Wins the Race

[Brian Setliff]

Brian stifled a yawn as he rode back into the clearing where he would be meeting his students. Although it was only about eight in the morning, with the students supposed to be present by eight-thirty, he had already been up for the better part of the day. Slipping out of the saddle, he rubbed Casper's nose before removing the gelding's bridle. Looping it over his shoulder, he led the bay over to the picket line, where Fly was still standing patiently.

He'd just returned from riding through the entire route once again, checking to make sure that everything was still safe, as well as tying up the ribbons that he had promised the students. Clipping Casper back to one of the five lead ropes he'd tied to the picket line, he walked towards the tree where Fly's bridle already hung and added Casper's.

Turning back to the shadow of yet another tree, he set up the soft-sided cooler that he'd brought along, although he'd been careful not to overload the poor horses that he'd brought. It hadn't been a long distance, either, so they hadn't been under too much stress. Covering another yawn, he leaned against the tree, waiting for his students to arrive.

@neigh
Amelia DeFoe
@rhythm

[Amelia DeFoe]

Amy had been up for quite some time, having been woken once again by the same recurring nightmare. After spending some time with Wolf, she'd decided to spend the time packing what she hadn't finished the day before. As the barn hands had already been up, she hadn't felt too bad leading Amur out into the grooming stalls almost an hour before she had been planning on it.

She spent longer than usual grooming Amur, killing time. After the gelding's coat shone, she turned to detangling the bay's mane, reaching up to gently bop his nose as he tried to get out of her reach, being silly once more, "Behave." As the gelding lowered his head once more, she rubbed his nose, "Bon." She continued her work, tying red rubber bands into the ends. Once finished, she turned to his tail, braiding it as well, smiling as the gelding relaxed.

When the barn started buzzing with student life, she glanced at her phone's clock and moved to grab the gelding's tack, choosing the general-purpose saddle, along with a brick-red saddle pad and the bridle. After tacking Amur up, she found the saddle pads that she'd packed full of things, along with the few items that Wolf had in his vest pockets, including her school ID.

Leading the gelding outside, she buckled on her helmet, removed Wolf's lead, and asked him to scout ahead before she stashed the gelding's lead and the dog's leash in one of the saddle bags. Turning Amur towards the trails, she asked him to move forward, making her way to the meeting spot. Upon reaching it, she looked around, noticing that she was the first to arrive. Without dismounting, she called Wolf back to her to sit by Amur's feet as she looked at Mr. Setliff. Her voice almost silent, she asked, "Did Ms. Carr speak to you?"

[Deleted]

Amber's alarm clock woke her up at seven in the morning.  She was tired at first, as she got dressed and brushed her hair but, by the time she had walked down to the stables, she was quickly wide awake.  She greeted Rapunzel and fed her breakfast, and then she went to the cafeteria to have her own breakfast.  As usual, her brother called her when he got back from his morning run.

Back when Amber still lived at home, she used to go with him on his daily morning runs.  She never ran, but she road her bicycle along beside him.  She missed that.

He wished her luck on her ride today, and warned her to be careful.  She promised that she would be and asked him about his run.  As usual, their morning conversation ended when their mother handed him a plate of homemade food, which she knew was much better then the cafeteria food she was eating, and he handed their mother the phone.  

When Amber finished breakfast and was done talking to her mother, she went back to her dorm room to get what she had packed the day before, then she went back to the stables.  Even though Amber knew that she was going to get dirty on the ride, Amber groomed Rapunzel.  When she had her all tacked up and they were both ready, she headed for the meeting spot.  She was glad that she was on time and wasn't even the last person there today.  

[Deleted]

Jason yawned but dutifully rolled out of bed as his alarm clock sounded. He had chosen to wake up earlier today to double check that he had everything that he needed for the Competitive Trail Ride. He slipped on a light, waterproof jacket over his T-shirt and stepped into his boots. He grabbed the map and stuffed it into his pocket before walking towards the Red Willow barn. "Morning, T." He said in a stage whisper. Yes, 8:00 wasn't really all that early, but it was summertime. Teenagers - and their horses - were supposed to sleep in.

Tickle was quickly outfitted in a saddle and orange saddle pad. Partly out of fun and partly to serve as a bit of protection, Jason opted to use matching orange polo wraps on his gelding's legs. Next came the saddlebags, quickly secured. Once the bridle was slipped over the Oldenburg's head, Jason grabbed his helmet and the pair headed for the Green Hill Trail. He was the last to arrive, but he shrugged it off. He wasn't late, so it wasn't a big deal. "Good morning." He said with a smile, though to no one in particular. It just didn't seem right not to say a greeting.

[Brian Setliff]

Brian looked up as he heard hoofsteps, spotting a dog first, then the girl whom said canine accompanied, on a bay and white horse. Taking a moment to appreciate the interesting somatic mutations, he almost missed the whisper-soft voice, but what she had asked wasn't a surprise, “Yes, she did. She should be arriving at the vet check in,” he checked his watch, “About half an hour or so, long before you'll arrive.”

