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Description
Cheeky entry for Art Auction: CBS Mezzive Snowstorm
I am not immune to spotted horses x) his coat was a little tricky to replicate but I had so much fun with it, it's a real pleasure to draw this lad

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After a disastrous trip a few years back, Leo had sworn off ever travelling at Christmas time. The large crowds of people, the weather interrupting plane schedules and having to wrangle the rest of his family had put him off the whole thing. But having stumbled across an advert for the young zlesdin stallion, Leo found himself breaking his vow and travelling to Cronenburg Stables for the third time that year. He was nervous upon arriving, of course he was, but he was beginning to get used to the journey. He loved the Netherlands and enjoyed his every visit.

Leo hadn’t planned on responding to the advert at first, and had instead just poured over the photos, moony-eyed. Mezzive Snowstorm, what a horse. He had been content to close down his laptop and wish the best for whoever would end up paired with the spotted stallion. But as a few days passed, he had found himself thinking about the advert again and again, wishing he could put his name forward as a potential buyer. It was Lloyd that had noticed this, which surprised Leo as he generally didn’t think the man was very good at picking up on other’s feelings.

“You’ve got that look on your face again,” Lloyd had said, watching as Leo swept up the last few wisps of hay. “What is it, constipation or something?”

“What look?” Leo replied, shaking his head as if to snap himself out of it. Lloyd squinted suspiciously.

“You look about a million miles away, like your brain keeps wandering off. What’s got you so preoccupied?”

Leo shook his head again. “Oh don’t worry, it’s nothing.”

“No, tell me,” Lloyd pressed, curiosity sparking in his eyes.

“It’s silly.”

“I don’t care, I want to know why you keep looking like a deer in headlights.”

Leo had sighed and reluctantly taken out his phone, showing Lloyd the horse’s advert. Lloyd stared at it for long moment in silence before sucking his teeth. “Nah, green’s not your colour.”

“Wh…” Leo pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. “Don’t look at the saddle pad, look at the horse.”

Lloyd shrugged. “Not a huge fan of spots either.”

“Forget the colour. Look at his breeding, his education, his conformation.”

“Right, yeah,” Lloyd scanned the advert again. “Nah, a horse like that needs a lot of work. Stick with what you’ve got.”

Leo rolled his eyes, knowing what Lloyd was trying to do. He had snatched his phone back and slipped it back into his pocket while the other man smirked, amused at his own ability to get under Leo’s skin.

Leo had tried his luck showing the advert to Connor as well, though he knew exactly what his response would be. Connor had shaken his head, handing the phone back. “He’d be much too strong for you,” he had said. “You need to be really careful with youngsters like that, it doesn’t take a lot to ruin them. He deserves an owner that can bring out the best in him.”

Leo bit back some response about how he’s been training youngsters for years. There was no point arguing about it. He simply nodded his head and backed out of the room, feeling defeated. It was only dear kind Monica in the end that had any kind of encouragement to offer. She had eagerly scrolled up and down the advert, eyes glittering as she looked over the photos. “Wow, he looks incredible,” she said, awed, zooming in on the stallion’s spotted haunches.

Leo rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “I was thinking of getting in contact, maybe trying him out but —“

“Oh yes!” Monica had exclaimed, cutting Leo off entirely, clasping her hands together in excitement. “He’d be perfect for you, Lee. And — another chestnut to add to the herd, eh?”

“Well yes, but there’s going to be a lot of people interested —“

“Don’t worry about that! Go on, go book a flight or something.”

So Leo did exactly that, and a few weeks later he was stepping out of a taxi at the entrance to Cronenburg Stables. The morning air was crisp as he made his way to meet with Kaira. He was briefly struck by a sudden shyness, but reminded himself that he had met the woman before, and quickly relaxed. She kept a watchful eye as Leo groomed the spotted stallion. He took his time on this, examining the way Mez Jr stood when tied, the way he reacted to sounds and new smells, how easily he lifted his feet, or how willing he was to have his teeth inspected. Junior took it all calmly, and Leo couldn’t help but be impressed by the young stallion’s resolve. There was certainly a sane head on his shoulders. Leo tacked up slowly as well, gently testing Junior’s reaction to having his ears touched, or girth tightened. He said very little throughout the whole process, so focused on the horse. But Kaira managed to fill the silence as she watched.

