#equestrian reviews

[draftmare]

Quick and dirty review time!

My boot problem has been solved thanks to the wonders of Facebook groups. I found a seller with not one, but TWO pairs of Ariat boots in my size, BRAND NEW that they were selling for half of retail. So, I grabbed them both. I've only had them for a week, so here is my quick first impressions, because despite them being the exact same size, they fit very differently.

The first pair are the Ariat Kinsley dress boots. These are very much a typical "sock leather" type boot. I broke the zipper pull on one of the boots the first time I went to try them on, oops, but $30 later it has a new, much heavier duty zipper pull on it.

They are a little baggy around the back of my calf, but this is a problem I tend to have with a lot of boots. I don't so much need an XW calf in most boots for my calf itself, I need it for the area directly behind my knees. Because they are a thinner leather, they will likely be my showing, clinicing, and lessoning boots. The second pair are the Ariat V Sport boots. I have wanted a pair of these for a few years but could never seem to get my act together on buying them. I LOVE these. They fit my leg like a glove. None of the baggy behind the calf issue. If it weren't for the textured leather on the outer shaft, I might even show in them. They also have a thick, but soft leather on the inside panel that makes me hope that they will hold up to a lot of hours schooling in the saddle.

My only complaint with these is the footbed is very narrow. I am hoping that will break-in and loosen up with time and use, but the Kinsley boots had a much wider footbed right out of the box that was much more comfortable.

During the Black Friday sales I picked up the Collegiate ComfiTech Vogue bridle. A tack shop I stumbled across had it on clearance, and then let me stack their 20% off code on top of the clearance price. I have been low-key-no-key looking for a non-crank bridle for Sydney, so I decided to give this one a try.

For the price point I am pleasantly surprised with the leather quality. It's very supple out of the box, and with some leather conditioner I think it could be quite lovely. Unfortunately, I ran into a few issues with this bridle for Sydney specifically. First off, the buckle for the flash wanted to lay directly on her lips. You can see it does the same thing on the model horse as well.

This is really poor design, and I did not notice this when I was buying the bridle, or I would have passed on it entirely. The flash is fixed, so I can't slide the buckle into a better position. The other issue is that these bridles seem to run absolutely massive. I was basically on the last hole with the noseband, and I still couldn't get it to sit quite right on her face. She does have a very short face for a draft cross though. So, this was a fail for me, but hopefully somebody else will be able to use it.

Finally, I have to talk about my new favorite brand of gloves, Kunkle. I was first introduced to them 2-ish years ago when I showed up at a show without my gloves. At that time they were only offering black, mesh backed gloves, but those gloves almost immediately became my new favorite gloves. At the end of the show I went back to the tack trailer and bought another pair for schooling. During my last trip to the tack shop I discovered that they have vastly expanded their offering to include non-mesh gloves and winter gloves, of which I picked up a pair of each. Their gloves run $40 - $50, and honestly have a lot of the same good feel and quality of Roeckl, which I believe start at $60 and go on up from there. I own a LOT of pairs of Roeckl gloves, and most of them are on their last legs, so I am slowly going to be replacing them with these Kunkle gloves instead.

[whywishesarehorses]

Thea and I had a momentous 2023! She learned to trailer for real, and we hit the trails in earnest. 126 rides, 4 state parks, cow sorting and obstacle crossing, and our very first session together with a trainer!

Thea is my heart horse - no question about it. I’m so proud of her

[vermutandherring]

Horse Ranch was, without exaggeration, one of the most anticipated additions to The Sims 4. Perhaps, if the previous game had not set such a high bar, expectations for the fourth would have been lower. Although it cannot be less, given the game's initially tarnished reputation. Nevertheless, Horse Ranch significantly raises the bar of the game from the first seconds. The developers expose themselves, proving that the closed world is just an excuse for their own laziness and unwillingness to do anything more than small worlds of the same type. It turns out that even in a limited space there is room for majestic and graceful horses, the appearance of which players have been waiting for almost a dozen years. I often go to extremes, saying on the one hand that subsequent games in the series have the right to repeat themselves. If they don't bring to the industry or even the franchise itself, there's nothing wrong with that as long as it's a good game in its own right. But Sims 4 is not the case. I have repeatedly pointed out that this particular game is a leech, which, nevertheless, we continue to play. This waiting game has gone on too long. But, as they say, patience is rewarded.

The horses in the Horse Ranch expansion pack have undergone a significant improvement compared to The Sims 3. They look really graceful, their faces are no longer obtuse and silly, and in general they look relatively realistic in the game's cartoonish graphics. In the 3d game, you will need a bunch of mods to make the horses closer to their living counterparts and get aesthetic pleasure from their appearance. In the 4th, they are really nice to watch. Especially in a bunch with well-developed animations.

I last played Sims 3 not so long ago, so the contrast in the movements of both the animal and the rider feels good. They no longer slide across the ground like logs, and the reins are not glued tightly to their necks. Now you see how your character literally sets the direction and the horse, leaning and bending to turn or jump, reacts to the control by realistically stomping its hooves.

The style of the game is also focused on the western type of horse riding inherent in American culture. I will not say that this is the best idea, given that many players think of the classical school when they hear the words "horse riding". I myself would prefer to see more classic elements. But it is worth considering that The Sims is originally an American story about the American dream, created by Americans. I think, against the background of numerous additions that represent various cultures of the world, it is worth leaving something for yourself. However, that doesn't excuse the fact that the game has too… No. TOO little horse equipment per se. 3 saddles, 2 bridles and several accessories, including two saddle pads. For the money the add-on costs, it should have featured some more unusual equipment. In addition, the story of Native American tribes is woven into the expansion, so why not develop this theme a little deeper, and add more historical and cultural artifacts?

