50 Foals Challenge - Mystique Family
Hello and thank you for taking the time to read my thread :smiley: (I have now completed this challenge - dated 19th November 2017) I won't post a long introduction but give you a brief run down, ...
Forum Discussion
The tragedy, early days with Poppy & farm life.
Maxx a young teenager, lives in the heart of Melbourne, her parents own a 5 star restaurant and are never home to be with her, unlike most teenagers Maxx is very different. She is a straight A student, a quiet, reserved individual with a love for animals, however her parents do not allow her any pets, not even a goldfish. Due to such a boring life she lives (however jealous friends are in ore of her wealth - pfft) she spends endless hours alone, writing in her diary and taking beloved photos of animals. She is an overweight girl and due to being teased a lot at school, she has become very recluse, really has no friends of any kind, is the happiest in her own company as it’s the only life she knows.
One night during her sneak outs (which she did very often), as she knew her parents were working, she would sit at the beach and write, or take photos. This night when she had arrived home, she found the police and a social worker at her door. The social worker had informed her that her parents restaurant had an unfortunate explosive accident and there were no survivors, she also had come to learn that her parents were broke and not as rich as she had always believed. She was ordered to grab a few belongings as she was going to live with her only living relative, ‘Poppy’ – her grandfather.
Maxx didn’t know her grandparents, let alone did she know she had a living one. She had no choice but to pack up her life (which was her diary and camera) and move to a place she never knew, with someone she never met. Maxx was put on a train and sent off to appaloosa plains where her grandfather lives a modest yet humble life.
Poppy is Maxx’s dad’s father but because of an old family feud he was never allowed to see or speak to his family. When he heard the news he was torn, yet excited but more nervous, having a teenager in his life is not something he would have bargained on, especially in his later years. None the less he was willing to embrace her with a warm heart and love.
Poppy is a horseman by trade, knows only horses, all his life he has been surrounded by them, and earns his modest living off training, racing and working his horses. He has a couple of racers which have been his bread and butter for some time now, but with a new teenager coming into the picture he was nervous as to what the future may hold. He started to think he may have to get a job so that he could afford to put her through school. So much was coming to his mind, along with his impatience to see her for the first time in his life.
Poppy spends most if not all his time working horses, racing and competing, being his age having a small meal and then bedtime, his days are repetitive but nothing he doesn’t love and enjoy. Here Poppy is training Casanova, one of his current racers, whom has almost mastered the racing level and of course brought him some decent money from the winnings.
His biggest money bringer has been the angriest horse he’s over owned, Pharlap the big red stallion. The biggest concern for Poppy is that this stallion is NOT kind, nor gentle but he is a money profit for him and isn’t keen on letting him got just yet.
Pharlap to date has won every race and now competing for international races Poppy is keen to keep him a little longer. However is nervous that his granddaughter is coming, and may not know much about horses. He is hoping she knows something? Either way Pharlap the big red is out of bounds. He is keen to make this a “firm” rule.
Upon arrival Maxx meets Pharlap at the fence line, Poppy isn’t home, as he is out training Casanova, like any teenager she makes herself at home. Being a lover of animals she walks over to meet this big red stallion. Pharlap not even remotely interested or trusting begins to give her attitude but is surprised when Maxx returns the attitude back to him.
Within a few minutes the big red stallion notices that this little person has something bigger inside of her, something that many don’t see, something that he can relate to and hasn’t been able to feel from any human sim before. Here is where some kind of bond begins.
Maxx for the first time touches a horse, the very first time she ever was so close to one, let alone feeling the hair in her fingertips. A feeling of something unique to her, is rising, some kind of warmth, a fuzzy feeling. She feels like she is floating. For the first time in her life she feels tiny next to this large animal.
Pharlap a horse that was abused all his life, begins to feel that same feelings, he has never felt a love, but he knew the human kind had, but never had it shown to him, for the first time he didn’t feel angry, he didn’t want this moment to stop.
That evening Poppy saw a change in Pharlap, he saw a speed turned up on him he never saw before, the stallion was training on his own free will and he was training hard. Poppy wasn’t sure what had happened, but he knew he needed to talk to his little Granddaughter to lay down some rules.
