FreeMustang
Don't Be Afraid To NAG Me! =D
The 1 thing I really like to incorporate into my role plays are horses (I can do role plays with out them too) and was wondering if anyone else had a similar interest?
Anyone interested in Horses....?
- Thread starter FreeMustang
- Start date
Naomi Loriel
The helpful elf
Although I don't have a particularly strong interest in horses, it could be interesting to find ways to work them in to some of the more unusual stories.
FreeMustang
Don't Be Afraid To NAG Me! =D
[QUOTE="Naomi Loriel]Although I don't have a particularly strong interest in horses, it could be interesting to find ways to work them in to some of the more unusual stories.
[/QUOTE]
How unusual are you thinking...? I'm definitely more into realistic type role plays. I've done a few unusual ones but they got rather complicated for my liking.
[/QUOTE]
How unusual are you thinking...? I'm definitely more into realistic type role plays. I've done a few unusual ones but they got rather complicated for my liking.
Naomi Loriel
The helpful elf
Ah, although I have one or two ideas that are more realistic, unfortunatly my role plays tend to be more fantasy based. As you can tell by my title, I'm very into magic and mythical creatures.
FreeMustang
Don't Be Afraid To NAG Me! =D
[QUOTE="Naomi Loriel]Ah, although I have one or two ideas that are more realistic, unfortunatly my role plays tend to be more fantasy based. As you can tell by my title, I'm very into magic and mythical creatures.
[/QUOTE]
Ah, I see. I don't think I'd interest you. I'm honestly not very good at fantasy. I did a Camp Halfblood role play years ago but it fizzled out....
[/QUOTE]
Ah, I see. I don't think I'd interest you. I'm honestly not very good at fantasy. I did a Camp Halfblood role play years ago but it fizzled out....
Virgo
The Mysterious Helper
Hello! I never roleplayed much with horses except for this one time on another site where we roleplayed as teens that was staying at a horse ranch. I'm sure there are at least some roleplays on this site revolving around horses, and if not you can always start one!
Pheebs
New Member
I have a plot for a Western soldier x ranch owner type-thing. Not a real romance-y deal or anything, but I have some thoughts for a plot anyway. I like working horses in wherever I can! 
FreeMustang
Don't Be Afraid To NAG Me! =D
What site? I role played similar themes on Howrse and still would if you're interested. =) I'm just new to this site so i figured this was a nice line to bait and throw out into the ocean, ya know? =)Virgo said:
FreeMustang
Don't Be Afraid To NAG Me! =D
I'm totally interested! Give me more details to it? Would you be open to light romance just worked in here or there? Nothing too heavy in that area though, just enough to make it a bit interesting.Pheebs said:I have a plot for a Western soldier x ranch owner type-thing. Not a real romance-y deal or anything, but I have some thoughts for a plot anyway. I like working horses in wherever I can!
Pheebs
New Member
Oh, I've got nothing against romance. I just like to be able to have some more substance to the plot than just pitting two characters against one another. I'm definitely onboard for romance. Let me see if I can send it your way. I think I need one more post after this for my PMs to work.
Pheebs
New Member
Yup, one more. This is it!
FreeMustang
Don't Be Afraid To NAG Me! =D
Oh I think you need 24 hours too? I'm not sure if I have that quite yet either. I think I joined at like 3am ish... So I don't know it it'll work?Pheebs said:
FreeMustang
Don't Be Afraid To NAG Me! =D
Any way I totally get where you're coming from there. =)Pheebs said:
Pheebs
New Member
Hm. I guess I can't. Well, I can post it here or e-mail it to you. Your choice.
FreeMustang
Don't Be Afraid To NAG Me! =D
Post it here? =) That'll be fastest. And maybe we could get another person in on it? Or not, I don't mind 2 or a small group.Pheebs said:Hm. I guess I can't. Well, I can post it here or e-mail it to you. Your choice.
Pheebs
New Member
We can totes tweak it for more than one person but idk how. We'll have to brainstorm. It's not super detailed as yet.
