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annaelizabethhenry1 · 5 days ago

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I feel so for Baby/Little River - he’s so sweet and just wants to be loved but doesn’t realize what that is till he’s with his grandparents. I’m so happy you’re enjoying seeing his first days and weeks with his grandparents and his growing bond with David. And I see you found the Easter Egg for Jack fans with his winking failure 🤭 After all at this point Jack & River are practically the same person.

More Catherine being his work mum is coming and honestly she is a whole lot better than Isobel - even when it comes to David. Isobel is just flitting around without a thought for anyone but herself as evidenced by River’s lack of a proper bed. Personally I think that’s why River left his room frozen in time as it was his first safe place and he didn’t want to lose that feeling 🥺

The Orla and David part was tricky to write as it’s always a challenge to delve into a fractured mind. But I’m glad you enjoyed it and got a chuckle at River’s lack of impulse control with chess 😂

Working on chapter three as we speak so hopefully you’ll have more to read soon! 😘

Echoes from the Past - Chapter 2

Summary: River visits his grandfather post season 4 at the care home. The visits conjure memories of River’s childhood and teen years as he grapples with his grandfather’s declining mental health and how once he’s gone he’ll have no one left. Warning – spoilers for all four seasons.

A big thank you to my coven and our endless discussions about this fic and scenarios for Little River and the tough discussions around dementia. Writing may seem like a solitary endeavor, but its always a group effort - hugs and kisses to Alex @cillmequick and Dot @coffeeflavored <3

CHAPTER ONE

Chapter Two

As it was a long bank holiday weekend, River decided he’d stay at his grandfather’s house to make visiting him daily for the next few days simpler. The light was going down rapidly along the garden’s treeline and River hurried inside, clutching his bag of curry take-away. He flipped on the lights in the study and the kitchen. He also switched on the heating as it was freezing in the house. He missed the days when he would visit and the house was lit, warm with the fireplace crackling. Now the house was just an empty shell of its former self. It sat cold and dark, no life stirring from within it.

As the radiators banged and hissed to life, River took out the curry, pulled a fork from a drawer and was about to sit down at the empty kitchen table and sighed. “God, how pathetic,” he muttered. Was this going to be his existence going forward, sad take away meals alone in a drafty house? He never realized how much he enjoyed his grandfather’s company until it had been taken from him. He took for granted the camaraderie they shared over the years.

River walked back to the study with his curry and sat down in his usual chair as he couldn’t bring himself to sit in grandad’s as it would always be his even after he was gone. Mind you the chair River sat in used to belong to his Nan, but after she passed grandad told him it was his spot from now on which made it different.

It was so quiet in the country compared to his noisy flat in London where there were always sirens, cars rushing by and people shouting. Just like when he first arrived here when he was almost seven, the silence made him feel lonely and isolated, like you’d survived some dystopian horror and only you were left. The silence hadn’t scared him for ages, but now it suddenly did because before even with the silence there was the chatter of his grandfather to fill the void and that was now missing.

River thought back to one of his first nights in the house. When everything seemed new and rather frightening. He’d never lived outside of London before nor had he ever stayed somewhere so fancy. It reminded him of how people on the telly lived.

On the third night with his grandparents, River lay awake in his bed in what his grandparents called the guest room, but there was talk of making it more comfortable for him. He wondered if that meant it would his room. He’d never had his own room before – usually he slept on a pull-out sofa or in a sleeping bag. He couldn’t fathom having a whole room that was just for him. Grabbing his bunny, he shuffled from under the cosy comforter and went to the window to look out.

River could not understand his grandparents yet. He always made a point to figure out how his mum’s latest boyfriend worked. What would upset them, what would make them happy or at least indifferent to him. With Nan especially, nothing seemed to trouble her.

River whispered to Mr. Hoppinheimer, “I don’t get how they haven’t yelled at me yet. It’s been three whole days…I thought for sure when I spilled the milk today Nan would yell, but she didn’t.”

His grandparents were obviously older, but did this mean they yelled less or was it something else? An owl hooted in the tree near his window and River jumped. “What was that? A monster?”

The wind tossed the branches outside and one was close enough to scrap the house, scaring River further. He clutched his bunny while another sound echoed in the night sky and River shuddered as tears ran down his cheek.

River’s door creaked opened and light from the hallway poured in as his grandfather appeared, smiling. River quickly wiped the tears away, his mum hated it when he cried.

“River are you all right, lad?”

He shook his head no because he was scared and confused. River worried what his grandfather would do next. Best case he’d ignore him, worst he’d yell.

“Well we can’t have that,” David said coming into the room and turning a little lamp on that cast a soft glow about the room.

His grandfather sat down at the edge of the bed closest to River, “Come sit next to me. Tell me what’s wrong.”

River looked at this grandfather who smiled and patted the spot next to him. River hesitated, but went over and sat down. Grandad wrapped an arm around him, “Are you scared?”

“Yes, but I promised mum I wouldn’t be any trouble…”

“Oh, River my boy being scared isn’t causing trouble. You don’t have to worry anymore because I’m here to protect you, so is your Nan. We want you to be happy and we can’t do that if you don’t tell us how you feel, all right?”

Grandad pulled River closer and kissed the top of his head.

River didn’t know what to do. He felt so different. Like for the first time someone didn’t mind him being there. It was almost like they were happy he was here with them, especially his Nan.

“It’s so quiet here…but when I hear things…they scare me,” As if on cue the owl hooted. “Like that!” River snuggled into his grandfather’s sweater hoping he wouldn’t mind.

“Oh, that’s an owl. Tomorrow we’ll go out and investigate the garden and I’ll show you where the owls live and maybe if we’re lucky enough we’ll see an owl in the daylight as they usually hunt at night.”

“What’s investigate mean?”

“Explore. There’s so much to see around here. I can take you down the road to where the neighbours keep their horses. You’d like to see that, right?”

River brightened up. Someone wanted to do something especially for him. He didn’t understand it but he was glad his mum left him here. Mind you, he didn’t trust it yet, but this felt so different than what he was used to.

“I like it here even if it’s scary at night.”

“It won’t be scary for long. You’ll get used to the different sounds. But you can always come to us if you’re scared. You don’t have to stay here afraid.”

“Won’t you be cross if I wake you?” River asked afraid he pushed too far.

“Cross? No, never.”

Grandad soothed River, tucked him back in, bunny and all and shut the light, but left the door open so he wouldn’t feel alone.

River thought wistfully on that moment, it was the first time he felt truly safe and loved. He knew recapturing that now was impossible given his grandfather’s condition. It also made him wonder if his grandfather was afraid when he was lucid, that he knew he was slipping away and couldn’t do anything about it. What could River do to soothe him? He had to find a way to comfort him after everything he had done for him. River knew his grandfather was flawed – more than ever now after finding out who his father was and what lay behind it. But still he owed him and deep down he knew his grandad had done his best for River all those years ago.

