find your way back home//OPEN

[lacey addison clark]

It was odd. Odd being back in this place she had once been so familiar with. It was funny that even after several years everything was exactly where she left it. Although, the dorms were a lot nicer now than they were when Lacey had attended Kent. Two years. That’s all the time she had spent at this amazing place. She remembered having to choose between staying or leaving; one of the toughest decisions of her life. After her sophomore year she left this place for one reason and one reason only, she had her eyes on the Olympics. Her trainer felt that with Lacey being away from her for several months out of the year she had lessened her chances. Sure, Kent’s riding program was great, however, they weren’t internationally renowned trainers.

Pulling the dark bay gelding from his stall, Lacey sighed. The grandprix gelding didn’t really deserve to be with her. He had so much talent, talent someone else could succeed with. However, Lacey couldn’t bear to part with him. Manny and her had been set to go to the Olympics, just one more round of jumps and they were on their way. No one could have anticipated the tumble Lacey took on course leaving her with a broken arm. So, the duo’s Olympic ambition had been crushed in mere seconds. But there is always hope for next time. Lacey still feels that she and Manny could go all the way again, or even with her new mount Rudey. Either way, one fall wasn’t gonna crush her dreams.

Coming back to reality, she was here, at Kent. Her horses were now going to be teaching tools for her advanced students. She was excited for her first lesson; besides riding, teaching was her passion. Manny whinnied loudly as Lacey placed the leather saddle upon his withers and slid it into place. She then pulled the matching leather girth around the Hanoverian’s barrel and buckled it loosely. She left the gelding unattended to grab her helmet and bridle. Once everything was properly attached to her beast she led him out the back door.

Manny pranced happily beside Lacey as they made their way down the path. The bay gelding hardly knew what the word walk even meant. He seemed happy though, maybe brining the pair of internationally acclaimed horses to Kent was a good idea after all. Lacey pushed open the gate to reveal the jumping arena. She had decided earlier that the weather was just about perfect to ride outside and took her chance. She hated riding indoors. Walking into the arena, Lacey hand walked Manny around the ring hoping he would settle a bit before she climbed aboard.

[/size]

i stand at ten feet tall but its only 450 words short. sometimes i feel like a goddess while wearing this pretty little outfit. of course i need to talk to anyone. this picture of perfection is totally complete. in the end i just say this mr manhattan.don't forget we made this REAL SLIM SHADY !? @ caution 2.0

[/color][/i].

[/blockquote][/size]

[/center]

[hope may lessick]

hope's luck was falling drastically these past few days. but with every gray cloud that was almost black had a delicate silver lining. well, almost. the day that zamiro had come up lame was the day she met the western instructor, mr. calloway. or well tobin as he perfered it. he had helped her deal with the warmblood who had a tendon injury, and he had also introduced to her western riding. she was thinking of trying it, and well, now she was stuck with this red roan quarter horse who stood in the stall next to zamiro. how this beast ended up here was still blurry to hope. an ancient aunt of hers, that she barely knew rode western, and after a large rodeo accident, somehow, hope inherritted this large red roan. now, he was easy on the eyes, but she really didn't have much use for him. since the only thing she knew was english and to get even more indetailed, she really only knew showjumping. and well, blaze really wasn't much of the jumper type. then the day that mr.calloway had been introduced to blaze, he offered training, so now she was trying to balance her time between english riding, western riding, showing, dealing withe zamiro, and of course - school .

nothing seemed to be going right. but atleast she's met a new trainer, and she's trying to try something new. hope knew nothing about blaze, expect that he was very well trained, and that he was probably way over her level, even though her mother, after screaming at her for injuring zamiro, had said that he'd be fine for her. hope sighed lightly as she finished tightening the girth of one of the school horses that she had chosen. the one that will be attending all lessons, and the one that she would be working with. arpeggio. he wasn't that bad. large bay, nice foundation, gorgeous when he jumped but something about him wasn't right. maybe the fact that he simply wasn't zamiro. her eyes fell on the gorfy looking long legged warmblood who stood in his stall, leg wrapped and tiara lowered, eyes droopy from the medication he was perscribed.

