Blue Ridge is a fictional town located deep in the heart of Kentucky. It is home to one of the most well known equestrian academies in the United States. Students and staff from all over the world join the academy for what it has to offer. Do you have what it takes to join us and learn from the Academy?
Smilys were made by Sapphire Heaven of LiveJournal.
The mini-profile hover follows a tutorial by Kagney of Adoxography.
Photos in the skin used under CC from Flickr.
Enter at A in working trot + proceed to X. Salute.
Proceed to C in working trot. Track left
HXF Change rein. Show medium trot.
A Down centre line. Show extended trot.
C Halt immobile. Rein back 3-5 steps; proceed medium walk
HXF Free walk on long rein.
F Medium walk.
A Working canter right. Circle right 15m
E Circle right 20m. Show medium canter.
EH Working canter
H Half circle right returning track b/w E/K
EK Show counter canter
KA Show extended trot
A Working trot down centre line.
X Halt. Salute.
X Leave arena medium walk.
Entries
* Andrea Valentine - Flash of Onyx * Chase Valentine - Tiger Baby * Tara Macmillan - Genevieve's Saint * Katherine Lorelia - McGinty's Pride of Place * Lucy Woodhaven - Darkest Raven * Liana Smith - Leil Al Shaqab * Ivan Mallon - McGinty's Sage Advice * Cara-Jean Kitchi - Night Mystique * Finn Paquet - Père Temps * Kall Rolleston - Mr Nice Guy * Victoria Greco - Cosa Nostra
Post by Tara Macmillan on Aug 20, 2017 14:21:37 GMT -8
Tara was not the kind of girl to get nervous over something as silly as a school show. She told herself this repeatedly while she tacked Jenny up, and was entirely unsurprised to find that this didn't make the slightest bit of difference whatsoever. Her hands still shook as she fastened the mare's girth, and the blue-eyed blonde took a deep breath as she closed her eyes for a moment. "Let's go get 'em." she murmured softly to the mare.
As she rode up to the arena preparatory to beginning the test, the girl knew she looked good. Her navy blue jacket contrasted nicely with her cream gloves, jodhpurs and shirt and her brown leather boots were immaculate. Her long blonde hair was tied up in a bun which was beyond reproach, and her hat matched her jacket. She looked the part. The question was whether she could act it. And she was about to find out.
Tara nudged Jenny forwards into an active trot and moved towards the very centre of the arena, where she reined to a stop, wincing as the mare continued for half a stride before halting. Her eyes found the judges and cream coloured silk met white skin as she saluted. The blonde allowed half a second of silence to pass before she urged the mare back into the prescribed working trot, continuing down the centre line towards where the letter C marker stood, then went onto the track on the left rein, pushing the warmblood out into the corner as she went around to give herself more time before coming in across the school at H and altering her speed to a medium trot.
The duo emerged on the other side at the letter F and turned right. Tara sighed inwardly, knowing that this was the boring bit, as they moved down the long side and round again to the letter A, the blonde having to hold her horse back to prevent her from breaking into the extended trot which she was finally permitted to assume as they took a right down the centre line. Once more, the pair halted at the centre of the arena, the blonde heaving an inward sigh of relief as she realised that they really were dead centre this time, before she reined the mare back- achieving the perfect medium, much to her delight; four steps- and then urged her forward into a more relaxed medium walk, although she still didn't allow her contact to drop.
Tara nearly turned right for a second or two at the C end of the line before suddenly remembering that she was supposed to be going the other way and tightening her left rein, rather to the confusion of the mare. She recovered well enough, though, and continued to the letter H, where the two once again turned across the arena. Tara lengthened her reins, awkward as it felt, and continued in a very relaxed walk, although she tried to keep the mare moving so that it wouldn't be too much of a shock when they had to speed up- which happened rather suddenly. A medium walk at F and the blonde gathered up her reins and sat deeper into the saddle as they proceeded up the long side once more, the time taken feeling far longer than it should. Finally, they reached A, and the blonde urged the mare on suddenly into a canter, sighing slightly when it took one or two more strides of trot than was ideal to reach the correct speed.
She eyed the markers keenly, calculating distances furiously in her head as she kept a gentle pressure on one rein and the opposite leg to complete a circle of roughly the correct size- she hoped, since she couldn't see it. Tara and Jenny reached A, and the blonde pushed her mount on to a medium canter, in which she completed a twenty metre circle with rather more confidence than she had the fifteen, since it was a far more common distance in riding. As she returned to the start point, the New York girl slowed once more to a working canter and cut across from E to H. Now, she reflected with some trepidation, came the difficult bit.
Having reached the track at H, she immediately left it again to complete a half circle, the end point of which was between E and K, though rather closer to K than it was to E, she noted with some concern. Tara turned rather more sharply than she would have liked and pushed Jenny into a counter canter, riding it out until she reached the K marker, at which point she allowed the mare to drop into an extended trot. She struggled a little to maintain it all the way up to A but she managed it, knowing that the end was in sight as she turned down the centre line yet again, dropping once more into a working trot and finally allowing the warmblood to halt at the centre point. Hot, flushed, glowing, the blonde saluted. Thank God. She'd done it.
