[Kiwilady]

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Username: kiwilady
Full name: His Majesties Royal Empire
Barn name: Silver
Age: 6
Gender: Stallion
Height:
Breed: Thoroughbred
Coloration: Gulastra Plume Mahogany Bay
Picture:
Story:
Owner:

[lichenfeather]

And it came to pass on a Christmas evening
When all the doors were shuttered tight
Outside standing, a lonely boy child
Cold and shivering in the night

On the street every window
Save but one was gleaming bright
And to this window walked the boy-child
Peeking in saw candlelight

Through other windows he had looked at turkeys
Ducks, and geese, and cherry pies
But through this window saw a gray-haired lady
Table bare and tears in her eyes

Into his coat reached the boy child
Knowing well there was little there
He took from his pocket his own Christmas dinner
A bit of cheese and some bread to share

His outstretched hands held the food and they trembled
As the door it opened wide
Said he, "Would you share with me Christmas dinner?"
Gently said she, "Come inside"

The gray-haired lady brought forth to the table
Glasses two, last drops of wine
Said she, "Here's a toast to everyone's Christmas
And especially yours and mine"

And it came to pass on that Christmas evening
When all the doors were shuttered tight
That in that town the happiest Christmas
Was shared by candlelight.

Username: Lichenfeather
Full name: SF's Imperial Claim
Barn name: Royal
Age: 10 years
Gender: Stallion
Height: 17.1hh
Breed: Thoroughbred
Coloration: Gulastra Plume Mahogany Bay
Picture: xXx -- It's rather small and simple, but that's what I love about it. It looks so authentic and realistic, yet still has just a little bit of Christmas charm.
Story: From the moment Royal was born, he was given everything a horse could ask for -- a large stall, a picturesque pasture, gilded blankets and rhinestone encrusted halters. He lived a life of luxury, a life far better than many people could ever hope to have. In fact his life was so perfect, there was only one thing missing, and Royal, having never known it existed, would never miss it. From the moment he was born, he was in the hands of humans. Business men, to be exact. His mother, a mare known on the track as 'A Moment to Claim' was whisked away as soon as he could stand, and he was given into round-the-clock human care. You see, Royal was their prize colt, from a long line of prized racers, and they wanted to ensure that nothing went wrong, and to the business men, this meant they could never trust him with another horse. So as Royal grew older, he trained and learned to run, never missing what he could not remember, never feeling a hollow spot in his heart where love should be. He was aloof and arrogant, convinced that he was special, he was unique in a way that no other had even imagined. And everything he believed was true. By the time he was five, Royal had run a 29 total races, and won each and every one. He was widely acclaimed, and his owners were content to retire him into the money-producing job of a stud. Yet a stallion undefeated in 29 races is not one to stay out of the limelight, and with fame came greed, and many out there sought to possess the handsome Royal. As he neared the close of his seventh year, one of these people finally succeeded. Yet a world-renowned, hot-blooded Thoroughbred stallion is no easy creature to keep, and the thief, frightened by the thought of being caught, dumped Royal in some nameless town. This is where our story starts, in a small snow-swept pasture, on the night of December 25th.