The first minutes of the game are really fun. Everything seems completely new, you want to try so many things at the same time. But this euphoria quickly passes when you understand that all improvement ends in the appearance and animations. The new discipline – barrel racing – is not impressive at all. All you can do is run in circles around the barrels. That's all. When I say circles, I mean it literally. No eights, complex tricks or at least movement in the other direction. With show jumping, or rather what was left of it, it is even worse. Instead of a chain of obstacles that could be built into an entire arena in The Sims 3, you can practice with just one small obstacle that is as high as your character's knees. At first it is interesting to watch, but then it is so depressing that training horses turns into a mortal routine.

By the way, now your horses have as many as 4 skills. One develops the character of your pet and expands the number of interactions with it, the other 3 - endurance, jumping and agility - have almost no effect on anything. Gold medals at the first levels of competition difficulty are very easy, even if the horse's skills are minimal. And yes, all competitions are our 'favorite' and well-known rabbit holes, where you cannot even conditionally observe the development of the event. What is even more annoying is the fact that now there is practically no point in training. Unlike Sims 3, in the fourth game foals do not inherit skills from their parents, only character traits. If earlier you could breed a foal with almost 100% skills, train it quickly, win a few competitions and sell it for good money, now you have to suffer for a very long time with one horse to get at least something for it. For these reasons, I see no need to keep a mare and a stallion to develop a pedigree. It's too long, too unrewarding and terribly boring. Considering the lags, it is also dangerous for nerves.

What is undoubtedly pleasing against the background of all these endless minuses is the mobility of horses. They no longer stomp endlessly in place when you try to interact with them, they don't need a lot of space to perform actions, and most importantly, no more ugly stalls that take up too much space. Now you have a 3x3 bedding where your horse can sleep, but which you can do without. Fortunately, instead of large, clumsy barns, you can now build luxurious stables. Another plus is that several horses can use the feeder and waterer at the same time.

In addition, all lots have small paddocks nearby. And all areas of the town have barrels and obstacles, so you don't have to place them on your lot. It is enough to build a house and a stable when the training area is nearby. Thus, on the largest lots, you can arrange whole farms and ranches with a bunch of animals.

Speaking of animals, I can't say much about goats and sheep. Yes, they are cute. But like the rest of the livestock, they have a more decorative function, if you, like me, don't really like to dig around with all this craftable stuff. They are not always friendly, they can butt and do not want your attention. Given that we already have rabbits that can help you in the garden, I think goats and sheep could come up with more interesting roles. If you have too many decorative animals, then taking care of them is a nightmare. Fortunately, the ranch hand you can hire is great at their job. In addition to taking care of the animals, they tend the garden, can do things and take care of the animals from Cottage Living. However, sometimes there are weird lags where they idle instead of leaving the lot when the job is done, or quits without notification and you have to hire them again.

Overall I like the new expansion pack. It adds long-awaited new experiences to the routine of Sims' lives. But as with all add-ons for The Sims 4, Horse Ranch is fun right up until you've tried all the features of the set. A week later, I no longer feel a burning desire to return to my ranch, because I know that nothing new or interesting awaits me. Rather the opposite: endless bugs, simulation problems and sheep that hate me. Undoubtedly, if you are crazy about horses and Horse Ranch was a long-awaited addition for you, it is worth your attention. After all, where EA has screwed up, there will always be talented creators and their mods. If horses sound empty to you, I don't think Horse Ranch will be able to dilute your routine for long. In any case, this add-on is not worth its full price, and despite the good idea that players have been waiting for, it is another heartless DLC that openly encroaches on our wallets like never before.

I think at this point I like the scale of the game more, which the new expansion pack adds to the game, which makes its world feel less closed. My sims can sit in the pond while the horses walk in the pasture and the little goats sleep under their feet.

[thatpaintedpony]

It’s Christmas so it’s time for the 2023 year in review. This is going to be a rollercoaster so strap in.

We kicked off 2023 with a trail ride down to our neighbour’s place to ride on her lovely arena, and needless to say Sky took it all in her stride, though she was a little wide eyed when she met their many, many, many blood hounds. It was, however, extremely hot, and we both came home drenched in sweat and ready for a shower.

We had, of course, been preparing for our Novice debut for nearly 12 months now so we were also starting to work with a bit of elementary stuff, working slowly on our laterals and developing our walk to canters. January at work was deeply miserable, as my excellent manager had left and I was left in a job I hated, surrounded by people I didn’t like, plus I wasn’t allowed to work from home which made riding a bit miserable. Still, we plugged along through January.

I once more rode at the MARC Unofficial comp and did another two Unofficial Novice tests, with one scoring 73%! Unofficial scores are never a good indication of where you are realistically, but it’s always nice to see that score starting with a 7. Then, finally, FINALLY at the end of January, we competed in our FIRST Official Novice test at Bowral Dressage Club, more than 8 months later than intended. We had one more error (broke to canter in the lengthen trot) but otherwise put in two very solid tests and scored 64% for both, and placed 2nd and 4rd. Not bad for our first official comp! It seemed the curse was finally broken!

In February, it was off to South Australia to see Mum and Dad, during which time I went on a hot and rather random trail ride on a standardbred out the back of some random lady’s paddock, enjoyed some beach time, and went for a lot of dog walks. We did get excellent weather for  change which was nice!

The end of summer brought a boon of blackberries, since our property at Gunning is rank with them and even as annoying as having a property full of noxious weeds is, at least these ones have berries.

We also started preparing for our Novice Freestyle, which was supposed to be debuted at the Festival last year, but never got finished due to the broken hand. This meant a few trips out to a local arena to get the timing right, which we also used to start to develop our elementary work a bit more.

