Exploring the Trails (open)

[Thomas Oliver]

Tommy whistled as he finished getting his mare ready for a trail ride. He chuckled as he checked her boots, it was early morning, and vacation, but he was wide awake and getting his mare ready to go on a ride. Happy that the boots were on properly, he picked up the well packed saddle bags; the larger one he slung over behind the saddle and fastened them to the D-rings on the cantle and the smaller saddle bag went over the mare's withers and was attached to the rings there. The back bags contained his lunch, first-aid kits and twine, while the front ones held a few bags so that if he found anything interesting he could bring it back and he had promised that he'd bring back any shells that he found for Serenity. He shook his head as he rubbed the mare's chestnut neck, Serenity wanted to get more in-tune with the campus so had turned down his offer for a trail ride.

As soon as everything was ready, Tommy put the grooming kit away and removed the cross-ties from the mare's halter and tied the lead rope around her neck. Since he was planning to be out all day he had decided that it was best for the mare to keep wearing her halter and to take her lead rope - well the lead rope was more of an emergency thing but let's not go there.

Leading the mare out of the barn, he clipped his helmet under his chin, pulled the stirrups down, tightened the girth and sprung into the saddle. "Walk on." He said as he barely touched the mare with his heels. He was wearing a sleeveless shirt and shorts, but it was too hot to wear jeans and Serenity had pretty much bathed him in sunscreen when he met her in the common room and he talked about the trail ride.

Entering the beginning of the Rocky Ridge trails and headed under the canopy of trees, the boy breathed a sigh of relief as he allowed the tranquillity of the area wash over his. "You feel it too, huh girl?" He asked as the chestnut mare echoed his sigh and stretched her neck out so that her muzzle was almost touching the path they were walking along.

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Erica praised the gelding as he stood patient and still while the girl finished running the brush through Ace's coat. "You're being a good sport, today, Ace." She commented with a light smile as she put away the grooming kit to get started on tacking the Freisian up for their trail ride. Slipping on the saddle pad, she smoothed out the soft pad to make sure there weren't any wrinkles or bumps before strapping on the saddle. Fidgeting with the notches, she got the correct one and shifted the saddle to make sure it didn't rock from side to side. Grabbing the bit to the bridle, she offered it to the gelding as he completely ignored it the first, she knew the horse was slightly distracted and when the horse was back to reality, it only took a second try for the horse to accept the metal into his mouth. The girl saw as the gelding was playing around with the bit, boredly, as she untied the cross ties. Getting a good hold of the reins, she lead the horse out of the barn.

Once they passed the entrance, she halted the Freisian and took a good look up at the sky. Shielding her eyes with her free hand from the bright rays of the sun, realizing how even though it was an early morning for a trail ride, it's never too early for it to start getting bright and warm. 'It is summer after all...' She thought to herself as she started to mount the gelding up. Placing her right foot in the stirrup, she grabbed some mane and reins and as well as the saddle and hoisted herself up off the ground. Swinging her other leg over and placing her foot in the other stirrup, she made a quick check to make sure everything was in order so they could have a safe ride. Taking the reins properly in on hand, she brushed some strands of hair behind her shoulder as it was tied in a half ponytail. She clucked the gelding back into reality as the horse hesitated at the request, but obeyed. The blonde knew it was a bit early, but she wanted to give Ace a good excercise and usually later in the day it would sometimes be too hot to ride. The morning just seemed like the perfect time.

The girl decided they would take the Rocky Ridge trail today, as she couldn't remember the last time they have taken that trail on a ride before. So, why not, it might be bit challenging and not as easy as Green Hill trail, but they been at the Academy long enough and have enough experience to ride it. She felt the rays of the sun peek through the few clouds in the sky as they made the overall tempature get warmer, almost by the minute. She lead the gelding over the path under the canopy of some trees to get some shade. Already it felt a bit cooler and just better. She never knew the sun would be this bright and shining this early in the morning, luckily she decided to wear sunscreen today before she left her dorm. She noticed another pair of riders in front of them on the same path. Ace also noticed the pair and gave a shy whinny, knowing there's company and tugged his rider's grip on the reins to ask to move forward. "Coming up behind you!" She called to the pair as they approached slowly and the girl got to observe that the rider was a boy. She sighed as she wondered why she had to be stuck in this awkward situation of bothering someone she didn't know just because of her gelding's social personality this morning. "Sorry to bother you two on your trail ride. Apparently Ace here wants to meet you guys." She spoke up as she gave a shy, but sincere grin towards the other rider.

