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Description

Rosewood Rider Swap Clinic

Featuring:

Day 5
Show Day: 2:00pm - Working cow horse and campdrafting
-Starts in the far arena by the guest barn.

Horse: Acta Non Verba

Rider: Sydney Brannon
Clinics Prior:
First Level Dressage
Novice Show Jumping
Endurance

Rosewood Rider Swap Clinic [RESULTS] - 1st Place

Sydney looked out over the dark tipped ears as they flicked back and forth. Forward at the small furry creatures staring back at them. Back, waiting for the rider on her back to make a call. They had worked around these small creatures the day before and Maisie had gotten a little used to the sight of them: cattle. Younger calves and not the bulls or heifers. Maisie wasn't completely sure she was comfortable around them as she had only seen them from a distance before but the man had a strange calmness around them like they were no different than a flock of birds scouring manure piles. With that, Maisie hadn't found a reason to be afraid of them. Cautious but not scared.
Her ears flipped back as Sydney tapped his heels on her side. He had made his choice from the herd of cattle. The one he thought would suit Maisie. One that would react to a horse but wouldn't bolt. Maisie didn't have the cow sense for one that needed pushing. But she was nimble enough, she could keep up with one that moved and didn't pull pranks like hopping or bucking or darting another direction. A solid black one, that was the one for her.
His confidence bled into Maisie through the saddle, watering any of her nerves down. Sydney wasn't going to treat her like a baby. She wasn't some toddler that needed baby-talk. Firm, calm, confident handling. Humans called it trust. Sydney didn't like to use emotional terms like "trust" or "bond". There wasn't a word to sugarcoat "survival".
Sydney didn't believe in rubbing human emotions on a horse. She didn't need love or friendship. She didn't know what hate or anger was. It wasn't fair to a horse to assume they knew these feelings as humans did. To be so selfish as believing a horse "loved" someone when they really just understood where the food and shelter came from. A good leader was "respected" but not "loved".
Equally so, when Maisie gave a cautious snort to the herd of cattle around her, it wasn't "dislike". She merely had a lapse in believing the human on her back would keep her alive. A quick check with the reins reminded her differently as Sydney pointed her towards the black calf, peeling it from the herd.
Setting aside these human emotions, made Sydney the successful trainer he was. He could assess the situation for what it really was and not muddle the black and white. Hell, it really made his job look easy when he tried to explain it. 'Obey and you don't die.' Something a horse could understand in plain terms. That was the foundation, anyway.
Every stride Maisie took alongside that cow, leading it around the cones, was another step she took into believing the body language of the human she had learned over the past few days. The man didn't stir or make a fuss out of anything and therefore, Maisie's calm demeanor followed suit. Sure, she didn't want to get too close to the cow but she kept one ear flipped back on the man just in case she needed guidance. Obey and don't die. She was all about that as a horse.
(incoming raw feelings following: Bad Boys, Bad Boys )
Only humans had to be trapped by such emotions; complicating and making life harder. Weighed down by the ability to think ahead and access decisions. Not knowing how one's feelings might be affected by one's actions. Not knowing how someone else may feel because humans had learned to hide, mask, and shield emotions like a lame horse feigning pain for survival. Sydney damn-well knew he was stoic and as reserved as they came. He was that horse with a leg blown off but carried on as if nothing was wrong; don't show weakness.
Not as a leader.
He couldn't. Wouldn't.
But he couldn't see the chains around others. He felt his own, tearing at him, making the wounds raw and infected with bitter resentment. The viscous cycle ripped at his legs - he couldn't show his pain but wondered if he hurt someone else. Were they hiding it too? Bitter, disgusting, revolting hate and anger ate away as these emotions were shoved down deeper and deeper, taking hold of his heart.
He had to cut that part out before the rot spread. That love had been tainted and spoiled. It wasn't worth dying over. Maybe at one point, Sydney thought it had been worth killing for. But pure, honesty had been his salvation from a huge mistake. Damn that innocent, pure nun; Jarin Jackson . He'd never survive. Not without proper guidance.
He had to end the hurt.
What good was a leader that was doomed to die? The bitter mockery rang in his ears; hot, vile distaste and humiliation pooled in the back of his throat. His brow furrowed...
Humans. Why couldn't they be as simple as guiding a horse around a cow? He gave Maisie a firm pat on the neck as they finished the pattern and the little black calf romped back over the the herd. Maisie was a survivor. She was smart and adaptable. Sydney admired that. If only he could do the same, maybe he'd have a shot at survival.

(874 word count)

Previous: | Next: End.

WOW. That story got dank. A peek into what makes Sydney tick.
I don't kid when I say he's one of my most complicated characters. Proof that he is human and he does have feelings! :''D He is capable of thinking of others but...it's complicated. Emotions are at a boil!
Aside from Syd's wounds...WAAAH DIGITAL ART! <3 OMG <3 It's been so long xD I've been so hyped to get this piece finished for so long now!! Truly something that made me smile <3 Sydney in his comfort zone on a pretty pony <3
So I did some intentional story building here and I hope it show in the art! Watching the gradual process here:
> > >
I wanted to bring more and more of the background out, just a little more each time! From a drab blank canvas to life and energy as Sydney came to terms with what has been hurting him so much! :''D My bearded boyo has been cast into the light~ Still an asshat but like...an asshat that knows he's an asshat? Wait...does that make it better? Or worse? x''''D

And a big thank you tee-tree for allowing the big guy on your lovely mare :''D I shall miss her <'3

Sydney/Jarin/Art © Drasayer
Maisie © tee-tree
No specific refs used for pony and rider.
Background aesthetics provided on show journal. © f-rws

SAI/Photoshop CS6

Description

Rosewood Rider Swap Clinic

Featuring:

Day 5
Show Day: 2:00pm - Working cow horse and campdrafting
-Starts in the far arena by the guest barn.

