#life and times at my stables

[horsesseedsandhummingbirdwings]

MY NEW HORSE FRIENDS - BABY IVAN & POLLY

[luna-loveboop]

I find it funny that Wild, who has basically a couple years ish of full life experience, comes up with the most insane theories for everything

He assumed that the only other explanation to Four being able to split in Four was. That he was quadruplets who'd been hiding this whole time???

Also apparently he believed that his wolf companion Twilight in botw was a diety (and felt very uhh shocked upon finding out that he was not)

Malon made things worse, telling him about her aliens theory

What's even FUNNIER is that every time Wild expresses any sort of confusion at magic stuff that he's never seen before, everyone else in the chain acts like it's crazy for him to be weirded out by it

Honestly maybe Wild's the only one with his head on straight, rather than everyone else who are just like 'it's magic bro' like no he's right this is weird

I appreciate this because it's very considerate of the fact that he woke up with no memories not too long ago, so he doesn't have much experience to explain the stuff that's 'normal' for the chain. Plus the explanations he comes up with are funny.

:)

.

Art and comic and adorable character by Jojo @linkeduniverse au :D

[kimbapisnotsushi]

haikyuu is NOT realistic!!!! and it's not because of the underdog plotline or the insane athletic skill or funky character designs but because in the timeskip everyone gets a job that they are perfectly content with and more or less suits them to a tee and don't seem concerned for their futures whatsoever all before the age of thirty

[yikes-ajax]

I dont have a clever and witty sarcastic comment tonight, I just think she's cute

[vakariaan]

ultimate ships challenge - the otp to rule all otps

Jack/Nikki  »  Silent Witness

I can't imagine a day without you. I can't.

[pansyfemme]

just a heads up that enmeshment with your therapist is a sign that you need a different therapist. you go to these people to offload and heal, but if you're emotionally enmeshed and that's keeping you from bringing topics forward, that is no longer a healthy relationship nor a therapist that should be treating you.

just so you're aware. your therapist should not be an uncle figure you're afraid to talk about embarrassing stuff with, he's an impartial audience to help you heal. that emotional connection is now HINDERING you from healing.

honestly! me making one personal post! does not tell you the full story! while i defintly have an emotional connection with him- i have had other therapists in my life in and out the entire time. i seek help from other sources frequently! i said it was like talking to an uncle simply because of the fact he’s known me since i was a child, which makes talking about adult topics at times a little embarrasing because he knew me when i was 11!! he is not like an uncle to me in an other respect, i have a seperation. and i have openly discussed this with him and why im uncomfortable at times!! but we talk it out!! because its my therapist and me making one post doesnt mean you know everything!! geez!! also ive been embarrassed to talk about sex with every other therapist ive had!! not your call to make!!

[javierduffy]

just a few javieran horse headcanons because i like them a normal amount

branwen

- tall AND fat. kieran makes sure he’s always fed (maybe even accidentally a teensy bit overfed. just because kieran can’t help but indulge him when he butts him with his head or nuzzles at his pockets when he knows there’s treats in there. but never too much because ‘obesity is a problem, even in animals !’). probably about 17hh, taller than average for a kentucky saddler but nothing too big. especially since kieran himself is quite tall

- VERY well-tempered, both naturally, as well as because kieran has literally made him bulletproof. bagged him, blanketed him, stood, jumped, backflipped onto and off of him. this kindly gentleman of a horse only spooks when he wants to be bratty specifically.

- i think he’s about 6 or so, came from the stables kieran worked at after being orphaned, he was just a colt when kieran was just a kid. kieran learned how to birth foals quickly, and branwen happened to be one of them. with the way that they fell in love with each other and the way that branwen whinnied and pranced up to the fence when kieran came back to buy him after the army didn’t work out, you’d think that horse was born just for him.

- his favourite treats, in order, are rutabaga (kieran’s secret for branwen’s glossy coat. also why he’s kinda fat.), boiled potatoes mixed into his oats, apples, and fresh greens. he’s simultaneously incredibly easy to please because of the simplicity of the latter parts of his favourites list and also very needy and complicated because kieran so loves to make his pony happy with his absolute favourite treats, so he tries his very best to get branwen’s eccentric tastes pleased once falling into the VDL’s.