In March it was off to Melbourne to meet my delightful cousin and her new hubby, back from London to visit the family, and Mum and I had an excellent time exploring some museums while we were there.

We had another solid official Novice at ACTDA in March, with 64% and 65%, keeping our scores fairly consistent. We probably could have done better but Sky decided to do a choose your own adventure test so was anticipating pretty badly. In March we also tried our hand at hacking, and did excellently, though it was revoltingly hot, and landed Champion Led Pinto and Reserve Champion Led Warmblood, and picked up a ribbon in almost all our classes.

April rolled around, and with it, Dressage in the Bush. We camped out at Bendick Murrell Showgrounds, and competed in the AOR Novice Championship and the Novice Freestyle. Our Freestyle went well and we won (after a bit of a snafu with the scores) and we placed 3rd and 6th in the Championship, only JUST missing out on Reserve Champion due to an error of course in our first test. But Sky was absolutely exemplary the whole time and I was SO proud of how well we went.

We also won a lesson with the amazing Susan Elekessy, who has become our eyes on the ground, helping us pick up little things that Peter can’t see through the Pivo. She was very complimentary towards Sky, as well, which is always nice.

After the excitement of Dressage in the Bush, a certain SOMEONE (looking at you Lexi) conned me into entering Elementary at the HDC Festival. I figured it would be a good opportunity to see how we would go, how solid our Elem work was. Afterall, we had most of the main movements alright, though our travers was less good. Due to a wedding, I wasn’t able to compete AOR, so I found myself riding my first ever elementary tests in an OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP. No pressure, right? And yet somehow my magical unicorn Sky managed to not only not embarrass us, but to PLACE 6th in the 3.2 with 65%, which ALSO qualified us for States. Insane! We also got 2nd in the Novice Freestyle. Unfortunately the big week and competing elementary meant that by the time we got to our Novice championship, Sky was exhausted, so while we put in decent tests we didn’t manage to place against the Open horses. Still, it was amazing to finally make it to the Festival that I worked so hard to help organise, to actually be able to ride with my amazing friends.

Post Festival, I finally started a new job at ANU, transferring from the Digital Literacy team back into the Library, taking on the role of Information Access and Training Officer, which was a HUGE step in improving my attitude towards work. I love my new manager and my new team, and I’m having so much fun being back as a librarian.

Peer Pressure struck once again, and I found myself entered at States in both Novice and Elementary. With not a lot of time between the Festival and States, I trekked out to Wagga to try and get one more ride at Elementary in before States. We did the 2.3 and the 3.3. We had some hefty mistakes in the 3.3 and ended with 62.8%. Even better, we cracked 70% at Novice for the first time in an Official test which is an excellent benchmark!

Before States I went back to South Australia to surprise Dad for his birthday. Little did I know, it would be the last time I saw him outside of hospital.

Then it was States again. On paper, it wasn’t the most successful Championship we’ve been to. We scored 57% in the 3.3 which was one of our worst ever scores, and 61% in the 3.2, which put us mid field in both tests, which considering these were our 6th and 7th ever Elem tests I was still pretty pleased with, however it did show that Sky was getting a bit scrambled about the simple changes. Then in the novice, again, she was tired, scoring 63% and 64% in the two tests with some silly mistakes. So no ribbons, but the fact that we were even competing at States in at two levels when before Sky the thought of competing at states AT ALL was far out of reach, so I’m still proud to have been there, and we were mid-field in all our tests so definitely not at the bottom!

We took some time off competing while we addressed the issues that had arisen in rushing our Elem start, namely that for a while we were entirely unable to trot, and could ONLY do walk to canters and canter walks. It was a whole thing. So we stepped it back to Novice while we addressed that.

In September, my dad unexpectedly went into hospital with severe pneumonia, among other things. I rushed down to Royal Adelaide hospital to be with him, and stayed for a week as he slowly recovered. He seemed to be getting better, so I came home. I competed at ACTDA in Novice, in a howling gale. Her tests were tense, but obedient, and we got 63% and 64% (at least we’re consistent).  

Then, a week later, Dad passed away in the ICU at Royal Adelaide Hospital. It has been the most devastating thing that has ever happened to me.

I came home and tried to pick up my life again.

In November, my bestest for the restest and I decided to start a Podcast, revisiting our terrible writing from when we were teens, in an effort to try and create some sort of platform since apparently that’s what you have to do to publish a book these days.

Finally, it was time for the Canberra Classic. The big local championship that I missed last year due to Sky’s endless seedy toe. I was tough, being the first time I’d competed since Dad died. He was always so invested in my competitions. It was hot, and windy, but Sky put in two lovely tests. We got slammed in the first with 62% for having her poll too low, but scored 69% in the second test to place 5th AOR. If we’d competed Open we’d have been second! Still, I can’t complain about a 69% so was extremely happy, and we got to take home a shiny ribbon.

On the 18th of November we said goodbye to Dad with a wake at one of his old haunts in Balmain, spreading his ashes off Darling Street wharf. I was reminded how truly beautiful the friendships I’ve made are with the support of my amazing pals. I wish they could have met him.

Sky and I came 4th in the AOR Novice Horse of the Year rankings, and I was awarded a Bronze performance medal at ACTDA.

And so we have rolled onto the end of the year, starting to reintroduce our elementary work, getting stronger and ready to start competing at Elementary next year.

Then, approximately 10 minutes before leaving to fly to SA again, I bought a new towing car, a 2010 Mitsubishi Pajero. Hopefully it’s excellent, and I can pass my trusty Prado on to a new owner!

