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Equestrian AU part 1.

"Martin!" Casey jogs up to him. He doesn't bother replying, just keeps adjusting Achilles' tack, making sure everything is looking how it should.

Casey continues unprompted, just how he'd expected. Never one to be put off by his silence. "Got a new potential client for ya. Figured since we're sending two horses back home next week we'll have room for one more, just wanted to check in with you before agreening to take them on."

Welp, there goes his plan of taking it easy for a while. He's been dealing with more pain than he's used to recently and it's been wearing on him. He's been looking forward to lowering his workload for a while now. He figures he might as well say as much. "Wasn't going to take on any new ones for a while. Got plenty as is."

"You've got four." Casey deadpans. "Soon to be two. You can handle another. And besides, those last two won't need to stay long anyway. With them finished up you can focus on just the one. Take it easy for a while."

He turns away so she can't see him roll his eyes. "I'll consider it."

"Trust me. You don't want to turn this one away."

"How so?"

"Ever heard the name Noah Powell?"

"No."

She scoffs at that. "Of course you haven't, you hermit. He's been getting a lot of attenion the last few years. Does eventing at a high level and is damn good at it too. Wins just about everything he signs up for."

The name still doesn't ring a bell. Nevermind that Martin barely even knows what 'eventing' is. He doesn't keep up with sports. "Why's he need my help, then. If he's so good at it?"

"Because," Casey leans in. "He lost his best horse last year. The one that took him up the ladder. Freak accident at home apparently." She gives Achilles a pat. "Got himself a promising young mare out of quality lines, was supposed to be the horse of a lifetime. They were doing well for a while, coming up the classes how you'd expect with a young horse like that. But the last few times he's entered they haven't made it a quarter of the way down the track before having to retire."

Martin is trying not to let on how he's actively listening now.

"His mare throws these tantrums. Stops dead in her tracks or turns into a proper bronc. Not even gonna mention their dressage." She cringes. "He's been out of competitions for a while now, almost a year. Got thrown pretty bad at the last one, dislocated his shoulder and hit his head real hard. He's been radio silent since. Until now. Just got a call from his groom."

Martin doesn't really know what to make of all of that. "And he wants me to fix his horse?" He finds that very hard to believe.

Casey wobbles her hand. "Well, not exactly. His groom is a fan of yours apparently. Says he's heard a lot of good things from friends and the like. He's the one who wants you on the case. Apparently you're their hail Mary. Says that if you can't fix her, no one can."

High praise. Too high. "I'm not a miracle worker." He huffs. "I don't know this mare. I can't guarantee shit."

"And they know that. They just want to give her one more chance. Figured you're the best man for it."

Martin picks up Achilles' reins and hauls himself up into the saddle. Christ he needs a smaller horse. Something that isn't wide as a barn door and tall as a fucking toolshed.

"You willing to take them on, or what?" Casey badgers on, poking his thigh.

He sighs, resting forwards with his arms across the saddle horn. He could turn it down. It's his choice, after all. But he knows as much as Casey does that he needs the money. And while he's got a fairly steady supply of clients, someone with those kinds of connections could set him up with a few new ones of his own, if he does a good job that is.

Best bite the bullet on this one, no matter how badly he wants to turn it down. He can't really afford to. "Fine. Book him in from next week. After those two colts have gone home."

"Good man, Martin. I'll call Gabriel back to let him know."

Martin wordlessly steers Achilles down across the length of the farm towards the path that will take him on a loop around the property.

The two young colts he's spent the last few weeks working with both whinny and come trotting up to the fence as soon as they spot him. They follow him the full length of the fence line, kicking and bucking and acting like the teenagers they are. Martin watches them bounce around the field, play fighting as if showing off in front of Achilles, who doesn't so much as lift his head up to look at them, just keeps ambling along, enjoying the sun on his back.

Martin closes his eyes and tips his head back, letting the warm rays hit his face. It's in moments like these that he truly appreciates this life he's carved out for himself. It hasn't always been easy, and it still isn't. But he's been lucky, and he's got passionate people there to help support him, to encourage him to keep going when he's tempted to quit.

Ten years he's been running this business now. Taking on problem horses and trying his best to help them through whatever it is that's haunting them. It's rewarding work, most of the time, even if it means dealing with people more than he'd like.