As the next student arrived, he smiled, “Morning, Amber. Ready to ride?” He turned towards his saddle bags, picking up three of the four walkie-talkies that he'd appropriated and hadn't handed out yet (one to the volunteer at the vet check and one to Ms. Carr). By the time that he turned around, Jason had arrived, and he greeted the boy with a smile, “Good morning, Jason.” Walking towards the horses, he offered each student a walkie-talkie. “I know you all have phones, but these are much quicker, as your call will reach both me and those at the vet check, so that we can all work together. Don't hesitate to use it, for the smallest things. The last thing I want is anyone getting hurt.”

After having finished handing them out, he pointed out the blue ribbon at the edge of the space, “You have ribbons up, look for them, you will not be going off of the trail for this ride.” Considering them, he paused, then pretended to remember something, “Oh, yes, your time window, which you're probably all eager to hear. I'm setting the ideal time at four hours and fifteen minutes, so your half-hour window ranges from four to four and a half hours.”

Pacing, he considered his students, “You'll be riding in ten-minute intervals, Amber, you're first, Jason, you're going ten minutes after her, and Amelia, you're ten minutes after that. While we're not respecting the two-mile marker this time, as I can't monitor it, remember that about two miles out from the finish line, you are usually expected to maintain forward motion. It is marked using a yellow ribbon above the blue, in case you are curious.”

Clasping his hands behind his back, he asked, “Are there any questions before we begin?”

Okay, this is how this is going to work as of next time (after answering possible questions). I'm going to post as Brian, describing the next hour or so of trail, so we'll be having six posting rounds, if that sounds good. (Hour 1, Hour 2, Vet Check, Hour 3, Hour 4, Finish). I don't mind if you don't keep to posting order (as they're all on their own anyway), but just know, the next information post will happen a week after I post the previous one (or after the third person posts), to keep things moving.

Any questions, feel free to PM me. I realize that it's confusing, but this is how I'm going to try and work it.

[Amelia DeFoe]

The smallest hint of a smile touched Amy's face as she heard that Ms. Carr had spoken to the man, “Thank you.” Hearing that the woman would be there by the time that she arrived, she relaxed slightly, the reservation that she had had about the clinic disappearing.

After the two other students had come in, Mr. Setliff began handing out walkie-talkies. Amy took one, looking over it before slipping it into the saddle bag that sat in front of the saddle, where it would be easiest to reach and hear. She followed his pointing to the blue ribbons, nodding slightly, before she returned her attention to the teacher. Four hours, meant she would be riding about two hours, Wolf would be able to do that.

After hearing that she would be going last, Amy nodded, listening to the information about the two-mile marker, although it didn't affect her. After shaking her head to indicate that she had no questions, and waiting out the questions that the other students might have, she kicked her feet out of the stirrups and swung out of the saddle. There was no reason to keep Amur standing for twenty-plus minutes, and she could wait on the ground. After loosening his girth slightly, she moved to remove the bit from his bridle, although she kept it in hand, as she watched the other students get ready.

[Deleted]

"Yeah" she answered, when Mr. Setliff asked if she was ready to ride.  She halted Rapunzel and looked at Mr. Setliff and Amy.  "Good morning" she greeted.  

When they were joined by Jason and his horse, Mr. Setliff handed out walkie-talkie's.  Amber studied hers.  It looked like it worked the same way that the ones that her and her brother used to play with many years ago did.  She was glad that she could well remember using one, since it had been years since she had last used one and, when she did, she had only ever used it for childhood games.

Amber listened to Mr. Setliff as he described the race.  It seemed pretty straightforward.  She didn't have any questions that she could think of.

She wished that she didn't have to go first.  She didn't like going first, but she had rarely ever gone first.  Growing up, her brother usually got to go first for things because he was older and because she preferred not to go first.  She was often worried about screwing something up and liked to have an example to follow, not the the first horse and person to go in this would be much of an example, but she still didn't like going first.    

[Deleted]

Jason smiled and maneuvered his horse around to a spot where he could still see Brian. He nodded as he accepted the walkie-talkie, dropping his reins and ground-tying Tickle while he attached it to his belt. The Head Barn Hand's words made sense, but Jason briefly wondered whether any crackling would spook his horse. Hopefully it wouldn't sound much too different than dry autumn leaves crunching underfoot.

Turning his brown eyes towards the blue ribbon, he made a mental note to look out for them along the trail; his photographic memory wasn't all too great. Jason gave another nod at the time frame they were given. "That's an awfully large chunk of bonding time, buddy." He joked in a voice only loud enough for his Oldenburg gelding to hear. As long as they didn't have to encounter too much water, Jason was relatively certain that he and his horse could handle the distance.

Jason shook his head in answer to Brian's question. He didn't have any questions of his own. Now, it was just time to wait. He found a spot of shade nearby and led his horse over. He began to play a few of the games he had learned in Natural Horsemanship as he waited for his turn to go.

[Brian Setliff]

As no one asked any questions, Brian nodded, then turned to Amber, smiling as he held one of the stopwatches concealed in his palm, labeled on painter's tape with the girl's name, "Ready?" At her confirmation, he smiled, hitting the start button at the same time as he spoke next, "Go!" Turning back to the other two, he saw how they had relaxed to spend the time, smiling, glancing at his watch before walking over to lean against one of the trees and pick up his water bottle.