River started as his mobile rang in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw Catherine’s name appearing on the screen. He thought it odd she’d call this late. He hoped everything was all right. “Hi Catherine. Is everything okay?”

“Oh, hi River, yes. Just wanted to check in with you. I knew you said you were visiting David this weekend. I wondered if you had gone down.”

“Yeah, I did. He wasn’t so good today…he wanted to go home and then later he didn’t know who I was…”

“Oh, River…I’m so sorry. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day. Why don’t you try bringing some photos over with you? Remember the article I sent you mentioned that often helps them as their minds often live in the past, so seeing photos of you when you’re younger might bring him around,” Catherine urged from the other end of the line.

“Right. I forgot about that. I’ll go find some when I finish my curry.”

“Take away again, honestly,” Catherine huffed.

River chuckled. “It’s not like I’m in the mood to cook.”

“My offer still stands.”

“I know. I’ll see how tomorrow goes,” River said.

Catherine Standish had offered to come by for the day and visit David as he was familiar with her from their “adventure” together after River left David with her when they perused by both the Park and an assassin.

After River finished his curry and tidied the kitchen, he went upstairs to his grandparents’ room. The door creaked as it opened, turning the light on the room came to life. He looked around, everything was tidy. The bed made, the curtains closed, the furniture recently polished. He wished he could take credit for it, but right after he left his grandfather at the care home, Catherine came by to help organize things with River, which included a weekend of tidying-up the house as it was long overdue for some sprucing up.

River opened the closet door, staring at the sparse contents as half of it was in the care home with his grandfather and the other space belonged to his Nan who’s clothes had been donated long ago. A box caught his eye on an upper shelf. It looked like a hat box that would’ve belong to his grandmother. Reaching up he removed it and was surprised by its weight. Placing it down on the bed, River opened the lid, “Oh, wow…” It contained cards, drawings and other ephemera River had made growing up. He had no idea his grandparents had saved these. They were bundled neatly unlike his own memory box.

As he shifted the piles and removed them to the bed, he saw the weathered rocks he decorated for the garden when he seven or eight. Then there was the ‘Best Grandad’ pin River bought for him one Father’s Day. He held it for a moment remembering trying to pin it on his grandad’s sweater with his little fingers and being pricked by it. River smiled. Digging further he found a child sized watch with the face scratched.

“He kept this?” River muttered feeling his face flush as he looked up at the ceiling blinking back tears. The battered watch held a special memory for River, it was the catalyst in his bonding early on with his grandad.

River had been with his grandparents almost a month when they presented him with a very cool digital watch that had a special little button that made it light up in the dark. He’d only taken it off to have baths since he received it, but one Sunday evening he realized it was missing from his wrist. He was seized by panic - his grandparents would be so disappointed in him if he already lost the watch.

While he was still trying to understand his grandparents, River knew this was definitely the type of thing that would lead to yelling – it had to. He lost far less precious things when he was with his mum and she got so cross, calling him careless. It was no wonder that she left him here. Now where would he go if his grandparents got tired of him losing things or being clumsy? But with no father, who would take him in next? River remembered watching Oliver on the telly a while ago and thought how horrible it would be to live on the streets being a thief. Would Fagan be nice to him? River doubted it as no one seemed to like him. He’d not be able to keep Mr. Hoppinheimer or his new bear Benjamin who had a very smart bowtie.

“Wait! Maybe it’s in the bathroom!” River darted across the hallway into the loo.

River looked on the floor, under the rugs, by the sink, and under the towels that were neatly stacked. It wasn’t anywhere. He was so crestfallen and slumped to sit on the cold, tile floor, scared to tell them he lost the watch. Near tears, River tried to take a breath, but could feel his chest tighten as he was near hyperventilating. He breathed in and out harder. He had to think, where had he gone today? The kitchen, dining room and study – oh the garden!

Earlier before dinner he and his grandad went into the garden to check on the pots to see if anything sprouted up yet. Grandad even gave him gloves to put on that were too big for him. Maybe the watch fell off then.

Darting back across the hallway, River went into his room to put his shoes on and then realized how would he get out of the house without explaining to his grandparents why he was going outside? The house was very creaky, but he already knew which steps made the most noise as he liked playing a game where he avoided them hopping around.

Tip-toeing in the hall and down the stairs avoiding the creaky spots, River edged around the wall and poked his head into the study and spied his grandparents involved in their books while the fire crackled. Seeing they were occupied, he made a dash to the kitchen. River peered out the kitchen door noticing the light was fading fast. He went into what his Nan called the jumble drawer where random things like screwdrivers, tape measures and a small torch were kept. He slid it from the drawer noiselessly as possible. The doorhandle was an odd lever River hadn’t completely remembered how to use and it squeaked a little when he turned it the wrong way. His heart pounded as he froze. All he heard was ticking from the clock in the entry hall and a tiny throat clearing from his grandad. River sighed. He pulled the door open just enough for him to get out. He immediately dove out of sigh against the chilly stone wall.

“Whew, okay that was close,” River mumbled as he turned the torch on and began his search around the clay pots.

Just as he looked between the last batch of flower pots with the torch he heard the kitchen door squeak shut. “NO!” River whispered turning quickly and arcing the torch beam into one of the windows. He hastily turned it off less to draw attention to the garden. River went on his hands and knees in the damp grass to hide when he noticed his missing watch in a tuft of high grass around one of the larger planters.

River wrapped the watch around his wrist and proceeded to crawl back to the house to stay out of sight till he reached the back door. Slowly, he got up and peered through the metal and glass panes. The kitchen was dark, so no one was there. River turned the lever but met resistance. “It’s locked,” River whispered in a panic. Now what? He pushed on the door to see if it was stuck, but it didn’t budge. “Wait…the key under the yellow pot.” Nan told him about it in case he ever got locked out in the garden. He retrieved the key and ever so slowly turned it, hearing the click he breathed a sigh of relief and quickly returned the key under the pot and slinked back into the dark kitchen.

Just as he was about to make a dash to the stairs light flooded the room as his grandfather appeared from the pantry area, “River whatever have you been doing out in the garden in the dark?”

Grandad walked towards him and took the torch from a stunned River’s hand. “Well?”

This was it, he was done for, off to an orphanage for him or worse. “I…I…umm…”

“David is everything all right, who are you talking to?” Nan shouted from the study.

“River, he came down for a glass of water,” Grandad coolly replied.

River was surprised his grandfather lied given he caught him sneaking around.