Horse: Acta Non Verba

Rider: Sydney Brannon
Clinics Prior:
First Level Dressage
Novice Show Jumping
Endurance

Rosewood Rider Swap Clinic [RESULTS] - 1st Place

Sydney looked out over the dark tipped ears as they flicked back and forth. Forward at the small furry creatures staring back at them. Back, waiting for the rider on her back to make a call. They had worked around these small creatures the day before and Maisie had gotten a little used to the sight of them: cattle. Younger calves and not the bulls or heifers. Maisie wasn't completely sure she was comfortable around them as she had only seen them from a distance before but the man had a strange calmness around them like they were no different than a flock of birds scouring manure piles. With that, Maisie hadn't found a reason to be afraid of them. Cautious but not scared.
Her ears flipped back as Sydney tapped his heels on her side. He had made his choice from the herd of cattle. The one he thought would suit Maisie. One that would react to a horse but wouldn't bolt. Maisie didn't have the cow sense for one that needed pushing. But she was nimble enough, she could keep up with one that moved and didn't pull pranks like hopping or bucking or darting another direction. A solid black one, that was the one for her.
His confidence bled into Maisie through the saddle, watering any of her nerves down. Sydney wasn't going to treat her like a baby. She wasn't some toddler that needed baby-talk. Firm, calm, confident handling. Humans called it trust. Sydney didn't like to use emotional terms like "trust" or "bond". There wasn't a word to sugarcoat "survival".
Sydney didn't believe in rubbing human emotions on a horse. She didn't need love or friendship. She didn't know what hate or anger was. It wasn't fair to a horse to assume they knew these feelings as humans did. To be so selfish as believing a horse "loved" someone when they really just understood where the food and shelter came from. A good leader was "respected" but not "loved".
Equally so, when Maisie gave a cautious snort to the herd of cattle around her, it wasn't "dislike". She merely had a lapse in believing the human on her back would keep her alive. A quick check with the reins reminded her differently as Sydney pointed her towards the black calf, peeling it from the herd.
Setting aside these human emotions, made Sydney the successful trainer he was. He could assess the situation for what it really was and not muddle the black and white. Hell, it really made his job look easy when he tried to explain it. 'Obey and you don't die.' Something a horse could understand in plain terms. That was the foundation, anyway.
Every stride Maisie took alongside that cow, leading it around the cones, was another step she took into believing the body language of the human she had learned over the past few days. The man didn't stir or make a fuss out of anything and therefore, Maisie's calm demeanor followed suit. Sure, she didn't want to get too close to the cow but she kept one ear flipped back on the man just in case she needed guidance. Obey and don't die. She was all about that as a horse.
(incoming raw feelings following: Bad Boys, Bad Boys )
Only humans had to be trapped by such emotions; complicating and making life harder. Weighed down by the ability to think ahead and access decisions. Not knowing how one's feelings might be affected by one's actions. Not knowing how someone else may feel because humans had learned to hide, mask, and shield emotions like a lame horse feigning pain for survival. Sydney damn-well knew he was stoic and as reserved as they came. He was that horse with a leg blown off but carried on as if nothing was wrong; don't show weakness.
Not as a leader.
He couldn't. Wouldn't.
But he couldn't see the chains around others. He felt his own, tearing at him, making the wounds raw and infected with bitter resentment. The viscous cycle ripped at his legs - he couldn't show his pain but wondered if he hurt someone else. Were they hiding it too? Bitter, disgusting, revolting hate and anger ate away as these emotions were shoved down deeper and deeper, taking hold of his heart.
He had to cut that part out before the rot spread. That love had been tainted and spoiled. It wasn't worth dying over. Maybe at one point, Sydney thought it had been worth killing for. But pure, honesty had been his salvation from a huge mistake. Damn that innocent, pure nun; Jarin Jackson . He'd never survive. Not without proper guidance.
He had to end the hurt.
What good was a leader that was doomed to die? The bitter mockery rang in his ears; hot, vile distaste and humiliation pooled in the back of his throat. His brow furrowed...
Humans. Why couldn't they be as simple as guiding a horse around a cow? He gave Maisie a firm pat on the neck as they finished the pattern and the little black calf romped back over the the herd. Maisie was a survivor. She was smart and adaptable. Sydney admired that. If only he could do the same, maybe he'd have a shot at survival.

(874 word count)

Previous: | Next: End.

WOW. That story got dank. A peek into what makes Sydney tick.
I don't kid when I say he's one of my most complicated characters. Proof that he is human and he does have feelings! :''D He is capable of thinking of others but...it's complicated. Emotions are at a boil!
Aside from Syd's wounds...WAAAH DIGITAL ART! <3 OMG <3 It's been so long xD I've been so hyped to get this piece finished for so long now!! Truly something that made me smile <3 Sydney in his comfort zone on a pretty pony <3
So I did some intentional story building here and I hope it show in the art! Watching the gradual process here:
> > >
I wanted to bring more and more of the background out, just a little more each time! From a drab blank canvas to life and energy as Sydney came to terms with what has been hurting him so much! :''D My bearded boyo has been cast into the light~ Still an asshat but like...an asshat that knows he's an asshat? Wait...does that make it better? Or worse? x''''D

And a big thank you tee-tree for allowing the big guy on your lovely mare :''D I shall miss her <'3

Sydney/Jarin/Art © Drasayer
Maisie © tee-tree
No specific refs used for pony and rider.
Background aesthetics provided on show journal. © f-rws

SAI/Photoshop CS6