Post by Lucy Woodhaven on Aug 20, 2017 18:19:49 GMT -8
Lucy finished grooming the mare for the second time that day. Then she tightened the girth agian. White pad and a black saddle traditional dressage tack. Lucy lead her out and mounted near the ring gate. She didn't watch the rider before her just silantly walked through her test in her head over and over.
When the time came she put the mare into a working trot. She found her balance. She headed for a x. She halted square but the mares head flung up as she saluted. Lucy didn't pay any mind to it through.
Lucy asked her to step back into a working trot. The mare went out into it softly on the bit. At H she started to F as she slightly changed her mare pace. She let her extand her stride down the center line.
At c she asked the mare to halt. They where square. Now for the back. She tried her best to keep her straight in the back. She pushed her up into an medium walk.
She let the reins out for the free walk. The mare streached down and out just like she was supposed too that was a shock. At F she gathered up the reins and picked up a medium walk.
At A the mare moved up into an canter. She held her up and collected as they started the circle it seemed a little big but that would have to do. She give her a little more rein as they moved out into the next circle.It seemed more the right shape. At E he moved her back into a working canter.
At H she started her half circle. The mare tried to pick up more speed but Lucy held her under hand. She asked the mare to switch lead witch she fought but Lucy manged to get it. At K she fought the mare down to a extanded trot.
At A she moved into a working trot. Then she went down the center line. At x she fought her down to a halt. Then she dropped the rein and saluted. She headed out of the ring at a medium walk.
Lucy jumped off feeling OK with how the round went. She knew it wasn't the mares best phase of the event? She lead her into the barn to untack her.
Post by Victoria Greco on Aug 20, 2017 20:08:41 GMT -8
Tori wasn't sure how to feel about her first show at Blue Ridge, though from the excitement that flowed through her, she had no choice but to feel excited. She had scrubbed her bay mare within an inch of her life and though it had taken her three tries before she was happy with the braids, she loved the way Stella looked as she led her out of the barn and toward the arenas for the show, tacked up in her dressage gear.
When their number was called, she rode the mare toward the arena they were directed to and walked her around the outside as they waited for the bell. As the rider before them left, she asked for a trot and asked for a working trot as the bell sounded and they entered the arena and proceeded to X where she asked for a halt and dropped her left hand for a salute and took the reins up again as she asked for a trot as they approached the judges and tracked left.
The first half of the test went really well, even when Stella was confused when she was asked to halt and then back up, after the twenty meter circle though, Tori's mind went blank and she licked her lips as she kept the mare as a canter. A stride after H everything slotted back into place and the girl quickly sorted herself out, asking for a half circle to the right, albeit a little squished, and got back onto track (literally).
She was all too pleased as they trotted down the centre line for the final time to halt at X and saluted the judges with a bright smile before she squeezed the mare forward and they left the arena. She leaned forward and hugged Stella as they rode back to the barn where she needed to change the mare's saddle and find her all-purpose boots.
Last Edit: Aug 20, 2017 20:09:14 GMT -8 by Victoria Greco
Post by Kallistos Rolleston on Aug 20, 2017 20:25:42 GMT -8
As he got the black Hanoverian ready to be ridden, Kall tried to work out why he had decided that this was going to be his debut show on the new horse, when logic would say that he should be riding Cue, but it was too late to change that now and he finished the prep work on the black horse. He knew his own show clothes were a little lax compared to the other students, but his breeches were clean, as was the shirt and tie he was wearing. All he didn't have was a flashy jacket, which he put down to filling out a little from working out over the summer.
He nodded, loving the white on black on the gelding and mounted up as he guided the horse over to the arenas and they walked around quietly as they waited for their number to be called. "Easy, boy." He breathed as Jett danced to the side, reacting to the boy's nervous energy. The fact that he was nervous was almost laughable, as he had no problem standing in the middle of a football field cheering his heart out, yet a horse show had him wondering if breakfast had really been a good idea.
He trotted his gelding into the arena when it was their turn and almost shot out of the saddle when the horse halted as soon as he was asked, and he turned the awkwardness into the salute, trying to make it look as though it was supposed to happen that way, mentally reminding himself that the horse could stop on a dime, not just turn on one, and they trotted forward again before tracking left.
While not even a complete hand separated his two horses, Jett seemed to eat up the ground a lot faster than his shorter horse, so he had to keep the gelding in check when he asked for an extended trot, and he had to make sure that he was always one step ahead of the horse, as he seemed a lot more responsive when in competition-mode, than when they were just working in the arena.
Their circles could have been a little rounder, but they were all on point and Kall was grinning from ear to ear as they trotted down the centre line, the halt much cleaner this time before the boy saluted to the judges and squeezed the horse forward to ride around and exit the arena, please with their performance.