“River love, do you want a snack?”

“No, Nan, I’m not hungry, thanks!” River shouted back.

“So, what were you up to?”

River felt like he could trust being honest since his grandad just lied for him. “I lost my watch, Grandad. I went into the garden thinking it was there and it was,” River held up his wrist.

“Why didn’t you just ask? We would’ve looked with you, River.”

“Mum always said I was careless and I didn’t want you to be cross,” River said looking up at his grandad with those sad blue eyes.

“My boy, we all lose stuff, wait till you’re my age, I misplace things all the time!”

Impulsively, River hugged his grandad around the waist, tight, which took David by surprise and he wrapped his arms around his grandson. “I have to say I’m impressed as I didn’t realize you left the house. I came to put my mug in the sink and noticed the door was open a little and closed it. Only when I saw the light did I realize you were outside. Always remember if you hear noise when sneaking about with a torch to turn it off immediately and then hide.”

River pulled away and looked up curiously at his grandfather, “What? You didn’t mind I did that then?”

“Well, best not tell your grandmother, she wouldn’t approve, but I see you’ve got potential,” he replied with a warm smile.

“What’s potential?”

“Ah, in this case it means,” Grandad leaned in and whispered, “I think you could be a good spy one day.”

“Wow,” River managed.

“That’s between us, remember,” his grandad winked.

River tried to wink back but only achieved an awkward form a blinking which made his grandad chuckle.

The memory in retrospect was even more bittersweet than River liked to admit. The irony of him ending up in Slough House, being the biggest disappointment anyone could ever be to a grandfather who had been first desk. Maybe it was a good thing Grandad couldn’t remember things anymore, it saved him the embarrassment.

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David Cartwright shambled through the hallway that led back to his room. All the chatter from the dining room became too much for him. He was used to his home and the quiet, not constant yammering. Turning the knob to his room he heard his name called and twisted to find the small lady who always seemed happy coming at him.

“Did you not want to play bingo?”

“Bingo’s for old people,” he responded turning back to his room and pushing the door open.

Orla chuckled. “Yes, of course and you’re clearly too young for that kind of thing. Would you like to play chess or checkers with me?”

David plunked down in the leather chair. “I hate all the noise, so no thank you.”

A lightbulb went off, he hated the dining room and rec room because it was too much for him. “We could play in here where it’s quiet. And maybe you’d like cup of tea, too?”

“Maybe…I used to play with River. I taught him to play chess. He never got very good at it, always was an impulsive player. Where is my boy?”

“He was here earlier at lunch, Mr. Cartwright.”

“I don’t remember. He hates me anyway. He only comes because of Rose.”

Orla was beginning to see the picture more clearly now. Not only was it just the dementia at play, but a family rift or misunderstanding. There wasn’t much time to repair this either given how quickly the dementia seemed to be progressing. “No, I spoke to him earlier, we had tea and cake together. He cares about you very much, I can tell. I think it’s hard for him to deal with his feelings. Let me get that chess set and come back, okay?”

“Yes, whatever,” David mumbled.

Orla returned a short while later with a boxed chess set and Sylvie bearing a small tea tray. The two women set everything up near where David sat.

Finally sitting down across from David, Orla began to put the chess pieces on the board. “I’ve had a long day, it’s nice to sit down quietly here to be honest, I can see why you wanted to as well.” She knew that many dementia and Alzheimer’s patients became frazzled from too much stimulation depending on what stage their condition was in, but she did wonder about David as he seemed so sharp sometimes. She’d have to chat with River further about his thoughts as he was the best judge.

“Yes, well I’d rather be in my own quiet home.”

“Where would you be right now if you were home?”

“My study with my books and some whiskey.”

“Avid reader?”

“Yes.”

“I love Dickens. My favourite is the Pickwick Papers.”

“That’s a terrible choice. Why not Bleak House or at least David Copperfield?

Orla smiled and continued to place the chess pieces down. “I like to be different. It’s his only truly humorous work and I do so love to laugh.”

David cracked a shadow of a smile. “I see you know how to set the board up. Let’s see how well you play.”

“I’ wager you’ll route me in no time,” Orla said with a cheeky wink.

Orla knew she was far from a chess champion, but David Cartwright despite his age and mental health was still quite the chess player as within the hour she had been corned into checkmate.

“Checkmate!” David said triumphantly.

“Ooo! Damn!” Orla said. “Sorry…”

“No, you’re within your right to swear. You weren’t paying attention to your bishop earlier hence you’re in this mess now. I always told River not underestimate the power of your bishops. Not that he ever listened either.”

“You love River very much, don’t you?”

“Of course, he’s my boy.”

Orla sat quiet for moment. She wanted to say that his grandson was his son in every way that truly mattered and I’m sure River felt he same way. She decided to push a little. “Yes, I can tell. You’re very proud of him I’m sure. Though I do wonder why you think he doesn’t care for you.”

David’s face changed, Orla saw it immediately. She lost him. Damn!

“Yes, well he left me here to die,” David said gruffly, pushing the little card table with the chess set towards Orla.

“He did that to keep you safe. I know it’s not easy to admit, but sometimes we need help.”

“Help? This is what you call this hotel hospital environment? We’ve all been left here to die because someone who loved us just can’t be bothered.” He crossed his arms and turned his face away.

Orla did hate to admit that she had seen many people left at care homes who had no visitors and it always broke her heart. But this wasn’t the case for David Cartwright. His grandson cared a great deal. “May I call you David?” he shrugged in response. “David, your grandson is a busy man with a career and no doubt a personal life and he just can’t quit his job and stay with you as you do really need constant support to ensure you don’t get hurt.”

“I’d rather die than be here.”

“I’m sorry you feel that way. Maybe when River comes by tomorrow it’ll make you feel better about all of this. I’ll get Sylvie to help you to bed if you’re ready. Maybe you can watch some telly or I can get you a book from the library.”

“Just leave me alone!” He said much louder than he intended.

“Okay, have a goodnight and I’ll see you tomorrow,” Orla said with a sad smile and tiny wave.

Two steps forward and one step back she thought. Tomorrow was indeed another day and she’d make the most of it.

#river cartwright #slow horses #river cartwright x oc #jack lowden #slow horses fanfiction #anna elizabeth writes

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ofmelrose · 6 years ago

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hello and welcome to the shitshow that is me: iris, 21 years old and from the gmt timezone, which actually seems to be.. not that rare in this group? a miracle. love that for us. anyways, i bring you my baby alex, who’s kind of a young donna sheridan type of character, mixed with some orla sargent, for those who’ve read the raven cycle. please love her she’s a mess but in a good way. i hope. hit that like if you wanna plot and i’ll slide into your dms asap.