- i always say “a horse’s favourite thing to do is hurt itself”, and i think this statement holds relatively true for branwen as well, though there’s a 25% chance that he’s actually hurt, a 50% chance that he’s only mildly injured or spooked and he’s playing it up to get kieran to dote on him, and a 25% chance that he will protect kieran with his life when they’re in a dire situation (see: snake on the ground or gunfire nearby. or even god forbid a spare tumbleweed find it’s way rolling nearby.) despite kieran’s last wish being his horse getting injured. branwen thinks that he’s gotta be The Man and protect his dad sometimes. it does not help in any situation ever whatsoever.

- branwen is the PERFECT companion for a trail riding date. he’s settled, calm, has a great gait, and as a gelding, truly is not worried about other horses being “faster” than him, so he never gets rowdy nor has any problems when partner riders/horses crowd him. kieran is allowed to ask for as many kisses as he pleases because branwen will never jump when javier’s gold-tipped boots poke him in the side and boaz irritatedly flicks his flank with his tail. truly a goated wingman. also never complains about long rides, and enjoys being out of camp with his rider for as much as physically possible for both of them, so he’s never barnsour in either direction.

boaz

- as an american paint, he’s naturally short and stocky. saddle ends up being a bit loose, though, as javier isn’t as dedicated to keeping him perfectly fed or groomed. he loves him, sure, but horses are somewhat of tools to him, so he kinda does slightly more than bare minimum to keep him kempt and healthy. around 14.5hh, slightly shorter than average and quite dense with muscle

- temperamentally a bit volatile. this horse has just as much drama as his rider, if not a little more. doesn’t like something ? ridden too long ? that stick looks too much like a snake ? hasn’t spent enough time with kieran that day ? he will snort and grunt and bunny hop if javi isn’t on him, and shudder hard enough the saddle shakes underneath him if he is. boaz likes to please his rider, but he also demands pleasure himself, and has no issue with “accidentally” placing a hoof on his owners nice, intentionally clean boots, and subsequently slowly leaning more and more of his weight onto it when he doesn’t immediately get what he wants. bratty pony. generally, he keeps javier safe, though, when it comes down to it.

- around 5 years old. after dutch found javier trying to steal chickens the first time they met, he soon took him back to that ranch and their first take as gang leader and member was a 1 year old grey paint colt for javi to train and subsequently ride. until he was rideable, javier rode a morgan that was formerly hosea’s, named carolina, while he lead boaz everywhere behind him.

- favourite treats, in order, are corn cobs (especially dried), prickly pear fruit AND cactus, sugar cubes, and sliced apples. will force javier to share his maiz with him. javier has always sliced his apples up since he was a colt, not only because javi simply finds comfort in toying with his knife, but also because boaz will not eat them otherwise. javi will also cut all of the spines off of the cactus before letting boaz eat them.

- in terms of injury, boaz is the most dramatic tank on the planet. this horse could arthur morgan-style run face first into a tree and then fall off a cliff and walk it off. but not before he gimps and limps and whines and teeth grinds his way into javier leading him instead of riding him for the next mile or two. once kieran started taking care of him, there is also a 25% chance of boaz faking a terribly painful injury just to get kieran to dote on him.

- kinda the worst wingman ever LMFAO easily annoyed, easily aroused, easily offended, and as a stallion, HAS to walk in front of the “herd” (his rider’s boyfriend and his horse). pins his ears back, smashes into personal space, flicks branwen with his tail (and preferably kieran, if he can reach him) even sometimes will nip at branwen if the latter tries to calmly make this date a date and not a life or death race (whoever loses, their dad is gay) and walk side-by-side to aid their riders’ hand holdings. will make executive decisions via stopping or veering off for fresh green grass beside the trail, will at points actively attempt to shudder javier out of his saddle (has succeeded once when javi was distracted by a story being excitedly told by kieran), and will also spook and take off running so fast javier thinks it must have broken his neck from the velocity. generally makes trail rides a living hell, but kieran finds it charming, and it makes for some cute shoujo-style “omg … *reaches out to help you up after your horse bucks you off because he saw a log that looked nothing at all and everything like a cougar and pink and white soft bubbles surround me* are you okay ? here, let me help.” moments. maybe some day boaz will be allowed off of the national american terrorist list written by javier “rizzless rider” escuella

ok im tired and that’s all i can think of please enjoy and feel free to contribute 👍 i love them so bad im gona cry

[not-poignant]

Assumption: You have never ridden a horse.

