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strixx-variaa — Up and Over

Published: 2013-03-22 20:16:39 +0000 UTC; Views: 5594; Favourites: 190; Downloads: 0
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Description Edit: SHE WON! 8DDDD [link]
Edit 2: And she was featured in the April 2013 HARPG Newsletter !

This is Bullet's entry to the 2013 Crick Wheat Classic in Massachusetts. She's doing the standard XC run, coming out of the creek and heading up a steep bank.

I went ahead and varnished her out a little bit more, too, to show her aging process; it's been at least four years since she competed, so I thought now'd be a good time to have her start going snowy.

In this image, she's giving Anna a minor heart attack with her clear intent to leap, rather than hop, up that steep, muddy bank.

ohdeargodthebackgroundkilledme. :'D -ded-



Horse Name: The Silver Bullet
Horse Reference: [link]
Horse Age: 13? (I don't really keep track)
Rider Name: Anna Richardson
Stable: Tamarack Park
Country: USA



The decision to go up to New England -- in late winter -- for Bullet alone was one which was not easily made for the Richardsons of Tamarack Park. To be honest, the whole reason Anna had worked so hard to get Bullet back in competitive shape was so that she'd have a better chance of begging the two-horse trailer for the weekend.

That was the one sore spot about living on her family's horse farm. Here she was, a bright young woman in her mid-twenties with two degrees and a heck of a lot of horse sense, and she lived at home. And for her, living at home meant living under her parents' thumbs. It was no secret; she and Niels were still thought of as children (more or less) by her well-meaning parents, and why shouldn't they be? Neither she nor her brother paid rent or utilities to their parents, and they both lived in the rooms they'd occupied since infancy. The only thing that had changed about the family dynamic was that the kids had gotten older.

Niels ended up being the one to make the trip with Anna, of course. She could always depend on his help when she needed it most, and dealing with their concerned parents was definitely more than a one-person job. The morning of the cross-country run, Anna tacked Bullet with butterflies in her stomach.

"You'll do fine, you know," Niels said as he gave his sister a leg up. "You always do."

And that was true, too. Bullet had a respectable show record, and Anna had been on board for each competition.

"Thanks, Niels," Anna replied, taking in the reins just a little. Her nervous breath fogged a little, and she wondered if the black Under Armour shirt under her Tamarack green polo was going to keep her warm enough. Bullet stamped a front hoof and chewed at her snaffle bit.

"You'll be fine. Even if you've forgotten, she hasn't." Niels took Bullet's left rein and walked at her head, looking over his shoulder when he spoke to Anna.

There was a hand waving from the start box.

"Right. You're right -- oh god, that's us. Okay."

"See you at the finish!"

"Yeah. See you!"

Inside the starting box, Anna tried to do some kind of weird Buddhist-yogi-meditation thing to calm herself down. It didn't work.

"Ready?" asked the starter.

Anna nodded, gathered her reins, and gave Bullet a squeeze.

With a powerful heave of her haunches, the spotted mare launched out of the box and took off at a dead run.

And they're off!
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Comments: 43

Perfectponays [2015-08-19 00:59:42 +0000 UTC]

I love this Lineart! I wish I could use it

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

strixx-variaa In reply to Perfectponays [2015-08-19 04:22:38 +0000 UTC]

Awww, thank you so much!

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Broadway-Baggins [2015-03-22 00:56:17 +0000 UTC]

How are you so darn good at drawing?  I love this picture, the horses face and the background especially!  Good job, it definitely deserved the win.

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SundaysPony [2014-10-27 09:54:51 +0000 UTC]

Wow this is really amazing!

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UnipheraRidge [2014-06-13 19:57:53 +0000 UTC]

I love how you drew the background (:

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Sparky95 [2013-05-19 11:26:55 +0000 UTC]

Wow, great picture

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

strixx-variaa In reply to Sparky95 [2013-05-19 15:55:50 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

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equestriad [2013-05-08 02:13:14 +0000 UTC]

Great jumping pose!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

strixx-variaa In reply to equestriad [2013-05-09 00:01:56 +0000 UTC]

Thank you so much!

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PonyCool42 [2013-03-26 05:15:28 +0000 UTC]

Wow, I really love this! Such gorgeous colours you have used. And the pose is great, I love how the horse has water on her hooves.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

strixx-variaa In reply to PonyCool42 [2013-03-26 13:34:18 +0000 UTC]

Thank you so much!

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strideroo [2013-03-25 00:07:12 +0000 UTC]

I feel that some Indian Jones theme music would be QUITE appropriate. Love this, the background is sooo lovely!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

strixx-variaa In reply to strideroo [2013-03-25 00:24:18 +0000 UTC]

Bahaha! I tried humming it while looking at this (per your suggestion) and I scared my dog, I laughed so hard. Thank you, sweetie!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

strideroo In reply to strixx-variaa [2013-03-25 00:30:27 +0000 UTC]

OOHHHH you know me, just scaring dogs all over the country. ;D SO WELCOME.

