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Post by Xenomine Taylor on Jul 8, 2010 19:28:46 GMT -5
In her mind frame Texas was hell, the dust, the heat and the seemingly hick population - she hated it here. But where was such a young girl - or not so young - suppose to run when she wants to escape her family and other worldly bonds surrounding her? Xen supposed Texas was the answer to the question so she had ran from up the mountains in Colorado down here into big 'ole Texas. As she was learning everything truly is bigger in Texas, but she was also learning that wasn't always a good thing.
Finding normally portioned food around here was a task so Xen had been more adamant on her riding schedule. She had been working Colette once a day for a few hours, sometimes twice if she felt the mare needed to blow off some extra steam. This wasn't one of those mornings those, her muscles stretched and limber as she awkwardly moved the ground poles across the arena dirt to begin her exercises for the morning. She had been working the normally stubborn and outrageous mare for the past hour without a break which had left the black sheen of her coat ringed with sweat; the black canvas glimmering with the perspiration. Xen watched Colette grunt in anticipation and impatience as she continued to perfect the strides between the lines. They were just trotting poles but they helped to keep the mare focused and build up the currently rippling muscles in her haunches and shoulders.
Breath was released into the air with puffs of oxygen, the early morning air was almost chilling as steam rose from Colette's hide. Tall boots gripped the stirrup iron as Xen hauled her bodice into the Steuben saddle and adjusted her body into the seat comfortably. Riding pants clung to her flexing muscles and sport-supportive tank top clung to her delicate frame as she clicked to the mare gently. With a snort of disgust and a kick of her hind limb Colette moved into a springy trot toward the ground poles, teeth gnashing the double bridle between her teeth as Xen forced the hard headed mare to concentrate.
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Post by Blake Kensington on Jul 8, 2010 20:29:48 GMT -5
Blake rubbed his neck as he walked into the barn. It had been a rough night seeing as his sister, Maya, had decided that it was a good idea to host a party. This was not a little party either. There had to have been close to a hundred people crammed into his house. Good God, someone had been in his room, on his bed, making out and obviously planning on more when he had arrived. Put that on top of Sin being a jerk the day before, Blake was not in a great mood.
Going straight for the tack room, Blake grabbed everything he would need. Hauling it out to Sin's stall, he sighed as he set everything down. Running his hand through his hair he just peered through the stall door. His large TB gelding just looked back at him. Wonderful.
It only took a few minutes to groom and brush Sin, so in no time he was headed out to the arena. When he got there, there was another rider. Her horse had been ridden for a while now, he could see from the sweat lathered over it's shoulders and chest, but other than that it was still moving well. He glanced at the rider, someone who was so obviously not from Texas, and chuckled to himself as he mounted up.
Moving Sin into a long, easy trot, Blake circled the arena a few times, cutting across the diagonal to change directions occasionally. In the arena, Sin was amazing. He was attentive and obedient, just dont get him outside the arena.
After getting Sin warmed up, he brought him to a halt. There were a few jumps, but none were set up very high. He swing off and fixed that, leaving one or two low for the very first run. After remounting he turned to the other rider who was working over the poles.
"Do you mind if I cut in and work a bit over those?" he asked, an easy smile on his face. "I'm Blake by the way."
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Post by Xenomine Taylor on Jul 8, 2010 20:42:50 GMT -5
Half-halting and collecting the mare up under her Xen pointed the thoroughbred mare towards the ground poles. Neck arched beautifully, mane flopping from side to side gently as it seemed to never be able to be tamed. Posting low to the saddle she felt her muscles flex with a sort of tired nature, her muscles had been more in for a work out then she had planned lately. Her blond hair was pulled into an elegantly messy bun, swaying casually as she collected the reins in her gloved hands and squeezed the sides of the mare so she would be more impulsive over the tight collection she had over the poles. Soles of her feet absorbing her weight as they pushed skyward as Xen squeezed the mare into a canter after the poles, coaxing her to jump the small jump at the back end of the arena.
Xenomine didn't recognize that someone had joined her in the arena until she saw someone flint across her visage and naturally she tensed which caused Colette to toss her head and break in stride for a moment before continuing her powerful canter. She hadn't seen him before but he owned a thoroughbred also and by the size of the jumps he could jump also, perfect. Smirk danced across her rose lips as she collected her reins once more, the black mare seemed to collect like a perfect dressage horse before her stride shortened as they paced over the poles on the ground once more. Xen watched him with interest, he had a handsome horse indeed and he looked powerful. But to spring over the jumps he had set at, the horse had to be.
