Heritage Stables

When all ten students gather at the gate, the novelty of the place will quickly be replaced by tension. You will not be left standing in the yard for a long time.

Everyone will be lined up on the parade ground in front of the main arena. Coaches will line up in front of you - four stone blocks with impenetrable faces. It is here that the rules of the game will be officially announced to you: five years without the right to make a mistake, complete obedience and life on schedule.

Immediately after this "motivational" speech, the distribution of things will begin. Everyone will be given the same blue backpack with a standard set: uniform, mug, hygiene products and a gradebook.

But the most important event will happen later. The whole group will be led to the stables. The trainers will open the gates, and you will see them - a dozen horses led out into the passage. This will be the moment of truth. Mississippi Merdolna or the director himself will dryly announce:
"Choose."

This is the only decision that you will be allowed to make on your own. You will need to walk along the line, look into the eyes of each animal and point out the one who seems to be yours. This choice will determine your fate in the Legacy for the coming years, because the character of the horse must coincide with yours, and it will be almost impossible to cope with the mistake of choice under such pressure.

You are standing at the foot of a huge complex. The bus left, leaving you and nine other teenagers alone with this greatness. You are the first race in the new school of the equestrian club ** "Legacy"**. The air rings with a mixture of delight and slight anxiety.

In front of you rises a massive wooden gate with forged patterns. The heavy plaque is engraved: Heritage Equestrian Club. Behind the fence you can see the roofs of several arenas and levadas. This is not just a club, it is a whole world built around one discipline - triathlon (arena riding, cross-country race, show jumping).

Your future classmates are standing around - nine people just like you, aged 14 to 16 years. Everyone is loaded with suitcases, in which new uniforms and necessities for living here. You will spend the next five years here.

You have already been told the main thing: there are only ten students, but there will be ten horses. Each of you will have your own partner. They say that the herd was chosen perfectly: ten horses completely different in character and exterior, among which everyone will find a kindred spirit.

But for some reason, no one talks about what awaits inside. About strict coaches whose word is the law. About the rules similar to the army regulations. And about the complete lack of personal life for the coming years... But you will find out about this later.

Now you are just looking at the gate, ready to take a step into a new life.

Detroid

Name: Detroid
Appearance: A powerful black gelding with a satin black coat that shines in the sun. Wide chest, deep girth and strong legs with prominent tendons give out remarkable strength in him. A neat star shines white on his forehead. The movements are wide and sweeping, but require constant control from the rider. His gaze is heavy, scrutinizing, as if he is evaluating everyone who approaches him.
Biography:** Hailing from a prestigious sports industry, Grom showed great promise. However, his brilliant career was almost cut short at the very beginning. His indomitable temper and aggression towards weak riders made him dangerous. Instead of writing off the horse, Heritage accepted the challenge. Here he found his coach - a man with a steel character, who was able to prove to Grom his right to be a leader. Now he is an experienced tournament fighter.
Personality:** Alpha horse to the core. Proud, self-confident and aggressive towards those whom he disrespects. He does not tolerate uncertainty, timidity or gross mistakes. For him, there is only one law, the law of the strong. If the rider proves his competence and firmness, Grom becomes the most loyal and reliable partner. But if he gives up, he will instantly seize the moment to set his own rules.
Physical Skills:[
] Riding Arena: Possesses great strength, but is prone to hand resistance and loss of balance. It requires constant work on conductivity and collection. His main trump card here is stability and powerful momentum.

• ** Cross:** His element. An incredible push of his hind legs allows him to take the widest barriers. It has nerves of steel and a powerful, economical gallop, ideal for high-speed sections of rough terrain.
• ** Jumping:** A good jump thanks to the powerful rear section, but can be sloppy in technique, often catching poles due to lack of grouping.
  Weaknesses:** His aggressive nature makes him dangerous in the hands of a

