Welcome To Our New Home

[Deleted]

Scout pretty much marched to the White Oak Barn after she was finished unpacking. She hoped that Finn would settle down well with his new living arrangements and didn't want to leave him by himself. Thoughts were spiralling through her head and the doubts were kicking in- what if he didn't get on well with the other horses? what if he doesn't like the people? A list of 'what ifs' were scrolling through her mind but she hid her worry well as she walked into the barn.

But it seemed all that worrying was for nothing because the first thing she heard as she walked to the stall was the happy welcoming call of her gelding with his head over the stable door. His dark forelock covering both his eyes as he turned to her. "Hey boy. You settling in?" a nicker and a enthusiastic head rub was her answer and she blew out a small breath of amusement.

Scout took the chance to look around at the neighbouring stalls and the ones across him, wondering if the occupants would be friendly to the new arrivals.

[Andrea Valentine]

Andrea was struggling to get Felix's cribbing muzzle on. The gelding raised his head as high has physically possible every time she moved. It took about fifteen minutes for him to calm down enough to get the muzzle in place. He tried in vain to shake it off, but of course it stayed in place. She knew his tricks. As she backed away from his stall, she happened to glance down the aisle and recognized a short-haired girl. The name Quinn came to mind, but she remembered that it was her last name. Her first name was something cool. It took her a moment, but it finally clicked.

"Hey! It's Scout, right? We have art class together." she called as she scampered toward her classmate.

[Deleted]

Scout was tickling the gelding's chin when she heard a shout of greeting, slightly shocked that she did not notice the girl in the barn before. She stepped away from Finn as the familiar girl came closer, Scout knew she had seen this girl before and then the girl said 'art' and it clicked.

But she was struggling to remember her name, she knew it began with A: Amy? Ally? No. Andrea! that was it. Her eyes widened slightly in recognition before going back to normal. "Hiya, yeah and you're Andrea?" Flickering her finger to point at her casually as she asked, her mouth in a polite half smile wondering why the girl had came over to talk to her.

[Andrea Valentine]

"Yep, that's me!" she glanced at the horse she was standing with and grinned. "I guess this is your horse, huh? He or she?" And what breed! It was too small to be a draft horse. Maybe a cross? It was so cute. She turned back to glance at Felix. He was sticking his head out of the stall, staring at her. "That's my boy, Felix. He's a cribber so he has to wear a muzzle." She shook her head at him.

[Deleted]

Scout turned back to Finn and rubbed the side of his neck affectionately "Yeah this is this my boy Finn" she turned to Andrea and added not really caring if the girl didn't care "He's a North Swedish Horse" Finn rubbed his head against Scout's shoulder as she talked turning to look at her horse with fake annoyed expression as she said jokingly "and a real charmer."

She looked down the corridor to the horse that the girl was talking about, it was a handsome black horse taller than Finn. She could tell he was a warmblood by the look of him but Scout found it difficult at times to tell between the different breeds. "He's a handsome boy" she said truthfully. "Hopefully these two boys will be good neighbours".

[Andrea Valentine]

"Hi, Finn!" she cooed, stroking his nose. "I've never heard of that breed. And I know a lot! I'll have to look it up later." she added enthusiastically. And of course, she swelled with pride when Scout called Felix handsome. "Thanks! We're training for eventing, technically. We already do show jumping and dressage. What do you and Finn do?"

[Deleted]

Scout smiled as the girl stroked Finn. Her gelding to be enjoying all the attention he was getting and nickered lowly as he moved his head, getting his forelock out of his eyes. "That's him saying hi."

She listened to her enthusiastic companion as she talked, the girl seemed so happy and enthusiastic that Scout couldn't help but smile as the girl's energy rubbed off on Scout. "Me and Finn are more for endurance but we are also training in show jumping and cross country. Maybe we'll be in the same class."

[Andrea Valentine]

She lit up, hoping she'd just made a friend. "Yeah! If you ever want to go for a ride or get some practice in, I'll be around. You can message me if I'm not in the barn. What grade are you in?" It was in her nature to be chatty, but since Scout seemed not to mind, it she was even more talkative. She hardly noticed it.

[Deleted]

Scout nodded happily at the idea and slightly relieved that she seemed to be making a new friend"Yeah that would be great!" she breathed adding slightly to herself "It'd be nice for Finn and I to have some company, it gets kinda boring sometimes riding alone."

Scout relaxed her body back, leaned on the door and answered "I'm 16 so I'm in 11th grade, you?"

[Andrea Valentine]

"Ohh, me too! I just turned 16 in October. My dad got me a mule! I'm hoping we can have her brought over here soon. I got approval for a second horse." She was unspeakably excited. A new riding partner, hopefully a friend, and they were the same age! She glanced back again at Felix, but he had withdrawn into his stall. "I hope the horses get along, anyway. Felix likes to play around."

[Deleted]

"Wow that must have been a great birthday present!" Scout said, happy for the girl and glad she had met someone her own age. "I don't think I would get a second horse, Finn is enough for me." Scout turned to see Finn getting comfortable in his stall. "Yeah, I hope so too Finn normally gets along with everyone. I'll probably take him out a ride soon, get him use to his new surroundings." she added jokingly "I need to get used to the new surroundings."

[Andrea Valentine]

"I just got done working with Felix, so he's done for the day. But tomorrow or later in the week, if you want, we can go with you on a trail ride." She thought for a moment. "On Tuesdays and Thursdays we go out on the trails, usually. And besides, if you want to hang out, I'm always happy to! I live in Red Ribbon house. What about you?"

[Deleted]

Scout smiled happy at the offer "Yeah, I mean I'm free tomorrow so that would be great I mean if that's alright with you, I wouldn't want you to go out your way to come with me but it would be nice."

She stuffed her hands in her pockets as she spoke "I would like to hang out some time. We could message each other a time and place whenever you're free, it'll be cool! I'm living at Green Ribbon house." she walked away from Finn's stall and walked down the corridor and looked in at Andrea's horse.

[Andrea Valentine]

"I'd love to go with you! A trail ride? Or do you want to do something in the arenas?" She bounced on her heels, barely able to contain her excitement. "Whenever you want to hang out! As long as I'm not studying or something, I'm always happy to get out and about. Do you have any pets? I have a ferret named George."

She saw that Scout was leaving Finn's stall and walked with her over to Felix. The warmblood had his back to them, but he heard them and turned his head around, pricking his ears. He looked goofy with the muzzle on.

[Deleted]

Scout chuckled at the girl's excitement and crossed her arms casually as she talked "Whatever you think will be best because I'm happy to do either." she stated truthfully, she wanted Finn to get used to working here so he would one way or another have to get used to being in the arenas and the trails.

She tilted her head to the side "That's a cute name for a pet. She made a small humming noise as she seen the horse wearing the muzzle, she had never seen a horse wearing one and it seemed quite amusing. She made a gentle clicking noise in greeting to the warmblood then turned back to the girl beside her "I have a zebra finch called Zig, I've had him since he was a chick."