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Post by Alice Gordon on Nov 9, 2010 8:10:14 GMT -5
This is Alice's first day and there is a bounce in her step as she walked past the other hands and grooms on her way to her mare's stable. She just moved into her new room in the helpers' living area before going to check on her horse who arrived the previous day.
"Morning Spatzi," Alice called cheerfully, smoothing down her spotless new stable hand uniform with one hand and stroking her mare with the other while gazing around Briar Ridge's spectacular stables. "Wow, this is like a horse heaven and so clean..." "Well, it aught to be," a grumpy but handsome stable hand interrupted, striding up to Alice frowning, "You the new girl? Alicia right?" "Yes and please call me Alice. Alicia lets me sound like some type of primadonna," she replied giggling, trying to lighten the mood. "And you are...?" His face softened, replying "Jason." "I'm still quite new myself, but Val told me to show you around. Is this girl yours?" he asked gesturing to Spatzi with a wave of his hand. "Yes. Spatzi is my pride and joy and we've been through alot together." "Spatzi?" "Short for Sugar and Spice" "Ah, of course. Well looks like she has already been fed and watered so lets take you on your tour."
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Post by Alice Gordon on Nov 11, 2010 1:57:35 GMT -5
There was a bustle as the barn started to come to life and hardly anyone noticed as Jason led Alice around, showing her what happens where and who to watch out for. Just occasionally someone would flash them a smile or there would be yell a warning before leading a unwilling horse past. When they finally left the barn Jason took her to where some show-jumpers were practicing.
"Wow, their really good," Alice exclaimed as a young girl on a big chestnut jumped a water-jump. "They practice everyday," Jason stated, gritting his teeth as the girl called to some grooms for help,"I just wish they would find better training methods..." "What do you mean..."
Alice watched as two grooms went to each side of the next jump while another with a dressage crop stood to one side. Putting two and two together she let out a shocked yelp. "Their going to ram that horse with the jump! We've got to do something!" "I'm sorry but there is nothing we can do. This is how they do things here and you could get fired if you interfered."
Jason closed his eyes and hanged his head as the horse let out a shocked neigh when the jump hit his front legs during the jump. Alice just stared at them in outrage as the girl grinned when the chestnut jumped much higher the next time.
"We have to stop this! Their ruining that poor horse," Alice said, standing up and striding to-words the arena, her face bright red with rage. Jumping up, Jason grabbed Alice's hand and looking her in the eyes saying,"I'm really REALLY sorry but there is NOTHING we can do without being fired."
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Post by Alice Gordon on Nov 13, 2010 9:18:28 GMT -5
"Don't you care at all?" "Of course I care," Jason replied, looking frustrated. "Well it really doesn't look like it," Alice stated over her shoulder striding back to the barn.
She just made it half way when Jason was suddenly walking next to her and pulling her to a stop. "Look I'm sorry," he said nervously pulling a hand through his cropped hair," its just that I really need this job and I know you too and it's almost impossible to change Val's way of seeing things. I heard even the Horse Whisperer next door couldn't convince her! I'm starting to think word can convince her how wrong this is, but she has been known to fire people who interfered." "Hold on," Alice exclaimed getting a strange look on her face, "You said no WORD right?" "Um yes, why?" "I may just have an idea on how to change Briar Ridge's way of training for good..."
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Post by Alice Gordon on Nov 15, 2010 10:23:01 GMT -5
"You have got to be kidding me," Jason said leading Spatzi to the empty jumping arena and then giving Alice a leg up. "How can you be serious about this?! Cindy Norton is Briar Ridge's top show-jumper! She has won ton of competitions and how many have you entered?" "Six to be exact," Alice replied patting Spatzi and looking at the course they had seen Cindy jump earlier. "And how many have you WON?" "Five," Alice replied flatly making Jason's jaw drop. "OK wow that is good but still, are you craze???" "No. There is a reason Val chose me to ride for her stables and that is because I'm good and with just a little more training I can win. I need to win using my style to prove her way of training is wrong and you get the minimum results that way," Alice said looking determined.
She started warming up by trotting and cantering around the arena then turned Spatzi's head to-words the first jump.
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Post by Alice Gordon on Dec 2, 2010 5:45:21 GMT -5
"Three, forty five," Jason yelled when Alice crossed the finish line of the practise course for the second time. "See I told you I'm good," Alice grinned and Jason dropped his head in defeat. "OK maybe you might just be good enough, but I STILL think your craze," Jason admitted his frown developing into a smile. Suddenly his head shot up and he looked at his watch his eyes widening. "We have to move, NOW! Our free time ended 5 minutes ago and the head groom will check whether everything is in order. You don't want to be caught slacking on your first day!" "Fine, jump up," Alice said helping Jason up behind her on Spatzi's back and cantered back to the barn."
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Post by Alice Gordon on Jan 21, 2011 8:10:47 GMT -5
It is mid-day of Alice' second day of work and she inspected every rider that walked past her searching for "the famous Cindy Norton", because it was almost time for her training session. It is time to challenge her to the jumping match.