[Thomas Oliver]

Tommy allowed Amber to pick the pace, and he was as happy as ever to just let her amble along the path they were following.

If he had known the trails a little better, he would released the reins all together as he trusted her with his life and knew that she would give him a little warning if she was going to shy at something, either by gaining a giraffe-neck or smacking his leg with a vicious tail swish. He also fought the temptation to close his eyes - again, he didn't know the trails well enough.

They hadn't been travelling long before Amber's head shot up, and the boy took back the reins as she skittered to the side as a bird flew out of a bush to their right. He laughed as the mare shook her head and continued along as nothing had happened. Tommy leaned back slightly and without having to turn around, undid the buckle on one side of the back saddle bag. He then pulled out a ziplock bag of crisps. "What's up?" He asked as the mare ground to a halt and looked over her shoulder at her rider. "Oh, here you go." He said as he reached back and fished a carrot out of the saddle bag. "There you are bub." He grinned as she stretched her head around his hit toe and gently took the carrot out of his hand and turned back to the front and munched the treat before she started walking again. The boy knew that he should reprimand, not reward, the mare for just stopping like that, but she had a point, he was eating without her.

It wasn't much longer before the mare's head shot up again, but from the way she did it Tommy wasn't too worried about her spooking and then looked over his shoulder as another rider announced her presence, followed quickly by her jet black mount. He chuckled at her words that followed the horse's greeting and shook his head as Amber returned the greeting with a high pitched whinny of her own as she danced on the spot, kinking her tail and lowering her head.

"It's not a problem." Tommy replied, returning her grin without a hint of shyness. "I'm sure that Amber would enjoy the company. Despite her reaction to your boy, I swear she's not in season." The mare's flirty attitude and high voice had nothing to do with her cycle."I'm Tommy. And this is Amber."

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Erica kept her sincere grin intact as it kind of gave her a small sigh of relief inside to know the boy was a one of those kind people as he forgave them for their intrusion. "I'm sure that Amber would enjoy the company. Despite her reaction to your boy, I swear she's not in season." Giving a nod in understanding towards his comment she observed as Ace gave a slight shrill whinny towards the other horse, which the boy introduced as Amber, and the blonde was already guessing the Freisian was enjoying some company on the trail. "I think Ace will surely enjoy Amber's company." She patted the gelding's shoulder to stay calm even though the other mare was as excited as he was. "Be nice to Amber, alright?" She whispered reassuringly to the horse in reminder, as she can already tell the gelding was rolling his eyes at her as she knows that he will always do his best to be in his best behavior towards others.

She heard how the other rider introduced himself as Tommy and she gave him a light smile. "Nice to meet you, Tommy and Amber." She responded after his turn to speak. "I"m Erica, and this social butterfly of a horse is Ace." She added with a teasing pat on the jet black gelding's strong neck. Taking a quick glance at the sky through the canopy of trees to spot a few more clumps of puffy clouds pass over to block the sun for a few and then leave. She crossed her fingers hoping the clouds weren't multiplying in size and becoming grey that it would rain on their trail ride. It may be summer, but it doesn't mean rain will never happen again. Luckily she checked the weather this morning before she left her dorm, saying how it won't rain for the rest of the week. That's a relief.

The blonde looked over to Tommy as she decided they should maybe get to know each other so they wouldn't just ride together as complete strangers. "So, Tommy, what disciplines do you ride with Amber?" She gave a kind grin towards him to let him know she was just interested and not some kind of weirdo. After all, eventually they were meant to talk to each other sometime on the trails since Ace got her into this situation just so the gelding can have some company on his own. Sometimes she hated always having to have awkward conversations with someone new, but sometimes she had to thank Ace for his social personality which helps her make new friends and meet new people.

[Thomas Oliver]

Tommy chuckled at the girl's warning to her own horse. "Trust me, Amber won't hesitate to put your boy in place should she feel he needs it." He gave a grin to remove any venom that might have been found in the words. He knew that his mare could be a little stroppy at times when other horses weren't behaving the way she felt they should be.