〚 medalion rahimi, cisfemale, she/her, 23〛🌹 ALEX DARZI has found themselves in florence, italy since JANUARY of 2019 and are currently NOT SURE WHAT SHE’S DOING WITH HER LIFE, SHE’S TRAVELING THE WORLD ON A WHIM. people close to them would describe them as VIBRANT but also IMPULSIVE. maybe that’s why they’re known as the BELIEVER. a rumor is going around that they DO TAROT READINGS FOR THE CUSTOMERS AT THE COFFEESHOP SHE WORKS AT FOR EXTRA TIPS.

pinterest can be found here

- born in boston, to first generation iranian immigrants, alex went strictly by alexandra for the first few years of her life. it quickly became apparent however that alex was far more fitting. she was an eccentric little girl, a bit of a tomboy. she’d always be running around, busy with something. she was also a bit of a loner, but not by choice. she just didn’t really get along with her classmates and was kind of left alone. this was mostly caused by her fascination, or rather obession with.. well anything that piqued her interest. whenever something caught her attention, be it outer space, dinosaurs, tarot cards, a particular movie or book, it’d be the only thing she could talk about for a while. besides that, she was pretty hyper, so kids rather steered clear of her.

- when she was 10 she was finally diagnosed with adhd. by then she’d learned how to compensate and repress. how to fit it, basically. it still didn’t quite hit the mark, but she’d been able to make some lasting friendships, to the relief of her parents. overall she was a happy little girl, though school was often torture. not just the kids, the sitting still, the fact her concentration just wasn’t as good as her teachers expected. she didn’t want to let her parents down however, they’d sacrificed so much to be where they were now. so she’d smile, and try to get good grades. she went to high school, participated in a bunch of extracurriculars, until of course it all came tumbling down on her head, though that didn’t happen until her second month away at college.

- stress is never good, stress when you have adhd is even worse. regulating her emotions had never been alex’s strong suit, and with all this new change of moving out and going to a whole other school, and just.. everything being different, alex had a bit of a mental breakdown. she got told she had a burn-out and had to drop out of college for the time being. she spend a few months at home, in the care of her parents. eventually though, she got restless and decided to spread her wings. she’d been working parttime, and with the money she saved from that, she set out to travel the world. she had a set plan for the first few months, just some parts of europe, then back home in time to go back to college.

- once she was on the road however, she had no desire to turn back to her old life. she’s been traveling ever since, working when she needs money, visiting ‘home’ every so often. right now, florence has stolen her heart. she works in a small coffeeshop near her apartment, where she's known for her wild hair and bright smile. many regulars will know that if you ask her, she’ll give you a tarot or palm reading for free - though she very much appreciates the extra tips.

wanted connections:

- friends! people she’s met since she arrived in florence that she hangs out with. - anything related to her job. colleagues, regulars at the coffeeshop, whatever you come up with - maybe some kind of romantic relationship, though she’s probably trying very hard not to get attached. she doesn’t want anything to tie her down to one place. - if there’s any reason you can think of why your character wouldn’t like alex, then please hit me up as well, i love a good antagonistic connection

#firenzeintro #i have... no tags yet #but it's like 1:20am so i'll be back tomorrow for plotting and stuff #added her pinterest real quick so.. take a look #or dont #whatever you want #&& –– the fight or the flight well I side with the latter most // ANATOMY ❜

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runningourgame-blog · 6 years ago

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Uncommon Races: Gnome

A constant hum of busy activity pervades the warrens and neighborhoods where gnomes form their close-knit communities. Louder sounds punctuate the hum: a crunch of grinding gears here, a minor explosion there, a yelp of surprise or triumph, and especially bursts of laughter. Gnomes take delight in life, enjoying every moment of invention, exploration, investigation, creation, and play.

Vibrant Expression

A gnome’s energy and enthusiasm for living shines through every inch of his or her tiny body. Gnomes average slightly over 3 feet tall and weigh 40 to 45 pounds. Their tan or brown faces are usually adorned with broad smiles (beneath their prodigious noses), and their bright eyes shine with excitement. Their fair hair has a tendency to stick out in every direction, as if expressing the gnome’s insatiable interest in everything around.

A gnome’s personality is writ large in his or her appearance. A male gnome’s beard, in contrast to his wild hair, is kept carefully trimmed but often styled into curious forks or neat points. A gnome’s clothing, though usually made in modest earth tones, is elaborately decorated with embroidery, embossing, or gleaming jewels.

Delighted Dedication

As far as gnomes are concerned, being alive is a wonderful thing, and they squeeze every ounce of enjoyment out of their three to five centuries of life. Humans might wonder about getting bored over the course of such a long life, and elves take plenty of time to savor the beauties of the world in their long years, but gnomes seem to worry that even with all that time, they can’t get in enough of the things they want to do and see.

Gnomes speak as if they can’t get the thoughts out of their heads fast enough. Even as they offer ideas and opinions on a range of subjects, they still manage to listen carefully to others, adding the appropriate exclamations of surprise and appreciation along the way.

Though gnomes love jokes of all kinds, particularly puns and pranks, they’re just as dedicated to the more serious tasks they undertake. Many gnomes are skilled engineers, alchemists, tinkers, and inventors. They’re willing to make mistakes and laugh at themselves in the process of perfecting what they do, taking bold (sometimes foolhardy) risks and dreaming large.

Bright Burrows

Gnomes make their homes in hilly, wooded lands. They live underground but get more fresh air than dwarves do, enjoying the natural, living world on the surface whenever they can. Their homes are well hidden by both clever construction and simple illusions. Welcome visitors are quickly ushered into the bright, warm burrows. Those who are not welcome are unlikely to find the burrows in the first place.

Gnomes who settle in human lands are commonly gemcutters, engineers, sages, or tinkers. Some human families retain gnome tutors, ensuring that their pupils enjoy a mix of serious learning and delighted enjoyment. A gnome might tutor several generations of a single human family over the course of his or her long life.

ALWAYS APPRECIATIVE

It’s rare for a gnome to be hostile or malicious unless he or she has suffered a grievous injury. Gnomes know that most races don’t share their sense of humor, but they enjoy anyone’s company just as they enjoy everything else they set out to do.

Gnome Names

Gnomes love names, and most have half a dozen or so. A gnome’s mother, father, clan elder, aunts, and uncles each give the gnome a name, and various nicknames from just about everyone else might or might not stick over time. Gnome names are typically variants on the names of ancestors or distant relatives, though some are purely new inventions. When dealing with humans and others who are “stuffy” about names, a gnome learns to use no more than three names: a personal name, a clan name, and a nickname, choosing the one in each category that’s the most fun to say.