Post by Fionn Paquet on Aug 20, 2017 22:56:09 GMT -8
Finn often wondered if competing on horses could work against him in the scheme of things, but it seemed to be the one activity that wasn't gymnastics that his father approved of, thus why he was getting the large chestnut ready to for the dressage arena. And that was the exact reason that he had resented the arrival of the Selle Français until before the beginning of summer. He stepped back as he assessed the navy, lime and gold shark's tooth browband and nodded as he approved of the way he looked on the havana brown snaffle bridle "Even if we crash and burn, at least you'll look like a million dollars doing it." Of course, a comment he wouldn't use before a jumping course, and with a pat, he led the gelding out of the barn and mounted up to ride him toward the arenas.
It was too soon before they were called and he walked the gelding around the outside of the arena, asking him to trot and as soon as the bell sounded, he asked or a working trot and they entered the arena, making sure to keep his line as straight as possible before he cued the gelding to halt and dropped his hand in a salute before taking up the reins again, squeezed the horse forward and tracked left at C.
The test was going really well, until the gelding decided to show just how stroppy he could be and refused to counter canter, doing a flying change every time he was given the cue, so Finn gave up and went into the next pattern as they reached K. After that everything went well, and Finn released a stressed breath as they rode down the centreline and saluted as they halted a X, before leaving the arena. "Brat." He chuckled as he patted the horse's neck.
Post by Cara-Jean Kitchi on Aug 20, 2017 23:18:09 GMT -8
Cara released an exasperated breath as she rubbed her temples. She hated showing, she hated what the nerves of showing did to her, but, she also knew that she would feel that it was required of her, so she would always sign up. Showing was also a great experience for her ponies, which was the main reason that she did it. She shook her head and soldiered on as she finished getting pyre ready for the dressage arena, methodically going through each of the motions until the pretty pony was ready to go. With a smile she adjusted the red and silver browband and hurried into the tackroom to finish getting herself ready.
Once she was in she show gear, she had her game face on, and she clipped her showing helmet under her chin and led the mare outside and then they walked to the arenas, where she tightened the girth and vaulted into the saddle, not even caring that it was a show and she should be mounting properly. She spent her time working on getting the mare soft and supple and when their number was called, she was ready for this, she rode the mare forward, and in a working trot, they entered the arena at A and proceeded to halt at X.
Dressage wasn't the mare's strong point, yet Cara knew that Pyre was doing the best she could to keep up with each instruction she was given, and Cara made sure to give the mare clear commands, and didn't give her too many at once as she didn't want to confuse the Merens Pony and make this a negative experience. She smiled as the mare's circles were almost perfect, and the counter canter went well, laughing softly as the mare threw in a flying change at the perfect place and then it was all over as they trotted toward the judges, and halting at X, she took the reins in her right hand, dropped her left to her side and bowed her head. Drawing in a deep breath, she released it and squeezed the mare forward before they exited the arena.
Post by Liana Mars on Aug 23, 2017 14:44:50 GMT -8
Liana patted Leil's neck after she'd put the last rubber band in the gelding's mane, "I know. Now you're handsome." She smiled slightly as the gelding snorted, as if to say he was always handsome, and then turned around to grab the tack she'd brought out on a saddle rack. She flipped the white saddle pad over Leil's back and then, once it was smooth, the black dressage saddle. Boring, maybe, but she had to admit it looked spiffy. She left the gelding in his halter and took off her jacket and stepped out of her track pants, which had been protecting her own attire. A helmet on top, and then she bridled the gelding and led him out to the warmup arena.
After a good warmup, Liana brought the gelding over to the arena and watched Cara finishing her ride. The girl's black pony was too scruffy. Seriously, that girl needed to look into a well-bred mount for once. As the pair left the arena, though, they ceased to exist in Liana's mind, and she trotted Leil at the outside of the arena, waiting for the bell that allowed her to enter.
They trotted into the arena once that signal was given, stopping at the center to snap off a salute. At a nod from the judge, they went back to a working trot, turned left, and then demonstrated a medium trot. Liana was glad she'd chosen to keep Leil, and left Dyrim behind. This horse could just offer so much more, and he was far better status-wise as well. Nobody could take a girl riding a pony seriously at the higher levels.
Before too long, they were once again halted in the middle of the arena, a good, solid ride behind them, and Liana saluted one last time.
Post by Katherine Lorelia on Aug 24, 2017 1:59:08 GMT -8
Kitty finally finished grooming and dropped her brush unceremoniously back into the box. Grooming could be quite relaxing normally, but before a show it was just stressful, and Kitty didn't like being stressed... which made her wonder why she'd signed up for the competition in the first place. Ah, well, it was too late now. She speedily plaited a few ribbons into Pride's mane and stepped back to admire the effect. Finally, the blonde nodded to herself, took the saddle from where it hung over the door and slung it over the gelding's back in a well practised movement. The bridle took a little longer, although not much, and then she was ready. Out they went to the arena. The blonde smiled and nodded to the girl coming out, then took a deep breath and rode into the arena. She halted dead centre and saluted. And then she began. Working trot, medium trot, extended trot... Pride was certainly being put through his paces today. Then halt, walk... So it went on, until finally, the blonde was reining to a halt at X once again. She saluted and exhaled, grinning. They'd done it.