So when his voice pronounced over the huffing of Colette's breath and the sound of her dished hooves over the earth Xen slowed the mare to a walk, her ears twitched in interest to the new human as she blew cautiously through her nostrils. Her steps were dominate, like Colette knew where she was going and exactly what she was doing as she brought Xen next to the boy and his horse and nodded her head. "Pleasure Blake. My name is Xenomine, call me Xen." One delicately boned forelimb struck out, ears pinned for a manner as Xen rolled her eyes at the mare and shook her head. "This is Colette" Shrugging she looked at the course, it was about time she began jumping. "No problem, as long as you don't mind me cantering around we can jump on turns or something, we won't want an accident"
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Post by Blake Kensington on Jul 8, 2010 21:16:29 GMT -5
"Pleasure's mine, Xen," Blake replied in an easy, charming tone. He let his eyes discreetly wander over his new riding buddy. As he had thought earlier, she was definitely not from Texas, but he could honestly say that that did not bother him. Her look was not that flannel shirt cowgirl look. It was more of a city girl look, and that suited him. He was honestly sick of the cowgirl wannabees, itching to get out to a show or something that could allow him some better company. "The jumps are open to anyone. I'll just be sure to call out where I'm headed." This time he let out a boyish half smile.
Moving away he let Sin have his head. Making a nice, wide circle Blake came back to the poles, and seeing no one in his way he just sat back and let his horse do the brunt of the work. It wouldn't be until the larger jumps that Blake would have to set up the strides, and when that time came it would be plenty of work.
Feeling Sin's muscles bunch and relax beneath him, Blake leaned forward just the slightest bit. Using every ounce of training in him, he held his posture perfect and when they had cleared the poles, he kicked up into a canter. Without breaking stride he looked to one of the small jumps. "Outside vertical!" he called in warning.
Clearing that with no effort he made another circle towards one of the mid-sized jumps. This one would take a little set up on his part, so after calling the jump, he sat back and collected Sin. Counting the strides in his head, Blake released at the exact moment Sin took off. It was plain that the duo had been working together for some time. The ease of the jump and the beauty of the teamwork was just something that was gained through years of practice.
It was at this point that Blake felt Sin loosen up the last bit. His gelding knew what was coming now, and Blake felt his strides become longer and more powerful. He had to half halt a few times to get him back under control, but when that was established he cut across the diagonal, switched leads, and pointed Sin towards one of the largest fences. It was set at five feet, not a huge jump, but nothing to laugh at. The pair had done Grand Prix level competitions successfully, so this was not bad, but all in all this would be impressive if done right.
Blake called out, and after making sure his way was clear he nudged his horse a bit faster and they made the leap.
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Post by Xenomine Taylor on Jul 8, 2010 21:35:59 GMT -5
His presumption of her upbringing was correct, she did grow up in the city even if she lived in Colorado. Denver to be exact and she loved every minute of it, her odd fascination and habit with horses was something rather new to her. It was something solid in her chaotic world and even on her worst days - and Colette's worse days - she found herself delving into the depths of equine madness further. She loved her feisty and hard to handle mare, Xen knew they were the only family she truly loved.
Nodding to him she shot him a genuine smile before shaking her head and following behind him as to not get in his way. Straining to keep Colette from chasing Blake's horse Xen simply allowed the mare to jump behind the duo. They were well connected, their muscles rippled together as she watched the new found stable mate and his horse jump around the course. The first one was barely there and she simply sat up, Colette taking it like an cantering pole before thundering on with a fierce power. Her strides eating through the powdery dirt, flicking minuscule shifts of the granules into the earth behind her as her head bobbed gently. Xen stood in her stirrups lightly, watching him clear the large jump with the stallion as she shook her head and smiled. He was good, he had practiced a lot and you could tell in how both the horse and the boy reacted to each other with such precision and without question.
The mid-sized jump came up quick and lost in her reverie Xen chipped into the jump and upon landing Colette shot her back limbs out as if to chastise her for her poor attention span. Settling deep in her saddle and curling around in the circle to approach the five foot monster, Xen took a deep breath that settled in her lungs as the sound of Colette's breathing sounded through the working arena. Muscles twitched in anxiousness on her excitable mare's neck, her hands intertwining in the black threads as she collected the mare to great impulsion before releasing the potential energy as the mare thrust her slender physique over the jump. Xen molded perfectly into her neck before loosening the reins and leaning back as Colette's front limbs absorbed the shock of the fall. Grinning from ear to ear one hand went down to pat her horse's sweaty neck fondly as the mare cantered away from the obstacle with almost a weary gait. Slowing gradually she came up beside blake once more. "You two have an impression bond, how long have you been paired?"
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Post by Blake Kensington on Jul 10, 2010 13:47:05 GMT -5
Blake watched as the duo finished up behind him. They were good, he had to give them that, and that just boosted his opinion of Xen in his eyes. Not many riders liked to attempt the jumps that he set up, and when someone could follow him with the finesse that she did it really impressed him.