"Seen her yet," Jason asked loudly from behind making her jump. They were busy cleaning Spatzi's stall while on the look out for Cindy but Alice ended up forgetting completely about her job. "You really need to stop doing that," Alice said with a laugh. "Hey there was no other way to get your attention you know," he replied grinning. Shaking her head with a smile she leaned out the stall again and just in time to see Cindy striding past with her entourage. "Jason, she's here!" "Ah, finally." "Well its now or never," Alice said propping the hay fork against the stall wall then turning back to Jason. "Aren't you coming?" "Actually... Oh fine," Jason who was clearly planning on skipping the possible cat-fight dropped his shovel in defeat and allowed himself to be towed to Stargate's stall.
"Hey Cindy," Alice said making the jumping star turn around. "And you are...?" "Alice Gordon the new working rider and your competition." "What makes you think that your even close to being her competition," a Cindy wannabe taunted. "That is what you have to wait and see in the jumping challenge." "EXCUSE ME?" Cindy interrupted, "are you challenging ME to a jump off?" "Yes. I hate the way you and the rest of Briar ridge have been treating your horses so I'm challenging you, their best rider, so we can see which way of treating your horse will get you the best performance." "Ah so that brings us back to do you actually think you can win against me. Your a simple groom and absolutely no challenge to me." "Actually she jumps just as well as you, if not better," Jason interrupted. "Aha did Jason make a new friend," one of the wannabees commented making Cindy frown. "So you joined the new girl's side, well Val is going to hear about this," Cindy said looking Alice up and down. "Well when and where will this so called challenge take place," she asked her eyes drifting every few seconds back to Jason. "Next Saturday at the Hudson English arena from 10 o'clock," Alice replied handing Cindy a flier. "Fine," Cindy said while entering Stargate's stall,"see you there."
Back at Spatzi's stall Alice turned to face Jason. "What was that last bit about?" "Um well Cindy and I sort of... dated just before I started working here..." "Your kidding," Alice said shocked, her mouth dropping open. "For once I'm not." "Why did you break up?" "I saw the way she treated Star and she refused to listen when I tried talking her out of it. She then told me she can't be seen with a stable hand, the day before I my first day here and we never saw eachother since. She kind of got me the job here in the first place..." "WOW why didn't you tell me?" "I only met you yesterday remember." "Bahama I forgot about that. But still wow that is a shock."
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Post by Alice Gordon on Feb 7, 2011 11:04:17 GMT -5
*You might have noticed that the time at Briar ridge went by differently from the other farms/homes but that is because these things happened a week before the day that all the other characters are at. Well time has finally caught up and it is the day before Alice and Cindy's jump off. (I only decided to explain it like this because the site was quite dead while I tried posting and the time stood still for all the other characters)*
"Morning," Alice called from the entrance of the barn as she spotted Jason walking out of a stall with a bag of feed in his arms. "Is it feeding time already," she asked jogging up to him. "Yes your late... again," he teased," no actually I got up early to get this done. You said you wanted to go to Maggie's to put up some of your posters...?" "Yes that way more people might switch to treating their horses like partners." "As far as I have heard thats what the Flemings at Heartland have been trying to achieve all these years. Maybe they could help promote this jump off," Jason said who clearly forgot about the feed and was deep in thought. "Thats a great idea," Alice exclaimed," Their just the ranch next door right? Well we could go drop off a box full of fliers there on our way back!" Looking down at the bag of feed still in Jason's arms she added:" But first I think we need to feed these horses or they will hate us forever."
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Post by Alice Gordon on Mar 10, 2011 13:13:42 GMT -5
"Hmmm," Alice murmured as she and Jason finished feeding the last of the horses. The first and best place to go hang up some posters would be the nearby diner... Maggie's diner, yes that's it's name she thought. She remembered Jason telling her how everybody knows it and it could be the first place to go spread a rumor... "I'm done..." Jason called from somewhere behind her making her jump. "Welcome back to planet earth," he teased then pulled his car keys out his pocket, " I belive we have some advertising to do and then to go create world peace." Laughing Alice tossed the feed bag back into the tack room then ran to go grab her bag of fliers and followed Jason outside.
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Post by Val Stanton on Jun 13, 2011 16:39:46 GMT -5
Val:
Val was a woman on a mission. After returning home from the confrontation with Alice at Maggie's, she walked with purpose through the barns, looking for Cindy Norton, Briar Ridge's main contender and champion rider.
Some of the horses poked their heads over their stall gates to look at Val stomp around, but she paid them no heed. She soon spotted one of Cindy's hangers-on, a thin girl whose name couldn't recall, if she even knew it in the first place.
"Where's Cindy?" Val boomed, causing the girl to jump in surprise.
"Uh... I-I- think she's out exercising o-one of the jumpers, Mrs. Stanton," the girl stuttered timidly.
With a scowl, Val turned around and went back outside, not even bothering to thank the girl for helping her.
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Post by Alice Gordon on Aug 5, 2011 13:14:14 GMT -5
***
It was late morning when Alice and Jason finally made it back to the barn and Alice was quick to tack up Spatzi. On their way out Alice couldn't help but notice the stares they were getting.
"Wow, news certainly travels fast around here," she whispered to Jason. "Small town, small distance," he smiled, patting Spatzi on her neck. "Well lets go get to work," he said changing the subject ," remember we still have to finish organizing the event..." "And we still have to go make a stop at the famous Heartland." Alice interrupted. Then she urged Spatzi into a fast walk out of the barn.
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