Welcome to Choteau, Montana, in 2018. What was once only a small city focused on fossils, has now started to turn into an equestrian mecca. Everyone still knows everyone, so the question remains, what will you become?
06/04 - Site opened 18/04 - Update log #01 including new features! 27/04 - A New skin has been released!
Lead Stallion: Jackpot - Bay Blanket Leopard Appaloosa, white blaze
Lead Mare: Scarlet - Roan Tovero
Other Mares: Xena (Chestnut Tovero), Adella (Dark Bay), October (Chestnut Dun)
Foals: Foal #001 (Chestnut, high whites), Foal #002 (Bay Roan Appaloosa, noticably weak, has been spending a lot of time laid down even in the snow, not as active as the other horses)
Ivarr was stood at the trail head, Ronin saddled up, stood totally placid. He had made sure to have prewritten notes, so as to save himself having to rely on Kristian for signing, especially as he didn't have a horse to ride out. He was also hoping that his plea for help had managed to gain some expertise with the logistics of working with a herd of horses. As someone who was very much into the outdoors he couldn't stand to leave these animals to starve. He'd been watching them from a distance and with the snow showing no sign of breaking. Well. [break][break] He glanced as he heard the rumble of a truck approaching the parking area, stroking Ronin's neck again the gypsy vanner snorting softly none concerned by the snow or being in a new environment as the two waited.
Post by Rylee Mae Olken on Jun 1, 2018 2:41:46 GMT
[attr="class","box2"]This cold weather wasn't breaking. She couldn't stand it herself, and she couldn't imagine what these wild horses were doing. Once she heard they needed help, she was more than willing. Anything she could do to help. She wouldn't want her own horses to be left out in this weather. It was hard enough as it was. Rylee bundled up as warmly as she could, making sure to cover almost every inch of skin, except her eyes. She wanted to be able to stay out as long as possible to help the horses. She loaded Dragon up into the trailer, and headed to the meet up spot.
Rylee climbed out of her truck at the trail head, and gave a wave to Ivarr. She unloaded Dragon, saddled him up and led him over to where Ivarr was standing. She looked out to see the heard and noticed the foal that was laying down. "He doesn't look so good," she said, looking up at Ivarr. She climbed up onto Dragon's back and waited for the rest of the team to show up.
She wasn't a local. If this place was like other small towns she knew, she might never truly become one of them. But she had invested in this place - bought land, a house, hopefully a home. She was putting herself out there to get clients, as a farrier but also assorted other jobs, all related to equine welfare. She hoped that one day she would seem like a local.
It wasn't her desire to become one of them that had her show up at the Rierdon trail. Celeste had told her about the plight of the mustangs, and though the vet was on duty, for now at least, Rae hadn't been constrained by something similar. Her main worry, after laboriously getting into her winter gear, was which horse to take along. She was tempted to bring her mule - intelligent and sure-footed, but occasionally also dominant and rank. So she had settled on Ike. The chestnut mare might be earning her oats with show-jumping, she'd been on plenty of bush rides and she was stationbred. Probably a safe enough bet. To save time and effort she'd saddled the mare before loading her, glad the GPS could direct her to the trail head. Part of her wondered why she'd been insane enough to brave this weather rather than stay inside, but feral horses were her kryptonite, certainly when they were in trouble.
And hey, she had only skidded twice when she finally pulled into the parking lot. She offered a quick wave to the two others as she ducked into the float, changing out Ike's halter for a rope halter. After a moment's worth of consideration she swapped the fleece rug for a quarter sheet - it was cold, and you never knew what it might be useful for. Her saddle bag held a first aid kit and some hay, just in case they needed to lure one in, and for herself she had a thermos of hot chocolate.
Only then did she unload her horse. "Hope I'm still in time?" she greeted the other two. "I'm Rae," she introduced herself. The other woman looked vaguely familiar, the man not at all. "Is there a plan already?" she asked, not wanting to interrupt or ruin an existing plan with her mere presence.
Ivarr had given a nod of greeting to first Rylee and then Rae when they both turned up. He couldn't hear any more vehicles approaching, and was ready to take this as all that would be turning up. So he left Ronin, pulling out the prewritten notes, and finding his notepad and pencil - easier to grip a pencil in gloves. Carefully he passed the first of his notes to Rylee and the duplicate to Rae.
Names Ivarr, pleasure to meet you. I don't speak, and so while I can understand what you're saying, please speak normally, without you know sign language I'll be a non communicative party
He glanced at the two, keeping an ear for Ronin even thinking of moving, but the gypsy vanner was more interested in nosing at the ground in a vain attempt to try and get to some of the grass that should be buried underneath. This was just giving time to let them read.
There is no set plan, one of the foals in the band is weak - that would be the bay roan appaloosa, he's been down a lot. The trail passes close to one of Wildflower Meadows old abandoned barn buildings, where there's fencing down, the barn will provide shelter, and I've already dropped hay off there to give extra forage, try and drive them to it,
Was the second, longer, note he'd written out pausing after passing the paper to each of them in turn.
His gaze was sharp, trying to read off any more clues from them both that he could, swiftly analysing each of them. It was instinctive, he was viewing them as his team, this was a deployment, and it was almost a need to try and work out strengths and weaknesses. Preferably as swiftly as possible.