Oooo, this is a fun one, salkfjas

I have! I've ridden more than one horse, more than once.

(Actual storytime) (This is from the Assumptions meme!)

In late highschool and in the few years after I had a close friend who owned a horse (Billy) and agisted him, and was responsible for him. She basically was allowed to get him when she got her driver's license.

I was the kind of friend (and still kind of am, energy willing) that you could drag around to all your chores and I'd just be there. So I'd be there when she went shopping. I would be there when she went to get horse food. I would be there when she did homework. I would be there when she went to visit her horse and brush him down and feed him etc.

I helped with basic chores and watched from the sidelines and mostly hung out with her dog, Huskee, who was not a husky, but a borderline collie x corgi who barked nonstop at that horse, who she alas, could not herd.

Through this friend I actually learned about Natural Horsemanship, to the point where I actually went to a couple of Pat Parelli seminars (run by Pat) in like 2000/2001. It was the thing that really sparked my interest in animal training, especially humane, fear free animal training (and clicker training specifically, since Pat was teaching marker training at the time, and said friend started using it on their dog, Huskee).

I never rode, for a long time, because I was happy on the sidelines, and also I went there so my friend could ride her horse, not so I could like, steal her horse out from under her lol. I don't think her horse liked me very much anyway (later I'd find out that was pretty much true, it was a zero respect relationship, maybe he knew I was a doormat lmao).

Anyway, said friend had another friend who was extremely horse intense, and she got her own horse (Coda) , that she then never really took the time to ride. Coda was kind of nuts. Billy was the kind of horse who walked so slow you felt like you were going backwards, Coda had one speed: gallop. Coda and Billy got on great.

But Coda was pretty neglected, and so I often spent time with him while my friend did her chores with Billy. I was used to bringing out food, or changing water etc. so I did that for Coda sometimes. And after a while, friend was like 'it would be cool if we could trail ride together, how about you learn on Billy first since he's so slow and sedate.' And friend was like 'I'll ride Coda because I have more experience.' This made sense! She wanted me to stay safe!! But...

Billy was slow, sedate, and did not give a shit about me. This is a horse that stepped on my feet (on purpose), who deliberately angled towards low-hanging branches to scrape me off the saddle (hilarious, but also not really), and made it clear how much he wasn't interested in anyone else riding him in the most passive aggressive way a horse possibly can.

Coda, on the other hand, had a reputation for being wild and unstable. He'd tossed multiple riders more than once, hadn't been trained with Natural Horsemanship (like...kind of? But not really) and was not halter-broke by the time friend-of-friend got him, so just getting him to accept a halter and a saddle at all was huge, and anything beyond that was like 'welp, good luck.'

However, it was obvious trying to do anything with me and Billy was not going to work out. So...Coda it was.

And idk how to explain it, but Coda and I just got along. It was on the other hand terrifying, because his default movement was 'canter' and all he wanted to do, all he wanted to do, was gallop up and down granite hills as quickly as possible and spook at fucking everything. It wasn't his fault, he wasn't taken out much and he had that kind of personality. He once saw a kangaroo in the distance and spun a full 360 degrees, and I ended up half off him, hanging on for dear life, while friend just stared at me and said: 'how did you not fall off, that was insane. You might actually be good at this.'

Well. No, I wasn't, I just had a good grip, lmao.

So we went on extremely stressful trail rides together. Billy thankfully curbed some of Coda's GOTTA GO FAST instincts but only to a point, so I had to be pretty hypervigilant nonstop because that dude bunched his hindquarters what felt like every ten seconds, and I can't really blame him, it's what he loved to do most. He was just a terrible horse to learn to ride on, lmao, even if we did get along.

I haven't ridden since and honestly haven't felt much of an inclination to. I'd be too heavy now anyway. And I'm pretty certain I'd be bad at it. When your first experience is 'placid horse who generally accepts everyone but stares at you in a desultory manner and makes sure you know - while feeding him / brushing him / watering him etc. - that you do not matter in the grand scheme of things' followed by 'I like you! NOW I WILL FLING MYSELF DOWN THIS GRANITE HILL WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE WE ARE ALL SCREAMING IN EXCITEMENT AND NOT FEAR' you think 'actually I don't need to ride the murder ponies, it's fine.'