Male Names: Alston, Alvyn, Boddynock, Brocc, Burgell, Dimble, Eldon, Erky, Fonkin, Frug, Gerbo, Gimble, Glim, Jebeddo, Kellen, Namfoodle, Orryn, Roondar, Seebo, Sindri, Warryn, Wrenn, Zook

Female Names: Bimpnottin, Breena, Caramip, Carlin, Donella, Duvamil, Ella, Ellyjobell, Ellywick, Lilli, Loopmottin, Lorilla, Mardnab, Nissa, Nyx, Oda, Orla, Roywyn, Shamil, Tana, Waywocket, Zanna

Clan Names: Beren, Daergel, Folkor, Garrick, Nackle, Murnig, Ningel, Raulnor, Scheppen, Timbers, Turen

Nicknames: Aleslosh, Ashhearth, Badger, Cloak, Doublelock, Filchbatter, Fnipper, Ku, Nim, Oneshoe, Pock, Sparklegem, Stumbleduck

Seeing the World

Curious and impulsive, gnomes might take up adventuring as a way to see the world or for the love of exploring. As lovers of gems and other fine items, some gnomes take to adventuring as a quick, if dangerous, path to wealth. Regardless of what spurs them to adventure, gnomes who adopt this way of life eke as much enjoyment out of it as they do out of any other activity they undertake, sometimes to the great annoyance of their adventuring companions.

Gnome Traits

Your gnome character has certain characteristics in common with all other gnomes.

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 2.

Age. Gnomes mature at the same rate humans do, and most are expected to settle down into an adult life by around age 40. They can live 350 to almost 500 years.

Alignment. Gnomes are most often good. Those who tend toward law are sages, engineers, researchers, scholars, investigators, or inventors. Those who tend toward chaos are minstrels, tricksters, wanderers, or fanciful jewelers. Gnomes are good-hearted, and even the tricksters among them are more playful than vicious.

Size. Gnomes are between 3 and 4 feet tall and average about 40 pounds. Your size is Small.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet.

Darkvision. Accustomed to life underground, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Gnome Cunning. You have advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against magic.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Gnomish. The Gnomish language, which uses the Dwarvish script, is renowned for its technical treatises and its catalogs of knowledge about the natural world.

Subraces

Two subraces of gnomes are found among the worlds of D&D: forest gnomes and rock gnomes. Choose one of these subraces.

DEEP GNOMES

A third subrace of gnomes, the deep gnomes (or svirfneblin), live in small communities scattered in the Underdark. Unlike the duergar and the drow, svirfneblin are as good as their surface cousins. However, their humor and enthusiasm are dampened by their oppressive environment, and their inventive expertise is directed mostly toward stonework.

Rock Gnome

As a rock gnome, you have a natural inventiveness and hardiness beyond that of other gnomes. Most gnomes in the worlds of D&D are rock gnomes, including the tinker gnomes of the Dragonlance setting.

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 1.

Artificer’s Lore. Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to magic items, alchemical objects, or technological devices, you can add twice your proficiency bonus, instead of any proficiency bonus you normally apply.

Tinker. You have proficiency with artisan’s tools (tinker’s tools). Using those tools, you can spend 1 hour and 10 gp worth of materials to construct a Tiny clockwork device (AC 5, 1 hp). The device ceases to function after 24 hours (unless you spend 1 hour repairing it to keep the device functioning), or when you use your action to dismantle it; at that time, you can reclaim the materials used to create it. You can have up to three such devices active at a time.

When you create a device, choose one of the following options:

Clockwork Toy. This toy is a clockwork animal, monster, or person, such as a frog, mouse, bird, dragon, or soldier. When placed on the ground, the toy moves 5 feet across the ground on each of your turns in a random direction. It makes noises as appropriate to the creature it represents.

Fire Starter. The device produces a miniature flame, which you can use to light a candle, torch, or campfire. Using the device requires your action.

Music Box. When opened, this music box plays a single song at a moderate volume. The box stops playing when it reaches the song’s end or when it is closed.

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prettyandsarcastic · 7 years ago

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Things I've decided about my Arcana Apprentices...

KAELLE:

Main romance - Asra.

Actual human disaster. You know that one friend you have who starts a story about something they did and all you do is sigh because you know it's probably gonna be a shitshow? But she does have good intentions. Hates the fact that her memories are gone mainly because it makes her question her decisions i.e. is this something she would have done before she lost her memories. Often impulsive which is the main reason she agreed to go to the palace in the first place. Also, Nadia upon seeing her come to the palace: "who dressed this child and where are her pants!".

ORLA:

Main romance - Julian.

Angry goth child. Will fight anyone and anything. Absolutely tired of everyone's BS 100% of the time. Definitely chose the "Fine, I'll leave" option when Julian tried to dump her. Loves Asra dearly but holds a lot of resentment because of his secret-keeping. Nadia decides that her clothes are too depressing and sends her clothes in pastels. Her main motivation for going to the palace is to maybe find a way to get her memories back without having to rely on Asra.

NICOLETTE:

Main romance - Nadia.

Literal ray of sunshine. Because Nadia needs someone to bring happiness to her life. Easily flustered, blushy baby. Makes Nadia a special tea to help ease her headaches. Love readings are her favorite kind to perform. Rolls with the punches and isn't too concerned about her missing memories. Agrees to go to the palace mainly because she was in love with Nadia at first sight.

... I'll add more as I flesh them out a bit more.

#the arcana #arcana game #julian devorak #asra #nadia #arcana apprentice #kaelle #orla #nicolette

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greatfay · 8 years ago

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saw your Pearl typing from su, could you type the raven cycle characters?

Sure, I’ve pretty much got them fast-profiled! Spoilers ahead for the whole series.

Blue Sargent | ESFP

Artsy, unique, and always in the thick of things, Blue can be impulsive but likes to be in the center of the action, to be a part of something, and she expresses herself with her alternative aesthetic and questionable sense of fashion; she answers the call to action, and this, paired with her more emotive nature, puts her at odds with the more calculating and analytical Adam (that fight was awful btw, I love them both but can you say notp?), and she’s comfortable with telling people like it is when she disagrees with them. She is very much concerned with her identity and personal journey, and inferior-Ni whispers in her ear: “where are you going, where are you going, where are you going?”

Dick Gansey | INFJ

Had him pegged as an ENFJ, but inferior-Se explains his reluctance to act for fear of getting something wrong, his obsession with the journey to finding Glendower as well as “proving himself worthy” to fulfill his Ni-vision of waking the sleeping king as not a boy, but an equal; he can be surprisingly analytical, which when paired with his visionary idealism makes him a good pair to Adam; he’s tapped into the collective emotional atmosphere of his friend circle, and while this makes him appear affable and gregarious to anyone else, it gets him in trouble when his aux-Fe urges him to meddle in his friends’ sensitive and often explosive emotions. Being the only Fe-user amongst Fi-users is not fun for Gansey-boy.