Post by Rylee Mae Olken on Jul 12, 2018 23:06:18 GMT
[attr="class","box2"]Rylee was quite surprised to see there weren't very many people who had showed up. Just three people to round up a wild herd? She listened for the sound of another vehicle, but only heard the bitter wind. Rylee took the note and read it quickly, and smiled up at Ivarr. "Pleasure to meet you. I'm Rylee," she introduced herself to the pair in front of her.
Rylee took the second note and read that one over. She had noticed the foal when she had first arrived. Hopefully they'd be able to get it to where they needed it to be. "Sounds good to me!" She adjusted herself in the saddle, trying to keep herself warm. It was going to be a long rescue. She hadn't thought to bring herself anything warm to drink, but the adrenaline coursing through her veins kept her decently warm. She was excited, as this was her first rescue mission. She was always willing to help out. "I'm ready when you are," she said.
Being approached and handed a note was... Not what she had been expecting. At all. But she liked to think she was decent at rolling with the punches (proverbially at least. Really, she had more experience with literal horsekicks) so she accepted it and read, figuring it probably wasn't a discount flyer or something, but rather something important. And she was right. She nodded as she read it, a silent acknowledgement. Part of her wondered about the how's and why's, but it wasn't her business, and dearly hoped she wasn't so curious she would just squeak it out as a question. Her mother definitely had attempted to teach her about manners, even if that didn't always show. Once she was done, she held the note up to him a questioning manner; she wasn't sure if he wanted them back or if she could just stash it into one of her pockets (provided she could open the zipper with her gloves on).
It seemed the non-speaking man (Ivarr, she reminded herself now that she actually had a name for him) had come prepared. She liked that in a man, certainly in situations like these. Running of half-cocked was a good way to stuff it up badly, especially in (for her unfamiliar) rough terrain. The snow only made it more dangerous, hiding loose rocks and holes in the floor. What she had heard the trail wasn't the easiest, but not extremely difficult either. Enough that she was glad she had a horse she could trust blindly in situations like this, though she wished, uselessly, for her beloved Kaimanawa. That had been one hell of a mountain pony, if they got to steep terrain. No use wishing, though. He was dead and gone, and the hole in her heart was slowly scabbing over. She had mourned him, she missed him, but she couldn't keep herself on hold forever.
She tried to catch a glimpse of the little herd, but between the lighting and the snow and the sheer distance, it was hard to make out details. "Note to self, bring binoculars next time," she murmured to herself, a little wryly. She had to admit, she had helped muster a variety of animals, from the sheep she had grown up with to cattle on neighboring farms, lost bulls in the bush and even occasionally horse musters, but this would be a first. Unknown people, unknown territory, crap conditions. Well, it'd definitely get the blood pumping.
In theory the plan sounded good; easy enough to stick to, clear destination (well, mostly clear. She had only the vaguest clue about where Wildflower Meadows was, but she figured abandoned barn prepared for a small mustang herd in distress would be hard to miss, even in these conditions. Of course, plans had a way of being derailed anyway, but these were guidelines they probably could stick to. Gathering her reins in one hand, she swung up into the saddle. "I'm ready," she announced the moment her butt touched the saddle. For a moment she fiddled with the quarter sheet, until she was comfortable and secure. The foal might be weakened, she didn't know if the adults were - more importantly, how the lead stallion would feel. It was his duty to protect the herd while the lead mare saw to a safe escape; she had a feeling that even when in these dire straits there may be at the very least a bit of posturing going on. It would be rather embarrassing if Ike had to shy away or cut off a horse and in doing so unsaddled Rae.
"Ike," she gestured down- and forwards at her horse "is fairly used to bush rides and musters. If you don't mind," she looked at Ivarr moreso than at Rylee there; Rylee could talk, but given Ivarr's notes, she figured observing him was more likely to lead to smooth communication. Likewise, she tried to phrase her idea/question as closed as possible, so all he needed to do was shake or nod; much easier than write a note on horseback, she imagined. She hoped, at least. "I can cut around when we're closer, see if I can't cut them off if they try to escape up the mountainside there," she offered. If they were anything like the feral horses she'd worked with before, or observed during one of the long trail rides they did with the Kaimanawas and their jumpers alike at home, they wouldn't take too well to suddenly being forced into something. Likely, they wouldn't want to run too far or too fast, but there was no telling how they would react to being rounded up. "Have they seen humans before? Been rounded up before?" she asked, trying to figure out what she could expect - and how much distance she needed to keep. Of course, when she was in position she would trust her gut feeling and her observations (and Ike), but she liked to have an idea what they were up against. Feral horses were quite different to work with than domestic ones, bred and raised in captivity. She really had no desire to slip off the trail with or without her horse.
Part of her wished there was someone with a photocamera nearby - she was sure they made quite a picture, dressed against the horrid temperatures, a strange mixture of tack, types of horses (a draft-like cob, a warmblood and a quarter horse; it could almost be one of those '... walked into a bar' joke) and everything. Still, it was a lovely reminded of how an emergency, how empathy and helpfullness could unite people who wouldn't usually work together. She thought so, at least, though of course she was a newbie in the area, and she wasn't a part of the community. Yet. This would likely speed it up a bit. It wasn't why she had come, but it was a nice bonus. Provided their rescue worked.