Anyway, yeah, I have ridden a horse.

[ghxst-bird]

He once made the mistake of joking about taking a dive into a lake because he’d been craving fish, saying he’d give anything for one right then.

Sukuna didn’t even pause before jumping right in. And only then did Yuji find out that the boy didn’t even know how to swim.

He can still feel the sharp, visceral terror of seeing those flailing limbs going under without a sound, the stream of bubbles rising to the surface as he’d stared, dumbfounded, before realizing that Sukuna wasn’t coming back up.

Yuji cried so hard after fishing the boy out of the water that Sukuna awkwardly started patting his head in consolation.

— sneak peek of “Fragilely, Gradually”, pt ii of the Ouroboros verse ✨

[amurder-ofcrows]

just went through all my blogs to change my age from 20 to 21 (today is my birthday!) and that’s to weird to do lol

[mudpuddless]

Stablemaster and Castle Steward OCs ft. baby Halt for my King Halt AU

[skunkes]

the bad: i have been raised without much warmth from my parents in childhood, but also pressured to conform to familial authority, doubt myself always, and value familial connections above all else (<- failed at this, and feel guilt about it.)

but also in experiencing this i have been so isolated from the entire rest of the world and others, that it will be nearly impossible to create my own "family" -> find safety and comfort in anybody else once my family is Gone. despite dis i find it really difficult to break away from the familiar, disobey and disappoint, because, well, why are my wishes more important than anybody else's. why would I cause upset and distress in anybody, and exert so much effort into my doubt filled half decisions, for my meaningless little Wishes. being away would also mean less time with these people who I'll never see again once they're gone. being raised this way is definitely paying off for those who did so.

the good: yaaaay adjacent inspiration for writing talon lore

[siena-sevenwits]

Goodness of Today:

I had my first Latin class that I felt confident going into.

My sister and I are going to try to plan for me to come stay with her and the family some time next month, since it did not work out in December.

Wrote up the rules for a poster contest for the middle schoolers - I hope a few of them are interested! We're going to do a photo poster as usual for the Shakespeare play (I have a high school girl who's a whiz at graphic editing, who's enjoyed doing it the past couple of years.) But I'm hoping to use art for the Narnia play, and I'd like to see what the kids can come up with.

It felt good to get to reconciliation and do a little adoration afterward.

My bee stung foot is not as itchy and swollen today! I suppose the only reason it's still irritated is because it's on my foot and I put my weight on it all day.

I've never used sriracha sauce for anything because I didn't intuitively know how to use it. Today was one of the very infrequent occasions I made ramen (with tons of lovely veggies and sesame seeds), and decided I'd see was up with all these people who put sauce in their ramen. I decided I liked it. The sauce tasted a bit weak though, and I am not sure if my spice tolerance is high (it's certainly higher than some people's) or if it was just a cheap bottle.

Poor Nightblood!

Read about Amarantha and Antavia - very cool to see the former having grown a little and incorporated more empathy into the way she approaches people. And cool to see Antavia in action in a scene.

[magistralucis]

it's not like I really needed to visit you anyway ( ˶•̀ _•́ ˶) [Trazyn/Orikan snippet]

(Excerpt from the second chapter of Viridian. Set during a past sequence, the major turning point of their relationship - Trazyn invites Orikan to his home for the first time, and Orikan agrees hesitantly, not knowing what wonders await him in Solemnace. At this time he's running hot and cold towards Trazyn, about 90% tsun and 10% dere, though this will change soon. 😌

This is one of the only SFW passages I could quote from the chapter fhhghghg)

————

Orikan gazed at him warily under the veil as he approached, noting the lord was dressed more ceremonially than the usual. "What do you want?"

Trazyn beamed back at him, manifestly joyful. "I am soon to be the Overlord of Solemnace."

"Congratulations?" Trazyn had not previously spent time at Solemnace, as far as the Diviner knew, nor was Solemnace especially known among the Nihilakh. Orikan had no idea what he was going to do there, nor what kind of demesne he would shape. "About time you acted your age. Became responsible."

