I went past and opened one of the unused boxes.

"What's up?"

"We've got a horse coming in next week," I pulled up the text on my phone, "Horse's name is Rumour, fleabitten warmblood mare, 11 years old. The guy-

"Guy?"

"Guy. His parents are Korean and he was raised in the UK. Met him a couple of times when he used to work for my dad. Nice guy."

I was looking at her, enjoying the effect of the word "Korean" on her. If there was one thing I knew about my friend, it was her love of certain Korean things, like the music scene and it's movies. She occasionally forgot that it was not my line of interest and bombarded my phone with videos and photos of her favourite stars. I would smile and nod, send a thumbs up or make a comment like I was listening to someone's empassioned speech on the beauties of a canvas with a few dabs of paint on it and the emotional complexities of modern art.

Agree to disagree but enjoy seeing them talk about something they are passionate about.

This was one such example.

"When is he coming? Soon? With the horse?"

Two fundamental things in her brain were currently at war with each other, I could tell that much just by looking at her. Her love of Korean Men and her love of horses.

"Well the horse is arriving next week, he might be coming at the same time if he's able to get a ticket home from Australia."

I smirked when I saw her flush pink with the added addition of Australia in the mix.

"I would say get all your questions out now, but I don't know much about him."

--

A phone call disturbed my physio session, the transporter who was collecting the new guy's horse was five minutes away from dropping her off.

A firm frown from my physio told me I was not getting off the table so I resigned myself to more pulling, pushing while texting Vick to let her know her dream man's horse was here.

"How much do you want to bet she's going to pass out when she sees him?"

"What does he look like?" She asked.

I held up my phone. My father had sent me his social media profile not twenty minutes before.

"There's no bet. She will." She said with an approving nod.

#star stable oc #star stable online #star stable roleplay #starstable #star stable edit #ssoblr #sso

[wintersongequine]

Chapter 4 - Caution in the Wind

3rd of July.

It took a while for me to be cleared to do more hands-on things around the yard. My surgeon had treated people in the equestrian industry before and knew that we would only go and do things he didn't think were a good idea anyway. He gave me a whole list of things I probably shouldn't do, ending in,

"Just ask for me at the A&E desk if you end up there," which made the physio, nurse, rehab specialist and myself all laugh in the group call.

The one thing I was not allowed to do, with more than a few stern words of caution, was ride.

"You aren't ready for that yet, but I know that you've been working on strengthening those muscles in your physiotherapy sessions. I'll get her to send a report soon and once you've come for your follow up, we'll decide then."

When the call was over, I left the office and headed to the tack room. Andy was away, visiting his daughter, and Vick was working with her horses, leaving me to get on with my day.

The stable block needed sweeping, and as I was bored with not having any horses to work, I grabbed the yard broom, grabbed my headphones, and got on with it.

The block was a rectangular shape. From the courtyard at the front, you could look straight through the south archway to the north.

The north, with its clock tower, led to the back paddocks and access to the hacking we had in the area. On either side of this archway was the feed room, on the left, and the tack room on the right, both a generous size but still cramped with the number of horses we had on site.

The western archway led to the outdoor arena, one of which would be demolished and an indoor put in its place.

The two washbays sat opposite this final archway, where the horses were groomed and tacked up when it rained.

My phone rang, startling me into dropping the broom with a loud clatter, fumbling, I pulled it out.

"Hello?"

"Scarlett! Remember me? It's Jackie from Oldbrook Farm." The woman answered with a thick American accent.

I did remember her.

I had spent a few weeks in America on a ranch learning about horsemanship from some friends I had made while they were competing over here. They were a lively bunch and had the typical southern hospitality I had not been used to.

They had taught me so much and it was nice to hear from them after so long.

"I have got some news for you. Remember that mare you fell in love with? The blue eyes Grulla? Well, she's up for sale, and I knew the first person I had to call was you."

I had very fond memories of their ranch, riding out over their land on the hunt for the feral horses they kept. The Grulla Mare, nicknamed Blue Eyes, was the one that caught my attention very quickly.

We had worked on getting her used to the idea of people, and though the horses were used to having people around, they were very cautious of people coming close to them.

I had had to leave before the process was done, and it had been nearly two years since I had been in America. Though scattered updates allowed me to see her first time under saddle and her little makeover, I had not seen her up close in so long.

"Let me send a text real quick."

I texted my father about the horse. He had arranged the whole thing as a surprise for me and answered quickly when I told him.

"Well you should probably look up the driveway now."

I did.