I snorted, my hooves clacking against the ice with a cruel vengeance. Why was I here? Where was my warm stall, my glorious feed and my fawning admirers? I was stuck here, in a small, ice covered pasture, like some common pony! The humiliation of it all nearly killed me, and I was sure that if I did not die of humiliation, I would perish from the awful bite of the cold. My perfectly groomed coat was already shaking in a futile attempt to stay warm. Oh, the indignity of it all! With a terrible keen, I threw back my head and called out to the tiny fires burning in the sky above me. As dropped my head once more, a light in the window of the old, rickety nearby barn caught my attention. It was unlike any light I had ever seen before, lacking the sharpness of sunshine, yet also without the intense edge of the light in my stall. It seemed to be produced by a long, stick like object. Curious now, I pricked my ears, my woes momentarily forgotten. And that was when I saw her. A human, older than I was used to, dressed in shabby clothes. Her face was buried in her hands, and liquid, the same sort that dripped from the eyes of some when I won my races, streamed down, splashing to the table beneath. Although I was confused, for I had won no races for her, I knew that she was my answer home. With one sharp whinny and a demanding stomp of my left-forehoof, I caught her attention. As her eyes lifted, I saw something strange spark into them. In a moment, the light was up and moving, her hand guiding. A click, and the door swung wide open. I shook the snow from my mane, pawing once more. Silently, the woman rushed towards me, her cheeks still streaked with water, yet her expression was one I had never before seen. As she rushed at me, I drew back, making a sound of confusion. What did she want? She had not the grace nor poise of those I had met before, and before I could think any further, her arms were around my neck, her cheek against mine. I was so stunned that I froze. Never before had I been touched in this way, and something seemed to swell in my chest, an unnameable warmth. Whickering slightly, I placed my muzzle upon her smoke coloured hair, nudging her. A rush of memories suddenly hit me, the feeling of someone urging me to stand, with such gentleness, and... I did not know the word, yet I knew I was remembering my first day on this planet. Had there been something more than the training, the stall and the men? This woman felt so achingly familiar, I missed... I did not know what I missed. Hesitantly, she drew back, looking me over. "You must be freezing." she murmured and I snorted, rearing up to paw at the air. Yes, I had been cold, but I was cold no longer. I did not know what I felt, but it was as warm as the sun on my back. She smiled at me, patting my cheek when I came down from the air, and again I felt the strange warmth swell. "Come inside." she offered, taking my mane in her hand and using it to lead me through the pasture gate, and up into her house. As I poked my muzzle into this and that, curious about this new place, I did not hear what she stood at the door and said, but I knew somewhere deep down that she would keep me safe.

Sometimes I wonder where you're coming from
When you roll in like thunder just to turn around and run
It's a good thing I don't need you to stay

You smell like moonlight and early morning rain
Pray til a fool but surrender to your pain
Or find a cure for your decay

You're at your best with an ache in your chest
And that worn out old song that you play
Only Jesus and you who long to teach us
Should know and be left to betray

I don't know the answer but I know who to blame
You can choose the dancer if you could choose the flame
I think you'll find they're one in the same
It doesn't have to be this way

You're at your best with an ache in your chest
And that worn out old song that you play
Only Jesus and you who long to teach us
Should know and be left to betray

I don't know the answer but I know who to blame
Pray til a fool but surrender to your pain
It's a good thing I don't need you to stay

Sometimes I wonder where you're coming from
When you roll in like thunder just to turn around and run
It's a good thing I don't need you to stay
It doesn't have to be this way

Ownership Information:

History: After being found by the old lady, Royal began to learn more about life than he ever thought possible. It came as a shock to the pompous stallion that other horses were not, as he'd previously thought, complete idiots, but only mostly idiots. For the next two years, he lived happily with his companion, learning more about life each and every day. Disaster struck the spring of his ninth year, when his beloved companion passed away. Heartbroken, Royal slipped back into his arrogant shell, behaving as if the world revolved around him once again. He was given to her granddaughter, a young woman by the name of Quetzal Grey, who owned a small barn down in Canada, and it was there that he began to heal. Yet Quetzal knew the stallion from somewhere, and it was not long before she realized she was in the possession of Imperial Claim, the famed racehorse who'd gone missing two years before. With a heavy heart, Quetzal contacted his owners, expecting the worst. She was surprised in that although they wanted to see him, they were quite happy to legally hand him over, after all, horse racing was out, and technology was in. "And who owned horses and ran one of the top computer companies?" they scoffed as they signed him over. So it came to pass that Royal came into the possession of Quetzal Grey, who has slowly been healing the hole her grandmother left in his heart.

Owner: Quetzal, commonly known as Feather to her friends, is a young woman living out in a valley somewhere in Canada. Her stables, known as the Silent Forest Stud, consists of a vast amount of land on which a small portion is trails and pastures for which the horses to roam in. She is currently working on a Thoroughbred breeding project, aiming to produce the best all-rounder Thoroughbreds that can carry successful racing careers before being retired and rehabilitated. She uses only natural methods with her horses, and each pasture is at least 12 acres of mixed grass and rock terrain.

Outfit:
Some may wonder why Royal is dressed up in such a fancy attire. After her grandmother passed away, and she was left with Royal, Quetzal noticed he was slipping deeper and deeper into the stuck-up horse he'd been before he'd felt love, and Quetzal, knowing he was upset, decided to do something about this. His blanket is actually made from the quilt her grandmother used to use on her bed. Quetzal figured that he would perk up if he had something that reminded him of his departed companion, and after receiving the overly luxurious quilt, she figured it was perfect. He gets some strange stares as he frolics about in the pasture in his kingly garb, yet Quetzal does not mind, knowing it makes him happy. After a night spent with some friends, Quetzal figured she'd make him an entire outfit, simply for fun, which he wears when the rare visitor is given a tour of the stables.

