Silence is Golden, sometimes

[Katherine Carr]

Katherine couldn't decide whether she liked summer vacation or not. While she enjoyed a little downtime, she was used to the hustle-bustle of a busy barn, and most of that was gone now that the summer had arrived and the students had graduated to move on to their new lives, or had gone home for the three months, and quite a few of the latter had taken their horses with them that year.

She checked her emails and wasn't surprised that she had quite a few that proclaimed interest in her Latvain mare. She had finally come to the decision that it wasn't fair on Fly for the mare to go to waste standing in a stall or in pasture when she still had so much of her life ahead of her. Yes, the same applied for her Appaloosa gelding, but after speaking with one of the academy students, Athena had moved from a school horse to loaning the barn manager's horse for the next year. Katherine would miss the mare, but she knew that the horse deserved to be in a showring.

Closing her emails; she'd reply to them later, she turned her attention back to the school horse files, trying to work out how each of them would be worked over the three months; since most of the student barn hands had gone home, she knew that the ponies were sorted as she'd already spoken to the Academy's smallest rider, and she was sure that her and the barn employees would be able to handle the others.

[Colin K. Breen]

Colin had been cooped up in his office for most of the morning, but with the summer in full swing, he had opened the windows, and relished in the fresh air that flowed through the office. The heat hadn't arrived yet, for which he was grateful. While he liked summer, the heat was something else. Happens to come from living by the coastline of Ireland, where summer was mostly dominated by rain. The one thing that reminded him of home was the green pastures. Ireland was more green, brighter, fresher, but he was used to the differences between the States and Ireland.

He had rearranged the office to suit himself, and had been busy with organising a schedule for himself. He stood up, stretching out and felt the satisfying crack along his back. Instead of riding clothes, he wore a pair of dark jeans, fitting his lithe frame with ease, and slung low on his hips, offset with a light grey button up shirt with the top two buttons undone and sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Leaving his barn, he walked up to White Oak Barn, and headed to Katherine's office, knocking on the door before opening it. Mind some company? he asked with a small grin, leaning against the doorframe.

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

[Katherine Carr]

Katherine got up from her desk and went over to the coffee machine that never seemed to turn off and she filled a mug with the black liquid and inhaled the sharp scent of coffee before returning to her computer. As well as with the school horses that needed exercising, there were also the boarding horses who had remained for the summer months while their owners were away doing other non-horse related activities, they would also need to be exercised while their owners were away, and unlike the school horses, she knew that she couldn't ask any of the students to take on their schooling, as the Academy insurance wouldn't cover any unforeseen accidents.

She was gazing out the window, watching the horses in the closest pastures, watching the way the equines were enjoying the beginning of their freedom. She sipped her drink and turned her chair to face the door as there was a knock on it. "Always." She replied with a laugh as she motioned the younger manager to enter the office and gestured to one of the chairs that made a right angle to her desk. "Can I interest you in a drink?" She asked. "I have chilled drinks if coffee in the summer isn't your thing." She knew that her love of coffee was a running joke with her daughter.

[Colin K. Breen]

Colin strolled into the office, smiling. Coffee would be great round about now, he said with a grin, getting himself a mug and pouring the coffee. He added two sugars, and then sat down, sipping slowly. You have a good brew here. What is it? he asked, glancing down at the papers on the desk. He crossed his legs, his ankle resting on his knee.

Seems like we're in the same boat. Schedules even during the summer break, he said with a nod towards the paperwork in front of the barn manager. He was so used to paperwork, and schedules, but mainly just when it came to his studies. He past learning just theory, this was now the practical that he was living. Probably a lot more interesting that biochemistry. Scratching the itch on his wrist, he caught sight of the tattoo that he's had for at least ten years. The double infinity band was more than just a tattoo, it was a symbolic meaning as well. The bigger band was for his mother, and the smaller one for his sister.

He brushed away a bit of dirt on the hem of jeans, finishing his coffee and placing the mug down on the desk, making sure that there wasn't any form of paperwork that could go without a coffee stain.

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

[Katherine Carr]

Katherine smiled and nodded as he helped himself to the coffee pot. "It's some French blend that my daughter found for me." She replied with a shrug. What was most amusing about the fact that Demeter had found the coffee for her, was that Demi hated the stuff, and was quite vocal about the fact every time she came in here to raid the fridge.

She rolled her eyes dramatically when he mentioned schedules. "Summer is the worst!" She replied. "Give me school terms any time, we now not only have the school horses to exercise, we also have the horses that belong to students." She had a list if horse exercises that she could call in, but she was sure that they could manage without bringing in outside help.