If it was up to him he'd never talk to another human soul ever again, aside from those he holds dear. But unfortunately for him, an important part of setting a horse to right is to educate the owner on how to do so as well. So that all his hard work won't go to waste as soon as the horse is returned to them.

It's his least favorite part of the job. Having to deal with assholes who think they know better than him. Forgetting why they've come to him for help in the first place. Other times they're nice enough, but some people just don't have a knack for training horses, in a way that makes explaining the process to them a pain in the ass.

Most times, it's the owner that's the problem. And just fixing the horse isn't going to solve that.

Martin blinks his eyes back open when Achilles turns right at the end of the path, striding onto a part of it that's less of a gravel road, and more of a deer track through tall grass. This part of the property line is only ever accessed by horseback, and Martin hasn't ever felt the need to change that. He halts Achilles a little ways down the trail, near a few clusters of stubby trees.

The farmhouse is visible in the distance, set atop a small hill that lets it look out on its surroundings. He can't see the barn from here, nor the cabins that sometimes house clients during seminars and the occasional youth camp put on by Casey. But the farmhouse's windows gleam where they catch the early morning sunlight.

It's quiet out here. Just the hushed whispering of the tall grass against Achilles' sides. And the clinking of his bit as he chews a handful of straws.

Martin urges the gelding onwards. Best finish up and get back to work. Before Casey catches him slacking off out here. He's got colts to work, if he wants to get them sent home before his new client arrives.

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Equestrian AU part 1.

"Martin!" Casey jogs up to him. He doesn't bother replying, just keeps adjusting Achilles' tack, making sure everything is looking how it should.

Casey continues unprompted, just how he'd expected. Never one to be put off by his silence. "Got a new potential client for ya. Figured since we're sending two horses back home next week we'll have room for one more, just wanted to check in with you before agreening to take them on."

Welp, there goes his plan of taking it easy for a while. He's been dealing with more pain than he's used to recently and it's been wearing on him. He's been looking forward to lowering his workload for a while now. He figures he might as well say as much. "Wasn't going to take on any new ones for a while. Got plenty as is."

"You've got four." Casey deadpans. "Soon to be two. You can handle another. And besides, those last two won't need to stay long anyway. With them finished up you can focus on just the one. Take it easy for a while."

He turns away so she can't see him roll his eyes. "I'll consider it."

"Trust me. You don't want to turn this one away."

"How so?"

"Ever heard the name Noah Powell?"

"No."

She scoffs at that. "Of course you haven't, you hermit. He's been getting a lot of attenion the last few years. Does eventing at a high level and is damn good at it too. Wins just about everything he signs up for."

The name still doesn't ring a bell. Nevermind that Martin barely even knows what 'eventing' is. He doesn't keep up with sports. "Why's he need my help, then. If he's so good at it?"

"Because," Casey leans in. "He lost his best horse last year. The one that took him up the ladder. Freak accident at home apparently." She gives Achilles a pat. "Got himself a promising young mare out of quality lines, was supposed to be the horse of a lifetime. They were doing well for a while, coming up the classes how you'd expect with a young horse like that. But the last few times he's entered they haven't made it a quarter of the way down the track before having to retire."

Martin is trying not to let on how he's actively listening now.

"His mare throws these tantrums. Stops dead in her tracks or turns into a proper bronc. Not even gonna mention their dressage." She cringes. "He's been out of competitions for a while now, almost a year. Got thrown pretty bad at the last one, dislocated his shoulder and hit his head real hard. He's been radio silent since. Until now. Just got a call from his groom."

Martin doesn't really know what to make of all of that. "And he wants me to fix his horse?" He finds that very hard to believe.

Casey wobbles her hand. "Well, not exactly. His groom is a fan of yours apparently. Says he's heard a lot of good things from friends and the like. He's the one who wants you on the case. Apparently you're their hail Mary. Says that if you can't fix her, no one can."

High praise. Too high. "I'm not a miracle worker." He huffs. "I don't know this mare. I can't guarantee shit."

"And they know that. They just want to give her one more chance. Figured you're the best man for it."

Martin picks up Achilles' reins and hauls himself up into the saddle. Christ he needs a smaller horse. Something that isn't wide as a barn door and tall as a fucking toolshed.

"You willing to take them on, or what?" Casey badgers on, poking his thigh.

He sighs, resting forwards with his arms across the saddle horn. He could turn it down. It's his choice, after all. But he knows as much as Casey does that he needs the money. And while he's got a fairly steady supply of clients, someone with those kinds of connections could set him up with a few new ones of his own, if he does a good job that is.

