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Description

Got first and grand champion!

Show: SlightlyMad's Second Annual All-Showjumping Show
Horse name: SEA He's The One
Rider's name: Oliver Chancey Trace
Class: Freejumping

Advertisement: Ongoing Showjumping Show Advertisement

Previous: Leap of Faith | SMS Showjumping Entry

--Story--
I suppose that Rush entering Neo into a freejumping competition when the stallion was nearing his seventh birthday and going onto his eighth showjumping show was more for shits and giggles than for anything else, although the guy hardly seemed to be in a pleasant mood the day of. He'd been able to chuckle about the whole thing leading up to the day for freejumping, even crack a few jokes of his own, but now all that had been chased away by what I could only describe as a thick, churning storm inside his head. Even though there was absolutely no reason whatsoever for him to be in a grouchy mood, he'd been able to find something to bitch about all morning since the moment he'd woken up. Or at least, so Joachim had muttered to Jesse. The weather that morning was wonderful in every way, without a cloud anywhere in sight and a soft, pleasant breeze breaking through what could otherwise have been stifling temperatures, but all Rush could do was grumble about how it was too humid and there were too many bugs whenever the wind died down. Then there was also the complaint that it was too busy, there were too many other things distracting him, and we'd been away from Sterlingwood for too long already.

Time eventually found the four of us – Jesse, Joachim, Rush, and me – in the shade of Neo's trulli, watching as Rush braided the stallion's mane with a small, semi-permanent scowl of concentration and moodiness etched onto his face, and none of us said anything to try and contradict his continuous complaining. It would be pointless.

“Hey, Joachim and I are going to go check out the arena again real quick and get something to drink. Don't go anywhere without us, yeah?” Jesse eventually said, probably once he and Joachim had gotten sick and tired of Rush's foul mood, and they walked out before I had a chance to protest that choice, waving a goodbye to us. Rush glared after them for a few moments then returned to his braids. A long, long silence ensued.

“Are you nervous?” I finally asked, taking a seat on the tack box while looking at him. He glanced up at me briefly.

“No, why would I be nervous.”

“I don't know, you're in such a bad mood I thought that might be it.”

“I'm not in a bad mood.”

“Don't lie to me, Jesus, it's plain as day that something's come up that's made you royally pissed off,” I muttered, shaking my head as I passed my hand through my hair and pulled it from its messy morning bun. I watched him quietly as I smoothed it back and tied it off again but he said nothing in response, barely even acknowledging I'd said something.

“You wanna' talk about what's wrong?” I finally offered, tilting my head, and although I knew full well that it was a dangerous question to ask I couldn't help myself.

“What, with you?” he scoffed, scowling deeper, but I didn't let it get to me.

“Yeah, with me. I'm the only one here right now and I'll listen to you. I might be the only one who will at this point, considering how big of a dick you've been pretty much this entire trip, so if you want to spew out the shit you've been storing up now's the time,” I sighed, leaning back agains the trulli's cool stone wall. Rush said nothing, though I could see him start to braid Neo's hair more violently as his jaw clenched. Gosh, there was so much wrong with this guy I wouldn't even know where to begin.

“Is it cause you're homesick?”

The ridiculing scoff I got in reply clearly told me I was wrong, although it didn't surprise me.

“You miss the horses?”

Wrong again.

“Did something happen between you and Joachim?”

For a moment he was silent and, to my shame, I felt my spirit rise briefly in hope that maybe, maybe they'd split and I could have my go. What a terrible person I am.

“Not really,” he finally sighed and I held my breath in anticipation as I saw his body relax a little, his shoulders releasing some of the tension they'd been gathering the entire morning. He said nothing more, however, and I spent a few moments debating how to break the settling silence.

“You... you're right though,” he suddenly started again, slowly, then he dropped his hands from Neo's manes and looked at me over the stallion's neck, “I have been a dick, not just this trip. I thought you'd leave because of it yet here you are, not going anywhere. You're a fucking idiot to stay, Witten.”

I wasn't sure where the words came from but I felt them sting like I'd just been slapped over the head a few times. Had he wanted me to leave all this time? Had all his grumpiness not just been tough love, but really a dislike for me in particular?