This Christmas is a little bit sadder. A little bit emptier. There were no power tools under the tree this year. Less beers in the fridge. The weather is crap and somehow appropriate. I wish you were here, Dad. Merry Christmas.

[horsegameexplorer]

My Horse and Me 2

A personal favourite of mine, and although it has its flaws like many, it still has a place it my heart.

Developer(s): Tate Multimedia, Mistic Software. Publisher(s): Atari Europe. Initial Release: 2008 Platforms: PC, Wii, PS2, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS. Reviewed On: Wii A simple game aimed at children, with pretty graphics and beautiful countryside. The storyline, although basic and backgrounded, adds flavour to the repetitive gameplay of numerous competitions, each increasing in their…

[in-sightpublishing]

Ask Scott Anything, Session 2

Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen Publication (Outlet/Website): The Good Men Project Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2024/07/06 According to some semi-reputable sources gathered in a listing here, Rick G. Rosner may have among America’s, North America’s, and the world’s highest measured IQs at or above 190 (S.D. 15)/196 (S.D. 16) based on several high range test performances created…

[yourhorsetales]

Amazon Review!!

Check out this Amazon review of FrankenDawgie Becomes A Chip!! Thank you so so much 😍 https://buff.ly/42aAlJP

[theseaglassbooknookworld]

"Unstable" by Carrie King - Book Review

“Unstable” by Carrie King, published on June 20th, 2023 Synopsis: Charlie Briarman’s life is a contradiction-she is an avid reader of classic romance, but when encountering anything close to love in her own life, she tends to run for the hills. When she is forced to move to Newport, Rhode Island for the summer and live with her dad, Charlie has a few goals to make the downtime worthwhile:…

[horsefilmsrated]

Film Review: Hope Ranch (2020)

Alternate name: Riding Faith

Language: English

Date watched: 29 April 2023

Main horse actors: "Fancy" as "Faith"

Trope count: 9/25

Summary: Grace and her parents move from a small city apartment to a beautiful ranch in the countryside to rear cattle. Her father gifts her a horse he names "Faith" - "so you never lose faith". Then he goes off to war and dies, Grace begins to lose her faith in god and her mother realises that without her husband, she has no income and no way to keep the ranch that they promised would be their forever home. This film follows them as they attempt to raise money to keep their home.

In my opinion, this was just a terrible film. The acting was poor and over the top, there were abrupt and inconsistent transitions between scenes, and there was too much focus on faith and prayer instead of the characters actually making good decisions. It did have some nice cinematography and a beautiful horse, but that didn't really make up for the shortfalls.

The moral seemed to be: don't worry about making good decisions and thinking critically; just pray, and God will sort it all out for you.

---Spoilers beyond this point---

The main thing that drives the plot of this film is the bankruptcy that Grace and her mother struggle with after the death of Grace's father. The reason they're struggling? As soon as he dies, Grace's mother sells all the cattle on the ranch, which was the one thing making them money. So of course they then can't afford to pay the bills any more. As the bills start to pile up and calls from the bank roll in, Grace's mother ignores them and turns to prayer instead. Her pastor urges her to keep hope and faith and to "fight for your home".

Then the bank calls - again - and tells them that they'll be foreclosing the ranch imminently if they don't get what they're owed. Finally, Grace's mum is spurred into action. But instead of, say, getting a job, moving to a smaller home, or finding some use for the ranch that would make them money again, Grace's mum decides that she and Grace should just sell most of their possessions (because that's a sustainable option). They fill their front yard with all the junk they don't want in what they call an "estate sale" but really it's just a garage sale. Even after selling their car, old lamps, unwanted books and the dead dad's old army uniform and leaving their house almost completely bare, they still don't have enough money to pay off what they owe the bank. Shocker!

You should know what comes next in a horse film where poverty is a main theme: the horse has to go. Despite knowing that this horse is the single most important thing in the world to her daughter - the horse her dead father gave her - when a mysterious stranger turns up at her door and asks to buy Faith, the mother agrees. As they load up the mare, Grace comes flying out, shrieking for her companion. "Is selling her even enough money to pay off the bank?" she bellows at her mother. "No it's not but this, with the other money, it can pay back some of it, and maybe I can call the bank and negotiate" her mother wails back. "Maybe? MAYBE?" shrieks Grace. And she's got a point. What is the end game here? To sell literally everything you own and love - breaking your daughter's heart in the process - for what? To potentially earn enough to live on a completely empty ranch with absolutely no money left? Why? In what world does this make any sense at all?

When Grace's dad first dies, she loses her faith in god. Her mum, love interest and pastor all refuse to accept this and keep pressuring her throughout the film to start praying again and come back to church. Well, apparently losing her horse was the impetus Grace needed to turn back to religion. That night she kneels by her bed and prays, and in the morning, she joins her delighted mother at church, after - and this infuriated me - apologising for her behaviour the previous night. Does the mother apologise back for selling her beloved horse? No, of course not. But she very graciously forgives her daughter. I was exceedingly grateful that the film was nearly over at this point.

When they get to church, the pastor goes on a bit about charity and then calls Grace's mum up. "You prayed for a miracle", he says, and hands her an envelope. She opens it to find a check - money donated by the congregation - which is apparently enough to pay off the mortgage on the ranch. Not sure why they couldn't have donated the money a bit earlier, but whatever.

The mysterious stranger brings Faith the horse back home (of course), and then - in the last 7 minutes of the film - they realise that they need some kind of income to keep living on the ranch, at which point Grace suggests that they turn it into a riding camp. What a great idea! If the film had started with that, it might have been a decent one.

As it stands, this film really has very little going for it. There are definitely better horse films out there, and I'm sure there are better Christian films too. Don't waste your time or money on this one.