Coming towards me up the driveway was a rental car pulling a trailer.

The cowboy hat was visible from the driver's seat. Maria leaned right out of the window to wave, long hair flying in the breeze and aviator sunglasses flashing.

"Surprise!"

I dropped my broom again.

When I looked at the number, I realised it hadn't been the American country code. I had been tricked spectacularly and couldn't contain my amazement.

"Well come here then." My father said, beckoning me over with a grin that made his eyes nearly crinkle shut.

Jackie was at the back of the trailer, fumbling with the clasps.

It lowered and the Grulla mare turned her head just a little to look at me.

"How?!"

"We moved! We had to, our ranch got hit by wildfires, and we had nowhere to go until your dad here called and told us about a place a couple of hours from here. We brought all of the horses over that we could. She was one of them."

"She's perfect."

I ducked beneath the bar to back her out, snatching a few seconds of pats and whispers before it was time.

--

Blue Eyes settled in nicely in her new stable next to my horse, Grace, who was an entire hand taller than her. The two mares were sniffing each other through the bars that separated their stalls, with none of the typical mareish squealing or ear-pinning.

"They really seem to like each other." Jackie said, leaning on the stable door as I groomed Blue Eyes.

"I've been thinking, Blue Eyes is a good name and all, but that's a nickname, isn't it? I've been thinking and I want to rename her."

Jackie smiled warmly and nodded.

"I just don't know what yet."

When everyone went home that evening and I was left in the office doing some admin work, I had an idea.

I got out of my chair and went to the tack room, taking Blue Eyes' bridle and saddle that had been kindly given to me. Jackie had a love for English riding that had been influenced on my part when I rode with her in Texas.

The Grulla Mare seemed to be waiting for me, looking out of her stall door as I approached.

I tacked up in silence and led her through the archway to the outdoor arena, sending a text to Vick as I walked.

"Can you come to the arena in like five minutes?"

She sent back a thumbs up in answer.

At the mounting block, I was nearly crying. I could hardly see my foot as I put it in the stirrup and swung onto the saddle.

"What do you-

I looked left, a sliding and blurry Vick just visible to me at the fenceline.

I was on a horse.

For the first time in six months I was back to doing what I had wanted to do.

It wasn't Summer, it wasn't Soul but it was a horse I had the same connection to, part of my life I didn't think I would be able to go back to.

Then it clicked.

Life.

I clicked her on and she walked, sedately and serenely without me having to do much more than steer. It was as if she knew what an important moment it was, as if she knew that I had waited for this moment and she had come to be the one who did it.

She was calm, ears flicking to my occasional sob or to Vick walking to the middle of the arena to film.

I didn't look back after that moment, I knew I was ready.

#star stable oc #star stable online #star stable roleplay #starstable #star stable edit #sso #ssoblr

[wintersongequine]

Back to Life

21st June.

"All packed?" My Dad asked, looking around the door to my room.

I was sitting on the edge of my bed, looking around the room I had spent the last three months living in. Room 11 of the Valley Rehabilitation Centre.

When I had arrived, I had barely been able to stand, let alone walk, and though I was still using crutches to get around, it was a far cry from where I was six months ago.

I was lucky to be alive.

Looking at the photos, the scans, and hearing what I had gone through really reminded me of that fact.

I had died twice, once in the arena and once during life-saving surgery with my friends and family being prepared for the worst early on but, after making it through that first surgery and then through that all important first night, I had defied expectations.

I had a reconstructed pelvis, a new metallic left hip that was usually reserved for people much older than I, and some wicked scars that still made me stare in awe when I saw them.

"Yeah, I was just talking one more look at the place. I've got one more place to go, will you wait for me?"

He gave a knowing smile, picked up my suitcase and departed in the direction of the reception where he would wait for me.

I got up and went down the hall, giving my favourite nurse a hug on the way.

"I am so glad you get to go home permanently." She beamed, walking with me as we went down another corridor, "and I know where you're off to. He's just finished in the gym."

She knocked on a door, room 26, at the end of the other corridor. It had the best view of the valley and the quietest part of the whole place.

"Someone's come to see you." She said, holding the door open for me.

I went in.

Sitting by the window was W, someone I had met during my time at Valley. We had got to talking when our gym sessions aligned and simultaneously plucked up courage to talk to one another when we learned that we had both worked with horses.

He had been an eventer, and one I knew of as he was something of a famous name in the industry, and I had also run in the same circles with him at some point.