Personality:
| Arrogant | Vain | Protective | Aloof | Caring |

Royal truly lives up to his name. He is the stereotypical example of a monarch, in all ways but one. Horribly arrogant, Royal looks down on everyone, believing himself to be better then the rest of the world. Even once he has befriended another, he sometimes forgets himself and treats them more as a slave than a friend. He is also extremely vain, knowing himself to be beautiful and taking great pride in it. He holds himself above others and their simple, peasant lives, remaining emotionally detached in most situations. Yet, like a noble, he takes fierce pride in his little band of friends, holding them close to his heart. He is exceedingly protective of them, going so far as to herd them around and away from visitors for fear they shall steal them away. This protectiveness stems from possessiveness, for he is not only possessive of what he considers his material wise but also in terms of people and other animals, yet it also stems from a deep, fierce love. Once he loves someone or something, he loves it with all his heart, and shall not bow to anything that threatens to take it from him. This caring surpasses the pride of any lord, and, once it is reached, reveals the true heart of the stallion that holds it.


'Seeing Her Go'

[orse]

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Username :: {h o r s e}
Name :: WWT The King's Speech
Barn Name :: King

Gender :: Stallion
Breed :: Thoroughbred
Height :: 17.2hh
Age :: 5 years and 2 months
Coat Colour :: Gulastra Plume Mahogany Bay
Markings :: White sock on near hind, stripe/blaze

Picture :: Here
Story ::

Love takes work and work takes love but we will get there in the end.

Boxing Day

$500 of christmas money was tightly gripped in my hand as I walked the aisles of the sale yards. Some of the horses looked interesting, but none of them what I was looking for. My dad followed behind me, obviously out of his element. He froze as a huge horse was led in front of my cutting me off. The horse was let into a yard and it spun around to face the front as the man latched the gate. I went to look at the horse's information sheet:

Name: n/a
Age: 4 years
Breed: Thoroughbred
Gender: Stallion
Height: 17.2hh
Colour: Gulastra Plume Mahogany Bay
About: Fresh off the track, needs experienced rider
Price: $600

Dad took one look at the horse and tried to get me to move on but I didn't budge. Something told me he was the horse for me. Behind the wild eyes and fizziness was a horse that was mine. 'Dad' I complained.
'No, Aria. He is not for you and he's too expensive.
'Dad he's perfect! I have to have him.'
Dad knew I wouldn't budge. He gave up, forking out $100 for me. Within minutes the horse was in our rental trailer.

27th December
Instead of hitting the snooze button, I leapt out of bed, wriggling into my jodphurs and putting on my tall boots. I rushed out of the door holding a small piece of paper containing my horse's measurements and an apple I started up the car wriggling the P plates into place. Dad stopped me at the car door, holding out my helmet.
'1. Don't ride that horse.. yet
2. Wear a helmet around it anyway.'
'Yeah, I will ok?' I leapt into the car making my way to the nearest store. 30 minutes later I was walking away with a lunge line, lunge whip, summer sheet, heavy winter rug, rain rug, halter, lead rope, fly mask and grooming kit. Well, make it 40 minutes including all the time it took to get my things out the door.
I drove to the agistment paddock, eager to see my horse. It was small-ish with 4 rotational paddocks for a large group of horses, a lunge yard, a small shed, a wash bay and a place to tie up horses. I walked into the shed and unlocked my allocated storage bins. One of them was already full of my pre-mixed feed, the other was empty. I dumped all the gear in except the summer rug, halter and leadrope, being careful to place everything in the barrel neatly. It was time to go catch him. I made sure my helmet was on tight.

It took a while to locate my horse, but I was relieved when at least, he was easy to catch. I slipped a halter on him and clipped up my leadrope. He tried to charge ahead of me and I had to yank on the leadrope and growl at him so he didn't step on my feet. I tied him up, hanging up his rug on the fence. It was time to begin work. I grabbed a brush and began grooming him to the point of spotless. My stomach dropped each time the horse skittered away from me, slamming himself against the fence in fear of the pink brush. I tried to be as gentle as I could but it was no use. I sighed as I chucked my brush away, sweating under the hot Australian sun. With a swift pull of the long leadrope I released him off of the fence, bringing him into the lunge yard. I let him run, swinging the rope at him as he ran around the fence in fear. It didn't seem right to me. He was so rough and wild yet any time I got aggressive with him he crumbled. I swung the rope at him again and he flung himself into the fence in fear. So I stopped. I let the rope hang down by my sides as he came back to a walk. He wanted to listen.

