Post by ErisThoughts on Mar 1, 2008 22:33:00 GMT -5
(I'm going to go ahead and base this character from my own experiences. I've been in the industry a long time >< As a result, my patience with pretending to know less than I do is non existent, lol)
Name: Ally McCroix (mc-coy)
Age: 20
Gender: Female
Riding Disciplines: Ally started her knowledge as many girls did: in begging for riding lessons when she was 12. Two years went to Western and English Pleasure in the Arabian horse show world, until she decided she had outgrown her teacher. She was bored, and wanted to do something more challenging than exercising Deb Dillon's lesson horses. She was convinced it was all in Dressage.
When Lauren Laten started her in lessons, she had her work cut out for her in the 14 year old. The Arab show world was much different than the large warmblood horses, and the detailed riding. 6 months went straight into Ally's seat, posture, legs and arms and with lessons at $45 a week, Ally's mother never complained.
When it seemed Ally could stand it no longer, she said she wanted to jump. Lauren was a world class trainer in the discipline, but as her trusty mounts were all retired, she lacked the horses for Ally to continue into jumping. As a result, Ally left shortly after. A few weeks went by before she turned 15 - and hand in hand found a Jumping Barn the next town over. JEM Ranch was renown for their safe lessons, and clean legged horses. Ally set home there for another two years, learning to jump, training on the flat, schooling, and hacking in the nice environment.
When Julianna's (Ally's trainer) friend Alex was moving out of the Barn and taking Ally's lesson horse, Warrior with her, Ally bulked. What was she going to to without her patient lesson horse? Alex offered to exchange lessons for Ally's work - so Ally moved to the new barn with Alex.
3 days a week, Ally slaved in feeding, breezing, cooling out, mucking, and medicating Alex's horses. For every day she worked, she earned a $60 lesson. It was Ally's job to keep record, and keep record she did as the weeks went by without lessons. She realized she was learning ... the barn they had moved to as Christiane Noelting's Dressage Center, well known on the West coast for their amazing Warmbloods, and German exchange students. But the lessons where what Ally wanted. She loved to jump and had not exceeded 3 feet in the slow paced weekly lessons. Alex called Ally for help one morning, when Ally was sick. Ally mention said sickness, and Alex flipped ... Ally decided then, and there she was never taking lessons again. Or at least not for a while. She was sick of it all, tired of working for nothing ... and never talked to Alex again.
A year passed, Ally feet itched to be in the stirrup irons. She wanted a horse - BAD. She had done the training, DONE the lessons, done the riding, done everything! She knew everything! At the age of 16, Ally was convinced she knew enough even to start her own horse.
She got a job a Target, and saved every penny ... two thousand dollars later, she still couldn't find that perfect horse. That baby was too mouthy, that one was too boring ... and she came across an ad:
"Sundance Kid V daughter for lease." She had seen the Varien horses before, after all ... Sundance Kid V was a grandson of Huckleberry Bey. Who didn't know HB?
Well, Mary wasn't going to let Ally off with a "I want to lease your horse" instead, she hooked her claws in and they became great friends. Mary owned the mare's mother, and another Arabian gelding, not to mention she only lived a few clicks away! Ally was thrilled. They went riding together all over town - TOWN?
As a matter of fact, Mary's little 3 acre farm was in the middle of old town! And they rode all over the city streets on Mary's Arabs. Teaching Ally how to handle herself on horses in traffic, in accidents and how to be safe. Most of their riding was done in the dark!
And then, Ally moved to Southern California for a year where she did nothing horse related and it almost killed her, so she moved back.
When Ally moved back, she was stunted in horses ... starved and wearing of the San Diego life. So she signed herself up to work on a Thoroughbred Breeding Facility 50 miles in the middle of nowhere.
For a year, Ally relearned all she thought she knew in horses, easily tripling her knowledge as she learned from Vicky ... the ranch manager. In that year she learned everything from Breeding to proper care of pregnant mares, foaling out and weaning to halter breaking those Thoroughbreds and sales prepping them for auctions. Ally learned about medications, care, feeding, training, conditioning, anything and everything she could be taught on a ranch with a 6 day a week 9 hour day job. She loved it, and hated it (in all honesty).
As the winter season passed, she made friends with one of the three year olds, a large dark bay Moscow Ballet colt named Wheeler. He was thick for a Thoroughbred, looking more of a warmblood than anything else. His 17.1hh frame was massive, and as Ally always loved the jumpers, she instantly fell in love with his attentive nature and spunky personality.
Sadly, that spring, Ally took an injury - a kick to the knee that rendered her practically useless as a ranch hand. Luckily, on horseback she was fine but it was the running around all day, kneeling, squatting, and all the other crazy stuff she had to do that made her eventually quit.