By the time Leo led Junior outside, stepping out onto the beach, snow was beginning to fall from the sky, drifting slowly around them. Mez Jr tossed his head as the flakes settled on his delicate eyelashes. Leo grinned, giving the stallion a pat on his coppery neck. The horse turned his head, his neck arching, to sniff at Leo’s gloves. He wondered what Junior could smell — probably the horses he’d been handling back home — and watched as the zlesdin’s velvet nostrils fluttered curiously. Leo could feel Kaira’s gaze on him, a smile on her lips as she watched the pair. With a little snort, Junior raised his head, whinnying across the beach. Leo waited for him to quiet again before checking the girth was tight. Though it had been a long time since he last tried out a potential new horse, he always preferred to take everything slowly, making sure the horse was used to his presence. He gathered his reins into one hand, placed one foot in the stirrup, and swung up onto the stallion’s back. Junior crunched on the bit as Leo found his other stirrup and sorted his reins. He sat still for a moment, just getting a feel for the horse beneath him, feeling the way he carried himself and the rise and fall of his breaths. “Alright, then?” Kaira asked.

Leo nodded. “All good.”

He took a few deep breaths himself and patted the stallion on the shoulder. “Come on then, you,” he said, addressing the horse. “Let’s see what we can do.”

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My plans for Mez Jr are to start him off slow, as Leo doesn't like to rush any of his horses. He is a patient and calm rider who values listening to his horses and letting them say when they're ready for something new. As a mainly dressage-focused rider, Leo would love to bring out the best in this boy, aiming to bring him up through the levels of competition. Leo also dabbles in eventing, so this boy's jumping talents would not go to waste either. I'm very protective about my HARPG horses, so it's unlikely I would sell Mez Jr on, and I would make sure he was well established in the show world before opening up any breeding slots. And as with all my zlesdins, I would hope to level up this boy, eventually getting him to shendik one day.

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Kaira and Mezzive Snowstorm belong to KimEnLie

Leo belongs to me

Personal ref used for the poses on the right

BG on the left is a paintover of a personal photo

Description
Cheeky entry for Art Auction: CBS Mezzive Snowstorm
I am not immune to spotted horses x) his coat was a little tricky to replicate but I had so much fun with it, it's a real pleasure to draw this lad

-------------

After a disastrous trip a few years back, Leo had sworn off ever travelling at Christmas time. The large crowds of people, the weather interrupting plane schedules and having to wrangle the rest of his family had put him off the whole thing. But having stumbled across an advert for the young zlesdin stallion, Leo found himself breaking his vow and travelling to Cronenburg Stables for the third time that year. He was nervous upon arriving, of course he was, but he was beginning to get used to the journey. He loved the Netherlands and enjoyed his every visit.

Leo hadn’t planned on responding to the advert at first, and had instead just poured over the photos, moony-eyed. Mezzive Snowstorm, what a horse. He had been content to close down his laptop and wish the best for whoever would end up paired with the spotted stallion. But as a few days passed, he had found himself thinking about the advert again and again, wishing he could put his name forward as a potential buyer. It was Lloyd that had noticed this, which surprised Leo as he generally didn’t think the man was very good at picking up on other’s feelings.

“You’ve got that look on your face again,” Lloyd had said, watching as Leo swept up the last few wisps of hay. “What is it, constipation or something?”

“What look?” Leo replied, shaking his head as if to snap himself out of it. Lloyd squinted suspiciously.

“You look about a million miles away, like your brain keeps wandering off. What’s got you so preoccupied?”

Leo shook his head again. “Oh don’t worry, it’s nothing.”

“No, tell me,” Lloyd pressed, curiosity sparking in his eyes.

“It’s silly.”

“I don’t care, I want to know why you keep looking like a deer in headlights.”

Leo had sighed and reluctantly taken out his phone, showing Lloyd the horse’s advert. Lloyd stared at it for long moment in silence before sucking his teeth. “Nah, green’s not your colour.”

“Wh…” Leo pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. “Don’t look at the saddle pad, look at the horse.”

Lloyd shrugged. “Not a huge fan of spots either.”

“Forget the colour. Look at his breeding, his education, his conformation.”