"How are you settling in?" She asked as she sipped at her coffee. "What does your big beast think about the place?" She knew that horses sometimes took a little longer to settle in than their human partners, and there were times when the horses refused to settle in, just because they knew that it would annoy their human.

"Have you met your student helpers?" She tried to bite back a laugh, but didn't manage it. She knew that some of the adults around the barns felt that the students who signed up to help out, but she had no problem with them as she knew that the hard work was good for their own personal development, and it helped build character. She laughed again at that thought, hearing a much younger her explaining to her children why it was important for them to do their own stable chores.

[Colin K. Breen]

Colin chuckled as Katherine emphasised her dislike of the summer, with the amount of horses that needed to be worked, a sentiment which he shared wholeheartedly. Tell me about it. Not that I'm complaining, but the days are going to be pretty busy until the students return, he said with a chuckle, standing up to pour himself another mug of coffee. He put in another two sugars, stirring as he sat back down. As for Tommy settling in, he doesn't really have a choice. I can't let him stand for longer than a few days, but he's pretty chill about changing surroundings. Comes with being an active show horse. My chestnut that's being shipped down in a few days is the one I'm worrying about. Talking about Tommy reminded him that he needed to get the vet out, coincidentally Katherine's daughter, to scope his large gelding to make sure that he hadn't developed any ulcers with the move. Tommy was simply the type of horse that didn't show he was he stressed, which meant that he easily developed ulcers, and if left untreated, had a tendency for colic.

As for myself, I enjoy moving around. I like the change of scenary, and the weather is pretty good here. I'm used to lots of rain, so the sun is a welcome change. Sipping his coffee, he felt ready to tackle the afternoon, where he was going to be riding two of the school horses, and possibly a student horse if he had time. With Tommy, he'd just put him in the lunge ring for a while. Nope. Not yet anyway. At the moment everyone is still, "Hey you," but I'll get to know everyone soon enough. I've been working in my office for the last couple of days. Nothing like paperwork in what seems like a practical, hands on job.

Another mental note reminded him to make sure to confirm the details about Pan being shipped down, and making sure that the people knew what a little brat the gelding could be. Just for safety's sake.

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

[Katherine Carr]

Katherine chuckled. "It is going to be a very long three months then." She smiled as she sipped at her coffee while she listened to the man speak of the horse whom had arrived with him. "Let's just hope that he doesn't think it's a temporary stopover." Her own Fly had been like that when she had first started at the Academy and then the mare had turned into a complete cow while she adjusted to the fact that she was here to stay. That hadn't take long for the mare to settle in though and go with the flow.

"Before I forget, I have arranged for a student to exercise the silver dun pony in your barn." She said as she put the mug down, knowing that it would be one less animal he would have to worry about working. "Ember's a bit of a brat when she isn't exercised often enough, but the girl I have working with her is quite capable of handling the stroppy pony."

She curled her nose at the mention of being use to rain. "Can't stand the stuff, personally." She said with a shudder. "Though I'm not too keen on a lot of heat either so I'm known to complain no matter what the weather." She said it with a twinkle in her eye, as she wasn't known for complaining about anything, even when she had to come to check the horses when something went bump in the night.

"Danielle and Martjin are both hard workers, so you will most likely bump into them while working at some point." She told him.

[Colin K. Breen]

Colin nodded at the mention of the rider. Yeah, I've seen her around. A shy creature, the girl that is, not the pony. Though the pony is also a pain the backside most of the time, like most ponies. Sure you want her to be riding? I rode with her last week in the arena, and she made some very basic mistakes, posting to the wrong leg, that type of thing, he said, raising his concerns. Though he was new, he couldn't help but do just that. Voice his own concerns. After all, the pony was in his barn, and therefore, in his care.

Colin laughed softly, shaking his head. Then Ireland is really not the place for you to visit. Though we have some great days, we have more rain than anything. Great with grazing, not so great if you're at an outdoor show, he said with slight grin. Well, if you see me walking around in some form of cast, then just automatically assume that Tommy became stroppy and threw a fit, he added on, setting down the half full mug on the desk.

I'm sure I'll meet them at some point. I'll most likely to run into them during the evening feed and introduce myself then. They are hard workers though, that barn is spotless and the horses are in good hands, he added, watching Katherine and picking up the mug again, sipping the coffee slowly.

