by FireOmens » Thu Dec 25, 2014 10:20 am
Username: ~Faith~
Equid's Name: Tashia - Meaning 'Born at Christmas'
Age: 4
Height: 12.1hh
Sex: Mare
Gender: Mare
Personality: Even though Tashia is completely deaf and can't hear anything, it doesn't stop this wonderful young mare from being around the other equids. Throughout the years she has learned some of the basic words with trying her best to mouth read. This is due to her determination to prove that she's just like everyone else only that she has a disability that she can't help that she was born with. Even though she knows other equids don't particularly like her due to being deaf, it doesn't stop her from enjoying her life running free and enjoying the time in the snow as after all she was born on Christmas Eve.
Though being deaf has lead to her being captive in a barn she doesn't mind that much as she knows that her owners love her very much for who she is with her loving and very caring personality that she has. Even though she can't hear what they say she's always being complimented for her bravery and determination throughout the years.
Most of her life though as a young foal barely even a few weeks old her dam and sire had realized that their beautiful young filly was deaf. Even though they knew this about Tashia most of her life this was hidden from her knowledge as they knew she really didn't know any better, after all she had never heard sounds. Though when she was old enough and strong enough to be around the rest of the herd, she had found out the hard way about her disadvantage.
At first of course the other foals around her age had been willing to play and rough house around but when they realized that Tashia had this sort of disadvantage they started to tease her and on occasion use to shove her around. Tashia though didn't know that they were being mean to her and would act as if it was some sort of game, smiling and sometimes playing along. But when that happened the other foals started to leave her out of everything, ignoring her and making her feel left out of everything. Eventually as the days turned into weeks and the weeks turned into months Tashia soon learned that she was deaf and that was why the other foals were ignoring her now.
She never truly understood why these 'friends' had left her out in the first place when they had seemed to be friends at first, but after they realized this they seemed to hate her. Most nights she would cry herself to sleep and despite her mother's comfort it couldn't last forever. Tashia had always tried to be a great daughter, understanding as much as possible and trying to not let her being deaf let it get in the way of being with her family but sometimes she felt as if she was in the wrong and was bringing pain to her family. Tashia would always try to not be a disappointment but with the constant teasing, pushing and shoving around the young mare always seemed to be double-thinking herself as if she wasn't good enough and that was why everyone hated her.
She slowly started to become more and more of a loner not wanting to be social with any of the other herd members except for those of whom understood that she was deaf and tried to help her out. But even if they were all adults she sought out more of those around her own age most of the time. It was easier said than done of course and as the long summer nights drew onward she found herself constantly gazing up at the stars above her.
Having never learnt to talk and never being able to hear words, she looked tot he stars as if they were her own friends that understood her. Afterall she had eventually learned or so believed to herself that the stars were amazing, silent and beautiful just like herself or so she believed. Looking up into the night sky to watch the flickering lights above her that offered her light in the darkest of times, never judging her or anything along those lines. Most nights instead of being close to the herd she'd keep her distance and watch the stars, watching them as night feel upon the land until she fell asleep.
Most called her habits strange of course, who else watched the stars? In their eyes Tashia was strange enough as it was without that having to happen. The foals that were still around her age started to bother her when she was trying to find peace within the shining beauty of the dark night sky above and shortly after this Tashia started to feel annoyed. She kept thinking that she was useless and of course started to cry herself to sleep again like she had when she had been younger.
The older she got though the teasing games from the other foals seemed to be turning again, they left her alone but whenever she was close enough they would raise their heads and turn their backs to her. It was back to being a loner for this poor girl. Not until eventually they grew out of this as well when Tashia had saved their lives after spotting humans nearby she had tried to alert them all to it, using her head to gesture where the humans were. Of course they had never believed her at first but when they had seen them for themselves they had thanked Tashia for alerting them.
Even after this happened and she had been accepted within the herd finally after many years of trying to be noticed and seen as not different she found it hard to get use to the socialization as she had avoided it for many years and this was something new for her that she was uncertain about.
Being deaf also has made Tashia jumpy and skittish, when she sees or feels something unexpected she's likely to take off or panic. She relies on her nose and eyes mainly to sense danger and she always is watching the other herd members to see if it really is a time to panic and run away or not. She of course can't help this as she can't hear what is going on around her so she relies on many of the senses that she does have.
Tashia also looks up to the older members of the herd for guidance to the world around her, even they can't communicate in words she does however understand movements from time to time and what they mean. She has always needed someone to show her the world and guide her through it even if it's difficult at times her persistence is always noticed among the herd she lives among.
Even with being deaf, Tashia has never managed to get herself seriously hurt. That said she has however sometimes ran into trees when she isn't focused on things or is looking over her shoulder to make sure she isn't being followed. She has always had a habit of making sure nothing is following her as she is scared that she wouldn't be able to hear anyone coming up behind her and attacking her. That's why sometimes she tries her best to socialize among the herd but sometimes it isn't enough.
Tashia does however have a few advantages to being deaf. She has a better eye sight, sense of smell, and is more acute to movements and the feelings around her. That said she can sense when others around her are tense or not. She also has a better eye sight than most of the other herd members and uses this to spot anything that could be seen as threat or harmful to her and her herd. She also has a good sense of smell so anything that is out of place with scents in the air she can become easily more jumpy if she isn't sure what it is. Especially when she smells smoke she'll be out of there within a heartbeat as she is fearful of smoke as that means fire.
Her herd uses her advantages to their own as well, so if they see Tashia looking skittish at all or acting out of the ordinary they know that they need to be on alert as well. They have finally learned to accept her for who she is even if not all the time she understands that they now accept her.