“Right, yeah,” Lloyd scanned the advert again. “Nah, a horse like that needs a lot of work. Stick with what you’ve got.”

Leo rolled his eyes, knowing what Lloyd was trying to do. He had snatched his phone back and slipped it back into his pocket while the other man smirked, amused at his own ability to get under Leo’s skin.

Leo had tried his luck showing the advert to Connor as well, though he knew exactly what his response would be. Connor had shaken his head, handing the phone back. “He’d be much too strong for you,” he had said. “You need to be really careful with youngsters like that, it doesn’t take a lot to ruin them. He deserves an owner that can bring out the best in him.”

Leo bit back some response about how he’s been training youngsters for years. There was no point arguing about it. He simply nodded his head and backed out of the room, feeling defeated. It was only dear kind Monica in the end that had any kind of encouragement to offer. She had eagerly scrolled up and down the advert, eyes glittering as she looked over the photos. “Wow, he looks incredible,” she said, awed, zooming in on the stallion’s spotted haunches.

Leo rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “I was thinking of getting in contact, maybe trying him out but —“

“Oh yes!” Monica had exclaimed, cutting Leo off entirely, clasping her hands together in excitement. “He’d be perfect for you, Lee. And — another chestnut to add to the herd, eh?”

“Well yes, but there’s going to be a lot of people interested —“

“Don’t worry about that! Go on, go book a flight or something.”

So Leo did exactly that, and a few weeks later he was stepping out of a taxi at the entrance to Cronenburg Stables. The morning air was crisp as he made his way to meet with Kaira. He was briefly struck by a sudden shyness, but reminded himself that he had met the woman before, and quickly relaxed. She kept a watchful eye as Leo groomed the spotted stallion. He took his time on this, examining the way Mez Jr stood when tied, the way he reacted to sounds and new smells, how easily he lifted his feet, or how willing he was to have his teeth inspected. Junior took it all calmly, and Leo couldn’t help but be impressed by the young stallion’s resolve. There was certainly a sane head on his shoulders. Leo tacked up slowly as well, gently testing Junior’s reaction to having his ears touched, or girth tightened. He said very little throughout the whole process, so focused on the horse. But Kaira managed to fill the silence as she watched.

By the time Leo led Junior outside, stepping out onto the beach, snow was beginning to fall from the sky, drifting slowly around them. Mez Jr tossed his head as the flakes settled on his delicate eyelashes. Leo grinned, giving the stallion a pat on his coppery neck. The horse turned his head, his neck arching, to sniff at Leo’s gloves. He wondered what Junior could smell — probably the horses he’d been handling back home — and watched as the zlesdin’s velvet nostrils fluttered curiously. Leo could feel Kaira’s gaze on him, a smile on her lips as she watched the pair. With a little snort, Junior raised his head, whinnying across the beach. Leo waited for him to quiet again before checking the girth was tight. Though it had been a long time since he last tried out a potential new horse, he always preferred to take everything slowly, making sure the horse was used to his presence. He gathered his reins into one hand, placed one foot in the stirrup, and swung up onto the stallion’s back. Junior crunched on the bit as Leo found his other stirrup and sorted his reins. He sat still for a moment, just getting a feel for the horse beneath him, feeling the way he carried himself and the rise and fall of his breaths. “Alright, then?” Kaira asked.

Leo nodded. “All good.”

He took a few deep breaths himself and patted the stallion on the shoulder. “Come on then, you,” he said, addressing the horse. “Let’s see what we can do.”

------------

My plans for Mez Jr are to start him off slow, as Leo doesn't like to rush any of his horses. He is a patient and calm rider who values listening to his horses and letting them say when they're ready for something new. As a mainly dressage-focused rider, Leo would love to bring out the best in this boy, aiming to bring him up through the levels of competition. Leo also dabbles in eventing, so this boy's jumping talents would not go to waste either. I'm very protective about my HARPG horses, so it's unlikely I would sell Mez Jr on, and I would make sure he was well established in the show world before opening up any breeding slots. And as with all my zlesdins, I would hope to level up this boy, eventually getting him to shendik one day.

------------

Kaira and Mezzive Snowstorm belong to KimEnLie

Leo belongs to me

Personal ref used for the poses on the right

BG on the left is a paintover of a personal photo