He bowed his head as the other rider introduced herself. "Pleasure to meet you, Miss Erica, and you too, gallant Sir Ace." He grinned again, not at all worried about what Erica might think of his over zealous personality. He followed her glance skyward, and he had a feeling that he was probably mirroring her thoughts as he hoped that the fluffy white clouds remained at their glorious height and remained white rather than dropping and turning grey, as he knew that the weather in Louisiana could turn without warning and had the feeling that the weather here wouldn't be too different.

He raised his eyebrows at her question, amused that he was riding with someone who was as nosey as he was. "Amber and I do pretty much everything English." He replied as he rubbed the mare's neck. "Though we prefer hunter jumpers to show jumping. Amber was born in a hunter jumper barn. I love the freedom of cross country and she loves the discipline and finesse of dressage and the style of the hunter arena." He shrugged. "How about you? What do you do with Ace, and do you have any other horses?"

He closed his legs around Amber's barrel and asked the mare to move off once again and they continued down the path they were following. He watched the trees that they walked past and tried to name as many of them that he could, though he couldn't name too many. "How long have you been at Blue Ridge?" As he was wondering if he should let Erica lead the way.

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Erica gave a grin towards the boy and nodded as she understood his comment. Although it's always good to remind her gelding any time she can as she knows he can get frisky at times. She just doesn't want to get blamed for something Ace has done as she is the owner of the horse so she would have to take all the responsibility. She knows the horse will be good and that will never happen, from her own knowledge about their bond between each other, so she shouldn't think about the worst case scenarios just yet. If she did it would make her first impression on Tommy a bit of a nervous wreck.

The blonde gave a light smile to Tommy as he replied to her introduction of herself and Ace in a sort of zealous tone. She actually found that kind of unique for him and she didn't question it. "Why thank you, Sir Tommy." She tried her best to responde in the same tone with a playful smile as the pair of riders continued their way way across the trail. The blonde was already starting to enjoy the boy's company on the trail ride. She guessed Ace was too as he seemed fairly content since they have joined them. It's nice to have someone else with you on a nice day like this and she means people wise, as she knows Ace is here, but she would like to talk the human language of English rather than wonder if the gelding was listening to her and responde in nickers or whinnies. Though she never said she never enjoyed the horse, she loved the gelding more than ever and she would never trade him away.

She gave a warm smile and nod as he mentioned how they did everything English, pretty much. "How about you? What do you do with Ace, and do you have any other horses?" She heard him pack a few questions in response that really didn't bother her at all. She was just glad she wasn't the only nosey person around. "Well we try and be open to all disciplines. Although we mostly do English as well." She responded to the first question. "As for horses, I actually do have another horse. Her name is Coffee and she mostly my hunter jumper." Answering the other question the boy asked as she gave a grin. "Do you just own Amber, or do you own another horse as well?" She returned the question over to him.

The blonde glanced around at the flora and fona that could be noticed on the trails. Spotting all different kinds/types of trees on the path. She couldn't believe how much of the flora and fona a trail could hold. Hearing Tommy ask another question made her snap back to reality and focus back on their conversation. "I've been at Blue Ridge for about a year now." She gave a nod as she couldn't believe that time has gone by so fast that now she was attending another year at Blue Ridge at the academy as a senior now. "Have you been here long?" She asked as she doesn't remember seeing him around campus the last year.

[Thomas Oliver]

As he listened to the older girl talk about her horse and her other horse, he could feel Amber bunching up underneath him, almost like a spring coiling and he wasn't looking forward to her suddenly expanding so he reined the mare in and asked her to step over so that Erica and Ace could walk past them, handing the lead over to the other pair. "Amber is my one and only." He replied. "I'm thinking of looking around for another horse, but until I can raise enough money, looking is all I can do." And he was more than happy of just looking for now, as he was happy just working with his mare and the two of them learning together.

He nodded when she said she'd been at the school for a year, and then remembered that with him bringing at the rear, she couldn't see him nodding - kind of like one who nods when they are talking on the phone. "My sister and I arrived a couple of weeks ago." He replied. "Amber and Red, Serenity's mare, arrived a few days ago. I guess I should have let Amber here settle in more, but I wanted to explore and didn't want to do it on any other horse than my girl here." He chuckled lightly as he rubbed the mare's neck. "I'd feel like I was two-timing on her if I rode another horse when she's perfectly fine to be ridden."