This plot can go one of two ways. The first is that a young soldier returns to her small hometown of Bakersfield, CA after a couple tours of duty overseas. Having never been very close to her family or had many friends, she decides to attempt a feat accomplished by few others in modern times: riding her horse across the country. Midway through rural Montana, her horse pulls up lame, and she is forced to walk him along the road until she can find a town or ranch to stop in and get a farrier to look at him. The rich son of local ranchers is hauling an empty trailer home after a sale and spots her on the road. He offers her a ride back to the ranch. As she’s putting up her horse for the evening, he notices that she has a way with his notoriously fractious breeding stallion. He asks her to work for him as a trainer, and having no plans and no education past high school, she eventually reluctantly agrees. At this point, my plot gets less vague. I like the idea that perhaps the son is actually a government agent investigating a drug manufacturing ring using ranching and rodeo as a front. He hires our soldier to work as “his” trainer so that he has a way in with neighboring ranch owners. Perhaps he’s the one running the drug ring and hires her for legitimacy. There are lots of ways that could go. I just feel if we leave off in the plot after he hires her, it’s really just us waiting for an opening for them to start smooching.
The other way it could go is that the soldier returns home to her parents’ ranch in Montana to find it struggling. The man she meets is a fellow ranch owner who offers to help support their ranch in exchange for her training skills. There again, this could also turn into a situation where he’s an agent or drug-runner or something.
This plot can go one of two ways. The first is that a young soldier returns to her small hometown of Bakersfield, CA after a couple tours of duty overseas. Having never been very close to her family or had many friends, she decides to attempt a feat accomplished by few others in modern times: riding her horse across the country. Midway through rural Montana, her horse pulls up lame, and she is forced to walk him along the road until she can find a town or ranch to stop in and get a farrier to look at him. The rich son of local ranchers is hauling an empty trailer home after a sale and spots her on the road. He offers her a ride back to the ranch. As she’s putting up her horse for the evening, he notices that she has a way with his notoriously fractious breeding stallion. He asks her to work for him as a trainer, and having no plans and no education past high school, she eventually reluctantly agrees. At this point, my plot gets less vague. I like the idea that perhaps the son is actually a government agent investigating a drug manufacturing ring using ranching and rodeo as a front. He hires our soldier to work as “his” trainer so that he has a way in with neighboring ranch owners. Perhaps he’s the one running the drug ring and hires her for legitimacy. There are lots of ways that could go. I just feel if we leave off in the plot after he hires her, it’s really just us waiting for an opening for them to start smooching.
The other way it could go is that the soldier returns home to her parents’ ranch in Montana to find it struggling. The man she meets is a fellow ranch owner who offers to help support their ranch in exchange for her training skills. There again, this could also turn into a situation where he’s an agent or drug-runner or something.
FreeMustang
Don't Be Afraid To NAG Me! =D
This sounds really interesting and could easily work out. We could do idea #1 and even fade it into idea #2 as things progress with the drug cartel. He could be moving into new territory or he could be changed because of her. Either way the guy should probably pick up some skills from her along the road. I'm wondering how you're planning on continuing the soldier's trek across the US though? Or is she just going to give up when her horse comes up lame? So many people in my family are in or have been in the military and giving up just isn't in their mentality. So I'm wondering how that would play out or if it's necessary for her to have a military background at all? Or perhaps they meet in another way besides her trekking across country horse back? Maybe both parties join in the 100 day Mustang Makeover where you get 100 days to bring a Mustang from wild to show horse before being put up for auction to raise money for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Also there's a $100,000 prize for the winner which would actually work really great for your 2nd plot line.Pheebs said:
Also I should note here, before you become too invested, that I'm only interested in playing strait or male+female romantic relationships. I'm not interested in gay/lesbian relationships and this would be a deal breaker for me. Are you ok with this line?
Pheebs
New Member
I've actually adopted a mustang from BLM before so I'm familiar with the process.
The idea wasn't for her to give up entirely. In my mind, she decided to go across the country because she didn't have another plan. When he offers a job, to her that's the beginning of a plan. She doesn't have any formal work experience outside the military, so if she stays and earns money for a while, she has a skill she can market once she takes off again. In constructing the plot, a military background felt like a way of keeping her somewhat isolated, thus justifying her trek. The military is mostly joined by young people who don't yet have formal higher education and returning while still relatively young can be very difficult to adjust to, particularly without a supportive family.
I've only been able to do this plot a couple of times before and both times we just started off with a brief flashback for her and then cutting straight to him finding her on the road. In fact, her desire to move on and continue the trip (thereby making her stay at his ranch temporary) tends to be a sort of added tension to the relationship.
I'm happy to change how they meet, of course. I'd just want to be sure when it comes to Mustang Makeover or similar that we were realistic about it and don't write either of them as a wunderkind. Talented, of course, but not magic. As I'm sure you're aware, even the most advanced trainer can end up very surprised when training a mustang!