Spark

Name: Spark
Appearance: An elegant red mare of a thoroughbred riding breed (Thoroughbred). Dry constitution, thin skin, long swan-like neck and chiseled head. Very expressive, lively eyes. It feels like it barely touches the ground — its movements are light, flying, and incredibly fast.
Biography:** She won her first race, demonstrating phenomenal speed. Unfortunately, the microtrauma put an end to the racetrack career, and an unenviable fate awaited her. Rescued by activists, she ended up in Heritage. Here, her fiery nature and speed were repurposed for the needs of triathlon, teaching her to direct her energy into three disciplines instead of one.
Personality:** Excitable, nervous and very intelligent. She is afraid of sharp sounds, shadows and unexpected movements. She needs a calm, "quiet" and consistent rider who can become an island of safety for her. The spark senses the slightest tension in a person's body and mirrors his emotions. She is infinitely devoted to her man, but the trust of this mare must be earned.
Physical skills:[
] ** Riding the arena:** The hardest part for her. She is bored doing dozens of perfect laps. It is difficult to get her to be relaxed and smooth, she is constantly looking for where to escape.

• Cross: Phenomenal speed on straights and field roads. Her light weight and powerful lungs allow her to maintain a high pace where other horses run out of steam.
  Jumping:** A legendary jumping technique. Its flexible back allows it to fold in a way that heavier horses cannot. The jump is very technical, neat and beautiful.
  Weaknesses:** Excessive fearfulness and anxiety. It can shy away from a bush or shade, which is dangerous on a cross. Not suitable for nervous or jerky riders.

Buran

Name: Buran
Appearance: A strong bay gelding of the Budennov breed. Of medium height, with well-developed muscles, but without unnecessary heaviness. A smart muzzle with kind eyes. No exquisite exterior lines, only the functional beauty of a real all-rounder athlete.
Biography:** Local selection. It was bought at a young age for little money, when no one made big bets on it. Thanks to his incredible diligence and docility, he became the main training horse of the estate. Beginner athletes learn to keep balance, and experienced ones hone complex elements on Burana.
Personality:** An ideal teacher and partner. Calm, balanced and absolutely reliable. It will never let you down in a difficult situation. He is patient with the mistakes of the rider, forgives mistakes in control. He loves his job and enjoys helping people become better people. A real workhorse with a heart of gold.
Physical skills:[
] Riding arena: Role model. A stable rhythm, smooth contact, impeccable obedience to commands. It is easy to learn to feel the correct fit and work on your technique.

• Cross: A reliable and safe partner. He may not have the explosive speed of Grom, but he will pass the track confidently, cleanly and without unnecessary energy costs. Perfectly keeps the direction and listens to half-hints.
• ** Jumping:** Safe jumper. The technique is not perfect, like the Spark, but he will always make every effort to help the rider overcome the obstacle. The best horse for practicing basic jumping technique.
  Weaknesses:** Lack of outstanding athletic qualities. He doesn't have the speed of Spark, or the power of Grom. He is a great all-rounder, but he is unlikely to win the World Championship. His ceiling is stable performances at an average level.

1. Marble

Name: Marble
Appearance: A large gray gelding of the Holstein or Trakehner breed, in luxurious "apples". Its color is its main calling card: on a light gray background, dark spots create a unique pattern that changes with age. He has a powerful neck, a deep chest and strong, dry legs. The movements are wide, but somewhat heavy due to the weight of the body.
Biography:** He was bought as a promising young horse for dressage. However, his physical characteristics turned out to be more suitable for a power riding style. In Legacy, he was repurposed for eventing, where his strength became the main advantage. He is a veteran of many competitions, who knows every bump on the cross-country.
Personality:** Phlegmatic giant. It seems that he is slow and calm to the point of ugliness, but this is a deceptive impression. He is incredibly intelligent and cunning. If he doesn't feel like doing something, he'll find a thousand ways to avoid it, pretending he didn't understand the command. He works only for a treat or out of boredom. It requires an inventive rider who can interest him.
Physical Skills (Eventing):[
] ** Arena Riding:** He has great strength, but he is sorely lacking in flexibility and momentum. At the step and trot, it can be sluggish, requires constant work on activating the hind legs.