[hannahecareyauthor]

Time for a book review!

The Project Horse by Natalie Keller Reinert

Genre: Contemporary/Equestrian Romance

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice: 🌶️

My favorite things:

Rating: 4 Stars

⭐️ This was fun! Very much “enemies to lovers” between Posey and Adam, but with all the horses 🐎♥️

⭐️ I enjoyed the Ocala setting, always brings me some nostalgia from my brief stay in the “horse heaven” years ago.

⭐️ I actually really like that this was only from Posey’s POV. I really felt like as a reader, I got to uncover the “holes” of the past with her as she unraveled the full story of what happened with the Salazar’s and the Malone’s.

⭐️ I also really enjoyed Posey’s relationship with her mom.

⭐️ There were all the enemies to lovers and second chance romance vibes here with a nice touch of heat, still bringing the chemistry but keeping it on the low heat end. If you enjoy romance and Thoroughbreds, pick this book up!

[draftmare]

Quick and dirty review/recommendation!

I have three brands of Amazon breeches that I absolutely adore, especially for being under $40. Willit, FitsT4, and Baleaf, though Baleaf seems to have changed their sizing in their new line-up and are less plus sized friendly.

Willit I even wear to show. With a coat I don’t think it’s really that easy to tell that they are a tight instead of breeches as the coat hides the wide waistband. My only complaint about the WIllit breeches is that they recently changed their pockets from the deep “quick and easy” slide your phone in and out style pocket to a zipper pocket that I have to really wiggle my phone into and then…she’s in there and not coming out until I leave the barn. Thankfully I have my Watch

All three brands make summer and winter weight breeches. In the winter these are the only brands I own. In the summer they supplement my Free Ride breeches (which I honestly don’t think are any better than these, and have only ever bought when I get them for $60 on sale). They only come in silicone full seat, so if you are somebody who must have a suede seat then….I dunno what to tell you. Romfh are my favorites for spring and fall, but they are much heavier than these are and I sweat like a beast in them when it’s above 75 degrees.

Anyway, just wanted to share!

[storysims]

HORSE RANCH - GAMEPLAY REVIEW 🤠

Confession time, I actually dislike horses in real life! I have been known to dramatically call them 'vehicles of satan' when pressed, so I was a little concerned about this pack's appeal for me specifically.

But considering I never really wanted horses in the first place, I'm happy to say that I mostly enjoyed my time with the pack! Buckle in, this review turned out to be an especially long one.

I was provided with an early access copy of Horse Ranch to review via the EA Creator Network! Software was not final at the time of my gameplay.

(quick preface - if you see any extreme typos or letters in random places, no you don't! my bird has developed the habit of crashing her little body into my keyboard at high speeds for fun. 😂 catching the typos and fixing them has definitely become a challenge for me! thanks in advance for the patience!)

The easiest place to start both this review and gameplay is the ranch community board! Much like the boards in other packs, this object is scattered throughout the world and contains a wealth of information about new content and events. Important options on the board are also available elsewhere - for example, calling the animal exchange to purchase animals can be found on feeding troughs and horse competitions can be entered from the equestrian center in town. While there isn't a traditional new career included in the pack, ranching has proven to be a full time job. However, options like community jobs and competitions can earn your sim more than enough to keep the ranch running. I was able to easily earn §250 to over §1,000 a day with only my test sim and her horse, and that's not accounting for nectar making and mini sheep + goats!

I chose to start my ranch with a foal and sim fresh out of create-a-sim, but horses of all ages can be purchased from the aforementioned animal exchange! Foals, when compared to full grown horses, have a slightly limited set of interactions and skills. In my opinion, this didn't detract from the experience of having a foal whatsoever! My sim was still able to bottle feed her foal, teach her to eat hay from both the trough & patches of wild grass, and give her lots of loving attention. Of the four available horse skills, foals are only able to progress in the temperament skill! Temperament is a skill built by interacting with and caring for your horse. As their temperament increases, horses exhibit less "undesirable" behaviors, like bucking. Horses with a high temperament skill will have additional social interactions, such as your sim being able to come to them for comfort while in a sad mood. As all of the horse skills go up to level ten, I would highly recommend focusing on temperament with your foals. Foals with a high enough temperament skill even receive a bonus trait after aging up!

After aging up, horses gain access to their remaining three skills: agility, endurance, and jumping. Each of the skills work together to create a well rounded horse, especially for competitions.

Agility - affects how quickly and easily a horse can move. horses with high agility are better at using training barrels, completing certain community jobs, and competitions

Jumping - horses with high jumping skill love to reach for new heights! they are better at using training jumps, completing certain community jobs, and competitions

Endurance - all about how resilient a horse is! a horse with high endurance skill will become fatigued less often, and do better completing certain community jobs, and competitions

Once your sim is able to mount their horse and start riding, they'll begin building the horse riding skill. Don't expect a smooth ride - from a sim's visible discomfort in the saddle to being bucked off, an unexperienced rider will definitely face some difficulties. However, sims with a high enough riding skill will find they can no longer be bucked off horses! Sims are able to go for a ride with their horses at three different speeds - a relaxed, energetic, or intense ride. Much like sending your sim for a jog to build the fitness skill, going for a ride will build your horse's endurance! The more comfortable your sim becomes in the saddle, the faster they'll be able to direct their horse - both while riding for skill and traversing the world.

While the horse riding and endurance skills can be built virtually anywhere, training jumping and agility require two new objects - training barrels and jumps! These can be found dotted around the world or placed on your home lot. As your horse's skill progresses, so will the training options! Sims can add additional jumping rails, direct horses to train alone, or train intently with the horse themselves. Intense training is a great tool - it builds skill faster, but also tires your horse out at an increased rate!

