Caught in the Storm (open)

[Cortney Smit]

Cortney had a bounce in her step as she headed out toward the barns and then slipped into Red Willow. She smiled in greeting to everyone she passed, not at all surprised to find the barn so busy this morning, even though it was the weekend, since the weather was beautiful outside.

She hurried down to Remi's stall and smiled over the door at the two toned mare. "Would you like to go on the trails?" She had only been riding again for a month, and even mentioning the trails set off a rabble of butterflies in her stomach, but she trusted the mare would look after her, and she aside from her nervousness, she was also excited about heading out to the trails on horseback.

Leading the mare out of her stall and down to the grooming stalls where she clipped the cross-ties onto the mare's halter and then grabbed her gear before giving her a thorough groom - more to help quell her own nerves than the mare needing the groom - and then got her ready to be ridden.

Once they were both ready, Cort led the mare out of the barn and after tightening her girth and pulling the stirrups down, she used the mounting block to swing onto the mare's back and squeezed her forward. She ruffled the mare's forelock as Remi turned around to look at the girl. "Let's go." She whispered as she squeezed the mare forward again. The mare asking her if she was sure, seemed to have become a ritual between the two of them.

They made their way passed the arenas and toward the Green Hill trails. As they entered the trees, all of the nervousness that the girl had been feeling up until now just vanished and the girl drew in a deep breath, taking in the scent of the trees come back to life after a long winter. She looked up as she heard a bird singing and wanted to know everything about all of the birds that lived in these trees.

She followed the path for a while before it turned off and followed the Blue River downstream. "What do you think, Remi?" She asked the mare as they followed the trail. She glanced up as the sun went behind a cloud. "Where'd that come from?" The sky, which had been cloudless when they left the barn, was now full of angry looking grey clouds. "I think we better head back, girl." She said. "Before it starts to rai..." Before she could even get the word out a fat rain drop landed on her bare arm. "Ok, we're going to get a little wet." She jumped as the sound of thunder filled the air and laughed when the mare didn't even shift.

[Deleted]

Erica led Ace down to the crossties, grabbing hold of the Grey lead rope attached the matching halter. After the gelding as been tied down, she started up on grooming the horse. Taking her time to make the horse feeling comfortable and not all dusty and tangled. Using her finger to gently untangle the horse's mane and tail, she smoothly combed the rest to make sure she didn't miss any knots.

Once done, she gets started and straps on the saddle pad and saddle. Setting the girth and securing it in place. She shifted the saddle to make sure it didn't slip off of get strapped too tight. When she was satisfied, she grabbed the bit of the bridle and got annoyed when the horse didn't accept the bit the first or third time. She knew the gelding's playful personality and let out a breath. "Come on now, Ace. No more games, you will have plenty of fun once we get on our trail ride." She cooed as the Friesian bobbed his head and finally accepted the bit. As if he was listening to what she said. Either way, she just took that as an 'OK' and got started on untying the horse out of the crossties.

Grabbing the reins, she led them out of the barn out just past the entrance. Now outside, the blonde halted the gelding and mounted him up, getting her foot in the first stirrup, grabbing the saddle and some reins, she hoisted herself off the ground and swung her other foot over to the other stirrup. Making a quick check to make sure everything was in place, she patted the horse's shoulder and asked him into a medium trot towards the trails.

At last, they were out in the open of spring, taking the Blue River trails as Erica hasn't experienced the trail yet. She steered her mount towards the downstream trail as they enjoyed the light sunshine. After a nice moment, the girl felt something wet on her hand. She glanced up at the sky, using her hand to cover her eyes from the rays of the sun, before a dark grey cloud somehow appeared. She squinted as she can tell there was a storm coming. She slowed Ace down into a walk before she shivered as a crack of thunder shock through. Ace whinnied and tossed his head back wildly at the sound, being very sensitive and slightly afraid of thunder. Erica grabbed hold on the reins and calmed the gelding down. "It's alright, Ace..." She whispered as she spotted another horse and rider on the same trail.

She watched as they approached closer behind the pair, before noticing who it was, Cortney. A fellow cheerleading squad member. She asked Ace into a trot towards the two before shouting. "Gate!" When they came up next to them, she slowed Ace into the pace they were in. "Hey Cortney! Didn't expect another rider would be out here as well, even with the sudden weather change..." She commented with a light smile in greeting.

[Cortney Smit]

Cortney jumped at another, slightly closer, rumble of thunder and laughed at herself when Remi did nothing more than turn her neck to look at her rider as though she were the one doing the reassuring! "I'm sorry." She told the mare she she patted the horse's now very wet neck.

She turned in the saddle and looked over her own shoulder as she heard the voice of another female. "Gate?" She repeated with a grin as she looked left and right. "Where?" She knew that it was a common announcement used when entering an arena what was already being used. However, out on the trail she would have expecting; coming up behind you, or on your left. Erica's words brought a ray of sunshine onto what had become a very dismal day for a ride. "You decided your horse needed a bath too?" She asked as she reined the Curly Horse to a halt and waited for her fellow squad member to join them.

She ducked her head, bringing her shoulders up to her ears, trying her best to stop the sudden downpour from going down the back of her shirt, to no avail though as the shirt she was wearing didn't have a collar. "I'm beginning to think that maybe I should have looked up the weather report before I headed out." Though she did know that freak storms - as this one seemed to be - came out of no-where and often weren't in the forecast.