Burning like a Silver Flame

[Fiachra Fitzsimmons]

"Stop stressing, Mama." Fitz laughed as Shell whinnied anxiously over the fence toward her son who was happily running like a mad thing around the large pasture. The three month old colt wasn't even slightly worried that his dam had been taken away from him. "You'll be back with him soon enough." Well, at least for another couple of months anyway, before his was completely weaned and went home with his new owners. It made him a little sad to think that the chestnut splash sabino colt would be leaving soon, but it was for the best.

As soon as the mare was tacked up and ready to go, Fitz swung into the saddle and guided her toward the Rocky Ridge trail and followed the main trail until they reached the turn off onto the Upstream Trail. The mare's head was held high as she pranced along, her ears flicking in all directions, but it didn't take much to get her to calm down. He took her away from the spunky colt for about an hour each, just so that she had a chance of gaining some sanity.

"Easy baby." He cooed as he encouraged her to keep walking as they carefully picked their way along the narrow trail. "I'm going to trust your judgement on this one." He chuckled as he gave the mare her head to let her pick the easiest and safest way to get to where the trail widened. "That's a good girl." He rubbed her neck.  

[Annabelle Archer]

Summer was sadly coming to an end which meant classes would be starting up though she didn't mind it entirely, though her free time would be eaten up by her students, again not that minded. Belle made her way to the White Oak barn to grab Penny and head out to the trails. It had been a while since she had been out on any trails as she used her time to work Penny on the barrels as when school started that would also come second to her students. Collecting, grooming and tacking up the mare went fairly quick as the horse stood still, which was unlike her, she was more or less finicky about the silliest things.


Belle lead her out of the barn and climbed into the saddle, Penny gave with the new weight she acquired and rebalanced herself. With a pat on the neck the duo set off for the trails and took the road less traveled, the Rocky Ridge trail, and then turned off the main trail to head upstream. Belle set the pace at a brisk walk until it had gotten narrower, so she let Penny have her head so pick her way through the trail, though keeping a leg to her side giving her the little push she needed.

The trail widened and she spotted another rider and his horse. She recognized the man from the office not wanting to spook horse or rider she let them know they weren't alone, "Coming up behind you."

[Fiachra Fitzsimmons]

Both of the mare's breeds came into work as she worked her way along the trail, the sure-footedness of the Connemara and the level-headedness of the Standardbred, which meant that Fitz had no worries about letting Shell make her own judgements of where her feet needed to be - and he knew that if he tried to steer her, they'd both more than likely end up in the drink.

Once the trail widened again, he took up the reins, making it look as though he was actually holding them - though he had no worry about not being able to control her if she did spook - and squeezed with his lower legs and the mare quickly picked up a trot, her ears swivelling around like antennae as the grey mare listened to everything around then.

"What's up, baby?" He asked as the mare lifted her head as she scented the air, though it was a woman's voice approaching from behind that answered his question. Squeezing with his right leg, he had Shell step over to the right - in what could have almost been a halfpass - to give the other rider room to pass them if she wished or to ride beside them. He rubbed Shell's neck as the mare dropped her head, ears flopping forward - her equivalent of a pout - and released a sigh.  

[Annabelle Archer]

Belle picked up the reins to let Penny know this was not the time to play games and because the trail was widening again which meant the mare would probably want to move a little more. She turned her attention to the man who had moved his horse to let her pass, though she would ask if it was alright to tag along. Although it depended on her mood, she liked it better when there was someone to accompany her on trail rides. "Hey Fitz, is it alright if we join you?" She made a point to remember all the names that she had encountered during her time at the academy as a teacher, which started on her first day here. Penny let out long breath before shaking her head. Belle shook her head and looked at Fitz.

"How are things in the office going?" She didn't know if he was on for small talk but she would figure it out soon enough. Penny side stepped at something though it only looked as if she were dopy, which wasn't out of character for her to be tripping over herself. Belle sat deeper in the saddle and got as comfortable as she could in a saddle, she just sat back and enjoyed the ride that was unfolding.

[Fiachra Fitzsimmons]

Fitz rubbed his mare's neck as the other horse drew closer, not know what she would do in her current frame of mind - while he knew that she wouldn't lash out at the other horse, he was more worried about how she would take it out on him.

He turned with a warm smile at the question. "We would be honoured to have the company." He told her, laughing as Shell pulled her head down and shook it. "Ok, fine. I would enjoy the company, Annabelle. Shell's a little moody because I decided to give her some time away from her son."

He couldn't help but laugh at her question. "Things are bound to pick up since school is due to start back soon." He replied with a shrug. "At the moment it's all about dealing with the files of new students who are due to arrive and giving horse truck drivers the correct directions to get here, since some of them have trouble following their GPS." He was ready for the office to get very busy the days before the school year started back, but he didn't mind. He enjoyed meeting new people, even if some of them needed lessons in manners - adults included - he wouldn't swap his job at the front desk for anything. "Have you had a good break from the students, before you return to teaching kids about sentence structures and particles?" He grinned and arched his eyebrows before he returned his attention to the path ahead of them - just in case Shell decided to take her foul mood out on him and try and wipe him out with a low-hanging branch.

He bridged the reins in his left hand and rested his right on his thigh, completely at ease in the saddle and happy to let the mare pick their pace, as she seemed to be in a lazy enough mood that she would keep ambling along.