With horse skills covered, it's time to compete! Normal competitions take place every day from 7am to 7pm at the rabbit hole equestrian center in the Historic Appaloosa neighborhood. You can compete in four different competitions - Barrel Racing, Endurance Racing, Show Jumping, and Western Pleasure. Each competition has four levels of entry - beginner, intermediate, expert, and master. As your horse rises through the different competition levels, different skills will be required for entry. An expert barrel race, for example, will require both agility and endurance. Sims aren't exempt from skill requirements either! They'll need to meet the required horse riding skill for each competition. Every Saturday in game, the Ultimate Horse Championship takes place at the equestrian center. This challenge will require both you and your horse to have maxed all the new horse related skills.

Placing at the Ultimate Horse Championship is a requirement for the aspiration, so any aspiring champions will want to make sure they're in the best possible position to win - especially since this is a once a week activity. Prior to competing in any competition, I found it especially helpful to initiate the 'encourage training' interaction with my horse. If all the horse's needs are met, they will become confident! Confident horses do better in competitions. After completing the Championship Rider aspiration, your sim will receive the Grand Champ Trainer trait. Sims with this trait are able to train horses faster, build more fun while riding, sell horses for a higher price, and give competition advice to new riders.

In addition to purchasing horses, your sim can also rescue a horse! Rescue horses come at a reduced cost (§250 vs §1000), but also tend to have more negative traits, like being aggressive or defiant. The game even goes as far as to warn you about the 'difficulties' of rescue horses before choosing one, but that absolutely shouldn't be a deterrent. Difficult traits and all, there were few differences in training up my rescue. He needed a bit more reassurance during training, but he became a champion regardless.

Two horses of the opposite sex are able to breed, provided their relationship is high enough! Much like with cats and dogs, sims will have the option to encourage the horses to interact and eventually breed. Horse pregnancy in game was astoundingly fast - just hours after breeding, a notification and a small baby bump confirmed the pregnancy! Pregnant horses cannot be ridden or compete in competitions.

Pregnant horses will labor for a handful of in game hours before a foal magically appears alongside them. Foals born in game have the ability to be born with unique traits, such as curious, playful, and hardy! Horse genetics matter! If one (or both?) of the parents have won competitions, foals can also inherit the Champion Genes trait. This trait allows for faster skill building and a higher sale value for the horse.

Let's talk about unicorns. While they do actually sparkle in game, unicorns are unfortunately not a new occult in this pack - they're just normal horses. A unicorn horn can be applied to any horse from the 'head' category and will remain on the horse through outfit changes - much like tattoos or skin details for sims. Foals can also be unicorns, albeit their horn is a bit different! Until they age up into an adult horse, their horn will be a tiny nub.

Mini goats and sheep are the real stars of the pack in my eyes! Not only are they incredibly cute, they provide help in the garden and help your sim earn money! Most importantly unlike the livestock in Cottage Living, the minis aren't tied to an object. Fill your pockets full of sheep or goats and take a community job. These little guys will host a goat yoga class or even a sheep sleep study! Sheep and goats also provide wool and milk, respectively. Without Cottage Living installed, these are instantly sold for simoleons. With a high enough relationship, your sim can ask for help in the garden - sheep eat weeds and goats eat bugs! (Full disclosure, I did have some issues with this in early access. Maybe my lot was too big, maybe they don't like planters! I've seen a sheep eat weeds though, so who knows?) Additionally, if your rancher is feeling a little sleepy during the day, find a fluffy friend and talk to them about counting sheep! You'll have a quick (and adorable) power nap!

Sims can now make nectar! This skill goes up to level five and even has an aspiration to match. While leveling up in the nectar skill is a slow process, it pays off! If your rancher has the time to make nectar, it's a great somewhat passive source of income. Nectar needs to age to become profitable, which means you won't be selling your freshly made nectar any time soon. Store your unopened nectar in the new storage rack to start aging! While the storage racks can be placed anywhere, nectar will age faster in a basement. In addition to increasing profits, aging nectar also enhances any benefits associated with it. Different types of nectar provide different perks, which are listed below!

Apple Nectar - helps sims feel inspired. if nectar is at least lightly aged, inspiration persists after nectar wears off

Grape Nectar - helps sims feel confident. if nectar is at least lightly aged, a confident feeling persists after nectar wears off

Strawberry Nectar - helps sims feel flirty. if the nectar is at least lightly aged, a flirty feeling persists after nectar wears off

Potato Nectar - helps sims feel especially happy, or the opposite if they overdo it. if nectar is at least lightly aged, the consequences of overdoing it are significantly reduced

Prairie Grass Nectar - helps sims feel happy and reduces tension. surprisingly filling! if nectar is at least lightly aged, tension and hunger reduction is stronger

Trash Nectar - helps sims feel happy while making them a bit smelly. animals seem to react quite positively. having nectar that is at least lightly aged will improve the smell

Energy Nectar - helps sims feel happy and staves off sleep for a short time. if nectar is at least lightly aged, sims get more energy and happy feeling persists after nectar wears off

Vitality Nectar - helps sims feel happy. extends vitality for the living by a little, and for the dead by a lot

Berry Nectar - helps sims feel happy. if nectar is at least lightly aged, happy feeling persists after nectar wears off

Fruit Nectar - helps sims feel happy. if nectar is at least lightly aged, happy feeling persists after nectar wears off

In addition to these, there's three additional nectar types that can be made with different packs installed. I was not able to make them, even after having access to all of the packs. They were unlisted in the nectar maker. In the interest of including a full list, the missing nectar types are:

Plasma Nectar (requires Vampires) - helps vampire sims feel happy and refreshed. non-vampires should avoid. if nectar is at least lightly aged, vampire refreshment greatly increases

Valerian Nectar (requires Realm of Magic) - helps sims feel happy, with a little something extra for spellcasters. if nectar is at least lightly aged, spellcaster effects increase significantly

Moonpetal Nectar (requires Werewolves) - helps sims feel happy. werewolves may enjoy an increased sense of calm. beware, any werewolf who drinks too much will surely struggle to maintain control...