Best bite the bullet on this one, no matter how badly he wants to turn it down. He can't really afford to. "Fine. Book him in from next week. After those two colts have gone home."

"Good man, Martin. I'll call Gabriel back to let him know."

Martin wordlessly steers Achilles down across the length of the farm towards the path that will take him on a loop around the property.

The two young colts he's spent the last few weeks working with both whinny and come trotting up to the fence as soon as they spot him. They follow him the full length of the fence line, kicking and bucking and acting like the teenagers they are. Martin watches them bounce around the field, play fighting as if showing off in front of Achilles, who doesn't so much as lift his head up to look at them, just keeps ambling along, enjoying the sun on his back.

Martin closes his eyes and tips his head back, letting the warm rays hit his face. It's in moments like these that he truly appreciates this life he's carved out for himself. It hasn't always been easy, and it still isn't. But he's been lucky, and he's got passionate people there to help support him, to encourage him to keep going when he's tempted to quit.

Ten years he's been running this business now. Taking on problem horses and trying his best to help them through whatever it is that's haunting them. It's rewarding work, most of the time, even if it means dealing with people more than he'd like.

If it was up to him he'd never talk to another human soul ever again, aside from those he holds dear. But unfortunately for him, an important part of setting a horse to right is to educate the owner on how to do so as well. So that all his hard work won't go to waste as soon as the horse is returned to them.

It's his least favorite part of the job. Having to deal with assholes who think they know better than him. Forgetting why they've come to him for help in the first place. Other times they're nice enough, but some people just don't have a knack for training horses, in a way that makes explaining the process to them a pain in the ass.

Most times, it's the owner that's the problem. And just fixing the horse isn't going to solve that.

Martin blinks his eyes back open when Achilles turns right at the end of the path, striding onto a part of it that's less of a gravel road, and more of a deer track through tall grass. This part of the property line is only ever accessed by horseback, and Martin hasn't ever felt the need to change that. He halts Achilles a little ways down the trail, near a few clusters of stubby trees.

The farmhouse is visible in the distance, set atop a small hill that lets it look out on its surroundings. He can't see the barn from here, nor the cabins that sometimes house clients during seminars and the occasional youth camp put on by Casey. But the farmhouse's windows gleam where they catch the early morning sunlight.

It's quiet out here. Just the hushed whispering of the tall grass against Achilles' sides. And the clinking of his bit as he chews a handful of straws.

Martin urges the gelding onwards. Best finish up and get back to work. Before Casey catches him slacking off out here. He's got colts to work, if he wants to get them sent home before his new client arrives.

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Peregrine /ˈpɛrɪɡrɪn/ Adjective: having a tendency to wander.

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Just went through your whole lore tag, excellent stuff, I'm obsessed with the boys now. Looking forward to more writing 🙏

Thank you so much for reading!! I do love to see the brainworms spreading 😌

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Conflict of interest

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Making sure her opinions are heard

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the equestrian AU would also have fancy boots sooooo 👀

TRUE

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Jumping from one idea to the next these days but the idea of an equestrian AU has me in a fucking chokehold rn.

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Adding to the collection of inked boots

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Finally got the boots of my dreams. These are Czech M60 boots. They arrived crusty and stiff after years in storage, but after a few hours of work, an ungodly amount of leather conditioner and a good polish, they've still got plenty of life left in them!

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First meeting going well

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Being able to throw money at porn artists on patreon is truly one of the coolest things about having an income

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Did a little speed paint this morning of my friend @fidgetspringer-art‘s oc Noah and Caro staring in my favorite absurdist scene in Sabrina Carpenter’s vid for Manchild cuz I mean, c’mon.

Also it was a reply to this.

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Inking another boot of the cowboy variety

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hi roan, not the same anon but I'm also a big fan of your ocs. on the same topic of drawing them, is there any chance you might be participating in artfight?

I won't unfortunately! To be perfectly honest I don't really know how artfight works? I get that you draw each other's OCs and stuff, but I haven't looked into it beyond that.

If by next year i'm more confident in my ability to draw characters that are not my own, I might look into joining in, if it turns out to be something I vibe with, but for this year I will not be participating :)

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New laces for the docs

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hi so i love your OCs, would it be alright to do art of them for you? as a gift?

of course you can!! I'd be honoured! :')