Wæftfald and Hofhus (Show Ring and Stables) RP Thread

Where now are the horse and rider? In here, probably.
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Thain of The Mark
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Welcome to the Riddermark's Show Ring and Stables

A short ride from Edoras and close neighbours with the Infirmary, in the open, lush fields of the Riddermark where horses can graze and roam at ease, stands the Riddermark Show Ring and Stables; an old abandoned breeding establishment that has been recently renovated and re-opened to the public and now offers both stop-over and long-term livery for those who prefer to rest their horses and themselves outside the busy capital.

The wide, open courtyard boasts three barns with stables-doors aligned so as to let the horses watch the comings and goings of staff and visitors. The entire fourth side to the courtyard opens up into an arena bedecked with bright paints; the Show Ring wall is open on one side to allow all the residents an opportunity to admire those that take a turn around the course. In the northern corner of the courtyard between two of the buildings that boast a row of curious equine faces sits a squat, two floored stone structure; the ground floor re-designed as an office and cafe area, with seating and refreshments available to all who wish to take a rest, the upper floor humble lodgings for the senior staff. The southern corner leads to a smaller courtyard where can be found store-houses, tack room and supply stores, where any curious rider would find all the trappings and tools needed to keep a busy stables such as this running. In the eastern corner of the courtyard is a path that leads to the two training areas; one indoor and one outdoor, and beyond them fenced in fields for grazing and longer rides.

As you enter, the stable-staff greet you eagerly, and for a few silver pieces will see that your horse is stabled and groomed while you are invited to help yourself to the pastries and tea from the kettle that is always kept close to boil.


Rules:
1) Please keep posts in character if possible.
2) This thread is an open RPG for all things horse-themed, so if you think it appropriate to arrange a trek, teach riding-lessons or try a show-jumping competition, be my guest!
3) The Show-Ring is the exception to the Open RPG rule; this area is reserved for people to post 'showing off' their horse and should be protected from overlapping RP if at all possible. (suggested post colour #BF8000, example post below)
4) Horses, ponies, donkeys and the occasional mule are more than welcome, but please keep it true to Tolkien’s Middle-Earth (no unicorns, pegasi, six-legged horses, etc).
5) The stables is managed by the friendly staff, including a number of stablehands and horse-masters; feel free to use these NPCs in your posts.
6) This is a roleplay thread as well as a Show-Ring, so feel free to spectate other people's horses appearing, but be mindful that not everyone who posts their horse's description in the Show-Ring will also be available for ongoing roleplay
7) Rohir are common in Rohan and unless they are significantly impoverished, each Rohirric PC can be expected to own or have long-term custody of at least one horse each.
8) This establishment does not usually sell horses or tack; if you wish to purchase a horse or obtain horse supplies, feel free to enquire at 'Ye Olde Pet Shoppe' and 'Second Skin Saddles and Tack' respectively in Se Riddermarket

While the stables are still being established, feel free to contribute to the list of resident pets and stable staff with either shared already established NPCs (like Getale or Cnith in the Ældsel), or if you would like one of your characters to hold a particular role as an ongoing position please approach Dannel the secretary IC to make your application.

The current staff members and open vacancies are detailed below:-


Stable Manager - Vacancy Open
Administrator and book-keeper:- Dannel Fitch (NPC of Allacan), a friendly ex-Gondorian scholar with a keen interest in administration and penmanship, but not necessarily the best person to handle horses
Head Riding Instructor - Vacancy Open
Head Groom and Horse-Master - Vacancy Open
Equine Veterinarian - currently Beoric (NPC of Allacan), a stolid, quiet tanned older gentleman who horses seem to instinctively trust - seeking apprentices as he is trying to prepare for his retirement
Stable-hand/riding instructor NPCs:- Three Vacancies Open
Resident Ratter (pet position):- Vacancy Open
Resident Adorable Softie (pet position):- Vacancy Open
Last edited by Allacan ob Burzum on Thu Sep 03, 2020 11:12 pm, edited 5 times in total.

Thain of The Mark
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Beoric, Resident Equine Veterinarian

He clucked his tongue and shifted the crop in his hand to spur the mare into a swifter gait, nodding appreciatively at her neat gait as she lifted her feet and tossed her mane. He circled in place in the centre of the Show Ring as she took the wide line around the far end of the arena and started back along the far straight, once again feeling a wave of gratitude that the horse left for him to pace and asses was exhibiting such fine discipline and a keenly amenable nature. "Woah, woah." He said softly, allowing the smallest hint of a smile to show on his face as she slowed back to a high-footed trot, her back legs lowering a little lazily but hardly surprising given that she currently lacked a mount. "Good girl, woah woah. That'll do." He said, patting himself on the head in a gesture that soon had the trained mare circling back towards him. He gathered in the training reign and stroked her nose, humming appreciatively as he expertly ran his hands over her once again, checking flanks and joints for any sign of heat or swelling after the work-out. His inspection of her front legs and chest was rewarded with her nibbling and tugging on his hair. "Ow, behave!" he declared in surprise at this unexpected mischievousness, and was amused to see the mare snort and turn her head away from him haughtily as though he were the unruly one. His eyes narrowed; there might actually be mearas blood in this one's lines; she certainly seemed surprisingly clever and intuitive.

He led her over to the gate and tied her up beside the mounting block. Then, crossing to a nearby table where a large, new tome had been placed with quill and ink; Dannel's fresh attempts to track the lines of notable horses from all over the Riddermark and establish some form of record-keeping for those breeders and horse-keepers who lacked scholarly talents. He pulled out the quill and noted down some details about the the horse he had just been putting through its paces.



