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!
To enter please include this line in your post [b]Class Name[/b] - HORSE NAME HERE ridden by RIDER NAME And then your post describing your round below. It should only be one post, and no other posts should be in this thread.
[attr="class","ws-tempcredits"]CRAFTED BY ALISHA OF ADOXOGRAPHY
It had been awhile since Rylee had competed on her own horse. Dragon and her were a little rusty, but she was sure they'd be able to handle the competition. Sure, they might not come in first, but it was the thrill she was seeking for anyhow. She brushed the gelding down, and then tacked him up. Her boots matched her saddle and bridle, all black in color. She was wearing a purple plaid button down with faded jeans, and a cowgirl hat. She was prepared to look the part of a western rider. Sure, she hadn't shown up in full tuxedo style like some of the western pleasure riders did, but she was comfortable. And as long as she could make it around the barrels, who really cared what she was wearing.
"Rylee Olken."
At the sound of her name, Rylee urged SnapDragon through the gate, and directed him towards the first barrel. She went left, as she always did, knowing it was the side Dragon favored the most. The pair twisted around the first barrel with ease. They made a figure-eight shape as they twisted tightly around the next barrel, almost causing the barrel to fall over. But the barrel stayed up. Rylee urged SnapDragon faster, and they looped around the final barrel. With a final last kick, Rylee almost let the reins fall so SnapDragon could race his way back to the finish line. The gelding gave all his might, and crossed the finish line with no problems.
Once upon a time, long long ago, Rae had done some barrel racing, just for fun, and for the change of venue, and all that. Granted, it usually was done at no more than a canter, often bareback and with just a halter, or in a jumping saddle around obstacles, whenever the whim struck. To think she honest to god was contemplating participating in a genuine Americna barrel race. She had a vague idea about patterns, times and tack and whatnot, but as far as she was aware a basic snaffle was allowed to, and though she didn't have a real barrel race saddle, she had her rancher's saddle for Shiloh and the Aussie with horn for Sassy. Should be enough, right?
Okay, she honestly didn't know who she was kidding. It was probably a damn recipe for disaster, but she wasn't going to let that stop her. She had done stupid things before, and while her doctors may occasionally disagree with her definition of success, she was still alive and mostly functional, so she was a happy camper. And really, beginner level barrel racing, might be tricky, but it probably wasn't that tricky. Especially considering she didn't really give a damn how well (or more likely, how terrible) she did. It was a fun experience, to her, and that was all that mattered today. If by some weird fluke she got hung up on the sport, she could always invest and practice some more. As it was, she just thought it would be a nice diversion for her two more western-oriented mounts. Well, western-oriented by blood: she still planned to use Shiloh for jumping too, if she showed a little aptitude. And really, the western saddle was comfortable enough for farm rides, even if she preferred her familiar stock saddle or even English saddles. She was digressing, though, nerves rattling in a way they usually didn't do - not at shows, at least. She was an old hand at shows, even underprepared. And really, underprepared definitely qualified for today. <P>
Still, she whistled a little tune as she tacked up Shiloh. She'd have preferred to take Sassy out first, but the draw was the draw was the draw; no contesting it. Not that she had tried, overmuch. Her warm-up had been easy, considering Shiloh had already done her round at the western dressage, and it was just a matter of getting her to stretch her muscles a bit before the round. This time, she was far less impressed by the horses spinning around, even though there was a good deal more chaos in the warm up ring than there had been over at the western dressage. It felt rather familiar to Rae, but she ignored it with a certain ease born of experience and practice, keeping an eye on the one riding before her.
Beginner - Rae Carrigan on Pride's My Sin
She watched the one before her, committing her pattern to mind before it was her own turn, needing the, what, minute or so? to clear her mind. She had no intention of pushing Shiloh, she'd let the mare pick her own stride and her own speed. The last thing she wanted was to flip the mare or have her break or tear something important. So when she was ushered to the starting line, she took one last deep breath, centered herself, clasped a hand to the horn just in case (she had quadruple-checked her girth and the backcinch) and leaned forward. "C'mon," she urged the mare forward into a rather spirited canter.