Whatever he was up to, it was about a decade overdue. Trazyn's two older brothers had ruled their own realms almost as soon as they'd come of age, yet the lord archivist had waited close to his thirtieth year to take up his inheritance; an act of supreme sloth, or perhaps hubris, since merely surviving to that age was a privilege denied to many necrontyr. "You'll miss my whimsy when it's gone, I'll warrant." The overlord chuckled, and Orikan gave him an incredulous look. "The man I am will not be so affected by material differences, as hard as it may be to believe. But why not see for yourself? My palace is still being built, but would you care to visit me at Solemnace when it's done?"

"I neither care nor care not!" Orikan huffed - but deep down, he was intrigued. It helped that around that time he had moved up significantly within the Sautekh court, and his anxiety had increased alongside the honour, as if he'd been forced to creep above thin ice. Suddenly going abroad for a while seemed like a fair idea, even just for a breather, for his dynasty was a vicious one and he liked to plan ahead.

But for that to happen Solemnace must be finished, and moreover, Trazyn had to be serious about wanting him there. And while he'd softened towards Trazyn, he did not fully trust him, not half as far as he could throw the overlord. For two seasons Orikan's lack of faith persisted - until one clear day in the heart of springtime, he was greeted by a messenger at the temple gates. Not a cryptek, but a Nihilakh groundskeeper, who walked with undaunted pleasure at the new grounds he'd been given to keep. In his hands he bore a small golden box, and as soon as Orikan saw it he knew the promise was kept, for engraved on top of it was none other than Trazyn's sigil.

Inside it he found two scrolls, a map of Solemnace and an invitation in the lord's own hand. The palace was finished and Trazyn's household had moved in, it said, and if Orikan could spare a decan to visit the overlord would be most honoured. The letter specified nothing else about the nature of Solemnace, which Orikan's heart tried to spin into distrust: it was never for no reason when a noble requested a cryptek's attention. Perhaps, under the guise of leisure, Trazyn wanted his advice. Wanted to sweeten Orikan up for a favour, or simply to show off his riches. Perhaps Trazyn wanted his fortunes read, or that of his people - which Orikan would not be able to do, and would rather die than to admit it and be humiliated. But then again, maybe Trazyn didn't care about those things. It hurt his pride to acknowledge it, but Orikan had little appeal as a true seer in Gheden, for the Nihilakh already had one of those. They might want to see how I measure up against the Yyth Seer, he thought, and heaved a sigh. The Nihilakh never seemed short of anything, not in wealth nor their chronomancer sects, nor the grim head of the Yyth Seer spinning prophecies unknown to outsiders.

He was exhausting himself. If existing next to Trazyn was a headache, he could not even fathom how hard being in Solemnace might be.

But Orikan was no coward. He mulled over it for one day then responded yes. Whatever awaited him might be bad or good, but rejecting a good-faith invitation would definitely not help his standing with the overlord. Besides, Trazyn had made his efforts hard to ignore: the letter itself was beautiful, handwritten on peach-tinted parchment and gilded at the edges. (Trazyn only happened to be the finest scribe among the Eastern dynasties, after all, and perhaps among all necrontyr.) If Orikan was to refuse the intrigue he'd have to write back, and he really did not want to do that, good penmanship had not been a priority at the temple and his handwriting was genuinely very terrible and he did not wish to be mocked. And so, with great reluctance, Orikan gathered together his finest attires and left the following week for Solemnace.

It turned out to be the best decision he'd ever made for himself.

[tifa-simp]

Bruh, "When did Tifa ever ground Cloud" should not even be a question needed to exist cos how the fuck do you play through Remake and Rebirth and NOT see that Tifa spends 2 whole games baby sitting Cloud????

That woman locks on that mentally unstable twink whenever they're together cos he's 1 step away from collapsing, tweaking with foam in his mouth with 1 wrong trigger word. Anyone asking that dumbass question has their opinion automatically disqualified cos they obviously do not play the game. It's impossible to play this game without seeing Tifa checks on Cloud every 15 minutes. I've seen 3 different compilations of all times Tifa grounds Cloud and none of them includes all the moments in both games, that's how much Tifa tends to Cloud. If he's Cloud-the-Tifa's-sigh-detector-Strife then she's Tifa-the-Cloud's-headache-alarm-Lockhart, don't fuck with their fixation with each other. I need y'all to stop acting stupid for once.

[toruq]