straight out the gate

is this my favorite picture i've done for so far??? yeah.

i actually did this one before my transportation entry and when i realized i was running out of time i was gonna make this my transportation entry and not do an extra picture, but i've got 6 more days and now i've got both things done so hallelujah. this particular thing is my third and final extra assignment just one more picture and i'll officially be done!
~~~

You didn't have to tell her twice. As soon as Vidar appeared in the carriage announcing that he would be splitting off, Jade had begun hastily tacking Rozsdas. Having caught the excitement the Obertaurer was prancing in place, swinging his hips away from the woman every time a strap jingled. It had seemed immensely wrong that the train had been waiting that long and now that they were leaving Jade was anxious to get away- being Wiccan she was equally suspicious and to her it was terrifying that they'd had this many stops in the middle of nowhere. 

Their feet echoed on the wooden floor of the car and the stallion sidestepped with each noise, the horses further down the row calling out when he did. It was barely past daybreak and the cold was seeping in through the crack in the sliding door, snowflakes drifting in to pile on the floor, sticking to their legs and chilling the trailer. The pairs breath swirling out around them to sink to the ground in a pale mist, giving the whole scene and eerie quality.

The snow had been falling on and off for several days, making any and all trails obsolete and impossible to follow so it was completely necessary that they left with the group. Jade ignored the bridle- it would've taken too long to warm the bit up to a comfortable temperature and Rozsdas was fine without it, choosing instead to slip the rope halter around his face and stuffed the bridle into one of the saddlebags. 

Checking to make sure everything was secure, the woman grabbed the makeshift reins in one hand and pulled the door open with the other, the snow mustang jumping forward as the blast of cold air hit them. It was easy to forget he was a racehorse until you got him riled up but Jade circled him, quickly pulling herself onto his back, not even having time to put her feet in the stirrups before he bolted forward and out of the train car. 

He landed hard, throwing out a kick as Jade cursed the horse and his bolting. They'd never been able to fully train him out of the habit RPS had warned them of years ago and it became more evident when they were in open spaces. Rozsdas was a full hand shorter than Crystal and Ski but that had never stopped him from being a trooper, throwing his head up as they plowed through the deep snow around the tracks. A few of the entrants were already out, or at least picking their way out of the train cars towards the group forming and the woman pointed Rozsdas towards them hesitantly.

The duo loped up to their sole leader and paused, Jade leaning over the stallions neck to hear better. Vidar's plan was to cut through Germany to the Imperial Stables, an almost equal distance away. Backtracking was not what they'd expected from the plan but anything to be back on track at this point. It has been decades since Jade has been to Germany-her birth country- but they'd traveled all throughout Europe and thought the buildings were different she was already recognizing the landscape. 

Pulling her scarf up around her mouth, Jade leaned forward as her mount rocked back, Rozsdas letting out a loud trumpet to the emerging horses. Now that they were out of the train she'd calmed down considerably but the Obertaurer hadn't, still lurching forward every time the woman shifted slightly, sensing the fear and suspicion floating around them. 

~~~

Rozsdas, Jade, and art: Jyynxx
Ref: Jumping stock 47