The idea wasn't for her to give up entirely. In my mind, she decided to go across the country because she didn't have another plan. When he offers a job, to her that's the beginning of a plan. She doesn't have any formal work experience outside the military, so if she stays and earns money for a while, she has a skill she can market once she takes off again. In constructing the plot, a military background felt like a way of keeping her somewhat isolated, thus justifying her trek. The military is mostly joined by young people who don't yet have formal higher education and returning while still relatively young can be very difficult to adjust to, particularly without a supportive family.
I've only been able to do this plot a couple of times before and both times we just started off with a brief flashback for her and then cutting straight to him finding her on the road. In fact, her desire to move on and continue the trip (thereby making her stay at his ranch temporary) tends to be a sort of added tension to the relationship.
I'm happy to change how they meet, of course. I'd just want to be sure when it comes to Mustang Makeover or similar that we were realistic about it and don't write either of them as a wunderkind. Talented, of course, but not magic. As I'm sure you're aware, even the most advanced trainer can end up very surprised when training a mustang!
FreeMustang
Don't Be Afraid To NAG Me! =D
Hmm... Well either way we cut this up it sounds super interesting and I want to do it. But I understand you not wanting Mustang Makeover to be like the magic fix. I was actually thinking it could be something they do with really big hopes and then someone else snuffs out their dreams of that in the end, sending them back to square one. The ultimate goal was for it to draw them closer together. Maybe she decides to leave him behind like in the middle of the night and basically break his heart then it could skip ahead like 5 years and suddenly she really needs cash, enters something like Mustang Makeover (or anything really) but she feels like she still needs help and that's when she returns to him and the flame is ignited again but there's other twists and turns that are now in the way.
I guess I'm still unsure about how him dealing drugs is going to work out with that dynamic...? What if he plays more of an under cover or cop sort of role? Country areas are typically where meth cookers are found the most but the lifestyle of a cooker is pretty much just that. They usually don't have or care to have even slightly more useful or legal skills. Transporting something like marijuana might take him away from the ranch for too long which would be boring. So tell me more about this area....?
(I'm assuming you want to be the gal in this, yeah?)
I guess I'm still unsure about how him dealing drugs is going to work out with that dynamic...? What if he plays more of an under cover or cop sort of role? Country areas are typically where meth cookers are found the most but the lifestyle of a cooker is pretty much just that. They usually don't have or care to have even slightly more useful or legal skills. Transporting something like marijuana might take him away from the ranch for too long which would be boring. So tell me more about this area....?
(I'm assuming you want to be the gal in this, yeah?)
Pheebs
New Member
I'm super not married to being the girl! I just have been before so I'm sort speaking from the perspective of where I got with her as a character, that's all.
The alternative is that he's the federal agent investigating a drug operation fronting as a ranch or something. If he's not a criminal it makes more sense that he'd be able to stay in one place for some time as he investigates. Meth is definitely what occurred to me (Montana is ultra-rural; they have a pretty serious meth problem, not least of all because it's easy to buy and store fertilizer there, which can be used for meth cooking) but that doesn't mean it has to be. It could easily even be moonshine or a hidey-hole for a smuggling operation of some sort. Montana is fairly central to a lot of bigger cities and has less stringent laws than neighboring states.
I def like the idea of a fast-forward if necessary too! Mostly I'm trying to introduce the idea that this isn't strictly about getting the two of them to meet and fall in love or whatever. I'm sort of just trying to brainstorm ideas to add a little intrigue beyond their initial meeting. I figured if she was traveling it'd be easier to set them up close to each other. If they were two ranchers from separate ranches than they might never really run into each other. Montana cattle ranches are often miles from anything else.
What if she was the criminal and was on the run? Maybe the soldier thing is a front and she heard about potential work in Montana. Hmmm....
Sorry if I'm being difficult! I've wanted to flesh this out with someone cool for a long time so organizing my ideas is super rough. Thanks for staying on board!
The alternative is that he's the federal agent investigating a drug operation fronting as a ranch or something. If he's not a criminal it makes more sense that he'd be able to stay in one place for some time as he investigates. Meth is definitely what occurred to me (Montana is ultra-rural; they have a pretty serious meth problem, not least of all because it's easy to buy and store fertilizer there, which can be used for meth cooking) but that doesn't mean it has to be. It could easily even be moonshine or a hidey-hole for a smuggling operation of some sort. Montana is fairly central to a lot of bigger cities and has less stringent laws than neighboring states.
I def like the idea of a fast-forward if necessary too! Mostly I'm trying to introduce the idea that this isn't strictly about getting the two of them to meet and fall in love or whatever. I'm sort of just trying to brainstorm ideas to add a little intrigue beyond their initial meeting. I figured if she was traveling it'd be easier to set them up close to each other. If they were two ranchers from separate ranches than they might never really run into each other. Montana cattle ranches are often miles from anything else.