Adam Parrish | INTJ

Ambitious, clever, gifted with forethought and a calculating mind, he has a personal moral code he refuses to stray from (he will make it out of his abusive home and out of this town and he won’t take Gansey’s damn money, he won’t accept a hand out, he’s doing it his way), and he often feels disconnected from his friends due to their wealthy upbringing with loving family and their more emotionally-inclined natures, making it hard for him to discern what they what from him.

Ronan Lynch | ISFP

This kid carries so much hurt inside, he feels everything so intensely, but instead of stargazing with a single tear streaming down his face, he slams car doors and makes angry donuts in empty parking lots and downs a Lager and smashes the bottle afterward; there’s a reason he and Blue have a lot in common.

Noah | Dead (jk, ESFP)

Hear me out, hear me out; Noah is primarily engaged in his physical environment, from skateboarding to painting to getting everyone in his school on board with “Raven Day” because he literally just wants to see paper ravens flying all over campus (what a legend), and he shares a lot of the artsy, individualistic qualities as Blue; Dead Noah is, well, dead, and cannot be typed.

Henry Cheng | ENFP

Gansey’s perfect compliment, a wonder they weren’t closer sooner; Henry is idealistic and a fast-learner, warm and individualistic, always fighting for a cause he believes in, compassionate and honorable, and he has trouble translating his feelings into words (less to do with language—he is bilingual, though his siblings don’t share his problem—more to do with that aux-Fi).

Maura | no idea

Possibly an ENXP; I see Ne-idealism tempered by the crude awakening of a young pregnancy and the stress of adulthood, and a confident craftiness in how she handles both romance and danger (maybe Ti? so probably ENTP; the way she handles Mr. Gray is interesting, and I have a feeling she headed her relationship with Artemus).

Calla | ESTJ

A rare example of a hilarious ESTJ, she does not mince words or spare feelings, she can be relied upon for being honest when no one else will, and if she can’t tell the truth, she’d rather tell you to piss off; she is content and happy with her perfect friend trio and shows strong confidence in her psychometry, becoming easily offended if anyone doubts her skill (and she will take you on that challenge). Makes a mean drink. 10/10 would chill with.

Persephone | INTP

Dreamy and curious, will never finish her thesis because she dead lmao she overanalyzes in circles and enjoys chasing new ideas or alternate interpretations of the same concept; this often colors her tarot readings and premonitions, making her powerful gift somewhat useless to those who are desperate for a glimpse of their future as she leads them in endless loops of metaphors.

Mr. Gray | ISTP

Observant and analytical, mostly emotionally detached and quick to take action, though he doesn’t always think his plans through (his ambush of Piper and Greenmantle going sour, for example), usually quiet but charming enough when he’s in good company, and he’s rather honest, and enjoys simple sensory pleasures like a cold beer or strong screwdriver, old tunes, the joy of snapping a bone, the color gray, doing a clean kill job, and trimming his stubble to the perfect action-hero length.

Artemus | ISTJ

In a state of constant shock at how much has changed between Glendower’s days and the 21st century, objective and to the point, speaks plainly, is dutiful and loyal even after centuries and has no sympathy for dissenters (shown in how he was one of those who imprisoned Gwenllian for killing one of her father’s advisers).

Piper | ESTP

Opportunistic, engaged in a number of sensory-rich activities such as experimental workout regimes, culinary arts involving off-season fruit, martial arts and gunplay, very witty and analytical, naturally curious, and socially savvy. Inferior Ni suggests a lack of direction in her life, much to the disappoint of her father and uncles.

I’m not sure about Greenmantle (I’m thinking ENTP), Declan (possibly ISTJ or even INTJ; maybe ISFJ since he comes off as very warm and knows how to network, but we only see his toxic interactions with his brother), Matthew (is he even a person?? Possibly ESFJ, he has that “Steven Universe” vibe), Kavinsky (I don’t want to say ESTP, seems too stereotypical), and Orla. I’m of the opinion that a character having a traumatic past doesn’t automatically make them Si-dom, and that thinking as much is a misunderstanding of the function.

#the raven cycle #mbti #cognitive functions #Anonymous

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onwardvirus87 · 6 years ago

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Gnome Race

Vibrant Expression

Delighted Dedication

Bright Burrows

Gnome Names

Male Names: Alston, Alvyn, Boddynock, Brocc, Burgell, Dimble, Eldon, Erky, Fonkin, Frug, Gerbo, Gimble, Glim, Jebeddo, Kellen, Namfoodle, Orryn, Roondar, Seebo, Sindri, Warryn, Wrenn, Zook

Female Names: Bimpnottin, Breena, Caramip, Carlin, Donella, Duvamil, Ella, Ellyjobell, Ellywick, Lilli, Loopmottin, Lorilla, Mardnab, Nissa, Nyx, Oda, Orla, Roywyn, Shamil, Tana, Waywocket, Zanna

Clan Names: Beren, Daergel, Folkor, Garrick, Nackle, Murnig, Ningel, Raulnor, Scheppen, Timbers, Turen

Nicknames: Aleslosh, Ashhearth, Badger, Cloak, Doublelock, Filchbatter, Fnipper, Ku, Nim, Oneshoe, Pock, Sparklegem, Stumbleduck

Seeing the World

ALWAYS APPRECIATIVE

Subrace

Choose one of the subraces below or one from another source.

DEEP GNOMES

Gnome Traits

Your gnome character has certain characteristics in common with all other gnomes.

Ability Score Increase

Your Intelligence score increases by 2.

Age

Gnomes mature at the same rate humans do, and most are expected to settle down into an adult life by around age 40. They can live 350 to almost 500 years.

Alignment

Gnomes are most often good. Those who tend toward law are sages, engineers, researchers, scholars, investigators, or inventors. Those who tend toward chaos are minstrels, tricksters, wanderers, or fanciful jewelers. Gnomes are good-hearted, and even the tricksters among them are more playful than vicious.

Size

Gnomes are between 3 and 4 feet tall and average about 40 pounds. Your size is Small.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 25 feet.

Darkvision

Accustomed to life underground, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Gnome Cunning

You have advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against magic.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Gnomish. The Gnomish language, which uses the Dwarvish script, is renowned for its technical treatises and its catalogs of knowledge about the natural world.

Deep Gnome

Forest gnomes and rock gnomes are the gnomes most commonly encountered in the lands of the surface world. There is another subrace of gnomes rarely seen by any surface-dweller: deep gnomes, also known as svirfneblin. Guarded, and suspicious of outsiders, svirfneblin are cunning and taciturn, but can be just as kind-hearted, loyal, and compassionate as their surface cousins.

