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Description
I couldn't help myself. This guy is gorgeous and I love him! Definitely the most interesting horse I've ever drawn. Difficult but a hell of a lot of fun! So crossing my fingers. There are a lot of seriously good bids already for him, I just hope this is good enough. Aoife needs a new horse. So far she's the only one of my riders that only has one horse. And the only one without a Zlesdin. I have high hopes for team freckled redheads

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Story: (1533 words)

It was early one morning that Aoife stumbled across Zatcher’s ad. She had been looking for a new prospect for months now. But being quite picky, nothing had struck her interest. At least until now. Originally planning on searching local, then extending to the rest of the country. It was more of an ‘I wonder’ that made her extend her search further to include most of Scandinavia. A visually striking stallion and a well-known stable at that. Curiosity got the better of her as she clicked onto the ad. A gut feeling growing stronger by every sentence she read. This seemed almost too perfect. A long drive though, and she didn’t even have her license. She would have to consort with some of the other people at the stable. By stroke of luck, fate even? Ben explained that he was planning on a trip to Denmark anyway to look at some prospects of his own. Of course she could tag along if she wished. Feeling optimistic she contacted Zdarloch Sejrbank and within the hour had made arrangements to come and try him the following week.

Travel consisted of a 6 ½ hour drive to Oslo and a 17-hour overnight boat trip from Oslo to Copenhagen. A few days spent as tourists in the capital before the 30-minute drive to Zdarloch to meet the promising young stallion. Turning left onto a beautiful property, Aoife felt the excitement eager to burst out of her chest. Getting out of the car, they were met by two all too familiar faces, Andy and Phuong. Greetings exchanged; they wasted no time heading toward the stables. Before reaching Zatcher’s stall, Aoife and Ben got to say a quick hello to two horses they both absolutely adored, from each of their respective disciplines: Hilas and Sagadir. After all, it’s not everyday you get to meet two equine celebrities now, is it? Aoife had most definitely drooled after the gorgeous mare, having looked up to her and her rider for a long time. Despite being the same age and competing at the same level. Hell, she could even admit to fancying the sweet girl standing next to her smiling. But the amount of courage needed was not available, even to someone as “brave” as herself. That was not why she was here anyway. They made their way over to the main attraction. Zatcher humming softly as they approached.

“Damn, he’s even more stunning in person” Aoife breathed as she stroked his muzzle, him giving in to the pressure. He quickly made a move towards her pockets in hope of some treats. When none could be sniffed out, he returned to the attention and scratches instead.

“Hey, watch this” Phuong said with a smile, before raising a few fingers up towards the ceiling. Zatcher caught on quickly, raising his head and pulling up his lip into the horse equivalent of a big toothy grin. Aoife copied her movements and Zatcher flashed another smile. Rewarded with some good scratches at what was seemingly ‘just the spot’. The girls giggled at his expression as he leaned into the touch. Phuong excused herself to go get his tack. The plan was for Aoife to not only meet him but ride him as well. Andy walked up beside her, looking pleased at the horse and potential buyer getting along so well. At least from the ground. Aoife had seen videos of him moving at liberty. It was posted on his ad. His gaits looked impressive. She was hoping he moved just as good, if not better, under saddle.

“So, hoping he’ll become your next jumper?” Andy inquired. Both for some small talk, but also to determine whether or not this was a fitting home for him.

“Yeah. I’ve been in the market for a new show horse for a while now. Abbie, my current horse, has earned some time off. I was hoping to breed her this coming season” she smiled. “She turned 10 this year and I’d rather have her in foal sooner rather than later. The grand prix class at Frederiksberg being her last show for a while. I’ve missed going up the levels and seeing the horse grow in skill and confidence.” She stroked his neck as he bumped his head into her, clearly loving the attention he was getting.

“Makes sense” Andy said before adding “Do you have much experience with the Zlesdin breed?”

“Not really” She admitted. “But I have been wanting to try one. Their reputation certainly precedes them” she smirked at Andy. “Lundeberg recently got their hands on a promising Zlesdin stallion though. I think he was to become Astrid’s new eventing prospect. Stunning horses. Really. They just have this fire in them that I love. My kind of horse” she chuckled as Phuong came back with all the necessary equipment.