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

[Katherine Carr]

Katherine chuckled and nodded at his assessment of the girl's personality; she was indeed a shy creature; thinking that she had been at the Academy a year now and she still didn't say any more to Katherine than a whispered yes ma'am whenever she requested if the girl could work one of the ponies that she wasn't assigned to ride. There were times she was almost surprised that the girl didn't curtsy when she gave the affirmative. Her eyebrows rose when Colin went on with his concerns. "Really?" She asked and then shook her head to show that she wasn't disbelieving of him. "That just sounds very uncommon for her." Yes, there was still a lot for the girl to learn, but simple novice mistakes? Maybe she would need to find some time to observe the girl riding at some point during the summer.

She smiled as he spoke of Ireland. "Yes, my son speaks passionately of the country." She said, as that was where Dylan was spending a few months during his training, and he was loving it, and had declared that she would need to visit it at some point, though he also made some quip about if she ever managed to tear herself away from the Academy. "You being in a body cast could prove to be a little detrimental to your job." She chuckled. "And might chance leaving you with two fresh horses on your hands."

She pulled a face when he mentioned the barn being spotless. "I guess I can take most of the blame for that." She confessed. "I have always strived to keep the barn I work in as clean as possible, and because of it, the other barns work to the same routine. We are a professional establishment after all and need to always keep up appearances in the case of unexpected visitors dropping by." Horses were always being bought and sold, and there were always horse transport vehicles coming in and out of the gates, and they couldn't afford someone making a sideways comment about the academy being untidy.

She laughed and shook her head. "And now I'm lecturing, I apologise."

[Colin K. Breen]

Colin was glad for the fact that Katherine at least took him seriously in some way, despite him being new, he was sure that his voiced concerns counted for something. He gave a faint smile when he heard that someone else also spoke fondly of his birth country, and pang of longing made itself known out of nowhere. He had been gone too long, and with almost no consistent contact between his family, he was sure that he simply needed to organise the trip for next year's summer break. Upon hearing what he would be left with in terms of fresh horses, he gave a soft snort. Tommy wouldn't be fresh, he'd be a walking skeleton. He can't go without work for long, and Pan hasn't even been backed yet. But if that ever does happen, I'm sure there'll be a student or two willing to help.

He listened as she spoke about the barns, listening with interest. No, please don't apologise. My mother was a lot stricter when it came to the stableyard back home. The poor stable hands were terrified of messing up, and there was hardly ever a shaving out of place. The riders were just as frightened if they didn't look after of their horses properly. So I'm used to high standards, he explained, knowing what he said was at least true.

If you need any help with exercising horses, just let me know. I'm always willing to help where help is needed.

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

[Katherine Carr]

Katherine frowned as she thought about Cara riding badly, and the worst thing about it was probably that Katherine knew she was probably riding Wisp at the time, and that mare could easily do a schooling session without a rider. "Don't be afraid to call a student out if they are making a mess of themselves and their mount." Maybe she had asked too much of the girl when she had asked her to exercise the two other school ponies as well as the one she was assigned - who, truth be told, was the worst tempered out of the three of them. "I had no doubt that you would have students falling over themselves to help you exercise your horses if you ever needed it." She laughed. "Even just handling your youngster from the ground." She was tempted to mention that Tux, the head barn hand of the broodmare barn, was really good with youngsters should Colin need any extra help with the chestnut, though she left her offer unspoken.

She smiled as he spoke of his mother, knowing that she was a woman that she would get along with; as Katherine had always been known for running a tight ship with how she ran her barn.

She gave a wicked grin at his offer. "You may regret that you said that." She warned him with a laugh, as it wasn't uncommon that the barn staff ended up riding horses from the other barn, just because some of the horses didn't like being worked together and the different disciplines that they were trained in it was just easier to ride similar horses together at time..

[Colin K. Breen]

Colin could only shake his head in mild amusement at the expression of students wanting to ride his horses, or at least helping him to keep them fit. Well, it was good to know, lest anything ever happen to him and he needed the help. The summer was quiet though, he would probably only meet the majority of the students once they started returning to the Park for the next school year. Which also meant he had the summer to get Pan settled, and possible start backing him. Oh the plans that he could plan. I'm sure they will be.

He glanced at her, a look of wry amusement on his face, and a grin tugging on his features. Oh is that a fact? he chortled. Please, remind me how I am sucker for punishment, Colin said with a teasing tone in his voice, standing up and stretching and checked his watch. I guess I need to go before a barn burns down in my absence. Thanks for the coffee and company, he said in his way of saying goodbye, leaving the office.

It didn't seem as if the heat was going to abate any time soon, and it beat down around him as he walked back to the barn he was in charge of.

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