When you create a gnome character, you may choose the deep gnome as an alternative to the subraces in the Player’s Handbook.

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by 1.

Age

Deep gnomes are short-lived for gnomes. They mature at the same rate humans do and are considered full-grown adults by 25. They live 200 to 250 years, although hard toil and the dangers of the Underdark often claim them before their time.

Alignment

Svirfneblin believe that survival depends on avoiding entanglements with other creatures and not making enemies, so they favor neutral alignments. They rarely wish others ill, and they are unlikely to take risks on behalf of others.

Size

A typical svirfneblin stands about 3 to 3½ feet tall and weighs 80 to 120 pounds. Your size is Small.

Superior Darkvision

Your darkvision has a radius of 120 feet.

Stone Camouflage

You have advantage on Dexterity (stealth) checks to hide in rocky terrain.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common, Gnomish, and Undercommon. The svirfneblin dialect is more guttural than surface Gnomish, and most svirfneblin know only a little bit of Common, but those who deal with outsiders (and that includes you as an adventurer) pick up enough Common to get by in other lands.

Mark of Scribing Gnome

“Communication is the foundation of civilization.”

— Lysse Lorridan d’Sivis, House Matriarch

The Mark of Scribing deals with communication — both the written and spoken word. A gnome who bears the mark can feel words as though they are living creatures, struggling to make their meaning known. The mark provides a range of gifts. It translates languages, but it also allows its bearer to speak to others at a distance and to inscribe their words wherever they wish. House Sivis The gnomes of House Sivis facilitate communication. This is seen most literally in speaking stones, magic items allowing a Sivis heir to send a short message to another speaking stone; House Sivis’s network of message stations is the backbone of long-distance communication. But Sivis also trains and licenses scribes, notaries, interpreters, cartographers, barristers, heralds, bookbinders and more. House Sivis has an especially close relationship with House Kundarak, as Kundarak letters of credit must be notarized with a Sivis arcane mark.

House Sivis has taken great pains to maintain the trust of its clients and takes a position of absolute neutrality in all disputes, whether between houses or nations. Gnomes have a natural love of intrigue, and the different families within the house often engage in subtle schemes and feuds, but these are never allowed to threaten the house as a whole. Sivis gnomes are typically friendly, curious, and engaging; but that kindly exterior may conceal a scheming mind.

Ability Score Increase

Your Charisma score increases by 1.

Gifted Scribe

You are proficient with calligrapher’s supplies and the forgery kit. When you make an ability check using either one of these tools, you can roll one Intuition die, a d4, and add the number rolled to the ability check.

Scribe’s Insight

You can cast comprehend languages once with this trait, and you regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for it.

Whispering Wind

You know the cantrip message. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability when casting it.

Extra Language

You can speak, read, and write one extra language of your choice.

Rock Gnome

As a rock gnome, you have a natural inventiveness and hardiness beyond that of other gnomes. Most gnomes in the worlds of D&D are rock gnomes, including the tinker gnomes of the Dragonlance setting.

Ability Score Increase

Your Constitution score increases by 1.

Artificer’s Lore

Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to magic items, alchemical objects, or technological devices, you can add twice your proficiency bonus, instead of any proficiency bonus you normally apply.

Tinker

You have proficiency with artisan’s tools (tinker’s tools). Using those tools, you can spend 1 hour and 10 gp worth of materials to construct a Tiny clockwork device (AC 5, 1 hp). The device ceases to function after 24 hours (unless you spend 1 hour repairing it to keep the device functioning), or when you use your action to dismantle it; at that time, you can reclaim the materials used to create it. You can have up to three such devices active at a time.

When you create a device, choose one of the following options:

Fire Starter. The device produces a miniature flame, which you can use to light a candle, torch, or campfire. Using the device requires your action.

Music Box. When opened, this music box plays a single song at a moderate volume. The box stops playing when it reaches the song’s end or when it is closed

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radioactive-earthshine · 5 months ago

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Impulse (1995) #67

Kalellinson Manton.... Nailed it.

Bonus

Impulse (1995) #67 Bart's ever continuation of just being ready to sass and fight Clark will never not be amusing.

#orla reads impulse #nice job clark #clark kent #bart allen

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nobuckingway · 6 years ago

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We both really enjoyed our first lesson with Christa Dillion from Blackhill Eventing, so much so that we got her out for a second! Lessons where you get pushed and challenged to the best of your ability are definitely the kind of lessons that we need at the minute. We both feel we need something or someone to push us forward.

Have a read below about what we tackled in our lesson along with a short Q&A with Christa herself.

The 3 Exercises We Tackled

Exercise #1 – Related Distance Canter Poles

Our first exercise was a basic set of 2 canter poles with a distance of four strides in between. Trying to maintain a steady forward rhythm & focus on a good approach to the first pole was key in hitting this exercise correctly.

Exercise #2 – Bounce Poles

To begin with, this exercise was set up with 5 bounce/canter poles. As we progressed through (after a lot of time spent putting poles back in place by Christa!) the 5 canter poles became 4 with a cross pole jump put in place of the 5th pole at the end. Talk about challenging!

Exercise #3 – Double with Trot Poles and Bounce Poles

Finishing up the lesson Christa set up a small grid. This consisted of an approach of 3 trot poles into a cross pole, two bounce ground poles then into an upright, which then progressed into a spread. Both horses surprisingly rode this exercise spot on each time. I think all the pole work above definitely helped set them up for it.

How Did Coco & Dante Get On?

Orla & Coco

My focus for this lesson was getting Coco to stop tanking me into fences. She has started rushing into fences and then dropping at the last second causing her to jump like a donkey. So the exercises Christa set out were perfect!

My first issue however was Coco’s irritating spooking in her least favourite corner of the arena. Trying to get her to concentrate was difficult but after a while I decided I just needed to ignore it and try to get on with things.

After a quick warm up we started over the related distance canter poles. Well..you’d swear I had put a 1.20 spread in front of her the way she bombed at it. When she did this my focus had to be on correcting her but not letting the correction kill all of her impulsion. That is something I need to find the balance with. Coco’s a very eager jumper who tends to do a few leaps before jumps so I sometimes struggle to control that energy without killing it and having to build it back up again. The way to do this was to compress the canter by half halting while also applying leg to keep your impulsion. Needless to say I was quite nackered by the end of this lesson!

Funnily enough she took to the other two exercises extremely well. She was quite consistent with the bounce poles and our only issue with the grid was that she kept trying to pop into canter over the trot poles so I needed to contain her energy and not let it explode too soon. At the end of the grid was the scary corner so we had a few silly moments down there when we put all three exercises together but thankfully it wasn’t anything that stopped her from jumping (which has been the case before)!