“I’ll see you guys in the arena then” Andy said before walking off. The girls got to work brushing and tacking him up. Leading him outside and towards the arena. His ears perked up as the autumn wind blew some stray leaves across the path. Stopping only for a brief second, making sure his life wasn’t in immediate peril, concluding he would live another day he walked on. They made it to the arena without further excitement. Aoife made sure to double check the girth before tightening it just another hole. God knows how many times she’s burned herself on that as a kid. Feeling satisfied, she gathered the reins and Phuong gave her a leg up. Zatcher seemed content but froze, ears perking, as Andy came into view. Aoife gave him a comforting pat. This seemed to calm him as he realized that he had in fact seen Andy before. Letting out a snort, he shook his head before relaxing. Feeling content just playing with the bit in his mouth. Phuong gave him a pat and Aoife an encouraging thumbs up before moving out of the way. Aoife collected the reins and eased him into a walk. As a warmup, she bended him, sped up and slowed down and just tried to see where she had him. He had quickly found the contact and was responding quite nicely. After a good 10 minutes or so of walk, she urged him forward into trot. Again, no issues there. He had a bigger trot than she was used to with Abbie but found his rhythm with ease. Once again focusing on bending, collecting, pushing forward and all that good stuff. The spotted stallion taking it all in his stride, working like he had done nothing else his entire life. The canter was where Aoife was most intrigued. After all, a good canter is essential for a good jumper. As soon as the stallion began to canter, Aoife was sure. This was the one. The canter was smooth, yet big. Fast, yet adjustable. She tried a lead change. It took a few strides and wasn’t perfect, but that could be contributed to his young age and a lack of training. He had potential and a lot of it. She slowed him to a walk before moving over to Andy and Phuong, who were both eagerly watching. Andy was taking notes.

“He’s great!” Aoife beamed. “Would it be possible to try a few jumps?” she inquired. Phuong looked to Andy for confirmation, he nodded with a “sure”, before she went to set up a small jump. Aoife kept Zatcher active in trot while Phuong got the materials out. They started with a simple crossrail. Just to get the feeling. Still in trot, Aoife lined him up towards the jump. And over they went. Not much of a jump over as a leap into canter over. Phuong set the jump up to a vertical. Probably around 50cm or so.

“Try coming at a canter” she called. Aoife urged him forward and into position. She felt him surge towards the jump. Almost like a magnet. This time he did indeed jump. They tried one last time at about 60cm. Again, he sought out the jump and gracefully leapt over. She slowed to a walk to let him cool off. Aoife couldn’t hide her smile, which stretched from ear to ear. He gave her such a good feeling. Her mind filled with all the opportunities and experiences they could have together. They could certainly go far together. Of course, that being said, there was no guarantee she would even get him. But by god if she wasn’t going to try.

“I don’t know, what do you think? Team redhead?” she laughed as she gave him a well-deserved pat. After bringing him back to the stable and removing the tack, Andy approached to hear her thoughts. Aoife had nothing but praise to give. Whoever got this horse would be a lucky person indeed. She could only pray the luck of the Irish was on her side. She definitely voiced her interest. That being said, now all she could do was wait. She would leave with a good feeling either way. A new fondness for the Zlesdin breed. Whether that be Zatcher or not, her next partner in crime would most definitely be tempered with fire.

Description
I couldn't help myself. This guy is gorgeous and I love him! Definitely the most interesting horse I've ever drawn. Difficult but a hell of a lot of fun! So crossing my fingers. There are a lot of seriously good bids already for him, I just hope this is good enough. Aoife needs a new horse. So far she's the only one of my riders that only has one horse. And the only one without a Zlesdin. I have high hopes for team freckled redheads

________

Story: (1533 words)

It was early one morning that Aoife stumbled across Zatcher’s ad. She had been looking for a new prospect for months now. But being quite picky, nothing had struck her interest. At least until now. Originally planning on searching local, then extending to the rest of the country. It was more of an ‘I wonder’ that made her extend her search further to include most of Scandinavia. A visually striking stallion and a well-known stable at that. Curiosity got the better of her as she clicked onto the ad. A gut feeling growing stronger by every sentence she read. This seemed almost too perfect. A long drive though, and she didn’t even have her license. She would have to consort with some of the other people at the stable. By stroke of luck, fate even? Ben explained that he was planning on a trip to Denmark anyway to look at some prospects of his own. Of course she could tag along if she wished. Feeling optimistic she contacted Zdarloch Sejrbank and within the hour had made arrangements to come and try him the following week.

Travel consisted of a 6 ½ hour drive to Oslo and a 17-hour overnight boat trip from Oslo to Copenhagen. A few days spent as tourists in the capital before the 30-minute drive to Zdarloch to meet the promising young stallion. Turning left onto a beautiful property, Aoife felt the excitement eager to burst out of her chest. Getting out of the car, they were met by two all too familiar faces, Andy and Phuong. Greetings exchanged; they wasted no time heading toward the stables. Before reaching Zatcher’s stall, Aoife and Ben got to say a quick hello to two horses they both absolutely adored, from each of their respective disciplines: Hilas and Sagadir. After all, it’s not everyday you get to meet two equine celebrities now, is it? Aoife had most definitely drooled after the gorgeous mare, having looked up to her and her rider for a long time. Despite being the same age and competing at the same level. Hell, she could even admit to fancying the sweet girl standing next to her smiling. But the amount of courage needed was not available, even to someone as “brave” as herself. That was not why she was here anyway. They made their way over to the main attraction. Zatcher humming softly as they approached.

“Damn, he’s even more stunning in person” Aoife breathed as she stroked his muzzle, him giving in to the pressure. He quickly made a move towards her pockets in hope of some treats. When none could be sniffed out, he returned to the attention and scratches instead.