the anxious feeling of what her new instructor would think of how her horse fell lame, so she'd be riding a school horse, hope wasn't sure and quite worried on how the instructor would take it. her delicate body lead the large brute out of the barn by the braided reins. the equine was full of energy, and she couldn't help but get a rush of panic as she sat upon his back. her reins had close contact with his mouth at all times as he pranced eagerly toward the jumping arena. it felt as if he was simple an insane equine. people who have ridden him had suggested some of the harsher equiptment to ride him, now she understood why. the movement the gelding gave was as if he was doing flying leadchanges like dressage riders ask out of their riders, all she wanted was for a simple walk. obviously that was too hard to ask for.

as they approached the jumping arena, her eyes landed on her future show jumping instuctor. well this was fucking perfect now wasn't it. the female kept her back straight liek a board as she faught witht he horse, who then finally stood so she could open the gate, prance the horse through the gate, then close it. for the longest time when she was with zamiro, she thought he was head strong, but this large warmblood under her was nothing but arguementive. witha sigh, she started trotting on the close of the ring, keeping her distance and trying to get this horse on the right track. her arm muscles brashed themselfs as she argued the horse to collect, and with each stride, arpeggio seemed to do nothing but prance and dance, finally, her arms gave out and she ende dup asking for a canter. without hesitation the brute broke into a get away canter. his tiara was held high and audits perked forward.

she's never dealt with such an ucooperative horse, she brought her rings down lightly, asking for him to slow with half halts, then asking him for his head, and the horse did nothing but react in the way she really didn't want. the brute had a longs tride, and his head became jiggy. she quickly thought if she was doing anything else, and she came to the conclusion that this horse was nothing but uncoopertive. great way to make first impressions with her new instructor.

.772 words.

[lacey addison clark]

It almost felt hot out when the sun decided to peak between the clouds. But then you would remember that it was March and the temperature was only in the fifties or sixties if you were lucky. Lacey walked casually around the large outdoor ring, Manny at her side. He had lowered his head and was walking quite well on the long rein that his owner had given him. His eyes would close momentarily but would reopen to expose his new surroundings once again. At least he was comfortable. Rudey, Lacey's warmblood, on the other hand, had yet to settle in. The chestnut was probably circling his stall and pawing ferociously as he had been for the last several days. It amazed her that an accomplished show horse could have such conniptions over being in a strange place, it’s not like he hasn’t been away from his barn enough. At one point they were traveling three weekends in a row and he was less obnoxious than he was here at Kent.

Halting the seventeen hand bay by the mounting block, Lacey made several last minute adjustments. She pulled the girth up two holes and double checked that her bridle was properly adjusted. Her usual routine. After pulling her irons down she stepped up to the wooden block. Placing her left foot into the stirrup, she hoisted herself over the leather saddle and landed in its center gently. Again, in accordance with her usual routine, Lacey held Manny back for several moments, she always tested him to make sure he understood that he only went forward on her orders. Patting his neck she urged him into a forward and flowing walk.

The gate clamered open catching Lacey's attention. She watched as a student entered the ring aboard one of the school horses, Arpeggio. She smiled, watching the gelding take off at a lofty trot. Tightening her reins slightly, Lacey squeezed her leg, instructing Manny to walk more forward and under himself. She continued to watch the student try to keep the warmblood beneath her collected. The girl seemed to slightly give up on the trot and let the gelding canter forward. He hooves bounded across the footing leaving a cloud of dust in his path. Lacey hated to intrude on a students schooling time, but she felt that the girl wouldn't turn off a little bit of advice.

Slowing her seat and tugging only slightly on her reins, Manny halted quite square in the middle of the arena. She watched their company for another moment before chiming in her advice on the situation. "Don't let him get away with being goofy," she said calmly, " sit deep and raise your hands off his withers, when his head goes up your hands follow," she paused, letting her instructions process before continueing, "He's just testing you, don't be afraid to pull a little harder on the reins if he doesn't listen. You can put him on a circle if you want, he'll lose some speed that way."

