Bringing in Cloud- {open}

[phantomstallion]

Carrie paced nervously beside the small corral. She was excited. What would Cloud be like in person? She wondered. Carrie heard the crunching of a trucks' tires on the road. It was the TAEA truck and trailer. It pulled up to the corral. A woman got out and walked over to her. Are you Carrie Oakwood? She asked. Carrie nodded. Ok then. Please sign a couple of these forms. Carrie scribbled down her name and initials on the papers. The woman smiled and put them in the cab. She strode over to the trailer and beckoned for Carrie to come. She opened the the trailer door and lead out a beautiful appaloosa. Carrie caught her breath. She's gorgeous! Carrie exclaimed. The woman handed the green leadrope to her. Here. I'll leave you two alone. Good luck. She called from her truck, then drove away. Carrie stroked Cloud's mane. It's okay. We'll be great friends. she said soothingly. There, you're calming down already. Well, we should get you settled in. Cloud flicked her ears toward Carrie's voice and leaned into her.

[<Amy>]

Ashton Sinclair

Dodging cars, a sixteen year old redhead made her way through the parking lot near the stable. She was in a hurry and still late, despite having gone WAY past the speed limit to get to the stable on time. Ashton Sinclair, green-eyed, redheaded beauty, had offered to help some new student unload her TAEA rescue which meant she was supposed to be on time. Thanks to her chatty cousin Aly, Ash was at least ten minutes late. She'd been pulling when she saw a TAEA trailer pulling out which just made her jog faster. Heading for the stable yard, Ash looked around toward the rings usually reserved for TAEA rescues.

Standing near one of the small rings was a girl and a white and brown-spotted Appaloosa. Ash groaned and sighed, jogging toward the girl but skirting around the mare so she didn't spook, eyeing the mare wearily. She'd seen some pretty wild TAEA rescues in her day, ones that bucked and screamed from the moment they came out of the trailer. It was really strange to see them months later healed and gracefully flaunting around a dressage ring or flying over five foot jumps.

"Hey, sorry I'm late" Ashton said to the girl, pushing her thick wavy red hair behind her ear. "I was supposed to unload your mare but...I guess somebody did that already" Ash said, looking at the mare with a raised eyebrow.

Usually it was Amy's rule that students and only students unloaded their horses unless it was a risk horse and thus required staff help. Most TAEA drivers knew that and would wait around until students coaxed the horse out of the trailer and into the ring. Apparently whomever it was that had delivered Cloud hadn't known that.

"She's awful tame for a TAEA mare, you must have gotten lucky" Ash commented, leaning on the fence of one of the small corrals. "Anyway, I guess I rushed for nothing."

[phantomstallion]

That's OK. Carrie said, glancing at Ashton. Cloud eyed Ashton suspiciously and pawed the ground, snorting. She backed away a bit from the humans, eyes rolling. Well, you could help me get Cloud settled in a corral if you want. She's not completely tame. She's a bit weary of strangers, as you can see. And who knows how she does under a saddle, she might buck or spook at things. Carrie opened the gate and pulled gently on the leadrope, coaxing to Cloud. Umm, how long have you been here at Southern Blues?She asked. A breeze picked up, blowing Carrie's blond curls. Because I'm new here, and I just want to know how long this stable has been around and the students. She smiled at Ashton. Cloud whinnied and thrust her neck towards the water bucket, so Carrie let her have a drink.