Assana got up early to tend to the horses. There was a Blizzard blowing in and she wanted to let her horses stretch their legs before she confined them back in their stalls. She made sure Bounty had an extra feed and then headed back inside. Before she got to the door she saw a lump in the snow. A lost little cat. She couldn't leave the cat outside with a blizzard on it's way so she brought the little guy inside with her.
While drying the cat off she found a collar, so she rang the number. A lady answered. Assana told her that she had found her cat and that it was safe from the blizzard. The Lady was very grateful and said that when the snow let up she'd come pick her cat up.
She came a few hours later and left with her precious kitty.
She came a few hours later and left with her precious kitty.
It snowed alot over the next few days. But while Assana didn't get much training in with the more mature horses, she did spend alot of her time with Bounty. She was a fiery little filly, and even the snow didn't seem to slow her down. She constantly harassed her mother to play. She would rear and lash out playfully to entice the others to join in. Charlie sometimes indulged her but never for long.
It wasn't long until Bounty grew and matured.
Even as a matured mare she was still very playful and brave. Assana couldn't wait to ride her and see how she took to the training. She fantasied about how well she'd do at the shows and how she'd fly over the jumps.
Even as a matured mare she was still very playful and brave. Assana couldn't wait to ride her and see how she took to the training. She fantasied about how well she'd do at the shows and how she'd fly over the jumps.
On the first clear day, Assana brushed her horses and saddled up Bounty for her first ride.
She took her all over town and on the trails behind the farms. They even went down to the river where Assana soon discovered Bounty's speed.
She took her all over town and on the trails behind the farms. They even went down to the river where Assana soon discovered Bounty's speed.
Later on in the day there were some international competitions. Assana received a phone call and was told that Dusty Cloud was qualified. Assana rode Dusty to the Equestrian Center where the event was being hosted. First was the Marino Championship. A show jumping event full of the finest horses and the finest riders from all around the world. Assana and Dusty Cloud did extremely well and managed to place 3rd.
Next was the Gonzales International Horse Show. Assana entered Dusty into the Showjumping and again they managed to take third place.
When Assana was thanking everyone and getting ready to head home, she was approached by the manager with a male companion at her side. The manager explained that the man was looking to purchase new breeding stock for his show stables and that it was one of his mares that had only barely beaten Dusty. The man wanted to purchase Dusty for a whopping $11,289 simoleons. He promised that he would be treated like a prince and they would continue to show him, so Assana sold Dusty Cloud to him.
Assana stayed at the Center for a while catching up with friends and giving people hints to handle their horses. She found out that the stable boy had placed first in the beginners jumping with Banner and congratulated him. She hoped he stayed with it and improved.
When it started to get late, Assana caught a taxi home and then went to bed.
When Assana was thanking everyone and getting ready to head home, she was approached by the manager with a male companion at her side. The manager explained that the man was looking to purchase new breeding stock for his show stables and that it was one of his mares that had only barely beaten Dusty. The man wanted to purchase Dusty for a whopping $11,289 simoleons. He promised that he would be treated like a prince and they would continue to show him, so Assana sold Dusty Cloud to him.
Assana stayed at the Center for a while catching up with friends and giving people hints to handle their horses. She found out that the stable boy had placed first in the beginners jumping with Banner and congratulated him. She hoped he stayed with it and improved.
When it started to get late, Assana caught a taxi home and then went to bed.
The next morning, Assana spent hours with Magic Charlie at the training grounds. People watched as she rode him over the jumps and then did some laps around the ring working on endurance.
Charlie was better at jumping and lacked the speed for serious racing, but Assana hoped to get him fast enough to enter the cross country.
Charlie was better at jumping and lacked the speed for serious racing, but Assana hoped to get him fast enough to enter the cross country.
Assana entered Charlie into two Advanced competitions for that evening. The first was the HSU Regional Horse Show's Show Jumping. Charlie flew over the jumps and they had a clear fast round ending in a blue ribbon and a trophy.
The second competition was the Michelle Regional Hunt, Cross country. Charlie managed to get second despite his stumble at the water jump.
Assana and Charlie still went home happy and tired.
Assana and Charlie still went home happy and tired.
The next day was spent training Bounty at the training grounds. Assana had brought Eclipse along with her this time, hoping Bounty's obedience would rub off on him.
She worked with Bounty until it started to get dark, and then switched to Eclipse. As soon as she got on he threw her. Her fall was cushioned by snow so it didn't really hurt but it was still humiliating. It was the first time she'd ever been thrown.
Not being one to give up easily, she got right back up and got on him again. He tried to throw her several more times. Once he realized that throwing her wasn't going to work he bolted with Assana on his back. Assana had no trouble steering him and just let him run. They were still in the training grounds so he couldn't take her anywhere but around the track. Around and around they went until he finally got tired and she rode him home.
They got home without incident so Assana rewarded him with a pat and a granola bar before putting him to bed.
She worked with Bounty until it started to get dark, and then switched to Eclipse. As soon as she got on he threw her. Her fall was cushioned by snow so it didn't really hurt but it was still humiliating. It was the first time she'd ever been thrown.
Not being one to give up easily, she got right back up and got on him again. He tried to throw her several more times. Once he realized that throwing her wasn't going to work he bolted with Assana on his back. Assana had no trouble steering him and just let him run. They were still in the training grounds so he couldn't take her anywhere but around the track. Around and around they went until he finally got tired and she rode him home.
They got home without incident so Assana rewarded him with a pat and a granola bar before putting him to bed.