What if she was the criminal and was on the run? Maybe the soldier thing is a front and she heard about potential work in Montana. Hmmm....
Sorry if I'm being difficult! I've wanted to flesh this out with someone cool for a long time so organizing my ideas is super rough. Thanks for staying on board!
FreeMustang
Don't Be Afraid To NAG Me! =D
(Sorry I'm not responding very quickly. My brother is home from the Marines and tomorrow is his last day before he goes back. We haven't seen him in about a year so we've been catching up. I usually reply much faster and very frequently. Maybe 100+ 1-2 paragraph replies a day if I don't have anything to do and my buddy is on.)
Maybe there's a way we could both be a couple different characters to maximize interaction and develop the plot line more. Maybe like accomplices? One being anxious and greedy and the other being more calm cool and collect, ya know? For the other "side" they could be old military buddies or siblings or just have some relationship that wouldn't make them romantically compatible in any way. Not the romance is going to play a central role but it would give both of us a similar chance to see which side develops more. And if the soldier/traveler is the drug cooker or mule I just can't see her going it completely alone. Or maybe the 2 other aren't really connected to them, maybe they meet your soldier on the trail and are the original ones to offer her help but they don't exactly have a trailer on them then ranch guy comes along and starts asking questions and they keep it cool and turn on the charm... Then to keep them coming along they could sort of squat on a corner of the ranch? That way they just keep showing up. Or maybe they go under a cover of looking for oil for the rancher? That might be better... What do you think?
I'm used to role plays with like a lot of characters. The last really good one last well over 5 years and we had 75-85 developed characters before my buddy got busy with her FFA and 4H and Honor classes. So yeah, I'm totally into getting this outlined solidly. Usually people are so shy about voicing their ideas and like I'm very good at going with the flow and taking punches. Basically making things work.
Maybe there's a way we could both be a couple different characters to maximize interaction and develop the plot line more. Maybe like accomplices? One being anxious and greedy and the other being more calm cool and collect, ya know? For the other "side" they could be old military buddies or siblings or just have some relationship that wouldn't make them romantically compatible in any way. Not the romance is going to play a central role but it would give both of us a similar chance to see which side develops more. And if the soldier/traveler is the drug cooker or mule I just can't see her going it completely alone. Or maybe the 2 other aren't really connected to them, maybe they meet your soldier on the trail and are the original ones to offer her help but they don't exactly have a trailer on them then ranch guy comes along and starts asking questions and they keep it cool and turn on the charm... Then to keep them coming along they could sort of squat on a corner of the ranch? That way they just keep showing up. Or maybe they go under a cover of looking for oil for the rancher? That might be better... What do you think?
I'm used to role plays with like a lot of characters. The last really good one last well over 5 years and we had 75-85 developed characters before my buddy got busy with her FFA and 4H and Honor classes. So yeah, I'm totally into getting this outlined solidly. Usually people are so shy about voicing their ideas and like I'm very good at going with the flow and taking punches. Basically making things work.
Pheebs
New Member
Oh, I like all of that. Hm. You're right, if she's traveling alone it's weird that she's a criminal. Maybe one of the outside characters is her contact? Maybe someone who invited her up knowing her talent with horses and thinking she'd be a useful person in the operation since she could have a "normal" career on the surface? Or perhaps she's just visiting someone non-criminally related and gets lost and initially it's a couple of unscrupulous people who offer her help when the rancher comes along. And after she tells them what she does, they show up to the ranch after she and the rancher get there and offer her a cut of the money if she trains a mustang of their choice for Mustang Makeover or whatever but she's already accepted the job from the rancher, who decides to do some digging at finds out these guys are the ones he's after. He could let her stay at his property and train their horse there so he could have a way of watching them.
Pheebs
New Member
Idk! Totally cool with playing multiple characters, although for some reason I've got this image of Boris and Natasha from Rocky and Bullwinkle in my head when I say "they" in reference to our criminal friends. Hahaha.
FreeMustang
Don't Be Afraid To NAG Me! =D
Well I was thinking maybe she'd help sort of solve the crime? Other wise.... When she's caught she get's thrown in jail (or vice versa if roles are switched). Then what's the chance that we can really continue this? Wouldn't trust be lost and replaced by a deep suspicion? I think that would be very hard to nearly impossible to over come but.... I guess it could give a reason for that 5 year (or more) skip.... I also kind of like the idea that the rancher ends up hiring them (criminals) when they pitch the proposition to find oil rather than their relationship be equine related job which he hires our soldier for. I see the rancher and soldier as growing closer as good friends and then starting to develop deeper feelings for each other before she leaves him with a shattered heart with little or no explanation. I really think that we can work horses into a plot line like this without having every character directly in on it.