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jouroo [2013-03-24 21:25:16 +0000 UTC]

Bullet's back! Loving the varnish

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

strixx-variaa In reply to jouroo [2013-03-24 21:28:10 +0000 UTC]

Thanks! I'm kind of excited to splotch white-out all over her.

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byrch [2013-03-23 04:11:32 +0000 UTC]

Bullet is gorgeous!! Love the lines for this, and the coloring!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

strixx-variaa In reply to byrch [2013-03-23 04:21:43 +0000 UTC]

Thank you so much! It took more work than I usually put in. :'D

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byrch In reply to strixx-variaa [2013-03-23 04:22:44 +0000 UTC]

You're welcome!

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Art-by-Eos [2013-03-23 00:39:58 +0000 UTC]

I want this horse...or a horse like her, I need a horse like this in my life. I love her coat pattern! ;A;

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

strixx-variaa In reply to Art-by-Eos [2013-03-23 00:52:08 +0000 UTC]

Story of my life. I see a horse I want, I make it in HARPG. Done.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Art-by-Eos In reply to strixx-variaa [2013-03-23 02:55:09 +0000 UTC]

Lol xD

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blaine-rr [2013-03-23 00:31:02 +0000 UTC]

You got this Bullet!!! I'm sad she's getting older.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

strixx-variaa In reply to blaine-rr [2013-03-23 00:39:49 +0000 UTC]

Haha thanks for the props! I'm kinda excited to draw her as she ages more, honestly. When I designed her, I totally didn't think about the varnish aging thingummy for appies, so it's kind of a nice surprise from her design.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

blaine-rr In reply to strixx-variaa [2013-03-23 01:30:50 +0000 UTC]

Haha, I don't ever think of it for appies either! I really like it on her, she looks pretty cool.

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ElvenIvori [2013-03-22 21:34:15 +0000 UTC]

The intent to make it up the bank is clear in her eyes. c:

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

strixx-variaa In reply to ElvenIvori [2013-03-22 21:57:08 +0000 UTC]

Haha thanks! I hope it is, 'cause she needs to get up there.

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ElvenIvori In reply to strixx-variaa [2013-03-22 22:32:23 +0000 UTC]

It's steep, so yes. Yes she does

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Sparrowfall-Hollow [2013-03-22 21:03:54 +0000 UTC]

this is awesome

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strixx-variaa In reply to Sparrowfall-Hollow [2013-03-22 21:11:51 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

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Night-Anders [2013-03-22 20:49:54 +0000 UTC]

What a beautiful background, I love the colors ^^.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

strixx-variaa In reply to Night-Anders [2013-03-22 20:51:46 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

AmigoGirl [2013-03-22 20:46:21 +0000 UTC]

love love love love

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

strixx-variaa In reply to AmigoGirl [2013-03-22 20:48:41 +0000 UTC]

Haha thank you! Your entry for the breakout round is a knockout, btw.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

AmigoGirl In reply to strixx-variaa [2013-03-23 09:09:40 +0000 UTC]

thanks

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Ehetere [2013-03-22 20:34:16 +0000 UTC]

Wow, what gorgeous style on show here; I adore the background and Bullet of course, what a lovely colour scheme

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

strixx-variaa In reply to Ehetere [2013-03-22 20:36:23 +0000 UTC]

You are too sweet, Rae! Thank you so much.

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Agent-Q-Amalgamation [2013-03-22 20:27:25 +0000 UTC]

Woman, you're going to destroy my chances of ever winning at cross country with entries like that @_@ No fair! Thank gods I decided not to enter Crick shows, I would have been annihilated!

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strixx-variaa In reply to Agent-Q-Amalgamation [2013-03-22 20:28:54 +0000 UTC]

Ahahaha! Bullll-shitto, khemosabe. :'D You're very sweet, but since it's effort-based judging you get judged against yourself! Which might mean I'm still doomed, but. :'D -ded-

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Agent-Q-Amalgamation In reply to strixx-variaa [2013-03-22 20:41:03 +0000 UTC]

Aw, khemosabe ^_^ Reminds me of an old friend who used to know Japanese that I was close to. She used to call me her Onee-chan and I'd call her my Imouto-chan.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

strixx-variaa In reply to Agent-Q-Amalgamation [2013-03-22 20:44:06 +0000 UTC]

B'awww, that's cute.

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EmeraldTheWolf [2013-03-22 20:23:01 +0000 UTC]

beautiful horse!!!!!! powerful pose!!!

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strixx-variaa In reply to EmeraldTheWolf [2013-03-22 20:23:14 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

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