Eclipse still hadn't settled in with Assana's herd yet so when Cloud Magic came on heat she took her to the Center to be paired with a more suitable Stallion. She was in luck. Cascade, a beautiful big white stallion was also visiting the Center for the day. Assana made the arrangements and paid the owners the stud fee.
A few hours later she left with Cloud Magic and walked with her all the way home.
A few hours later she left with Cloud Magic and walked with her all the way home.
The next morning Assana woke up to find that the snow had melted over night and that her veggie garden had come out of it's dormancy.
Assana spent the better half of the day in her garden, watering, weeding and fertilizing the plants and bringing them back to life after the harsh winter.
Assana spent the better half of the day in her garden, watering, weeding and fertilizing the plants and bringing them back to life after the harsh winter.
The rest of her day was spent on chores and some special one on one training with Eclipse and trying to win his trust. Assana desperately wanted to help him. He was so badly damaged that he didn't even want to socialize with the other horses let alone people. But bit by bit, hour by hour she patiently worked with him until he started to trust her.
She managed to get his saddle on without fuss, so she took him for a nice long ride hoping that the exercise and activity would help. When he was focus on running and the sites and smells around him and not on the person on his back, he was a dream to ride. He had a wonderful smooth gait and he was oh so very fast.
That night Ash Cloud was born. A pristine white colt, who was admittedly on the chunky side of things. He stayed by his mothers side, not as daring as other foals had been. He wasn't as adventurous or energetic as Bounty had been. But he seemed content to be by Cloud Magic's side.
Over the next few days Assana spent more time with Eclipse and Bounty. She worked on Eclipse's trust issues by taking him everywhere with her, even when she was training another horse. The training grounds provided a good environment for him, as there were always lots of people around, usually people that knew horses, and they all pitched in a little bit here and there. Even some of the children would give him treats.
Bounty's jumping was excelling so quickly that when the weekend show's hit and Assana found out they were being hosted by JRA Equestrian Center she entered the mare in without hesitation.
The Salas Regional was first on Assana's list as it was only an advanced class. Bounty came in with the best time and score as was expected.
Bounty's jumping was excelling so quickly that when the weekend show's hit and Assana found out they were being hosted by JRA Equestrian Center she entered the mare in without hesitation.
The Salas Regional was first on Assana's list as it was only an advanced class. Bounty came in with the best time and score as was expected.
The Wright International was next. Assana went around before the show and checked out the competition. There were alot of really nice horses in the running and she started to get nervous.
When it came around to their turn Assana was a nervous wreck, she'd psyched herself out before the competition had even began.
Bounty picked up on Assana's nervousness which made her hesitate at a few of the jumps, costing them important seconds and placing them in third. Assana blamed herself for the lose, but congratulated the winners all the same. She patted and praised Bounty, as she had done a good job despite of how nervous her rider had been.
When it came around to their turn Assana was a nervous wreck, she'd psyched herself out before the competition had even began.
Bounty picked up on Assana's nervousness which made her hesitate at a few of the jumps, costing them important seconds and placing them in third. Assana blamed herself for the lose, but congratulated the winners all the same. She patted and praised Bounty, as she had done a good job despite of how nervous her rider had been.
Ash Cloud grew up that night and finally became independent of his mother. He started really exploring and playing with things and doing things he'd never done as a foal.
Just when all seemed to be going well with Eclipse he started acting up whenever Cloud Magic approached the herd, even though Assana had witnessed nothing to condone this odd behavior. The others also seemed to be a bit confused with it.
Assana was already working with him and running him on a daily basis and she was starting to run out of ideas on what to do.
Assana was already working with him and running him on a daily basis and she was starting to run out of ideas on what to do.
With Cloud Magic coming into heat again and Eclipse still being difficult and acting oddly, Assana took her mare down to the JRA Center where she had organised a stud called Sable. He was a nervous and quiet horse but he had very nice colour and markings that she hoped would be passed on to the foal.
When Assana started training Ash, she was greatly dismayed to find he had no natural talent for racing or jumping but he was willing to try anything she asked of him and was very obedient.
She started him from scratch, using the cavalletti poles as a good starting point.
She started him from scratch, using the cavalletti poles as a good starting point.
Bounty was entered into another Advanced competition. The Robert Horse Trials, a cross country event hosted by the JRA Equestrian Center. As a famous Partner of the Center, Assana was expected to participate in atleast one event every weekend.
Bounty was stunning and she was quickly becoming a favourite. Her wins just made her more and more popular.
Bounty was stunning and she was quickly becoming a favourite. Her wins just made her more and more popular.
Over the next few days Assana did more and more training with Ash and started to leave Eclipse at home, hoping he would bond more with Cloud Magic if they spent some quality time together.
Ash's jumping improved by the day and he was beginning to clear the walls without any mishaps or hesitations.
She entered him both The Specter Regional Horse Trials and the Manegold Classic. They came in second for both, but it was still a big improvement and showed just how far he'd come in such a short time.
Ash's jumping improved by the day and he was beginning to clear the walls without any mishaps or hesitations.
She entered him both The Specter Regional Horse Trials and the Manegold Classic. They came in second for both, but it was still a big improvement and showed just how far he'd come in such a short time.
Later that night as a storm rolled in Cloud gave birth to Sable's foal. Another interestingly colored colt. Assana named him Dragon Cloud. He was flighty, and full of fire. Even though everyone was sleeping, he was still galloping around enjoying his new found life.