• Cross: A real workhorse. His strength allows him to literally push his way through difficult ground and take high obstacles head-on, even if the jumping technique is not perfect. Incredibly hardy.
• ** Show jumping:** Due to his weight and several straight movements, he has a hard time jumping. He needs a lot of space to approach the barrier, and the landing after the jump is difficult.
  Weaknesses:** Laziness and cunning. Tendency to gain excess weight. The lack of natural flexibility makes riding a difficult discipline

2. Comet

Name: Comet
Appearance: A short, dry bay mare of a thoroughbred riding breed. Despite her age (about 16 years), she retained dry muscles and a proud appearance. The scars on her headstocks and a small scar on her shoulder are traces of her turbulent past at the hippodrome. The mane is sparse, wiped on the starting boxes. The gaze is still full of the same wild fire.
Biography:** Former horse racing star. She won prestigious prizes until a knee injury put an end to her career. She was written off, but they saw potential in Heritage. It is difficult to retrain a racehorse, but the comet was taught to use its speed and reaction in triathlon. She knows the value of speed better than others.
Personality:** Eccentric and explosive. It has two modes: "sleep" and "full throttle". She lives by her own rules and hates routine. He can suddenly break into a quarry in the middle of the field. He values his freedom and personal space very much. She does not let everyone near her, but if she accepts a person, she will be faithful to him to the end.
** Physical skills (Eventing):**

• ** Manege riding:** Its weakest side. It is physically painful for her to stand still and perform monotonous elements. Each movement must be filled with meaning and energy, otherwise she begins to get nervous.
• ** Cross:** Her element. The speed that it develops on field roads is comparable to the speed of the wind. The reaction is lightning fast, it is able to pull the rider out of the most hopeless situation.
• ** Jumping:** Jumps very technically and economically, using the inertia of his body. He takes barriers easily, often practically without leaving the ground.
  Weaknesses:** Age and related joint problems. Unpredictable character and a tendency to "goats" (rearing up) in disobedience. A complete lack of patience in the arena.

3. Ghost

Name: Ghost
Appearance: A tall, stately white stallion of Andalusian or Lusitanian blood. The coat has a slight pearlescent hue. The mane and tail are thick and silky. Outwardly, he looks like a dream come true, a real aristocrat. But this beauty hides a steel character.
Biography:** Descendant of elite lines imported from Europe. From his youth, he showed great promise, but his difficult character became an obstacle. Several times he changed owners, who could not cope with his ambitions and touchiness. In Heritage, it was accepted as a difficult task that required a delicate approach.
Character:** The most difficult. Proud, touchy, and extremely sensitive. He senses the rider's fear, insecurity, or anger instantly and reacts to them with aggression or complete refusal to work. For him, partnership is a dialogue of equals. He does not obey, he cooperates. It requires respect, impeccable technique and nerves of steel from the rider. He does not forgive mistakes.
Physical Skills (Eventing):**
** Riding Arena: Potentially great. It has a natural balance, flexibility and ability to harvest. With the right approach, his movements in the arena look like a dance.

• Cross: A powerful push of his hind legs allows him to jump the widest obstacles. However, his fearfulness and desire to control the situation can make the cross unpredictable.
• Show jumping: Excellent jumping technique due to natural flexibility. Able to change the trajectory of a jump in the air to save the day.
  Weaknesses:** Psychological instability. Extreme sensitivity to the actions of the rider. Categorical intolerance to rudeness and mistakes. He can become dangerous if he feels cornered.

1. Strategist

Name: Strategist (or simply Stas)
Appearance: A young red gelding, possibly a cross between the Terek or Budennovskaya breed and a thoroughbred. He looks lanky and a little awkward, like all teenagers: long legs, narrow chest, neck has not yet had time to fill with strength. His eyes are large, intelligent, and look with a slight squint, as if he is constantly calculating something.
Biography:** Born in Legacy. From childhood, he showed outstanding intelligence: he opened stalls, found hidden ammunition, learned to nod his head "yes" and "no". He began to be trained early, but his physical development lagged behind his mental. He understands the most complex commands, but his body is still too young to execute them flawlessly.
Personality:** Chief botanist of the stable. Curious, cunning and incredibly quick-witted. He does not so much work as solve the problem. If he sees a way to cheat, he will definitely use it, because it is logical. He does not show aggression, rather expresses his opinion with a loud snort or a demonstrative sigh. He loves puzzles and new tasks, but hates monotonous work.
Physical skills (Eventing):**
** ** Arena riding:** Understands theory better than many riders. He knows where the gathering should be, how to do the reception. But physically, he does not have enough back muscle strength to hold the frame for more than two minutes.