“Do you want me to leave then?” I finally asked him softly, my voice coming out less powerfully than I'd hoped it would because my throat was tightening and closing up. He returned to Neo's braids, his eyes leaving me, and I took that as a clear 'yes'. But what had I ever done wrong? Had I been too kind to him, worked too hard, been too good for the horses, and been too merry?

“No,” he sighed suddenly, snapping me from my thoughts as he shook his head, “I don't want you to leave, no.”

Whatever that meant.

“But what happened with you and Joachim?” I urged, trying to focus back in on the topic he seemed to be avoiding since I definitely didn't want to risk changing that answer, “Was it recent?”

“No,” he responded simply.

“If you don't talk about it it won't stop bugging you, you know. Are you feeling bad only because of that or only because o-.”

“Why have you got such a big crush on me, Darren?”

The question caught me by surprise, so much so that it left me stuttering for a few moments as I tried to come back with a good lie, telling him that he had it all wrong and that I wasn't even into guys, but the words refused to form and hung in the air like broken fragments of glass.

“I don't get it, first Joachim and now you... What of Earth do nice guys like the both of you see in a frustrated, moody asshole?” he puffed, shaking his head, and I immediately leapt up in defense of... well, him. Defending him from himself, never imagined that I'd end up doing that.

“I don't just see you as just that,” I told him surely, getting up to my feet as I stepped over closer and patted Neo's neck shiny neck, my eyes glued on him, “I mean, yeah, you are, but you're also fantastically talented, gentle and patient with the horses, creative, and ambitious.” There was a moment of silence that grew awkward very, very quickly as he peered at me.

“Uh...,” I started, wringing my hands together, “I uh-.”

“You forgot handsome. And smart,” a voice said from behind me and I cringed, clenching my jaw as my stomach dropped to my feet in horror. It was impossible not to recognize the heavy German accent, and I slowly looked over my shoulder. Joachim was walking in, his voice and eyes blazing with unmistakable jealousy, possessiveness, and anger. I said nothing.

“Could you give Rush and me have a private moment to talk?” he bit, glaring at me as he stepped past me and stopped beside Rush, who had silently returned to his final few braids in Neo's mane as he tried to ignore us.

“Uh, yeah, sure,” I nodded stupidly, turning around quickly and heading out of the stifling atmosphere settling like a blanket over the trulli. Jesse was standing outside, enjoying the sun and the cool, fresh breeze, and he looked over at me curiously with an eyebrow raised when I came out to join him, probably looking a bit rattled.

“What happened?”

“It.... I...,” I started, but I had no idea where to begin.

“I'm not feeling so great, gonna have a lie-down in the truck. I'll meet you guys at ten in the arena, alright?” I finally decided helplessly, not knowing how to start talking to him about everything that had just gone wrong. Jesse tilted his head, clearly confused as to what could have possibly happened while he'd been away, but he didn't try to stop me and within moments I was headed towards the truck at a brisk pace. Once I got there I opened the door and slowly lay down on the backseat, my legs hanging out the side since there was no way I'd be able to lie comfortably otherwise. I let out a low groan and a heavy sigh as I rubbed my forehead, finally getting the privacy to release some of the emotions starting to bubble at the surface of my mind. There was no way I'd ever be able to take this back, fix it, or even make up an excuse for it. It was a big, fat, stupid mistake that couldn't be corrected. I closed my eyes, sighing as I shifted around a bit to try and get comfortable, then I slowly watched the time on my watch tick away. Ten o'clock came and went. Ten fifteen, ten-thirty, ten forty-five, then eleven followed, and eventually I slowly slipped away into a weary dozy before midday had hit.
Word count: 1616

Next: A Moment to Talk - Extra Image

Artist's note: It took me so much effort to get back to this drawing again once I'd put it down for a little while - hence why it's a bit late. I think I could have made better use of lighting in this but I was already struggling enough with just getting the perspective to look alright, the textures on the walls, making the whole piece go together, etc. etc.... And lookit that ridiculous crowd, my first real attempt at drawing a proper crowd in a piece I've got a long road ahead of me.

Previous effort show experience
Taking it easy - 1st place and grand champion
Lost Confidence - SVI Schooling Show - 1st place and grand champion

Extra images

Other entry

Tools used: Intuos pen and touch and Medibang
Time: --
References
s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/7… (sketchy traced)
previews.123rf.com/images/smil…
thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/cracke…
hi.atgimg.com/img/x/14224/7439…
img1.etsystatic.com/173/0/1110…

Description

Got first and grand champion!