Over the days Poppy noticed Pharlap has taken to Maxx, but he had to make sure Maxx knew the rules, she was allowed to spend time with him, but NOT to ride him, he was stern about this rule. He knew of Pharlaps abusive history and knew even an experienced horse handler struggles to control him.
Poppy found out her story and what a lousy life she actually lived. He put a few options down for her, told her she had to be good at school, to do the duties at home, groom, feed and care for the horses, but until she learned how to ride she was not to attempt it without his consent. He also told her it would be a good idea to get her fitness up, and if she lost some weight he would buy her, her very own horse.
Maxx not buying any promises as she’s had many broken before, but being a good child that she actually was, every day after school she did all she needed to do, finished her homework, cleaned the house, cared for the horses especially loved her times with Pharlap.
Every day after school Maxx worked out on the treadmill too, after she did all that was expected of her, she even took to learning to cook (not that, it went too well), she kept working out so hard one night she almost forgot to go to sleep, to rest as it was a school night.
Maxx was use to being alone so house work and chores we not unbeknown to her, cooking on the other hand was as she use to eat at her parents restaurant, she never worried about meals. This particular night Poppy went off to the Equestrian Centre to run some competitions with Casanova, Maxx had Pharlap all to herself. After working out she decided to go outside to spend some time with him, when she heard him calling out.
Upon spending some time talking to him and sharing her deepest secrets she had enough confidence to try to mount Pharlap. So she did. She knew Poppy wouldn’t be home for hours and what he didn’t know wouldn’t hurt. She trusted the big red and he in turn trusted her.
After a few attempts and a struggle, she finally mounted Pharlap only to realise how big and tall he was. Her heart raced, this was scary. She could feel every muscle of his giant body move. She froze unsure of what to do next.
Pharlap on the other hand had other ideas, he wanted Maxx to experience the joy of the wind in her hair, but he knew his little sim was young and inexperienced so he gently set off on a trot to get his little friend to enjoy the ride and get use to balancing on him. He knew he had to look after her and that he did. She was safe and he hoped she would feel safe with him.
Maxx went along with the ride, she was enjoying the feeling of being on horse back, still scared and not even sure how to control Pharlap she let him lead the way. She knew she was safe, both of them had let time slip away and before Maxx knew it there was a siren screaming. She was going to be in big trouble.
Not only was it past her curfew but she was out horse riding, doing something her grandfather had told her not to do without his consent, she was not looking forward to going home. Pharlap walked over to the officer as instructed and he too was feeling bad his little sim would be in trouble, he knew he was in the poop too.
Not even knowing how to dismount, Maxx fell off Pharlap and felt like a fool in front of the officer, but she did as ordered and got into the police vehicle to be taken home. Pharlap waited until they were gone and made his own way home. As they were only two doors away, he was hoping that they wouldn’t be in too much trouble. He wanted Poppy to know he was to blame, but he knew it wasn’t going to be good for either of them.
When Maxx got dropped off Poppy was angrily waiting for her at the gate, he was fuming and yelled at her for not being a responsible teen, he didn’t even worry about the fact that she rode a horse he was more upset she wasn’t home.
Poppy realised his abusive explosive ways were hard on his little granddaughter, he knew she was a good kid and did everything he had asked of her, he never had to complain about anything she was always on top of it. He felt awful for being so hard on her, so he let her off the hook. Instead he encouraged her to continue with her fitness.
Maxx went off to work out some more, relieved she was off the hook but now she was worried what would happen with Pharlap. She didn’t say a word but her worry didn’t leave her mind very easily.
Poppy went to tend to Pharlap and spoke to him, told him he was also disappointed in him, but even more proud of him for showing some love and care, poppy ended up thanking Pharlap for looking after his granddaughter but never to do it again. He looked into the stallions eyes and asked him, will you continue to look after Maxx? He saw a love, a passion and something he never seen in a horse in all his years of life. He knew that the bond between these two was very strong and he didn’t want to break either of their hearts. So he decided that he trusted them both to be together and that Pharlap would be a great horse for Maxx to learn to ride on.
