Two Sizes Too Small [open]

[Colin K. Breen]

Black polished field boots clicked down the aisle of the Red Willow Barn. The black boots melded into black breeches, which followed with a dark grey button up shirt that was tucked in. The lithe frame was headed towards the office, checking over the stables as he passed. Generally, everything was neat and well looked after. The horses under his care were already in the paddocks for the day, including his own two, who were sharing a paddock. They were settling in well, considering. Colin was also settling, managing to pack out everything that he owned by the previous evening. While he was sure that they would have allowed him to take his time to settle in, he wanted to hit the ground running.

It was quiet around the barns, majority of the students already having left for the summer break. He preferred it that way, if he could be honest, as he wouldn't have the rush of trying to focus on students, their antics, and their horses. There were also a bunch of school horses he was going to have to ride or at least keep active. First on the list, would be having to sort out a schedule for himself. Colin was pretty sure that the standards wouldn't have fallen just because it was summer holidays.

It was one of the reasons that he had chosen to work at Blue Ridge. The strict professionalism that he had encountered had struck him immediately, quite happy to work in a place like this. He sat down heavily in the office chair, turning on the laptop. The winter had been rough, his knee aching more than ever, and Colin was sure that he wasn't the only one that had been looking forward to summer.

Lyrics: One Republic Word Count:... Credit: Onzy for BRRA. Please do not copy or steal.

[Rachel Deacon]

She knew that it hadn't been a good time as soon as she had asked, but Rachel really needed to track down her bridle for the workout she had planned for Alpha that day. When it became clear that it wasn't in the White Oak barn's tack room or hanging up outside any of the horses' stables, the stablehand helping her suggested that it might have been rerouted to the Red Willow barn by accident, and so to that barn they headed.

Despite Rachel's unfortunate need to trust those around her in order to function, she was starting to realise that this yard was far different to the smaller one she had come from. There, she had known most, if not all of the regulars and they knew that when they borrowed something, they had to put it back exactly where they found it or Rachel could lose several hours trying to find it again.

As they stepped into Red Willow, she heard her guide making a harried clicking sound against her teeth before knocking on a door.

"Mr Breen? Sorry to disturb you, but could you help Rachel find her bridle? I need to get back and start putting the horses out."

[Colin K. Breen]

Colin went through the paperwork that had been left on his desk, the file fairly thick with information. There was enough to last him the whole day, but he was willing to go through it all and meet the school horses. He rubbed the back of his neck, fairly certain that this job was more paperwork than anything else. Opening the cabinets, he groaned softly, realising that he was being thrown into the deep end and that all this was what he was going to have to learn and learn very quickly. There were files on files, one for each horse in his barn. It contained medical records, rider records, medical emergency contact numbers, what tack belonged to who.

A cough from the doorway, made him turn around. There was a barn hand, most likely from the other barn, although he hadn't even met his own barn hands yet. And there was a student. While he knew he was going to meet them soon enough, the summer was supposed to mean little to no students. Erm. Yeah, sure. He glanced at the paperwork he was going to go through, and knew that wasn't going to happen. It did click though, barely a minute later, that this was one of the students that was special needs. Blind if he remembered correctly. He would still prefer to do his paperwork.

He took the student lightly on the arm, guiding her to the tack room. So, what does your bridle look like? Does it have a name tag or some sort of identifier? he asked the student, standing in the doorway, the only tack he recognised was his own. Well, this was a bugger up.

Lyrics: One Republic Word Count:... Credit: Onzy for BRRA. Please do not copy or steal.

[Rachel Deacon]

The main thing that Rachel could hear in the office was the rustle of paper, which she took to be someone flicking through files without really taking the time to do anything other than the briefest of scans of what was written in them. When that sound stopped, she nearly jumped out of her skin as a hand touched her arm.  He moves really quietly, she thought to herself, letting him guide her... somewhere.  The tack room, judging by the stronger smell of leather and saddle soap.

"It's a double bridle," she replied quietly to his question.  One of her classmates had asked to borrow it after seeing her ride Alpha in it with the hope that her horse would go as well as he had.  It was probably a somewhat stupid thing for Rachel to have done, but she had never said no to her acquaintances on her old yard.  Apparently, that was going to be a habit that she would have to stop.  "I didn't put a tag on it, but it has a V shaped browband with..." she had to pause to try to remember the word and not just the description of how it felt to touch. "Crystals beaded in a line along it.  A simple snaffle with a short-arm curb."

[Colin K. Breen]

Colin listened to the description, nodding slowly to himself as he started looking for the bridle. It didn't take him long to find, and he slung it over his shoulder. Found it. I'll help you back to the other barn, he said, taking her by the arm again, walking back to White Oak, his usually long strides shortened to accomodate to the student walking by his side.

He had been equally impressed with White Oak, when he had met Katherine there for his briefing, noticing the same sign that was on his board, situated by the entrance of the barn. It was a barn, but there was no musty smell of shavings. Everything smelt fresh and the aisles were clean. Everything was a well run, and he simply hoped to meet all the standards. Finding a groom, he asked them to help the student, Rachel, further. Since they couldn't exactly refuse, he left her with the groom and headed back to his barn.

He paused for a moment outside, leaning against paddock railings and smiling as Tommy ambled over to him. He rubbed the gelding between the eyes, finding that soft side of his coming through. Yeah, you sucker for attention, he teased the gelding softly, staying for a moment longer and then going back to the office.

Lyrics: One Republic Word Count:... Credit: Onzy for BRRA. Please do not copy or steal.