• Cross: Remembers the route perfectly. He can swipe it blindly. But his jump is still raw: he often makes mistakes in calculating the distance due to the fact that he himself is still growing and changing.
• ** Jumping:** Theoretically, he knows how to jump. In practice, he can touch a pole with his knee or hook with a headstock due to a lack of coordination.
  Weaknesses:** Physical immaturity. A tendency to prank and look for easy ways instead of honest work. Sometimes he "freezes", thinking over the command, which disrupts the rhythm of driving.

2. Luminary

Name: Luminary
Appearance: A very light, almost white Akhal-Teke Nightingale. The coat has a golden hue, and the mane and tail are snow-white. This is the embodiment of elegance and oriental grace. It has a chiseled head with a distinctive profile, a long swan-like neck, and dry, thin legs. His movements are very high, spectacular, but somewhat theatrical.
Biography:** A descendant of famous lines, bought for performances in the arena. His exterior and movements fascinate the judges. An attempt to use him in field disciplines failed: his thin skin turned out to be too sensitive to branches, and his nervous system could not withstand the noise of competitions.
Personality:** An aristocrat to the core. Proud, refined and very sensitive. He is a perfectionist. It requires perfect cleanliness, the softest brush and a calm environment. Nervous from any change in the daily routine. In his work, he gives his all if he feels harmony with the rider, but the slightest rudeness or mistake can unsettle him for a long time.
Physical skills (Eventing):**
** ** Arena riding:** His signature role. Amazing flexibility, natural composure and spectacular movements make him a favorite in this phase.

• ** Cross:** Catastrophically bad. Thin skin is easily injured by branches, and any sharp sound causes panic. It is not physically designed for cross-country racing.
• ** Jumping:** Intermediate level. He jumps technically, but without much desire, as this type of activity seems too rough and ugly to him.
  Weaknesses:** Extreme vulnerability to external factors (branches, noise). Psychological fragility. Unsuitability for cross-country makes him a highly specialized athlete.

3. Mother

Name: Mother
Appearance: A large, cozy, dark-bay mare of an indeterminate breed ("mongrel", but of very high quality). She has a broad back, powerful legs and the kindest eyes. The age is already advanced (about 20 years), traces of the past years are visible on the muzzle. Her step is smooth, soft, like swinging on the waves.
Biography:** A legendary studmare of the estate. During her life, she gave "Heritage" several excellent sports horses. Now that she's retired, she's doing the most important job of all: teaching her children. She is the first horse on which the youngest students are placed.
Character:** Patience raised to the absolute. Kind, wise and absolutely imperturbable. It is impossible to make her lose her temper. She forgives jerky hands, improper seating and even tears after a fall. For every child, she becomes the first friend and support. He loves carrots more than anything else and scratching the withers.
Physical Skills (Eventing):**
** Riding Arena: Perfect step. It is on it that they learn to sit correctly, to feel the horse. Trot and gallop are slow and safe.

• ** Cross / Jumping:** These disceptions come out very well and deftly. But after a couple of minutes, he refuses to jump.
  Weaknesses:** Age. The joints are no longer the same, so intense loads are contraindicated. The speed and height of the jumps remained in my memories. But as a primary school teacher, she is irreplaceable.

