Four Minute Warnign Inspection

For the RDS Gaelic Challenge at [link]

Horse: Four Minute Warning # 75
Rider: Tristian Malone
Event: One Day Event

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Another early start but luckily Tristian was more than used to them. Today was the fourth and final day and also the start of the one day event. Cleo stood close to the door of the temporary stable not entering keeping her distance from the Liver chestnut Irish Sport horse.

"He won't bite" Tris told her as he brushed off the horses coat.

Cleo raised an eyebrow "I'm not so sure about that..." she said recalling when she'd tried to exercise Moose and had ended up kissing the floor of the arena.

Tristian had heard about the run in between Cleo and Moose from Mrs S, "He can be a bit of an tyrant with strangers but he's a big softy really" he said trying to reassure her. And as if echoing his words Moose gave Tris and affectionate nuzzle.

"Bit of a tyrant?" she said looking surprised, "try total monster."

Tris couldn't help but grin, "Okay he can be difficult but when he gets to know you he'll be fine. He is just wary of strangers especially if I'm not there. It's not really his fault he just had a rough start to life and doesn't trust people he doesn't know."

Cleo looked a little confused but didn't enter the stable, "What do you mean?" she asked.

"He was a rescue at 3 years old, I got him when I was at university just before my final year, I worked my summer break for a horse dealer mainly doing some driving and I ended up going out to a stables to pick up some horses for auction, the place was a mess and the horses weren't much better and the owner well brutal is a good word to use. Moose was one of the horses up for auction though he wasn't due to go to a good home, he was half broken and almost wild. And I don't know I just felt sorry for the old sod, so I bought him. He was out of condition and did not like people, whatever had happened to him at that yard had made him a nightmare to handle, but I persevered with him, even though it got in the way of my studies and I pretty much lived on nothing for the last year of my course, all my money was tied up in food and board for Moose. But he's been worth it it took us a long time to bond but all the hardships were worth it it's been a long six years, and when Mrs S agreed to take us both on at Blade Forge it was amazing I finally could have somewhere decent to stable him and he gets all the training he needs and it's starting to pay off." he explained.

"I didn't pick you for a sentimental type." Cleo replied, as sad as it was horses often ended up in bad homes before they were lucky enough to find a good one.

Tris said nothing but he could feel himself blushing so he quickly occupied himself with a task that meant he didn't have to look at Cleo.

Cleo saw it and chuckled, "Any way, if he's registered as Four Minute warning, why the heck is he called Moose?"

Tris looked over at her, "His papers were registered as that when I bought him, a Four minute Warning was a public alert system from the cold war in the event of a nuclear attack, I'm not sure why he's called it. As for the name Moose, well I mean look at him, he's not a handsome horse, his proportions aren't great and he looks pretty goofy, and with his colour well when I first saw him I thought he looked like a moose. Hence his name Moose."

Cleo laughed she'd not heard anyone describe tehir horse like that, "You have a point he is pretty moose looking."

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Two people for the price of one. Added someone completing the inspection as well as Tris.

90 minutes in Painter with an Intuos.

Still trying to keep the painted look whilst slowly working on the realisum aspect.