“Hey, watch this” Phuong said with a smile, before raising a few fingers up towards the ceiling. Zatcher caught on quickly, raising his head and pulling up his lip into the horse equivalent of a big toothy grin. Aoife copied her movements and Zatcher flashed another smile. Rewarded with some good scratches at what was seemingly ‘just the spot’. The girls giggled at his expression as he leaned into the touch. Phuong excused herself to go get his tack. The plan was for Aoife to not only meet him but ride him as well. Andy walked up beside her, looking pleased at the horse and potential buyer getting along so well. At least from the ground. Aoife had seen videos of him moving at liberty. It was posted on his ad. His gaits looked impressive. She was hoping he moved just as good, if not better, under saddle.

“So, hoping he’ll become your next jumper?” Andy inquired. Both for some small talk, but also to determine whether or not this was a fitting home for him.

“Yeah. I’ve been in the market for a new show horse for a while now. Abbie, my current horse, has earned some time off. I was hoping to breed her this coming season” she smiled. “She turned 10 this year and I’d rather have her in foal sooner rather than later. The grand prix class at Frederiksberg being her last show for a while. I’ve missed going up the levels and seeing the horse grow in skill and confidence.” She stroked his neck as he bumped his head into her, clearly loving the attention he was getting.

“Makes sense” Andy said before adding “Do you have much experience with the Zlesdin breed?”

“Not really” She admitted. “But I have been wanting to try one. Their reputation certainly precedes them” she smirked at Andy. “Lundeberg recently got their hands on a promising Zlesdin stallion though. I think he was to become Astrid’s new eventing prospect. Stunning horses. Really. They just have this fire in them that I love. My kind of horse” she chuckled as Phuong came back with all the necessary equipment.

“I’ll see you guys in the arena then” Andy said before walking off. The girls got to work brushing and tacking him up. Leading him outside and towards the arena. His ears perked up as the autumn wind blew some stray leaves across the path. Stopping only for a brief second, making sure his life wasn’t in immediate peril, concluding he would live another day he walked on. They made it to the arena without further excitement. Aoife made sure to double check the girth before tightening it just another hole. God knows how many times she’s burned herself on that as a kid. Feeling satisfied, she gathered the reins and Phuong gave her a leg up. Zatcher seemed content but froze, ears perking, as Andy came into view. Aoife gave him a comforting pat. This seemed to calm him as he realized that he had in fact seen Andy before. Letting out a snort, he shook his head before relaxing. Feeling content just playing with the bit in his mouth. Phuong gave him a pat and Aoife an encouraging thumbs up before moving out of the way. Aoife collected the reins and eased him into a walk. As a warmup, she bended him, sped up and slowed down and just tried to see where she had him. He had quickly found the contact and was responding quite nicely. After a good 10 minutes or so of walk, she urged him forward into trot. Again, no issues there. He had a bigger trot than she was used to with Abbie but found his rhythm with ease. Once again focusing on bending, collecting, pushing forward and all that good stuff. The spotted stallion taking it all in his stride, working like he had done nothing else his entire life. The canter was where Aoife was most intrigued. After all, a good canter is essential for a good jumper. As soon as the stallion began to canter, Aoife was sure. This was the one. The canter was smooth, yet big. Fast, yet adjustable. She tried a lead change. It took a few strides and wasn’t perfect, but that could be contributed to his young age and a lack of training. He had potential and a lot of it. She slowed him to a walk before moving over to Andy and Phuong, who were both eagerly watching. Andy was taking notes.

“He’s great!” Aoife beamed. “Would it be possible to try a few jumps?” she inquired. Phuong looked to Andy for confirmation, he nodded with a “sure”, before she went to set up a small jump. Aoife kept Zatcher active in trot while Phuong got the materials out. They started with a simple crossrail. Just to get the feeling. Still in trot, Aoife lined him up towards the jump. And over they went. Not much of a jump over as a leap into canter over. Phuong set the jump up to a vertical. Probably around 50cm or so.

“Try coming at a canter” she called. Aoife urged him forward and into position. She felt him surge towards the jump. Almost like a magnet. This time he did indeed jump. They tried one last time at about 60cm. Again, he sought out the jump and gracefully leapt over. She slowed to a walk to let him cool off. Aoife couldn’t hide her smile, which stretched from ear to ear. He gave her such a good feeling. Her mind filled with all the opportunities and experiences they could have together. They could certainly go far together. Of course, that being said, there was no guarantee she would even get him. But by god if she wasn’t going to try.

“I don’t know, what do you think? Team redhead?” she laughed as she gave him a well-deserved pat. After bringing him back to the stable and removing the tack, Andy approached to hear her thoughts. Aoife had nothing but praise to give. Whoever got this horse would be a lucky person indeed. She could only pray the luck of the Irish was on her side. She definitely voiced her interest. That being said, now all she could do was wait. She would leave with a good feeling either way. A new fondness for the Zlesdin breed. Whether that be Zatcher or not, her next partner in crime would most definitely be tempered with fire.