I'll be the first to admit - it was a bit of a bummer seeing another single step aspiration, especially one where I viewed the §100,000 goal as completely unattainable. Spoiler alert, its not. I've never made more money in this game than I have selling nectar! By the time my early access period ended, I had made just shy of half a million simoleons. After completing the aspiration, your sim will be rewarded with the Nectar-Know-It-All trait. These sims have the ability to craft pre-aged nectar, a stronger bladder while drinking nectar, and their negative emotions have less influence on their current mood.

Nectar is plenty profitable when sold normally, but this man is completely responsible for my unreasonable amount of early access wealth. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, the Mysterious Rancher will appear in New Appaloosa and offer to buy your nectar for above face value - he claims nectar is in high demand every time, even though I surely singlehandedly ruined the nectar economy. For comparisons sake, I took 6 bottles of nectar to the rancher. In my sim's inventory, those bottles would have sold for §15,834. The Mysterious Rancher, however, paid §19,795. All of my sims are about to be incredibly rich.

As I said before, ultimately I did really end up enjoying this pack! For me personally, enjoyment doesn't always mean I would recommend something. If you love horses, I truly think this pack will be a great experience for you! My personal opinion is that I found the gameplay extremely repetitive. I don't see myself playing with horses again any time soon, and you will absolutely never catch me entering the Ultimate Horse Competition again. Ultimately, while fun, this just isn't a pack that I would pay full price for.

[yuurei20]

Birthday present tracking: Riddle ⚠️JP-server-only information included, no main story spoilers⚠️

Presents received by Riddle: ・Three kinds of tarts (Trey and Cater) ・Surprise birthday party (Trey and Cater) ・A basic magic trick (Ace)

・Hand-embroidery of a pansy on a tablecloth (Ace and Deuce) ・An aroma light with a playing card design and rose-scented oil (Azul) ・Original blend of black tea (Jade)

・Bookstraps (Floyd) ・Banquet (Jamil via Kalim) ・Installation of a crossword app (Idia)

・Tea leaves (Malleus) ・Repaired fraying horse tack (Sebek) ・Opportunity to choose destination for a long-distance horsehide for the Equestrian Club (Equestrian club)

・Unspecified present (first-year troublemakers (Ace and Deuce?)) ・Reviewed Queen of Hearts’ laws (Heartslabyul students) ・New tea blend (Heartslabyul students)

Presents Given by Riddle: ・Homemade cookies (with Cater and dorm students, for Trey) ・Planner (to Trey) ・Soap roses (to Cater)

・Reference book (to Ace) ・Alarm clock (to Deuce) ・Information that Jade does not know (to Jade)

・Engraved shoehorn (to Floyd) ・Reference book (Kalim) ・Ice cream cup and spoon (to Malleus)

・Horse-grooming glove (to Silver) ・Special horseback riding lesson (for Sebek)

[appleciders]

👉👈 prompt: yasmine and lilith and "im driving."

you get cowriter credit on this one kei mwah 😘

-

“I’m going down to the shops,” Lilith says, tugging her gloves tight, pulling her sweatshirt hood over her hair. She has a face mask loop around her left wrist, and a pair of large sunglasses hanging from the neckline of her shirt. “Do you want anything?”

“Yes,” Yasmine says. She sits at the kitchen table, gaze intent on her computer screen.

Lilith waits. “Well…”

“Oh, no, I mean, no, sorry. I mean—don’t leave.” She raises a flat palm, looks up at Lilith with wide, shining eyes. “I have something I have to show you.”

Lilith frowns. “Alright?”

Yasmine beckons her over.

Lilith goes, bracing herself. When she stays with Camila and Yasmine, at their operation that Beatrice nicknamed Robin Habit because Beatrice is a dork, ‘I have something I have to show you’ can herald anything from an adorable animal video to a brutal takedown of a harasser on public transit to the least legible string of code Lilith has ever clapped eyes on to a Bible quote. They're a game of in-house roulette.

“Look at this,” Yasmine says. She tilts her laptop so Lilith can see it better from over her shoulder. “Did you know about this?”

Onscreen, Lilith sees what looks like a chatroom. On it, front and center, is a blurry photo of her accepting the first place trophy in the CCVM Campeonato de España de menores.

Her eyes flick to Yasmine’s expectant ones. “Explain.”

“I am investigating this woman who has been complicit in quite a lot of charity fraud, and possibly Franco apologism, so I was reviewing her online footprints. I saw that she was very active in this private server. Or, well, ‘private.’” She makes air quotes. “I bypassed it and found myself in this group. They’re former youth star athletes, all born between the late eighties and the mid-nineties. They did all kinds of sports—equestrian, archery, figure skating….”

Lilith gets a creeping feeling that she knows where this is going. “And?”

“And, many of them didn’t place first in their competitions. In fact, many of them remember a tall Spanish girl winning, often….” Yasmine’s cleft chin deepens, “in dramatic fashion.”

Lilith stares at the photo of herself on the screen.

“Only, when they went to search her up years later, or they searched the records of the competitions, they couldn’t find any trace of her. It was like she’d been erased. Reports claimed that other girls had won first instead. Girls none of these people can remember ever having seen before.”

“And when they posted on public channels about this girl,” Lilith predicts, “they found they would mysteriously and tracelessly be taken down.”

