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Description
SHS Big Dipper, or Otava at the stables, is a beautiful Finn Horse stallion that was bought from Ohdotar with three mare Finn Horses. Otava (Finnish) is the only stallion, and the first to compete outside of Ireland. Grace Monroe had been training tirelessly with Otava for the big cross-country trial in Barrow, Alaska at the "friendly" infamous affiliate Imperial-Stables . The event was due to have a light snowfall during the ride, and riders were warned to be cautious and not speed through the marked forest. However, as the unpredictable nature of Alaska foreshadowed, the light snowfall shifted into a minor blizzard at the time of competition. Out of fourteen competitors, only three canceled their entries and were properly reimbursed due to the inclement weather. However, eleven horses still raced through the trial, and only six completed it. Five of them couldn't distinguish the markers on the trail, but the other six made it properly through the course.

Grace didn't think they were going to make it, but Otava had other plans. When the shot fired, the little horse bulleted off much faster than Grace had originally expected, causing a loss of her left stirrup. After much fumbling and trying not to fall off the fast-moving stallion, Grace barely secured the stirrup and her position before the first jump. It was an oxcart-style jump from the bodies of several trees and Otava cleared it like it was nothing. Grace couldn't seem to see all the markers, but she and Finn had ran the course four times within the last three days to make sure they were familiar, and Otava seemed to know exactly where he was going. You could hear the cheers of people along various portions of sidelines in the woods buddle from toe to the last thread of hair in woolly coats, scarves, boots, leggings and face masks to shield themselves from the weather. You could also hear the shouts of warning of "You're going a bit fast!" but Otava seemed unmoved from the sounds, and Grace was having a hard time trying to slow him down. The determined little stallion pushed forward, fighting the bit here and there were Grace thought corners were a bit too sharp to be taking at such high speed. He did slow down for a single jump: the frozen riverbed. He had never much liked moving water, but when he was close enough to see it was frozen solid, he soared over like he'd never even hesitated. The last jump was approaching and it was a massive log laying fifty yards from the finish line. Grace couldn't even believe they had made it this far. The log was huge and wide, and Grace wasn't sure Otava had ever encountered anything quite like it. She tried to slow him down -even just a tiny bit- but Otava fought it, pounding towards the log with full confidence. When they lifted off the ground, Grace made the no-no of squeezing her eyes shut, just knowing something awful was about to happen. She felt the contact Otava's hooves made with the ground, and the screaming cheers of her fellow stablemates and coaches, forcing her to open her eyes as they bulleted across the bright red ribbon line in the snow. Eight minutes, thirteen seconds. Barely securing first place from an amazing ride of eight minutes and twenty-four seconds! The wild cheers of the crowds seemed to only echo as Grace attempted to catch her breath from the insane ride. Otava shook his shaggy flaxen mane, lifting his stocky liver head high with pride. He knew he'd won.

Show at Imperial-Stables cross-country trial.
Art (c) Wouv
Owner (c) Serelathe
Stable (c) South Hampton

Description
SHS Big Dipper, or Otava at the stables, is a beautiful Finn Horse stallion that was bought from Ohdotar with three mare Finn Horses. Otava (Finnish) is the only stallion, and the first to compete outside of Ireland. Grace Monroe had been training tirelessly with Otava for the big cross-country trial in Barrow, Alaska at the "friendly" infamous affiliate Imperial-Stables . The event was due to have a light snowfall during the ride, and riders were warned to be cautious and not speed through the marked forest. However, as the unpredictable nature of Alaska foreshadowed, the light snowfall shifted into a minor blizzard at the time of competition. Out of fourteen competitors, only three canceled their entries and were properly reimbursed due to the inclement weather. However, eleven horses still raced through the trial, and only six completed it. Five of them couldn't distinguish the markers on the trail, but the other six made it properly through the course.

Grace didn't think they were going to make it, but Otava had other plans. When the shot fired, the little horse bulleted off much faster than Grace had originally expected, causing a loss of her left stirrup. After much fumbling and trying not to fall off the fast-moving stallion, Grace barely secured the stirrup and her position before the first jump. It was an oxcart-style jump from the bodies of several trees and Otava cleared it like it was nothing. Grace couldn't seem to see all the markers, but she and Finn had ran the course four times within the last three days to make sure they were familiar, and Otava seemed to know exactly where he was going. You could hear the cheers of people along various portions of sidelines in the woods buddle from toe to the last thread of hair in woolly coats, scarves, boots, leggings and face masks to shield themselves from the weather. You could also hear the shouts of warning of "You're going a bit fast!" but Otava seemed unmoved from the sounds, and Grace was having a hard time trying to slow him down. The determined little stallion pushed forward, fighting the bit here and there were Grace thought corners were a bit too sharp to be taking at such high speed. He did slow down for a single jump: the frozen riverbed. He had never much liked moving water, but when he was close enough to see it was frozen solid, he soared over like he'd never even hesitated. The last jump was approaching and it was a massive log laying fifty yards from the finish line. Grace couldn't even believe they had made it this far. The log was huge and wide, and Grace wasn't sure Otava had ever encountered anything quite like it. She tried to slow him down -even just a tiny bit- but Otava fought it, pounding towards the log with full confidence. When they lifted off the ground, Grace made the no-no of squeezing her eyes shut, just knowing something awful was about to happen. She felt the contact Otava's hooves made with the ground, and the screaming cheers of her fellow stablemates and coaches, forcing her to open her eyes as they bulleted across the bright red ribbon line in the snow. Eight minutes, thirteen seconds. Barely securing first place from an amazing ride of eight minutes and twenty-four seconds! The wild cheers of the crowds seemed to only echo as Grace attempted to catch her breath from the insane ride. Otava shook his shaggy flaxen mane, lifting his stocky liver head high with pride. He knew he'd won.

Show at Imperial-Stables cross-country trial.
Art (c) Wouv
Owner (c) Serelathe
Stable (c) South Hampton