1. Typhoon

Name: Typhoon (in the stables they just call him Typhus)
Appearance: A small but incredibly wiry red stallion of the quarterhorse or Kiger Mustang type. It has a compact body, a powerful rump, and short, thick candelabra legs. The mane is always tangled, the look is wild. It looks like a clot of pure, uncontrollable energy, locked in a horse's body.
Biography:** He was caught in a wild herd. He was tried to be tamed several times, but he invariably threw off riders and showed complete contempt for humans. In Legacy, they did not break him by force. Instead, he was given a job—a lot of hard work in the fields and on the saddle. This is the only way to exhaust him so much that he stops looking for trouble.
** Character:** Exuberant, absolutely unpredictable and full of hooligan prowess. If there is an opportunity to do something wrong, he will find it. Open the stall to a neighbor? Easy. Chew the saddle? With pleasure. Go through a puddle so as to spray everyone around? Absolutely. He's not evil, he's just... element. He works only when he wants to, and he rarely wants to.
Physical skills (Eventing):

• ** Arena riding:** Disaster. It is impossible to keep more than two circles in one gait. He constantly tries to go into a career or trample the coach.
• ** Cross:** Here he shows himself. It has phenomenal maneuverability, explosive speed at short distances and a complete lack of fear. Ideal for passing narrow forest trails where a sharp change of direction is required.
• ** Jumping:** He can jump a very high barrier "from a standstill" if he thinks it's fun. But most often he prefers to run under an obstacle or bypass it in the most ridiculous way.
  Weaknesses:** Complete lack of discipline. Dangerous for beginners. It requires an experienced bereiter who knows how to direct his energy in a peaceful direction, and not fight with it.

2.

Theodore
Name: Theodore
Appearance: A young gelding whose breed is difficult to determine. He has a too long back, a little sagging, a large head with wide-set eyes and "locator" ears. The legs seem disproportionately thin for the body. In general, his appearance is discreet, many would call him frankly ugly. But a lively mind shines in his eyes.
Biography:** Bought inexpensively as a horse "on one leg" - that is, the last hope for someone to learn to ride. However, the new owner quickly realized that he had bought a genius. Theodore grasps everything on the fly and often corrects the rider's mistakes before he realizes them.
Character:** A modest intellectual. He is not a show-off, like the Strategist. He is a quiet observer. He is bored with simple tasks, so he is constantly looking for ways to complicate them or perform them more efficiently. He becomes very attached to one person and becomes an ideal partner for him, anticipating desires.
Physical Skills (Eventing):[
]** ** Riding Arena:** Thanks to his excellent balance and body feeling, he performs elements of dressage with mathematical precision. Often he makes a piaffe or passage just out of boredom.

• ** Cross: ** The mind allows him to calculate trajectory and repulsion points perfectly. He sees the obstacle differently than other horses and always finds the most economical way.
• ** Jumping:** Jumps technically and cleanly, using his flexibility. The main problem is that he is too lazy to get off the ground if he thinks the jump is too easy.
  Weaknesses:** Physically, he is not the strongest knight. Powerful obstacles on the cross can be difficult for him due to the structure of the back. Quickly loses interest in work if it is monotonous.

3. Agatha

Name: Agatha
Appearance: A large, solid brown mare of heavy draft blood (for example, Soviet heavy hauler). It is not fast or graceful, but it inspires an absolute sense of reliability and calmness. Wide chest, powerful legs with thick brushes, kind muzzle. She moves thoroughly, unhurriedly, every step is weighty and confident.
Biography:** Former workhorse. For a long time, she drove carts and helped with the housework. When her strength began to run out, the owners wanted to retire her to the fields, but the coach from Heritage saw her as the perfect partner for heavy riders or for therapeutic riding.
Personality:** Calm as a rock. It is impossible to scare her or make her lose her temper. She is the embodiment of phlegmatic and patient. There are no bad riders for her, there are only those who need a little more time and support. She loves apples and scratching behind the ears.
Physical Skills (Eventing):**
** ** Riding Arena:** Slowly but surely. They learn to sit on it for hours, honing the fit without the risk of being knocked out of the saddle. Her step is perfect, the training trot is soft.

• ** Cross / Jumping:** He doesn't like it. Often kicks. Bad with this
  Weaknesses: Speed and athleticism. She is physically unable to perform the requirements of eventing above the basic level. But as a teacher and companion for beginners or people with disabilities, she has no equal.