All in all I was delighted with how well Coco did. I feel like our confidence is improving so the plan is to gradually start increasing the height of fences at home and getting ourselves out to do some schooling in new environments.

Darielle & Dante

For this lesson I went in not really expecting much from Dante. I have found in the past that if I do it all tends to flip & go backwards.

Working on Dante accepting the contact more from my leg up into my hand is still a major issue we are tackling, some days he’s fantastic, soft & subtle then some days hes a stubborn mule. He is a horse that likes to be in control of his own self, and when I step in and interfere or try get him to listen to me he kicks up a fuss… this at times is frustrating, but it is something I am dealing with & learning to correct myself, all whilst still trying to ignore his ratty behaviour.

As we progressed into the lesson, Getting Dante to listen to my leg aids became quite difficult that in turn with trying to half halt him, he blatantly just ignored me & continued to try do what he wanted to do, blasting forward at times or not wanting to move forward at all. This sounds dreadful, but picture an octopus trying to run… this is Dante…but he is a massive horse that still doesn’t know how much body he actually has, and to be fair to him he has come a very long way with managing it to the best of his ability & mine!

The most beneficial exercise to us were the canter poles into the cross pole. There were a few moments where I had to pull him out of his approach as he’d cock the jaw and try run off with control, there were moments that I had to circle to get a good balanced canter on our approach. There were some good moments in there too, dont get me wrong but most of our work consisted of compressing his canter & keeping a firm leg on him all whilst trying to keep a flowing moving canter.

It was god dam difficult let me tell you, but we got there in the end!

We had some great positive moments in our lesson too, his approach to fences was a lot more relaxed, he waited and listened to me more than he did in our previous lesson, so over all great progress is being made & I am quite content with that & delighted!

Moving forward a LOT more work is needed in his canter, within the different paces pushing him forward and out of his comfort zone, getting him moving rather than letting him stick to the same consistant pace, but hey, perfection takes time!!

Q&A with Christa Dillon of Blackhill Eventing

How did you get into coaching, tell us about yourself?

Answer: I am a 37 year old farmer’s wife and mother of one small, flame haired and feral four year old boy. I am a professional lorry driver in my spare time, and I am staunchly proud of my Artic license! I competed in eventing until 2012, when a lack of horses forced a change of direction into producing youngsters. I adore showjumping, especially the training-we are so lucky in Ireland to be able to learn with some truly exceptional riders and coaches, enabling us to produce confident, well educated young horses capable of good success in any sport. During the winter, I gave a friend a hand with her horse. To my great surprise, my advice actually worked. I generally always know what to do when I’m in the saddle, but watching from the ground is a whole other ball game. My friend is extremely persuasive, and she encouraged/demanded that I took out insurance to teach. The same friend then twice over arranged training clinics for me, and thanks to her I now have a good client base. I really enjoy helping others, and I’m very grateful to those who have helped to make coaching a reality.

What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve ever received?

Answer: ‘Hot horses are always lazy’, from Paul O’Shea. It can be taken literally, but it’s more to make you remember that if a horse is throwing a ton of attitude at you to avoid actually working, there is pretty well always a reason. It’s up to you to figure the reason out! Also, ‘The best place for four year old horses is often the field’, from Trevor Breen. This has proven to be true a million times over for me

What’s your favourite part about producing horses?

Answer: Oh everything! Learning about who they are, how they need to be ridden, what they find easy and difficult. It’s so satisfying when they suddenly understand something, or make a big jump forward in their training. To quote Piggy French, ‘I’m just addicted to working with horses’.

Do Coco or Dante remind you of any horses you’ve owned or worked with in the past?

Answer: Coco reminds me a lot of my own 4 yr old mare-both very willing and absolute workaholics, supremely intelligent and genuine, but both with their own boundaries of acceptance-find the key, and you have the horse of a lifetime. Dante reminds me-in looks at least-of a very cool KWPN gelding I had a few years ago called Vector M2S. He went on to jump 1m40 in Ireland, before being sold to Italy. I am in contact with his owner which makes me so happy as I adored the horse. He is stabled at Luca Maria Moneta’s yard, near Lake Como.

What tips would you give to anyone producing a young horse to keep their confidence levels up?

Answer: Be patient. Find the most experienced person you can, and learn as much as you can. A young horse needs a wide foundation of education to maintain confidence throughout his training, so work hard to put that in place. Never rush or overface a young horse, praise him always-especially if he’s struggling with something-and never be afraid to take a step back or take a break. Avoid the pressure of age classes and the ‘your horse should be doing X Y Z at 4,5,6’ brigade. Train each horse as an individual, at a pace that best suits him.

Finally, in your opinion what types of exercises should we be doing with both horses to keep progressing forward?

Dante: Dante has made huge progress since I saw him a month ago. He’s a difficult horse who ultimately needs to learn to compress his frame and listen to his rider. He currently alternates between listening almost too much, or not listening at all when Darielle asks him to come to work, but I would take this as a huge positive as it shows that he’s trying so hard to work it out and very close to a more permanent and consistent way of going. Lots of canter poles so that horse and rider can work on a more consistent stride pattern. Rows of bounces can be helpful, as can gridwork with ground poles. Anything to get Dante to look at what he’s doing, and begin to learn to balance himself in a more ‘together’ canter. He’s a fabulous horse and this is a very nice, progressive partnership.

Coco: Coco is the coolest. She’s so willing and interested in work. She’s quite consistent now in her way of going, and like Dante I see a huge improvement on how she was going a month ago. With a horse like her, I would use loads of poles in trot and canter to keep her thinking. I would give her enough to do, without pushing her too hard. I imagine that variety would suit her, so I would encourage plenty of hacking, shows, trips away schooling, a spin up the gallops, lunging etc. Make every day fun for her. Coco and Orla look like best friends hanging out together, having the craic.

Well there you have it, our lesson with Christa. We are having another lesson tomorrow so hopefully we will see even more progress with both horses and continue to grow and move forward.

If you do want to try out the exercises we did in our lesson above, head over to our Instagram page to have a look at how we got on & how they were set up!

Darielle & Orla

NBW Meets Christa Dillon of Blackhill Eventing #schoolingexercises #riderhour #247equestrian #nobuckingway #horsebloggers #Horses #horsehour #equestrians #equestrianbloggers We both really enjoyed our first lesson with Christa Dillion from Blackhill Eventing, so much so that we got her out for a second!

#dante #blackhill eventing #christa dillon #coco #horse #Jumping #jumping exercises #lesson #pole exercises #polework

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