As she pulled up beside him, he let his eyes wander again. Her look really was growing on him. He pulled his attention back to horses as she asked him a question. He smiled as she noted that he and Sin had been together for a while. “As a matter of fact, we have been together for more than eight years. I bought him on my twenty-first birthday and we have been a team ever since.”
Remembering the way that Xen and her mare had moved, and the way that he had not had a real conversation in a while, he fired his own question back. “And how long have the two of you been together? You seem pretty comfortable riding her. Not to mention that you are very good, too.”
He smiled at her then, one of those smiles that lit up his whole face. Most women, he had to admit to himself, could not really stand that smile, and he hated it when they just melted. He liked it when someone just smiled at him back and could continue the conversation.
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Post by Xenomine Taylor on Jul 10, 2010 18:02:51 GMT -5
Colette was not appeased by them stopping but the mare only pinned her ears back and struck out a forelimb to display her displeasure before quieting with a flicker of her black tail across her inky haunches. Shaking her head and loosening the reins a bit on Colette's head she listened to the boy speak about his horse and himself. At the thought of eight years she raised her eyebrows, that wasn't truly a surprise for how fluidly the two moved together and how each movement of their bodies together was connected and precise in every manner. Though hearing how old he was shocked her a little bit, he didn't seem that old from his looks but then again Xen was always horrible when it came down to judging someones age. "Wow that's a long time and I don't mean to be redundant but you can truly tell." She smiled and bit her lip, she always sounded like a moron when she talked to someone else - she wasn't known for making elaborate conversation with someone. she was much happier in silence.
Though she didn't mind speaking to him as much, their conversation wasn't forced and awkward like short talk seemed to be. Maybe because she spoke with such passion about something she was passionate about and Colette was definitely something that she is passionate about. So as she relaxed her tensed muscles in her limbs Xen was surprised abit when he continued and asked the same question about her and Colette and the answer would be surprising - but not as long. "About two years. I got Colette off the track as a four year old filly and I knew nothing about horses. But a lot of hours and a lot of lessons later I found myself where I am with her." And there she was babbling about her damn horse again, when it came down to the lively mare Xen found herself more than willing to explain about the beautiful thoroughbred. Though knowing Xenomine and her luck she was probably keeping the boy up on his time. "Dear lord if I'm boring you feel free to slap me once in awhile, when it comes down to Colette I tend to ramble on and on." Stroking the mares neck fondly she then rested both hands on the either side of the mare's neck.
He smiled and she smiled back, for once she felt relaxed in the presence of people when normally she would have been uptight and anxious. Though horses always calmed her down - a liquor but that's another story entirely. Kicking her feet out of her irons Xen turned to Blake and examined the state of her huffing mare, she was about done. "I think I'm going to check out. We had an hour of grueling schooling that even I dreaded doing this morning but she needed to release some energy. Want to catch some coffee later or something?" Ok now that was weird. Truthfully Xen never invited everyone to do anything with her ever and this would be a first but she meant it genuinely, as friends to go and get something to drink. Besides she needed to shower and she wanted to go out tonight and Blake was the only guy in Texas she had met who hadn't run away in fear of her presence and having a friend or two couldn't hurt.
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Post by Blake Kensington on Jul 10, 2010 21:45:45 GMT -5
"Dear lord if I'm boring you feel free to slap me once in awhile, when it comes down to Colette I tend to ramble on and on."
Blake shook his head at her comment. She had no idea what it was to ramble on and on about one's horse. There had been one time when Blake had purposefully ranted about Sin to get rid of a particularly clingy girl at a party. He had had to go on for almost an hour before she decided to move on. Deciding not to bring that particular story up at the moment, seeing as he did not want to scare Xen away, he just chuckled and replied, "I really don't mind someone talking about horses. I'm actually glad to see that I'm not the only one who goes on about mine."
Watching as she reached down to pat her own horse, Blake leaned over and felt Sin's shoulder. It was a normal summer day in Texas, and that meant that it was hot and muggy. Feeling the sweat lathered up, Blake had just made the decision to head in when Xen beat him to it. Then she beat him to something else that he had been planning on when she asked him to hang out later. Smiling to himself he swung off his gelding.
"I would really enjoy getting something to drink later. After being in the sun so long however," he said with an expansive wave of his arm, "I don't think I will be getting coffee." He started out of the arena, and when he reached the gate he unlatched it and pulled Sin through. Then, being the gentlemen he was, he waited for his new friend and her horse to follow. "Ladies first, ma'am," he said with an exaggerated southern drawl.
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