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Description
Show: Windswept's 2023 Opening Bash
Horse: 1715 SDE Blinded By The Sun
Rider: Faye Barlow
Extra: Vet Check

Loshenka XP Breakdown
Art: 9 (fullbody) + 4 (full background) + 2 (full shading) + 2 (rider) + 3 (effort show entry) = 20xp
Lit: 10 (base xp) + 2 (handler) = 12 xp
Total XP: 20 + 12 = 22xp

Word Count: 1004

~~~

Faye’s hands shook as she did up the buttons on her navy show coat. Her boots and helmet were already on so her coat was the last step before she was ready. Ele had ushered her away moments prior before she managed to pace a track next to the stall where they were tacking up Helios. It had already been a long standing rule that Faye was not allowed to interfere when Ele was tacking him up for a show but she was considering not even letting Faye watch from now on.

Faye finished up the buttons on her coat, straightened her collar and took a deep breath. She was in the public bathroom, the sound of the announcer calling out riders over the speaker filling the silence.

One deep breath, two, three. And she pushed the door open. The dull glow of the overhead lights in the barn illuminated the dark aisle, the snow had finally picked up and was leaving the world outside blurry. The aisleway was a crowded mess as the riders all hustled to get their horses ready and over to the arena.

Windswept Acres Equestrian Center, the host of the show, had expansive grounds that spread over the backwoods of North Texas and although they had an impressive indoor arena, there was only standing room for one or two riders before their rounds. This meant there were riders hurrying to get over and out of the snow before their show jumping round.

“Faye! Get over here!” Ele called from the other side of the stables. The sound of her friend’s shout snapped her out of her daze and sent Faye sprinting down the aisle.

Niamh burst out of the stall just as she neared, “We need to get you over to the arena, there's just two more riders and you’re in!”

Faye swallowed thickly and glanced over to Helios. His golden coat was glowing under the artificial lights and his tack had been oiled to perfection. He looked every bit the gentleman, as long as you ignored the anxious dancing while he jogged in place.

“Toss this coat over your show jacket and we’ll head over,” Niamh muttered, handing Faye a bright pink raincoat. After a brief, unimpressed glance she pulled her arms through the sleeves and gave Helios a quick pat on the nose. Faye grabbed his reins from the open hand of Ele and led the way over to the barn entrance closest to the indoor arena.

“Be a good boy today, eh?” Faye murmured under her breath to the stallion as they wove through the crowded hall. Normally she wouldn’t be this anxious for something as simple as a showjumping round but this was their first time competing in the 1.30s and the tension was high.

She kept her head down as they squeezed through the last of the crowd, studiously avoiding the watchful eyes of the various competitors, some of which Faye recognized from the Lakeside Bonfire the previous night. But there was no time to play catch up, now was the time for her to get her head in the game.

Ele’s took the opposite approach as they walked past the group. Ele, ever the social butterfly, was waving and smiling as they passed familiar faces.

Faye tugged on Helios’s reins as they reached the exit “Easy bud.” The young stallion was being surprisingly well behaved considering the number of mares and other horses squeezing past in a rush and entering his bubble but she still wanted to get out of the way as soon as possible.

“I’ll hold him, you give her a leg up,” Niamh ordered as they lined Helios up under the overhang. Ele nodded and bounced Faye easily up into the saddle. Once Faye shifted and got comfortable in her saddle a quarter sheet was placed, meant to cover Helios’s hindquarters from the worst of the snow as they made the trek over to the indoor arena. The distance wasn’t far but the snow had picked up to a proper pelt now.

“Alright, let’s go,” Faye grumbled as they braved their way into the snowy outdoors.

~~~

“Yuck, I am not looking forward to making that march back over after your round.” Ele muttered as she took Faye’s raincoat. “Remind me again why we decided to go to a show in Texas in the middle of winter?”

“Because it was the only show that offered higher classes and we wanted to bump Helios up to the 1.30s before the spring show season.” Faye retorted.

Ele just glared back in response.

“Okay girls, there’s just one more rider before you’re up so I’d get him at least walking.” Niamh commended, slipping into her trainer persona. The girl nodded and squeezed Helios up into a brisk walk, getting him to stretch and respond to the leg pressure. Due to the snow there wasn’t much room for anyone to properly warm up so they were confined to a sliver of the indoor that had been sectioned off.

After a brief cue Helios sprung into his usual expressive trot as they wove some serpentines.

“Good boy.” Faye crooned under her breath as the stallion listened intently to her every request. Finally after bringing him back down to the walk she circled back over to where Niamh and Ele leaned against the fence.

“He’s feeling great, I think the few extra days we’ve been here really helped him settle in.” Faye smiled.

Niamh nodded, “That’s good, remember to let him pick the strides. If you micromanage him he’ll get all worked up and you’ll clobber the jumps.”

Faye sighed and nodded. This is your first 1.30m jump course, don’t get nervous and botch it! She scolded herself.

She didn’t have much longer to ponder it before the speaker crackled to life again, “Next in the arena is Faye Barlow on SDE Blinded By The Sun!”