Show: SlightlyMad's Second Annual All-Showjumping Show
Horse name: SEA He's The One
Rider's name: Oliver Chancey Trace
Class: Freejumping

Advertisement: Ongoing Showjumping Show Advertisement

Previous: Leap of Faith | SMS Showjumping Entry

--Story--
I suppose that Rush entering Neo into a freejumping competition when the stallion was nearing his seventh birthday and going onto his eighth showjumping show was more for shits and giggles than for anything else, although the guy hardly seemed to be in a pleasant mood the day of. He'd been able to chuckle about the whole thing leading up to the day for freejumping, even crack a few jokes of his own, but now all that had been chased away by what I could only describe as a thick, churning storm inside his head. Even though there was absolutely no reason whatsoever for him to be in a grouchy mood, he'd been able to find something to bitch about all morning since the moment he'd woken up. Or at least, so Joachim had muttered to Jesse. The weather that morning was wonderful in every way, without a cloud anywhere in sight and a soft, pleasant breeze breaking through what could otherwise have been stifling temperatures, but all Rush could do was grumble about how it was too humid and there were too many bugs whenever the wind died down. Then there was also the complaint that it was too busy, there were too many other things distracting him, and we'd been away from Sterlingwood for too long already.

Time eventually found the four of us – Jesse, Joachim, Rush, and me – in the shade of Neo's trulli, watching as Rush braided the stallion's mane with a small, semi-permanent scowl of concentration and moodiness etched onto his face, and none of us said anything to try and contradict his continuous complaining. It would be pointless.

“Hey, Joachim and I are going to go check out the arena again real quick and get something to drink. Don't go anywhere without us, yeah?” Jesse eventually said, probably once he and Joachim had gotten sick and tired of Rush's foul mood, and they walked out before I had a chance to protest that choice, waving a goodbye to us. Rush glared after them for a few moments then returned to his braids. A long, long silence ensued.

“Are you nervous?” I finally asked, taking a seat on the tack box while looking at him. He glanced up at me briefly.

“No, why would I be nervous.”

“I don't know, you're in such a bad mood I thought that might be it.”

“I'm not in a bad mood.”

“Don't lie to me, Jesus, it's plain as day that something's come up that's made you royally pissed off,” I muttered, shaking my head as I passed my hand through my hair and pulled it from its messy morning bun. I watched him quietly as I smoothed it back and tied it off again but he said nothing in response, barely even acknowledging I'd said something.

“You wanna' talk about what's wrong?” I finally offered, tilting my head, and although I knew full well that it was a dangerous question to ask I couldn't help myself.

“What, with you?” he scoffed, scowling deeper, but I didn't let it get to me.

“Yeah, with me. I'm the only one here right now and I'll listen to you. I might be the only one who will at this point, considering how big of a dick you've been pretty much this entire trip, so if you want to spew out the shit you've been storing up now's the time,” I sighed, leaning back agains the trulli's cool stone wall. Rush said nothing, though I could see him start to braid Neo's hair more violently as his jaw clenched. Gosh, there was so much wrong with this guy I wouldn't even know where to begin.

“Is it cause you're homesick?”

The ridiculing scoff I got in reply clearly told me I was wrong, although it didn't surprise me.

“You miss the horses?”

Wrong again.

“Did something happen between you and Joachim?”

For a moment he was silent and, to my shame, I felt my spirit rise briefly in hope that maybe, maybe they'd split and I could have my go. What a terrible person I am.

“Not really,” he finally sighed and I held my breath in anticipation as I saw his body relax a little, his shoulders releasing some of the tension they'd been gathering the entire morning. He said nothing more, however, and I spent a few moments debating how to break the settling silence.

“You... you're right though,” he suddenly started again, slowly, then he dropped his hands from Neo's manes and looked at me over the stallion's neck, “I have been a dick, not just this trip. I thought you'd leave because of it yet here you are, not going anywhere. You're a fucking idiot to stay, Witten.”

I wasn't sure where the words came from but I felt them sting like I'd just been slapped over the head a few times. Had he wanted me to leave all this time? Had all his grumpiness not just been tough love, but really a dislike for me in particular?