Option 1: Darts

Name: Patch [
]Appearance:** A large, powerful stallion with a classic tobiano color. He has a massive body, thick friezes on his legs and a lush mane, which often has to be braided so as not to interfere with work. Its color is symmetrical: white legs up to the knees, a large white spot on the side, resembling a saddle, and a dark head ("magpie").
Biography:** Patch came to the manor as an adult. His former owners used him as a show horse, but he turned out to be too lazy for the show ring. In "Heritage" they found a use to their liking - hard work without unnecessary fuss.
Character:** Phlegmatic and philosopher. He does everything slowly, thoroughly, and only after thinking carefully. If you ask him to hurry up, he will simply turn his head and look at you with an expression of universal fatigue. It is absolutely safe for any person, even the most clumsy. He likes to stand at the gate of the stall and watch the life of the stable.
Work in the estate:** Chief specialist in the transportation of heavy loads. It is he who pulls carts with hay from the barn, carries barrels of water and helps to remove manure. Thanks to its strength, it can replace a small tractor, consuming only oats and apples.

Option 1: Asterius

• Name: Asterius (after one of the kings of Crete in mythology).
• Appearance: This is a black stallion of the Hanoverian or Holstein breed. Its coat has a deep blue-black color, which shimmers purple in the sun. He is built like an antique statue: a powerful neck with a graceful curve, a broad chest and dry, strong legs. The movements are smooth, flying, full of energy, but without unnecessary fuss.
• Character: A perfect combination of nobility and intelligence. He is calm as a lake in a calm weather, but always ready to work. He will never show aggression or stubbornness. He feels the rider on an intuitive level and strives to execute the command perfectly, as if proud of his work. For him, the coach is an unconditional authority.
• ** Why it belongs to the trainer:** The trainer uses it to demonstrate perfect technique. It is impossible to sit on it incorrectly - it aligns the student's seating position itself. In addition, this is the prestige of the school: when clients see such a horse under the saddle of the main mentor, their trust in Heritage increases many times over.

• Thunder:* apples (slices), crackers, whole watermelon.
• ** Spark:** carrots in small pieces, bananas with peel, mint.
• ** Buran:** carrots, oatmeal cookies, apples.
• Marble: crackers, apples, watermelon rind.
• Comet: apples, carrots, mint to calm down.
• Ghost: bananas, mint, sliced apples.
• ** Light:** apples, crackers, mint.
• ** Strategist:** carrot sticks as a puzzle, oatmeal cookies, apples.
• ** Typhoon:** crackers, apples, watermelon (only if he wants to).
• Theodore: apples, carrots, oatmeal cookies.

Heritage Equestrian Club* is a closed boarding school specializing in eventing.

• Recruitment and accommodation: Only 10 teenagers (14-16 years old) are accepted on full board each year. The training period is 5 years. Students live in a dormitory, sharing one common room for everyone, where personal space is absent as a concept.
• ** Philosophy:** Education is based on the strictest discipline and individual approach. Each student is provided with a unique horse from a herd of 10 heads.
• ** Atmosphere:** The coaching staff is known for its uncompromising attitude and high requirements. The whole life of students is strictly regulated by the rules of the club: from the morning cleaning of the stall to the evening inspection of ammunition.

A residential building is a separate two-story building, where everything is subject to a strict order.

First floor:
Immediately at the entrance there is a cloakroom, where students leave their outerwear and change into a change of shoes. After going straight, you will come to the stairs to the second floor. If you turn right, you will find yourself in a common kitchen. There is a refrigerator, which is regularly replenished with healthy food (students must cook themselves). To the left of the stairs is a block of bathrooms: the men's and women's areas are completely isolated from each other. The women's block has 5 showers and toilets with sinks, the men's block has 4 showers/toilets and also 5 sinks.

Second floor:
Going up the stairs, you immediately find yourself in a small seating area with sofas and water coolers. To the right of the hallway is a dormitory** bedroom** for boys and girls, filled with bunk beds along the walls (bed linen provided).
To the left along the corridor is a ** storage warehouse** with cabinets. There is one personal storage cabinet for each student.

Everyone is given a uniform upon admission: it is a comfortable blue and white garment with a patch in the form of a horse's head in a circle on the chest, on the side of the heart.