After five minutes had passed, he looked over to Jason, "Get ready." A minute before he planned on sending the boy off, he was in the same position once more, the next stopwatch in hand. He put a smile on his face, looking at the boy and gelding, then spoke, "Ready... And go." Again, the thumb motion that started the timer, and the word that started the race for the pair, before he turned to the last rider that was waiting to go.

Once she'd prepared herself and her horse, as well as the dog, he repeated the entire procedure once more, starting the timer as he sent her off, although he also noted the time and sent it to Katherine via a text, as she would be the one recording the girl's finishing time.

After all of the students were gone, Brian had nothing to do. Setting his own walkie-talkie down on the ground, he soon followed, folding his long legs and sitting against the tree, before he pulled out some paperwork on a stallion that the school was considering importing to put to one of the broodmares, and keep at his barn.

---

The first hour of the competition was by far the driest. The river was still quite a distance away from the trail, and the riders passed through a few strands of thin forest, before it evened out again to meadows once more. The trail was easy to follow, with only one turn-off from the marked trail, although the blue ribbon slightly further in showed the way.

About three-fourths of an hour passed before the riders met a small brook for the first time, it running alongside the trail, about twenty yards away, for a quarter of a mile, before turning away again, and slowly petering out. After that, the rest of the first hour passed in quiet, ending somewhere in a sizable section of deciduous forest, the leaves rattling slightly as a small breeze began picking up and causing the branches to dance.

[Amelia DeFoe]

Amy had the longest time to wait, but it didn't bother her, although she did keep her distance from the males that she was waiting with, watching as Mr. Setliff sent Jason off as well before turning to her. She redid Amur's girth, then bent down to make sure that Wolf's vest wasn't too loose or too tight. Yes, she would have preferred to take it off of him, but that wasn't a good choice today, not with the fact that she didn't have a bunch of straps to hang on to in case of any problems, unlike with Tommy's saddle.

But finally, it was her turn, and Amy redid her helmet before using a nearby rock to mount. Holding Amur back at the starting line, she waited for the word, before asking the gelding to move out at a trot, Wolf at her side for a moment before she looked down and gave him the word to scout ahead, knowing he wouldn't move too far ahead and risk running into one of the other riders.

The trail itself was straight-forward enough, and she let Amur go on trotting for some time, although eventually she tired of posting to the gelding's gait, so she had him slow for a bit, walking for ten minutes before they reached some water. After a short break to let Amur and Wolf drink, and take a sip of her own water, they were off again, once more trotting.

[Deleted]

Amber and Rapunzel started off at a steady trot.  After a little while, Amber asked her to slow down to a walk.  Once she caught her breath, she asked her horse to trot again.  Rapunzel was good at slowing down to a walk for a brief time and speeding up again.  Probably because she was asked to do it a lot.

A little while later she saw a spot for her horse to drink.  She halted Rapunzel and gave her free rein.  When Rapunzel had drank her fill, Amber took the reins back and asked her to walk again.  She decided that they would walk for a little while because this was a long ride and she didn't want Rapunzel to get too tired before this race was over. 

Amber had been a little worried about navigating the trail.  Fortunately, it had been easy to follow so far, but she didn't know if it would last.  They were on unfamiliar territory and they might get lost.  If they did and they couldn't find their way back to the trail, she could contact Mr. Setliff, but she hated asking other people for help, especially people that she didn't really know.  Suddenly, Rapunzel shook her mane, probably to get a fly off her her neck, but it distracted Amber enough to realize that she hadn't even come close to getting lost and it was ridiculous to be worrying about it so much.  "Rapunzel, why do I worry about things so much?" she asked her horse.  Rapunzel shook her mane again.    

[Deleted]

 When Brian gave the heads up to get ready, Jason rubbed Tickle's pole before mounting up. He gave a lazy two-finger salute and off he went. He let Tickle walk on a a longer, relaxed rein. The gelding took advantage of this to take a good look at his surroundings. They passed under the shadows of the occasional stand of trees, and before long meadows lay before them once more.

Standing up in his stirrups for a brief moment, Jason could see that the trail was well worn from use. He nudged Tickle into a trot, posting easily until he spotted a blue ribbon. He laughed to himself, for he had briefly forgotten that he was in a competition and not just out enjoying the sun with his horse. He slowed Tickle to a walk as he surveyed the terrain in front of them. Satisfied, he moved his horse to a trot once more.

The pinto gelding sensed the stream before Jason did, and tensed at the sound of running water. Jason sat deep and gave the reins a light tug to remind Tickle to listen to him. When the brook came into view, Tickle relaxed a bit. Jason swiftly dismounted and led Tickle to the water for a drink. It was the only way so far that the horse would go near water, but Jason had done it so often that it was a set of practiced motions. All in all, it took only a few seconds longer than someone who had stayed mounted. Jason took a sip of water himself (from the bottle, not the river) and the pair headed into the forest.