Now besides our 2 criminals, rancher, and soldier I think we are going to need more if this is really a working ranch. Like secondary characters that don't have too much pull. Like ranch hands and maybe even a couple neighbors and someone people in town like a store and diner owner? Wow I'm really getting into the nitty gritty details here....
So just to get this clear.... It going to take place in Montana, right? That area isn't very prone to deep drout (or really has a need to conserve water) does it? Fairly dense foliage (forestry, lush grass, high out of control weeds)? Mountains? How big of a ranch are we thinking here, 2,000 acres or more? Terrain is a very important detail. I see this starting in early Spring, maybe April? What do you think?
*googles Rocky and Bullwinkle characters* Hmm.... Maybe not quite that short.... But like 5 foot and a bit more burly. The gal could work out similarly though. =D
Ohhhh! Our rancher could rent out criminal out some Mules to get around the ranch (terrain dependent) and unwittingly be helping to to more quietly transport the drugs!
So many ideas spinning around in my head! =D
Now besides our 2 criminals, rancher, and soldier I think we are going to need more if this is really a working ranch. Like secondary characters that don't have too much pull. Like ranch hands and maybe even a couple neighbors and someone people in town like a store and diner owner? Wow I'm really getting into the nitty gritty details here....
So just to get this clear.... It going to take place in Montana, right? That area isn't very prone to deep drout (or really has a need to conserve water) does it? Fairly dense foliage (forestry, lush grass, high out of control weeds)? Mountains? How big of a ranch are we thinking here, 2,000 acres or more? Terrain is a very important detail. I see this starting in early Spring, maybe April? What do you think?
*googles Rocky and Bullwinkle characters* Hmm.... Maybe not quite that short.... But like 5 foot and a bit more burly. The gal could work out similarly though. =D
Ohhhh! Our rancher could rent out criminal out some Mules to get around the ranch (terrain dependent) and unwittingly be helping to to more quietly transport the drugs!
So many ideas spinning around in my head! =D
Pheebs
New Member
Most of Montana is actually the Great Plains. There are a few mountain ranges, but mostly the Plains are flat with some gentle hills and lush river valleys. In the west is the mountainous region, which has big flat valleys and lots of lakes surrounded by mountain ranges. mid-fall to early spring there is usually a lot of snow; in spring it begins to melt off and fills the rivers and lakes. If you've ever seen The Horse Whisperer, that was filmed in the Montana mountains.
Also, I forgot this, but Montana borders Canada to the north which is actually an excellent set-up for certain criminal enterprises....
Okay. So let me set up a bulleted timeline so it's easier for me to follow.
1) Girl ends up in Montana with horse (somehow). Horse goes lame.
2) Boris and Natasha (not real names) find girl and offer her assistance but are v sketch and don't have a trailer.
3) Rancher comes along w/trailer and takes everyone back to the ranch.
4) B & N offer services to help find oil. Rancher accepts. Rancher offers job to girl.
5) Rancher attempts to solve crime. Somehow girl catches wind of this/unwittingly helps investigate/something or other.
6) (
)()()()Luuuuuurve()()()()()
7) Girl leaves him.
5 YEARS LATER
8) Ehhhhhhh....?
Is that sort of where we are right now? And by "sort of" I mean, does my rudimentary timeline work to a point where we can kind of solidly start fleshing things out? It's okay if not! We can alter whatever we need to.
Also, I forgot this, but Montana borders Canada to the north which is actually an excellent set-up for certain criminal enterprises....
Okay. So let me set up a bulleted timeline so it's easier for me to follow.
1) Girl ends up in Montana with horse (somehow). Horse goes lame.
2) Boris and Natasha (not real names) find girl and offer her assistance but are v sketch and don't have a trailer.
3) Rancher comes along w/trailer and takes everyone back to the ranch.
4) B & N offer services to help find oil. Rancher accepts. Rancher offers job to girl.
5) Rancher attempts to solve crime. Somehow girl catches wind of this/unwittingly helps investigate/something or other.
6) (
)()()()Luuuuuurve()()()()()7) Girl leaves him.
5 YEARS LATER
8) Ehhhhhhh....?
Is that sort of where we are right now? And by "sort of" I mean, does my rudimentary timeline work to a point where we can kind of solidly start fleshing things out? It's okay if not! We can alter whatever we need to.