3rd Feburary
It had taken me a while to get through to my horse. At this point I need to mentioned I named him King - a name which suited him very well. A few months of running King around in a lunge yard had drained my energy entirely. It was time to move on. I stepped out of my car knowing today was the day. We had come so far and King had learnt to read my body language. He may still be a thoroughbred and that can never change, but he tried his hardest to please me and give 100% of his attention to me. I carried my slightly dusty saddle out to King, placing it by his feet. He snorted, looking it over carefully. I slipped his bridle on, letting him get used to the different type of bit I was using. Soon the saddle blanket followed and so did the saddle. He didn't flinch, and I did up his girth easily.

Green horses like King are very different to the horses I ride usually. I had to be very clear with what I wanted him to do, and soon we were walking around the lunge yard. He was very stiff and held his head high as he walked, hollowing his back. I released the contact to the buckle, letting him loosen up as we walked around the yard. Another milestone reached, many more to come.

1st March
The last month had been quite frustrating for me.

Circle after circle in the round yard and we only made a sliver of progress. Transition after transition was my focus and we were beginning to get the hang of it. I knew King was getting bored of all the circles so it was time to move on.

1st June
Over the past few months my mood had began to pick up greatly. We had moved our work to a small paddock and began circles, patterns and contact work including serpentines, rein changes and sharpening our transitions. Things were looking good.

1st August
Over the past 2 months we had made the biggest amount of progress yet - King's topline developed tremendously and was now working in a light frame. We had mastered the arena and were moving onto jumps, currently schooling at 80cm.

1st September
Over the past month we had jumped heights I never thought I would dare to reach, an astonishing 1.15m as our highest. I wasn't willing to go any further at that time. I decided to enter King and myself in the 3 day christmas event, slightly concerned about our showjumping abilities but nevertheless ecstatic. It was time to hit the cross country course.

20th December
I gripped the reins nnervously as I entered the dressage arena, continuously trying to remind myself to relax. King stepped into the arena with pride, halting cleanly as I began the test. There were many times I was so close to forgetting, and there were many parts of the test I wanted another go of, but I accepted my 7th place ribbon gratefully.

21st December
I was slightly nervous at the thought of the 1m course ahead of me. We hadn't jumped this high in a competition. I held on for the ride as King unexpectedly shot out underneath me, cantering quickly to the first jump. I winced as I listened for the thud of his hooves hitting the rail, but there was no thud. We ended up clearing the whole round, coming in 2nd place.

22nd December
The cross country course was the last element of the event. I had entered in the 50cm and under class as I had no experience at all in this field of expertise. I let King take over, giving him his head but collecting him before each jump. We placed 18th, which I was definitely happy with.

It was surprising to me how far I had come in a year with King, and how fast he learns. I just needed to listen to him - he had done a lot of listening to me. $600 had turned into the greatest choice in my life.
Owner :: Aria Brennan is the owner of Willow Wood Stables [or WWS for short]. She keeps all types of horses, King being the horse that started her obsession. She breeds elite thoroughbreds [Willow Wood Thoroughbreds or WWT for short] and King is one of her foundation sires. She has always held a special place for King in her heart. He is the one who started it all.
Personality :: A colourful boy, King is the definition of fireball. He's got a lot of energy, but he also has a lot of love to give, only if you are patient enough to listen to him.
History :: Before the story above, King was an off the track race horse, having raced until he was 4 years old when he was put up for sale.
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Art

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[cowgirlchrista]

Dropping out

[Arrows]

I love this guy, but I just cannot do him justice. Dropping out!

[Penultima]

For people asking, this contest ends on January 6th

[lichenfeather]

Hey, best of luck to everyone! I know this gorgeous boy will go to a wonderful home. Good luck with judging Pen. <3

[Penultima]

This will be extended until January 10th

[lichenfeather]

I'm assuming this is now over? Forgive me if I'm incorrect. Best of luck everyone, all the forms are lovely, and I'd hate to have to judge it.

[Kiwilady]

sadly didn't have time to finish this before the end date