“Exactly.”

“How much have they pieced together?”

“That’s kind of the fun part. A lot of these girls felt very strongly about you. Half of them regarded you as their personal rival and still resent you for beating them so soundly. The other half,” Yasmine, poorly, tries to stifle a smile, “toast you as their hot, mean closet key.”

“You’re joking.”

“I am not.”

Lilith scoffs. She leans in closer to read the name of the top commenter. “Berta Majano? I don’t remember her at all.”

“You beat her in jumping two years in a row.”

“I didn’t say I doubted it.”

Yasmine narrows her eyes, amused. “Your ego is loving this.”

Lilith fails to smother a smirk. “You still didn’t answer my question. How much have they seen?”

“Well, there is what they refer to as VaticanGate. Only a small population of the group truly believes you were the woman there that night, but there are plenty of memes about it.” She scrolls up and clicks on one—a blurry photo of Lilith facing Adriel, her hair streaking grey and her cheekbones lit in the dim glow. When you realize that if you were slightly less clumsy you could be destroying the seat of the Catholic Church by now smh

Lilith snorts. Then she frowns. “That wasn’t made by the fraud charity woman, was it?”

“Oh, no. She is decidedly in the seething with resentment camp.”

“Mm,” Lilith says, and it’s not not a gloat.

“Anyway, I know you were going to go to the shops….”

“The shops stay open late.”

“Great! Because I found this woman’s address. I was going to ask—would you want to come confront her with me? Give her a warning?”

“What will that do?”

“Probably nothing, but, I don’t know. It might be satisfying.”

Under duress of torture, or maybe, like, three glasses of wine, Lilith could be forced to admit that she really likes Yasmine.

“I’m in,” she says. “But on one condition.”

“What condition?” Yasmine asks, beaming. She shuts her laptop and starts to stand up.

“I’m driving.”

[horsegameexplorer]

Pippa Funnell 2 - Review

Where’s the Ranch Deed? Developer(s): Lexis Numerique Publisher(s): Ubisoft Year Released: 2007 Platform(s): PC (Windows) Driving through the peaceful, scenic French countryside is a perilous journey itself, especially in an old, decrepit taxi. Yet, fate had other ideas in store for Emma when she journeyed through the twisting country roads of France on her way to the sparkling city of Paris…

[mysteryshoptls]

SSR Sebek Zigvolt Bloom Birthday Personal Story: Part 3

"Happy Birthday"

(Part 1) (Part 2) Part 3

[Diasomnia Dorm – Birthday Party Venue]

Trey: Next we have the final question.

Trey: "How do you spend your days off?"

Sebek: I will do my daily training, review my notes, and prepare for the next class. When not doing that, I tend to be reading.

Sebek: Whenever there are no equestrian club activities, I will see if the Mystery Shop or the town at the base of the mountain have any new books available.

Trey: Oh, so you like books, then. Hm, but still… Don't you feel a little stifled, just training and studying all the time?

Sebek: As one of my lord's retainers, I must be diligent at all times. However, I do make sure to have a proper respite here and there. There is no need to worry over me.

Trey: That's good, then. So, how do you take those respites, then?

Sebek: Whenever I hunger, I will consume sweets. I often eat cookies, muffins, and other simple baked goods.

Sebek: Recently, in order to broaden my palette, I've been trying some of the popular items in the Mystery Shop, but…

Trey: Looks like something's nagging at you.

Sebek: The other day, when I ate this one candy while studying, the inside of my mouth turned completely blue.

Sebek: It both looked and tasted like an ordinary piece of candy. …Perhaps I shouldn't have bitten down on it without thinking.

Trey: Ahahah, that's just one of those candies that changes the color of your tongue! I sometimes used to eat those back when I was a kid.

Sebek: I see. So there was no issue with the way I attempted to consume it.

Sebek: Another one that surprised me was a candy that inflicted physical damage to my person.

Trey: Inflicted physical damage…? I have no idea what you mean.

Sebek: Do you not know of these either? From the outside, it seemed like normal cotton candy, but…

Sebek: THAT CANDY SNAPPED, CRACKLED, AND POPPED AS SOON AS I THREW IT INTO MY MOUTH!!

Sebek: In addition to the cacophonous sound, I could feel this slight stinging in my mouth.

Trey: Ah, well if it's that, yeah, I've had some before. That's a candy that's made with carbonated gas.

Trey: I can see why it could be surprising when trying it for the first time. Based on your reaction to it, is that a snack they don't have in Briar Valley?

Sebek: It's possible that there was a similar snack there, but… If I were to have eaten such a snack, my grandfather would not be thrilled.

Trey: Ah, I see. Well, it's good to enjoy some new sweets…. But make sure you don't forget to brush your teeth after you eat.

Sebek: I am simply replenishing my carbohydrates before and after training, and during my studies. It is not as if I am eating the snacks because I enjoy them!

Trey: Oho, is that so?

Sebek: THAT IS SO!!

Sebek: However, for him to say to not to "forget to brush your teeth after you eat"… Whenever I speak with Trey-senpai, I cannot help but be reminded of my father.

Trey: That's the end of the interview. Here, Sebek, take this broom.

Trey: The light green gives it a nice and refreshing feeling. It rather suits you.

Sebek: I'll concede that the design is well done. If this broom does not fly as well as I deserve it to…

Trey: You'll be fine, Sebek. Just go and give it your all as you normally do.

Sebek: …Right, I'm off.

Sebek: Just as Trey-senpai said, I will absolutely be fine.

Sebek: Alright, here I go. Time to show them all what Sebek Zigvolt is capable of!

(Part 1) (Part 2) Part 3