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Name:- Sumorsong
Present Owner:- Allacan Beorhtlig (entry completed in her absence)
Breed:- Undocumented, but likely a Rohirric Quarterhorse-cross, possibly with Quarrab or Kinsky, remnant Mearas blood may be prominent in the line
Height:- 15.1hh
Age:- Unknown, but by approximation likely 5 year old mare
Sire, Mare and/or breeding lines:- Unknown
Colouration:- Palomino (cream) with a bright white mane and tale
Notable Markings:- light dappling along the body, cream stripe across the face, dark line along the spine from loin to dock
Use:- Likely intended to be a cavalry horse, but swift pacing and conformation suggests she would make an excellent dispatch or racing horse



Image Source: Getty Images, Image Permission: Used under Embed license

Moving to the Main Stable area

His task completed, he returned to the mare and pushed away her pestering nose, continuing on in his soft, deep tones. "Yes, yes, I know you're hungry. There'll be oats for you back in your stall, I promise." As he led the palomino out of the arena he eyed the empty courtyard, warm but open enough to catch a pleasant breeze, and felt his earlier annoyance rouse from its slumber once more. He had been sent word to expect the arrival of an apprentice and possibly also a mare Mina and her newborn foal from their neighbouring Edoras Infirmary. Beoric was not a man who enjoyed human company - he far preferred the companionship of equines - and many thought him a cantankerous old man with no heart who wouldn't give two hoofpicks about any two-legged person, but the truth was he knew he was close to retirement and more than anything he wanted to be sure his equine charges would continue to receive the best of care long after he was gone. He had been seeking out apprentices for some time and had been somewhat rankled to discover that upstart hæland Thalionwen had someone managed to steal prospectives out from under his nose. Thankfully, she had done the decent thing and had sent word that the most promising of them - a woman called Laewyn - might be interested in continuing her training under his tutelage. The fact that she had not yet attended the stables did not bode well, however, and once again he found himself worried for the horses in his care, and pondering the future with an increasingly bleak outlook.

OOC @Lirimaer (If you wish to continue your veterinary training then feel free to post your arrival here via whatever means you prefer (and feel free to bring the horses if you wish) and we will complete your apprenticeship as soon as possible. Beoric is a grumpy old man who likes to give people the impression he cannot b, but he is fair and good at heart and actually just wants the best for his horsie friends.)

Thain of The Mark
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Name: Gefyrst
Present Owner: Taethowen Anhyrne
Breed: Anhyrne stock, similar in looks to a thoroughbred, but the line has been crossed with many horse breeds over the years in pursuit of a specific coloration.
Height: 15.5hh
Age: 12 years
Sire, Mare and/or breeding lines: Anhyrne stock, Sire and Mare pending recovery of records.
Colouration: Solid blue roan, little to no color variation or white leakage visible in the main coat.
Notable Markings: White streaks of hair on the underside of the mane.
Use: The line itself is bred for endurance and speed, as most Rohir horses are. Gefyrst's primary purpose will be as a breeding mare, once Taeth acquires an appropriate Cavalry horse.

Thain of The Mark
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Name:- Norman
Present Owner:- Grimthain
Breed:- Fresian cross
Height:- 16.1hh
Age:- 14 year old gelding
Sire, Mare and/or breeding lines:- Unknown
Colouration:- Brown with an almost black mane and tail
Notable Markings:- white star on the forehead, scarring to the chest and girth and old branding scar to the left thigh
Use:- Currently utilised as a heavy-duty cavalry horse but showing signs of age, likely ready for retirement but could serve as a draft horse if necessary, or potentiall a riding instruction horse due to his gentle demeanor

Master Torturer
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Æric and Edda

How was he to know that Edda had a way with animals in the way that she clearly did. He stood dumbstruck as he watched his young daughter, sitting atop a horse that was so tall that he had argued long and hard to dissuade her from riding that one and picking one of the small ponies instead. But Edda had dug her heels in, adamant that this particular horse was the one that she wanted to ride first. He couldn't even say it had been a rash decision, as Edda had taken note of the names that the instructor had named as ones she could choose and had then gone to see each and every one of them, introducing herself to them as if they could understand her. Heck, maybe they could with how they reacted to her, each and every one of them sniffing then nuzzling her until she laughed.

Of course he knew how to ride a horse, but that was it. He could stay in the saddle and not embarrass himself, but as he had no horse of his own and never had, that was the limit of his knowledge of them. Edda hadn't even really been exposed to any horses, other than the old mare that the travelling peddler had to draw his rickety cart. But here she was, perched on one of the biggest horses he had ever seen, riding it with a confidence he had never had.

"Look Papa!!" She squealed in the familiar high pitched voice of hers, his heart racing as he saw the horses ears flick at the sound. His stomach dropped in fear, hoping the horse would not suddenly panic and run off with his daughter, or throw her off in fright. Pulling on one reign, Edda steered the horse in the other direction as she squealed out "Look! She goes where I want her to!!" Again the mare's ears flicked, but that was the extent of it as it dutifully turned and walked in the direction Edda wanted.

'Oh Eru, I don't have the stomach for this' he thought as he swallowed hard and forced a smile to his lips, waving back at her. "Be careful! Concentrate!" He called out as he gripped the surrounding fence tightly. Hearing a chuckle close by, Æric reluctantly tore his eyes away to look at the instructor who was eating an apple. "Worry not! That girl there? She is a natural. And that there mare, she knows it. I can tell" he added with a confident nod. "She will be taking off in a gallop in no time, that one!"

Æric's face went even paler that it was, causing the instructor to laugh out again. With a shrill whistle he called the mare over and it moved up to the fence and grabbed the apple core he held out. "So, back next week then?" He asked with a mischievous glint in his eyes, accompanied by Edda's happy squeal and then instant begging "Oh please Papa! Pleeease can I come back??"

Now how could he say no?

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