[/size]

i stand at ten feet tall but its only 490ish words short. sometimes i feel like a goddess while wearing this pretty little outfit. of course i need to talk to resa. this picture of perfection is totally complete. in the end i just say this mr manhattan.don't forget we made this REAL SLIM SHADY !? @ caution 2.0

[/color][/i].

[/blockquote][/size]

[/center]

[hope may lessick]

{ Arpeggio. }

her lyrics whispered unde rher breath as her weight shifted deeper into her heels, taking note that the instructor was still walking her horse, paying no attention. that was probably best for everyone at that moment. the bronc under her jigged head in an up & down motion. the large warmblodo underher as took uncooerative strides. as her lungs inhailed quietly, she tried to think of what she was doing wrong thatc ould gett he equine to become so fussy, but she had realized that arpeggio was simply being an annoyance. fusteration started to build up in her, and just before she was about to call it quite, encouragement came from the instructor. wonderful. her first comment was obviously clear. she wasn't going to allow arpeggio to just walk all over her. she would build a battle, and eventually win.

when the intructor gave the adive with her hands, she looked forward, and before the instructor could add the second suggestion, her gloved digits were already asking the warmblood underneath her to round up into a circle. no he still leaned heavily on the bit, and the muscles within her arms tightened, keeping a steady ground. his muzzle finally tipped under, but tried to get away form the bit my arching his nape and bringing his velvet kisser sup to his chest. the brute had an unsteady gate amd with every stride, the equine refused to go in a straight line, or somewhat close to a straight line. hope gather her patiences again and asked for a sitting trot, her stomach muscles tencing, and her body sitting deep within the saddle. she had a bit more control as the equine had broke formt he canter a long time ago. she started to do easy sitting trot circles around the ring. the warmblood under her still leaning on the bit.

confusion fell over her as she tried multiple of idea's if trying to get the gelding off the bit. nothing seeming to work. her mind was praying that the instructor was working with her large equine, and pretty much ignoring her and arpeggio, because the horse seemed to make her look like a terrible rider. or well, it lowered her self confidence about her riding. the brute under her would lift his head and tip out his nose, trying to take hope off. a low growl came from her chest, only audible for the equine, and the equine's audits flickered back, his stride becoming more easier to handle, though his attitude toward anything was unbeleiveable. he wanted nothing to do with anyone. maybe jumping would give him a more positive outlook with her.

with that being in her mind, she thought that she'd try some circles at the canter. her inside leg stayed on the girth, while the other moved back only slightly. shoulders remained back and her tiara looked forward on the long side of the ring, her digits holding the braided reins lightly, her inside rein lifting barely noticeably as the brute picked up the correct lead. the warmblood's head was a bit more level headed, though his body was filled with emotional sweat. foaming in some areas. hope sighed lightly as she kept her hands steady ont he rein, releasing when he'd show some of the slightest signs of giving to the metal object in his mouth. keeping a good distance from the instructor as her horse, she brought the equine into another circle, maintaining the distance, before circling the bronc before a set of two simple jumps, the first was a lower cross jump with a rail over it, then the second was a higher straight across rail. the second was closer to around three feet, and it was just a pair of good warm up jumps.

the female collected her reins a little more before bringing the equine straight on toward the jump. counting her strides she then felt the equine curl up under himself to pounce over it like it was nothing but a little puddle in the pasture. then within another stride, the equine's back curlced and the front pillars curled upt to his barrel, hind legs pushing his large body over the jump. the female leaned forward lightly, loosening her reins lightly to allow the equine to stretch out. the brute under her flew over the jump like it was nothing, landing on the arena's floor, audits perked, though one continueing to return to her body, listening to her aids some what more cooperatively, though the brute continued to lean on the bit.

[/size]

.760 words.