A couple of years older than me though he was, he had nevertheless heard of me and particularly my horse Soul, who was the half-brother of one of his mares and who he was thinking of breeding from before we had both had our lives thoroughly side-tracked.

We had become friends very quickly and then, after some obvious flirting, gotten together.

We talked for half an hour about what we were doing next. He was due to be discharged in a fortnight once he could walk a few more steps and would, after a little time at home, come and visit me at Riverstone, the place I had moved into the day before my accident.

After a text from my father asking if I had fallen asleep, I said my goodbyes and departed as a nurse came in to check on him.

--

I hadn't seen my horses or my yard in six months, though I had been sent many photographs by my friend Vick. The familiar drive up the tree-lined road made me smile from ear to ear as I spotted some familiar horses in the fields.

It had been winter when I was last here, and now it seemed so much brighter than before, the trees were leafy and the fences had been painted a beautiful black colour, fly sheets had replaced heavy duty winter turnouts and my horses could be out all day and all night if they wanted.

We passed the gates and I could see the yard and the two people waiting for me, as well as the horse next to them.

Dad parked and walked around to the passenger side with my crutches.

"Welcome home!" Vick and Andy said in unison.

Summer would have said it to if she could speak. Her ears were forward, and she was sniffing the air while pulling at the lead rope.

I hugged Vick and then Andy before turning my attention to the mare.

Summer was my first proper horse. Dad had bought her for me in secret when I was outgrowing ponies and presented her to me out of the blue one day.

She was all of my firsts, my first big class, my first win, my first national, and then my first international. We had done so much together, and when I decided to retire her, I knew she would live with us until she passed.

She had a big ceremony, with many tears and a lot of confetti, and bowed out in perfect form and at the top of her game. Some might have said she had another two seasons in her but I didn't want to risk her soundness for the sake of a few more competitions.

She owed me nothing and I owed her everything.

"So, how has everything been?" I asked Vick and Andy as we walked back to the stables, my father walking close in case I needed to stop

"They've been strange without you, really, but everyone has been ticking along as you might say. Moon and Royal have finally worked out their differences in the big field and Grace has let me take her out to the field once or twice already."

I smiled as I noticed a familiar head poking out over another door.

"Can you give me a minute or two?" I asked the group. They all stood, talking about one thing or another while I went over.

Soul.

Soul was, without a doubt in my mind, my heart horse. While Summer was my first and we had a close bond, Soul was the one I really depended on.

"Remember me?" I asked him, leaning heavily on one crutch to let him sniff my hand.

Soul was a stallion, my first stallion, and one I was so fortunate to own. He had been "unremarkable" as a foal and a yearling. He bounced around from person to person with middling results until one day, I happened to be trying a horse on the same yard where he was.

He happened to be for sale and I was curious why. I had seen him and instantly felt his presence. He wasn't the fanciest mover but when I got on him, I felt a spark of connection I had never done with a horse, it was as if my brain had connected to his and vice versa.

I jumped at the opportunity to buy him, for far less than he was now worth and found that his apparent unremarkablilty wasn't what it seemed. He was a big horse and didn't really understand his body well. It was how I got into groundwork and learned so much that I would never have learned in the saddle.

"And look where that got us, hey?" I said, stroking between his eyes as he leant his head against my chest. "I promise I'm going to get back to this, okay? We're going to have that fun again, me and you against the world."

Our little pep talk and cuddle session strengthened my resolve to get back riding. Though I knew I still had a way to go before I was able to ride again, I knew my goal.

I went back and found Andy alone.

"You're dad's unpacking your stuff, and Victoria is putting Summer back out in her field. I see you've had your catch-up with Soul. I brought him in before you got home because I knew he would be the one you would want to see after seeing Summer. How did your chat go?"

I smiled at Andy.

"Well I have something to work towards now, don't I? I want to get back to him."

I would have to wait to ride him. He was a lot of horse and a powerful one at that, and though he was the least likely of all of my horses to dump me on the ground, my orthopaedic surgeon would never let me hear the end of it if i managed to undo all of my work by falling off or jolting myself too hard.

"That's a good goal."

#star stable edit #star stable oc #star stable online #star stable roleplay #starstable #sso #ssoblr

[wintersongequine]

January 16th

Horse killed and rider critically injured in horrific fall at Ferndale Winter Finals.

Scenes of horror and tragedy occurred today at the Ferndale Arena Winter Finals. Young rider, 21 year old Scarlett Wintersong and her horse Wintersong Thalia fell at the second to last fence in front of shocked spectators.

And eyewitness who did not want to be named stated "She came around to this big upright fence and the horse flipped, landing on top of her."