She continued to train with her friend Mary for years, and they had many adventures on huge ranch rides, and trailer adventures.
(this is where the made up part starts, lmao)
Two years later, Ally received a call from her old manager Vicky. She knew how much Ally was in love with Wheeler, and it happened that he hadn't done well in the racing world. He wasn't too slow, he just didn't take it well, coming down with colic after every race ... so Ally bought him. (Enter stage Wheeler below).
Riding Skill: Advanced
Looks: Ally is a bit of a shorty. 5'3 and built stocky from years of working on horses, and pitching hay. Auburn hair falls past her shoulders in layered elegance when its not pulled into a pony-tail and jammed under her Wrangler ball-cap. Sharp, blue eyes see more than most, her figure full and hour glassed never hidden but rarely boasted. Soft lips part to reveal a straight toothed smile, and dimples beneath high cheekbones dusted with random freckles. Usually in jeans, pasture boots, and a slim shirt, Ally is rarely without a smile unless her brow is furrowed in concentration to her task.
Personality: Unfortunately, she's a bit of a know-it-all without meaning to be. Years both in and out of the saddle have made her knowledge hard wired to her system, and she rarely speaks without complete confidence of her words. Friendly and open, Ally is always up to helping people willing to learn, but is has no qualms speaking her mind. A saucy attitude, and a heart for adventure, she's often gotten herself into a lot of trouble, so she knows -just- how to get out of it too.
Horse: Wheeler
Barn Name: Wheeler
Racing/Show Name: Moscow Pirouette
Gender: Gelding
Breed: Registered Thoroughbred
Age: 7
Discipline(s): English, Trail, Hunter/Jumper
Looks: Wheeler is a massive fellow, covered poll to pastern in a blood bay. The sheening scarlet shows best in the sunlight, accented nicely by black points, smartly matching his black mane and tail. A blazoned white blaze streaks down between his nostrils, not quite touching his black maw, along with a nice white on his front left pastern, and socks on his hind legs. Though his mane is cropped short, a long forelock brushes past his eyelashes, where deep hazel eyes gaze a look of eagles into the distance. He is rounded nicely, capable of gathering beneath himself quite well on thick legs and short canon bones.
Personality: Wheeler's nature is very curious. Without Ally to keep him in line, he is apt to make trouble, especially for riders who don't know their stuff. Though he tests people, he has naught a mean bone in his body. He does have a mind all his own, and often comes up with ideas all his own that leaves Ally flabbergasted at his will, and eagerness to his own devices.
Name: Ally McCroix (mc-coy)
Age: 20
Gender: Female
Riding Disciplines: Ally started her knowledge as many girls did: in begging for riding lessons when she was 12. Two years went to Western and English Pleasure in the Arabian horse show world, until she decided she had outgrown her teacher. She was bored, and wanted to do something more challenging than exercising Deb Dillon's lesson horses. She was convinced it was all in Dressage.
When Lauren Laten started her in lessons, she had her work cut out for her in the 14 year old. The Arab show world was much different than the large warmblood horses, and the detailed riding. 6 months went straight into Ally's seat, posture, legs and arms and with lessons at $45 a week, Ally's mother never complained.
When it seemed Ally could stand it no longer, she said she wanted to jump. Lauren was a world class trainer in the discipline, but as her trusty mounts were all retired, she lacked the horses for Ally to continue into jumping. As a result, Ally left shortly after. A few weeks went by before she turned 15 - and hand in hand found a Jumping Barn the next town over. JEM Ranch was renown for their safe lessons, and clean legged horses. Ally set home there for another two years, learning to jump, training on the flat, schooling, and hacking in the nice environment.
When Julianna's (Ally's trainer) friend Alex was moving out of the Barn and taking Ally's lesson horse, Warrior with her, Ally bulked. What was she going to to without her patient lesson horse? Alex offered to exchange lessons for Ally's work - so Ally moved to the new barn with Alex.
3 days a week, Ally slaved in feeding, breezing, cooling out, mucking, and medicating Alex's horses. For every day she worked, she earned a $60 lesson. It was Ally's job to keep record, and keep record she did as the weeks went by without lessons. She realized she was learning ... the barn they had moved to as Christiane Noelting's Dressage Center, well known on the West coast for their amazing Warmbloods, and German exchange students. But the lessons where what Ally wanted. She loved to jump and had not exceeded 3 feet in the slow paced weekly lessons. Alex called Ally for help one morning, when Ally was sick. Ally mention said sickness, and Alex flipped ... Ally decided then, and there she was never taking lessons again. Or at least not for a while. She was sick of it all, tired of working for nothing ... and never talked to Alex again.