Faye took one last deep breath before giving the horse beneath her a quick squeeze, “Let’s go bud.”

~~~

Description
Show: Windswept's 2023 Opening Bash
Horse: 1715 SDE Blinded By The Sun
Rider: Faye Barlow
Extra: Vet Check

Loshenka XP Breakdown
Art: 9 (fullbody) + 4 (full background) + 2 (full shading) + 2 (rider) + 3 (effort show entry) = 20xp
Lit: 10 (base xp) + 2 (handler) = 12 xp
Total XP: 20 + 12 = 22xp

Word Count: 1004

~~~

Faye’s hands shook as she did up the buttons on her navy show coat. Her boots and helmet were already on so her coat was the last step before she was ready. Ele had ushered her away moments prior before she managed to pace a track next to the stall where they were tacking up Helios. It had already been a long standing rule that Faye was not allowed to interfere when Ele was tacking him up for a show but she was considering not even letting Faye watch from now on.

Faye finished up the buttons on her coat, straightened her collar and took a deep breath. She was in the public bathroom, the sound of the announcer calling out riders over the speaker filling the silence.

One deep breath, two, three. And she pushed the door open. The dull glow of the overhead lights in the barn illuminated the dark aisle, the snow had finally picked up and was leaving the world outside blurry. The aisleway was a crowded mess as the riders all hustled to get their horses ready and over to the arena.

Windswept Acres Equestrian Center, the host of the show, had expansive grounds that spread over the backwoods of North Texas and although they had an impressive indoor arena, there was only standing room for one or two riders before their rounds. This meant there were riders hurrying to get over and out of the snow before their show jumping round.

“Faye! Get over here!” Ele called from the other side of the stables. The sound of her friend’s shout snapped her out of her daze and sent Faye sprinting down the aisle.

Niamh burst out of the stall just as she neared, “We need to get you over to the arena, there's just two more riders and you’re in!”

Faye swallowed thickly and glanced over to Helios. His golden coat was glowing under the artificial lights and his tack had been oiled to perfection. He looked every bit the gentleman, as long as you ignored the anxious dancing while he jogged in place.

“Toss this coat over your show jacket and we’ll head over,” Niamh muttered, handing Faye a bright pink raincoat. After a brief, unimpressed glance she pulled her arms through the sleeves and gave Helios a quick pat on the nose. Faye grabbed his reins from the open hand of Ele and led the way over to the barn entrance closest to the indoor arena.

“Be a good boy today, eh?” Faye murmured under her breath to the stallion as they wove through the crowded hall. Normally she wouldn’t be this anxious for something as simple as a showjumping round but this was their first time competing in the 1.30s and the tension was high.

She kept her head down as they squeezed through the last of the crowd, studiously avoiding the watchful eyes of the various competitors, some of which Faye recognized from the Lakeside Bonfire the previous night. But there was no time to play catch up, now was the time for her to get her head in the game.

Ele’s took the opposite approach as they walked past the group. Ele, ever the social butterfly, was waving and smiling as they passed familiar faces.

Faye tugged on Helios’s reins as they reached the exit “Easy bud.” The young stallion was being surprisingly well behaved considering the number of mares and other horses squeezing past in a rush and entering his bubble but she still wanted to get out of the way as soon as possible.

“I’ll hold him, you give her a leg up,” Niamh ordered as they lined Helios up under the overhang. Ele nodded and bounced Faye easily up into the saddle. Once Faye shifted and got comfortable in her saddle a quarter sheet was placed, meant to cover Helios’s hindquarters from the worst of the snow as they made the trek over to the indoor arena. The distance wasn’t far but the snow had picked up to a proper pelt now.

“Alright, let’s go,” Faye grumbled as they braved their way into the snowy outdoors.

~~~

“Yuck, I am not looking forward to making that march back over after your round.” Ele muttered as she took Faye’s raincoat. “Remind me again why we decided to go to a show in Texas in the middle of winter?”

“Because it was the only show that offered higher classes and we wanted to bump Helios up to the 1.30s before the spring show season.” Faye retorted.

Ele just glared back in response.

“Okay girls, there’s just one more rider before you’re up so I’d get him at least walking.” Niamh commended, slipping into her trainer persona. The girl nodded and squeezed Helios up into a brisk walk, getting him to stretch and respond to the leg pressure. Due to the snow there wasn’t much room for anyone to properly warm up so they were confined to a sliver of the indoor that had been sectioned off.

After a brief cue Helios sprung into his usual expressive trot as they wove some serpentines.

“Good boy.” Faye crooned under her breath as the stallion listened intently to her every request. Finally after bringing him back down to the walk she circled back over to where Niamh and Ele leaned against the fence.

“He’s feeling great, I think the few extra days we’ve been here really helped him settle in.” Faye smiled.

Niamh nodded, “That’s good, remember to let him pick the strides. If you micromanage him he’ll get all worked up and you’ll clobber the jumps.”

Faye sighed and nodded. This is your first 1.30m jump course, don’t get nervous and botch it! She scolded herself.

She didn’t have much longer to ponder it before the speaker crackled to life again, “Next in the arena is Faye Barlow on SDE Blinded By The Sun!”

Faye took one last deep breath before giving the horse beneath her a quick squeeze, “Let’s go bud.”

~~~