She aimed Shiloh a little to the right of the first barrel. She regretted not practicing tight turns more, but the mare seemed to dig deep into her ancestry (cutting and ranch horses more than barrel racers, but sharp corners weren't foreign to her genes anyway) to execute a tight turn - although a little wobbly and wide in terms of real barrel racers. Rae didn't care, merely urged the mare into a sprint towards the second barrel, taking her back to a far more collected canter for the second circle around a barrel. She cursed, softly, when she touched one, but it only wobbled a little, didn't fall, so she could direct Shiloh to the third with a light conscience. This time she let the mare pick how to take the circle, accelerating again as soon as they had a clear view of the finish line. A lot of time out in the open certainly had done her good here - she may still be getting used to being ridden, she was no slouch when it came to muscles or speed.
Only once they crossed the finish line did Rae sit up straight again, beaming. "That's a good girl," she verbally rewarded Shiloh, letting her cool down a little whilst rubbing her neck before she took her back to the trailer. One more to go.
The round on Shiloh, barely mature as the mare was (and that mentally more than physically) had been equal parts exhilarating and terrifying. She'd seen the pro's go round at breakneck speeds and with equipment that made her insides ache at the mere thought of it existing, never mind being actively used on a horse, but there was also something strangely gorgeous about the sport, no holds barred as it occasionally was.
The fun bit was, whereas Shiloh was young, especially physically, Sassy also lacked a lot of experience, moreso than Shiloh. They were being handled for roughly the same time now, but there was a world of difference between them, and not all of it could be accounted by as to the differences in their characters. Of course, Sassy being wholly physically mature and fit really helped with the continous work; also with her epic temper tantrums. And mules had a reputation, apprently, especially those that had been wild. So far, the palomino had been one of Rae's biggest challenges to work with. Not because she was so eager to fight, or so scared, but because she was like quicksilver, cheerful one moment, angry the other, and it was always hard to predict what was going on.
So yeah, there was a bit of trepidation mixed into her other feelings when she saddled the mare up, checking the cinches again and again as she looked at the rather westerny looking stock saddle. "You're not going to embarrass me too badly, are you?" she murmured as she gracefully mounted and directed Sassy in a gentle trot towards the warm up ring. She stood out there, moreso than with Shiloh. The brindle had been unique in her colour, but also just another Quarter Horse. Mules were a damn sight more rare, and the not-quite reuglar saddle didn't help either. She let it all slide off of her back, though. No time for distractions, yet. Having been allotted a time swiftly after Shiloh's, she hadn't had much time to warm up, but Sassy didn't need it as much. She just hoped the mule wasn't going to show off her true colours to the crowd.
Beginner - Rae Carrigan on Sassafrass Shenanigans
Of course, she may have been hoping for too much. The mule brayed when they entered, and Rae could hear at least one horse spook away behind her. With every eye of the crowd now on her, the show was ready to begin - but it seemed fast forward was the speed Sassy wanted, rather than straight up or wicked sideways. As soon as the starting shot sounded, the mule kicked off in a gallop, ears flopping about as she grumpily accepted Rae's guidance towards the first barrel. She didn't want to slow down for the turn, overshooting it some but correcting it with that odd surefootedness mules possessed.
Feeling a good decade older after the sharp, sharp turn, Rae opted to hold on tight and steer and not meddle otherwise; distracting the mule might make it worse rather than better, after all, and she had no desire to be scraped off the sand today. She'd done that enough times already. Trying to stay as centered as she could above the mule, the second turn came up. Now, the mule did slow a little, just enough to execute a marginally better turn before kicking up her heels in a spirited buck as she sprinted down towards the third barrel. Rae resisted the urge to close her eyes, instead shooting up a silent prayer to a god she didn't believe in as Sassy started her turn a bit too early, but given her speed she didn't quite go through the barrel after all, thank god.
With a straight, unobstructed line in front of her, the mule doubled down, throwing out her legs in longer, faster strides as she stormed over the finish line, kicking up in a sideways buck as Rae attempted to rein her in. Luckily the gates had been closed (at her request), or she'd gone straight through the warm up ring. Distantly she could hear the commentator make a joke about stubborn mules as she finally got Sassy back under control, the palomino snorting and sweating a little but clearly proud of herself. And so was Rae.
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? 