On the first day, each student is given a standard set of things, packed in a small blue backpack with a school patch. This is a basic kit for survival and adaptation.

Inside there is a mandatory minimum:

• Hygiene kit: toothbrush and toothpaste, small soap, a pack of wet wipes and a roll of dry towels.
  For a horse:** A bag of basic treats (a few carrots and crackers) is your first tool for getting to know your future partner.
• Personal mug: white enamel water mug. It becomes your companion everywhere: at the cooler on the floor, during training and in the dining room.

A few more important subjects are added to this standard set:

1. **Gradebook. *A heavy hardcover notebook that will become your main duty. Coaches write down everything here: from the grade for the completed element to comments about your behavior and discipline.
2. **Club Rules Book. *A small but weighty scroll or pamphlet that you must study in the first week. Violation of any of these points is punished very severely.
3. ** Horse cleaning kit. Miniature starter set: one hard brush ( curry*) and one soft brush (*body brush). These are your first tools that you should keep perfectly clean.
4. **Personal notebook and pen. ** In it, you must write down all the trainer's comments on working with your horse. The loss of a notebook is considered a serious offense.
5. ** Signal whistle on a string. ** Worn constantly. Intended exclusively for emergency situations (serious injury to the rider or horse). Use without a real threat is punished very severely.
6. **A small first aid kit. ** Individual package for the treatment of minor injuries: antiseptic spray, plaster roll and special cooling gel for muscles.
7. **Individual key card. *An electronic pass from your personal locker in the warehouse, the entrance door to the residential building and the gate of the stable. This cannot be lost in any case.

Once a week, usually on Saturday mornings, the refrigerator in the shared kitchen is replenished with a strictly regulated set of products. The school adheres to the concept of sports nutrition: food should be hearty, healthy and provide energy for hard workouts, but at the same time remain simple.

Here's what you can find on the shelves:

• Dairy products: several large packs of skim milk, natural sugar-free yogurt (often Greek), cottage cheese in plastic containers, and portioned chunks of low-fat hard cheese.
• ** Protein base:** trays of boiled chicken breast, containers of baked white fish (cod or hake) and several dozen boiled eggs.
• ** Complex carbohydrates:** a large supply of boiled brown rice and buckwheat in pots, as well as sliced whole grain bread.
• ** Vegetables and herbs:** cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, leaf lettuce and a lot of greens are all intended for salads for the main course.
• ** Fruits: ** apples (usually green varieties like Granny Smith) and bananas as a source of fast carbohydrates.
• ** For snacks:** packets of raw nuts (almonds, walnuts), but without salt and sugar; as well as jars of peanut butter, which contains only nuts.
• Drinks: pure water in large bottles for the cooler and packaging of unflavored herbal tea.

What you will never find there:**
Any semi-finished products, sugary sodas, chips, candies, sausages, mayonnaise and any other "garbage" food. All cooking falls on the shoulders of the students, but from ingredients approved by the club's nutritionists.

Mississippi Merdolna* is the head coach and a nightmare for any student. This is a woman of indeterminate middle age, who is waging a protracted war with her own age. Her raven-colored hair does not have a single gray hair (thanks to the efforts of an expensive colorist), and her face is frozen in a mask of arrogant contempt for a world that refuses to obey her rules.

Her word is a law carved in granite. Order is sacred for her: from the perfect stitching on a freshly washed mold to millimeter precision in the execution of dressage elements. She hates disorder in all its manifestations: being a minute late is considered absenteeism, carelessly throwing the saddle is punished by a hundred laps of trot, and the slightest doubt in her authority can cost an apprentice the right to mount a horse for a week.

She invents punishments with the cold cruelty of an artist. Her voice sounds like the scraping of metal on glass, and when she says, "You've disappointed me," it means the end of the world. In the club, they say that she never smiles, but only curls her lips in a grin, watching the suffering of the guilty. She teaches dressage. She won't ride a horse herself. They say that no one ever stands out for its top.