The mare had catastrophic injuries and died on scene.

Wintersong was taken by Air Ambulance to St Jane University hospital where she remains in critical condition this evening.

A spokesman on behalf of friends and family said in a release this afternoon, "We are truly astounded at the outpouring of support following today's accident. Scarlett's injuries are very severe and we are as yet unsure if she will survive. We are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of Wintersong Thalia who was known as River at home. The swift, though unsuccessful actions of the onsite veterinary team, lessened her pain."

[wintersongequine]

Dark Mornings and Frosty Nights.

January 15th

Andy flicked on the indicator, waking me from my doze just in time to see him turn up a long, tree-lined driveway. The lights of the distant buildings shone out through the gaps of a hedge that hid it from the road.

Home.

Halfway along, as dark pastures raced either side, we came to a gate with the words Riverstone Stud upon them in brass letters.

They swung open slowly and we drove through just as the second horsebox turned up the driveway.

"That's the boys behind us." Said Andy, stifling a yawn.

I looked in the mirror to see the bright lights of a large horsebox coming up the road. This one belonged to a friend of mine called Julie, who worked as a transporter. She was one of the few people I would trust with my horses and her beautiful horsebox was second only to mine in terms of horse comfort.

Andy parked and flicked a switch to turn the lights in the horse area from calming blue to normal.

There came a knock halfway up the passenger door.

I opened it, hoping I wouldn't knock the person who had done the knocking clean off their feet but Vick had the wherewithal to move out of the way.

She looked half frozen.

"Hey, where do you want me?" She asked.

Victoria Everwood, or Vick as I called her, was my business partner and close friend. She waddled towards me as I got down and I hugged her, rubbing her arms to warm her up.

"I have a spare jumper if you want it."

She shook her head.

"It's okay, I need to get moving that's all."

I knew she was just being stoic. I grinned and pointed her to Julie, who was just pulling down the ramp of her horsebox.

"Can you help her with the boys"

"Any excuse to try and steal Soul."

Andy was already in the back with the horses when I went round to help. He was whistling softly to himself, opening one partition and then the other with lead ropes slung over his shoulder.

I walked up and took a lead rope from Andy's shoulder.

Grace, the first horse to come out, snorted as I led her out and down the ramp. She stopped and looked around nervously.

I patted her neck.

"It's okay, girl. This is a new place but you're going to love living here with me."

Grace was the newest of my horses. She had been a rescue and was still nervous about new things and new places. As I had only had her for a couple of months, it was largely down to me to look after her as she did not like men and only tolerated Andy enough to let him put her food down and change her hay.

I walked her through an archway and left to an open stable door. Lights were on, and she seemed less apprehensive as I led her in and let her examine the big bed of shavings and the enticing haynet hanging in the corner.

I took off her headcollar, travel boots and tail bandage and stowed them in a box outside before taking her stable rug from its rail.

She was preoccupied with her hay and didn't care as I moved around her, putting it on and checking it was nice and comfortable for her.

"Have a sleep if you want," I said, rubbing her head as I made sure her water was full and not frozen.

Andy came past, leading Gaze who would be next to Grace.

Further down, separated by an archway leading to the indoor arena, were where the boys would live.

I had two stallions, both of whom were part-time stud horses and liked to act like fools around mares at times. The other horse that would live over there was my gelding Moon, who served as chaperone to the youngest of my stallions, Royal, who was very hot-blooded and still young.

I passed an empty stable on my way back. This was reserved for my first horse, Summer, who would get the principal spot on the yard as its queen.

Andy joined me at the back of the horsebox, where I had stopped to tie the laces of my boots.

River and Luna were next.

Luna was more than keen for a good roll and wanted to as soon as she got into her stable, but with the bribe of some treats in my pocket, she reluctantly waited until I had tightened her rug and taken off her tail bandage.

I looked over ths door as I left and found her rolling, flicking shavings everywhere.

I left Summer to Andy while I went to check on the boys on the other side of the archway.

Moon was drinking, already getting a good quantity of hay in the bucket. He gave me a slobbery nuzzle as I rubbed his face and fed him a treat.

"Yeah, I knew you would like it here."

Royal was eating and paid no attention to me.

Soul, on the other hand, was waiting for me with his head out of his door.

"How's my best boy?" I asked, playing with his ears as he sniffed my jacket. "Do you like it here? I bet you will when you get to go out in the field tomorrow. Then Andy will probably lunge you to keep you in shape while I'm at the Winters with River."