A year passed, Ally feet itched to be in the stirrup irons. She wanted a horse - BAD. She had done the training, DONE the lessons, done the riding, done everything! She knew everything! At the age of 16, Ally was convinced she knew enough even to start her own horse.
She got a job a Target, and saved every penny ... two thousand dollars later, she still couldn't find that perfect horse. That baby was too mouthy, that one was too boring ... and she came across an ad:
"Sundance Kid V daughter for lease." She had seen the Varien horses before, after all ... Sundance Kid V was a grandson of Huckleberry Bey. Who didn't know HB?
Well, Mary wasn't going to let Ally off with a "I want to lease your horse" instead, she hooked her claws in and they became great friends. Mary owned the mare's mother, and another Arabian gelding, not to mention she only lived a few clicks away! Ally was thrilled. They went riding together all over town - TOWN?
As a matter of fact, Mary's little 3 acre farm was in the middle of old town! And they rode all over the city streets on Mary's Arabs. Teaching Ally how to handle herself on horses in traffic, in accidents and how to be safe. Most of their riding was done in the dark!
And then, Ally moved to Southern California for a year where she did nothing horse related and it almost killed her, so she moved back.
When Ally moved back, she was stunted in horses ... starved and wearing of the San Diego life. So she signed herself up to work on a Thoroughbred Breeding Facility 50 miles in the middle of nowhere.
For a year, Ally relearned all she thought she knew in horses, easily tripling her knowledge as she learned from Vicky ... the ranch manager. In that year she learned everything from Breeding to proper care of pregnant mares, foaling out and weaning to halter breaking those Thoroughbreds and sales prepping them for auctions. Ally learned about medications, care, feeding, training, conditioning, anything and everything she could be taught on a ranch with a 6 day a week 9 hour day job. She loved it, and hated it (in all honesty).
As the winter season passed, she made friends with one of the three year olds, a large dark bay Moscow Ballet colt named Wheeler. He was thick for a Thoroughbred, looking more of a warmblood than anything else. His 17.1hh frame was massive, and as Ally always loved the jumpers, she instantly fell in love with his attentive nature and spunky personality.
Sadly, that spring, Ally took an injury - a kick to the knee that rendered her practically useless as a ranch hand. Luckily, on horseback she was fine but it was the running around all day, kneeling, squatting, and all the other crazy stuff she had to do that made her eventually quit.
She continued to train with her friend Mary for years, and they had many adventures on huge ranch rides, and trailer adventures.
(this is where the made up part starts, lmao)
Two years later, Ally received a call from her old manager Vicky. She knew how much Ally was in love with Wheeler, and it happened that he hadn't done well in the racing world. He wasn't too slow, he just didn't take it well, coming down with colic after every race ... so Ally bought him. (Enter stage Wheeler below).
Riding Skill: Advanced
Looks: Ally is a bit of a shorty. 5'3 and built stocky from years of working on horses, and pitching hay. Auburn hair falls past her shoulders in layered elegance when its not pulled into a pony-tail and jammed under her Wrangler ball-cap. Sharp, blue eyes see more than most, her figure full and hour glassed never hidden but rarely boasted. Soft lips part to reveal a straight toothed smile, and dimples beneath high cheekbones dusted with random freckles. Usually in jeans, pasture boots, and a slim shirt, Ally is rarely without a smile unless her brow is furrowed in concentration to her task.
Personality: Unfortunately, she's a bit of a know-it-all without meaning to be. Years both in and out of the saddle have made her knowledge hard wired to her system, and she rarely speaks without complete confidence of her words. Friendly and open, Ally is always up to helping people willing to learn, but is has no qualms speaking her mind. A saucy attitude, and a heart for adventure, she's often gotten herself into a lot of trouble, so she knows -just- how to get out of it too.
Horse: Wheeler
Barn Name: Wheeler
Racing/Show Name: Moscow Pirouette
Gender: Gelding
Breed: Registered Thoroughbred
Age: 7
Discipline(s): English, Trail, Hunter/Jumper
Looks: Wheeler is a massive fellow, covered poll to pastern in a blood bay. The sheening scarlet shows best in the sunlight, accented nicely by black points, smartly matching his black mane and tail. A blazoned white blaze streaks down between his nostrils, not quite touching his black maw, along with a nice white on his front left pastern, and socks on his hind legs. Though his mane is cropped short, a long forelock brushes past his eyelashes, where deep hazel eyes gaze a look of eagles into the distance. He is rounded nicely, capable of gathering beneath himself quite well on thick legs and short canon bones.
Personality: Wheeler's nature is very curious. Without Ally to keep him in line, he is apt to make trouble, especially for riders who don't know their stuff. Though he tests people, he has naught a mean bone in his body. He does have a mind all his own, and often comes up with ideas all his own that leaves Ally flabbergasted at his will, and eagerness to his own devices.