Sometimes though she does wish that she wasn't different and that she had been accepted in the first stage and that none of this had happened before but alas sometimes things happen in life that are going to be difficult, serve as a challenge you're going to need to overcome in life. After all life isn't meant to be fair all the time and it's never going to be easy. You also can't ever let your past drag down your future you always have to keep moving forward even if it's hard.
Her main personality traits :
₪ Determined - Tashia has always been overly determined so that even if she is deaf that she doesn't want other equids to think of her poorly. She wants to be seen as a brave young mare that has high spirits and won't back down unless she has to. Even if it's difficult with her determination she knows sometimes she won't always be able to win and sometimes to win you have to back down. That's why she learned how to hear with vibrations in the air currents and ground. She's mastered this all due to never giving up so others wouldn't see her as different and strange.
₪ Protective - Tashia is very protective of herself, when other equids around her look at her strangely she'll try and stand up for herself as much as possible. But with a limited speech as she can't hear anything it sometimes proves to her as a bit of a problem. She's grown to be protective of herself and doesn't trust easily when it comes down to it.
₪ Caring - Tashia is also known to be caring about those around her, even if they don't show it to her in return at times it doesn't stop her from looking out for them from possible danger as she has pretty good eye sight that makes up for her being deaf.
₪ Loyal - Just like any other equid that she's met, Tashia has always noticed how loyal some are to one another. She's always willing to help out when she can and with her determination she won't easily back down if she can tell that another equid isn't feeling the best and feels down. After all she knows that feeling all to well, feeling lonely and uncertain about everything so she tries to make other equids feel welcome.
₪ Confident - Sometimes Tashia's confidence gets the best of her, and with a mix of her determination it sometimes lead up to disputes between other equids. She doesn't like to back down easily but she likes to try and prove herself worthy of attention at times because she tends to feel left out because she has a disability with being deaf and is unable to understand clearly what others are saying.
₪ Antisocial - Due to her disability with being deaf, Tashia doesn't easy trust those around her because she feels like other equids are teasing her. Of course this isn't always the case but she can't hear what they are saying and sometimes takes it the wrong way. This has led up to her slightly being antisocial and less herd like, she likes to keep her distance from the group at times.
₪ Show off - Tashia is sometimes a bit of a show off because she is always trying to prove herself worthy and just because she's deaf doesn't mean that she should be left out or is that different compared to everyone else.
₪ Watchful - Due to being deaf, Tashia has learned to use her eyes more than her ears, she is always paying close attention to her surroundings and has a keen eye for details. That said she doesn't have an eagle eye but she normally is able to spot danger before anyone else does.
Descriptive Piece: The darkness of evening wrapped around us like a blanket; but as we lay back against the carpet of grass and gazed upwards, worlds of light unfolded before us. The stars hung like ropes of diamonds from a socialite’s neck. There were so many that it almost seemed to develop into sounds; clusters like groups of conversations – sparkling and bright here, while dim and quiet there. We spent the evening watching the sky’s night time gathering, like two naughty children trying not to get caught at the top of the stairs; amazed by the enormity of all we could imagine.
Yet the darkness that night brings is always there without being seen. Yet somehow the beauty of night and the darkness have always been misunderstood. But those brave enough to step by the stories sometimes wonder how vast is the sky above us is, how far does it go on? But the beauty the sky holds always offers light to us even when we can't see it, we know that someone is giving us light to help guide us past the darkness. Even the stars know the way back home if we know how to follow them through the glorious sky and the constellations, galaxies and many more the black abyss holds and forever goes on. The Night sky and what is within it will always be here for us, only those brave enough to follow and treasure what it offers for us to take.
Happy Story: Warning, it's a bit sad at first but it gets happier I promise! c:
So this particular Christmas me and my boyfriend were celebrating at his parents house again. But this year I knew that I was getting an extra special Christmas present. After my beloved horse, Titan passed on a few weeks ago I had become really depressed over his death as I had had him since he was a young colt.
This year though my boyfriend had left the best present for last, after all the other presents had been opened and wrapping paper was left on the floor, the dogs chewing on the bones they had gotten, his younger siblings playing with the toys they had gotten and his parents talking about preparations for the evening dinner. The next thing I know I had been pulled aside and my boyfriend took me outside to the barn where some of his parents horses were.
Of course I was confused at first constantly thinking in my mind where was he taking me and why. But those thoughts were soon gone as I saw him, a beautiful tall muscular grey horse staring at me through his stall with a silver bow tied around his neck. I honestly couldn't believe what I was seeing and of course me being the horse person that I am I was in his stall grooming him with brushes almost immediately with my boyfriend helping me on the other side of the horse.
This year started off with a bit of a rough start but the way it ended with getting a wonderful and beautiful horse from my boyfriend was by far one of the greatest gifts I got from him, aside from his love of course. :3
I also recently found out that my grandfather who had colon cancer for the past year was unable to go through chemotherapy sometime last year and was given a year to live. This Christmas though (well actually a week after Christmas as it was the only time I was able to go and see him) we exchanged gifts and words, had breakfast, lunch and dinner together before we went tot he living room and did what we normally did each year. Except this year was something slightly different for me.
I was still worried that this would be the last Christmas I would have with my grandfather but little did I know as they passed me an envelope that my worries would be wiped away. As I read it over I could have sworn that my heart stopped beating for a moment, thinking that it would be news that I didn't want to read, but as I read further somehow I found in that letter that my grandfather's cancer had gone away and for the meantime his cancer tumor is gone.
This was a surprise to us all, but it was by far one of the greatest gifts I could get. Knowing that I still have a few more years left with him at the most and that the year of 2014's Christmas wouldn't be the last one I would be having with him. I can't even begin to explain how much joy I felt at that time, but it was a great gift knowing that the cancer was gone and that he will be okay.
Last edited by
FireOmens on Sat Jan 10, 2015 4:34 pm, edited 4 times in total.