“Do you want me to leave then?” I finally asked him softly, my voice coming out less powerfully than I'd hoped it would because my throat was tightening and closing up. He returned to Neo's braids, his eyes leaving me, and I took that as a clear 'yes'. But what had I ever done wrong? Had I been too kind to him, worked too hard, been too good for the horses, and been too merry?

“No,” he sighed suddenly, snapping me from my thoughts as he shook his head, “I don't want you to leave, no.”

Whatever that meant.

“But what happened with you and Joachim?” I urged, trying to focus back in on the topic he seemed to be avoiding since I definitely didn't want to risk changing that answer, “Was it recent?”

“No,” he responded simply.

“If you don't talk about it it won't stop bugging you, you know. Are you feeling bad only because of that or only because o-.”

“Why have you got such a big crush on me, Darren?”

The question caught me by surprise, so much so that it left me stuttering for a few moments as I tried to come back with a good lie, telling him that he had it all wrong and that I wasn't even into guys, but the words refused to form and hung in the air like broken fragments of glass.

“I don't get it, first Joachim and now you... What of Earth do nice guys like the both of you see in a frustrated, moody asshole?” he puffed, shaking his head, and I immediately leapt up in defense of... well, him. Defending him from himself, never imagined that I'd end up doing that.

“I don't just see you as just that,” I told him surely, getting up to my feet as I stepped over closer and patted Neo's neck shiny neck, my eyes glued on him, “I mean, yeah, you are, but you're also fantastically talented, gentle and patient with the horses, creative, and ambitious.” There was a moment of silence that grew awkward very, very quickly as he peered at me.

“Uh...,” I started, wringing my hands together, “I uh-.”

“You forgot handsome. And smart,” a voice said from behind me and I cringed, clenching my jaw as my stomach dropped to my feet in horror. It was impossible not to recognize the heavy German accent, and I slowly looked over my shoulder. Joachim was walking in, his voice and eyes blazing with unmistakable jealousy, possessiveness, and anger. I said nothing.

“Could you give Rush and me have a private moment to talk?” he bit, glaring at me as he stepped past me and stopped beside Rush, who had silently returned to his final few braids in Neo's mane as he tried to ignore us.

“Uh, yeah, sure,” I nodded stupidly, turning around quickly and heading out of the stifling atmosphere settling like a blanket over the trulli. Jesse was standing outside, enjoying the sun and the cool, fresh breeze, and he looked over at me curiously with an eyebrow raised when I came out to join him, probably looking a bit rattled.

“What happened?”

“It.... I...,” I started, but I had no idea where to begin.

“I'm not feeling so great, gonna have a lie-down in the truck. I'll meet you guys at ten in the arena, alright?” I finally decided helplessly, not knowing how to start talking to him about everything that had just gone wrong. Jesse tilted his head, clearly confused as to what could have possibly happened while he'd been away, but he didn't try to stop me and within moments I was headed towards the truck at a brisk pace. Once I got there I opened the door and slowly lay down on the backseat, my legs hanging out the side since there was no way I'd be able to lie comfortably otherwise. I let out a low groan and a heavy sigh as I rubbed my forehead, finally getting the privacy to release some of the emotions starting to bubble at the surface of my mind. There was no way I'd ever be able to take this back, fix it, or even make up an excuse for it. It was a big, fat, stupid mistake that couldn't be corrected. I closed my eyes, sighing as I shifted around a bit to try and get comfortable, then I slowly watched the time on my watch tick away. Ten o'clock came and went. Ten fifteen, ten-thirty, ten forty-five, then eleven followed, and eventually I slowly slipped away into a weary dozy before midday had hit.
Word count: 1616

Next: A Moment to Talk - Extra Image

Artist's note: It took me so much effort to get back to this drawing again once I'd put it down for a little while - hence why it's a bit late. I think I could have made better use of lighting in this but I was already struggling enough with just getting the perspective to look alright, the textures on the walls, making the whole piece go together, etc. etc.... And lookit that ridiculous crowd, my first real attempt at drawing a proper crowd in a piece I've got a long road ahead of me.

Previous effort show experience
Taking it easy - 1st place and grand champion
Lost Confidence - SVI Schooling Show - 1st place and grand champion

Extra images

Other entry

Tools used: Intuos pen and touch and Medibang
Time: --
References
s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/7… (sketchy traced)
previews.123rf.com/images/smil…
thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/cracke…
hi.atgimg.com/img/x/14224/7439…
img1.etsystatic.com/173/0/1110…