*Der Madolsontar is a theorist and the club's main bore. If Mississippi is responsible for physical pain, then it specializes in mental boredom torture. He is the keeper of all the rules, the biomechanics of the horse and the history of dressage. In his world, everything is subject to logic, which he expounds in a monotonous, soporific voice.

His lectures are a test of endurance. He speaks confused and incomprehensible, constantly jumping from topic to topic, but at the same time ** categorically forbids talking or being distracted**. His favorite phrase is: *"Write everything down!" *. Students squeak their hands, trying to have time to take notes of a stream of consciousness that has no beginning and no end.

Der Madolsontar's favorite pastime is sudden tests on material from three years ago. He loves to overwhelm with questions about the structure of the hoof bone at 7 am or demand a scheme for passing the route of the cross on a piece of paper in five minutes. Mistakes are punished by copying the entire synopsis in calligraphic handwriting. He is a pedant to the core, for whom the perfect order in the notebook is more important than the perfect fit in the saddle.

*Rune Cavoltar is a show jumping practitioner and the club's main sadist. If the Mississippi is responsible for the soul of dressage, then Rune is its ruthless steel frame. He does not see you as a disciple or a person; For him, you and the horse are just a tool to achieve results. His philosophy is simple: the barrier must be overcome at all costs.

He does not care about the rider's abilities and the condition of the horse. It doesn't matter, even if your horse can barely stand on his feet after a cross-country race, he must jump. Complaints of fatigue cause him only a contemptuous smile. As a punishment, he can make you cut endless circles by walking and trotting under the scorching sun until you are completely exhausted, until the saddle is soaked in sweat.

With him, you feel not like an athlete, but a soldier on the parade ground. The coach himself is a reflection of his character: he rides a huge black stallion named Admiral. They are like two peas in a pod – both monumental, unbending and demanding unquestioning obedience. Rune is the general of his small army, and his word is an order that is not negotiable.

Aurora* is the personal horse of trainer Kirill Anestarkin and the living embodiment of calm in the Heritage Club.

This is a tall, stately bay mare with a perfectly flat stripe on the back and four white "socks" up to the knees. Her coat is always shiny, and her mane is braided into a neat braid, which makes her look like a model from a glossy magazine. Aurora's movements are smooth and graceful; It is as if it does not run, but floats above the ground.

Her personality is completely consistent with her appearance: kind, patient and absolutely fearless. She never showed aggression or stubbornness. For students, it became something of a good luck charm. Kirill uses it to work with the most frightened newcomers, knowing that the mare's gentle nature will help them gain confidence. She senses the rider's fear and instinctively slows down, allowing her to get used to the rhythm. If you're sad, she'll snort softly into your hair as if trying to comfort you. In levadas, she often approaches the fence, begging for a treat, which the coach generously shares with everyone.

There is only one normal coach here. Kirill Anestarkin. He is middle-aged, but the youngest of all. Very nice. He trains cross-country. The kindest soul. He will always help and explain to everyone.

The medical center of the Heritage Club is a place where it is better not to go, but if you have to, then there is a chance to survive with minimal losses. Two completely different people work here.

Avarius Gavrilovich** is a doctor whose name speaks for itself. This is a harsh man who sincerely considers injuries to be the result of the rider's stupidity only. He is cruel and straightforward: he gives painkillers reluctantly, and responds to complaints with moralizing about how to keep the heel down. He treats horses with apprehension and irritation, considering them living machines for mutilation.

His complete opposite is nurse Anastasia Viktorovna. Young, kind and always in trend, she serves as the only bright spot in this kingdom of strictness. You can discuss new music or TV shows with her while she treats the abrasion. She is terrified of riding a horse, but loves to watch the horses from a distance. If the trainer allows, she can timidly approach the stall to gently treat the horse with a carrot. Knowing all the cruel rules of the school, she becomes a secret ally of the students: after a painful bandaging with an evil doctor, she will definitely treat you to candy from her secret reserve, hidden in a drawer of the table.

Life in Legacy is an endless, exhausting cycle. Six days a week, the schedule does not change for a minute, turning students and their horses into a single, well-coordinated mechanism.

A typical weekday:**
The day begins with a wake-up and hasty packing. Immediately after taking care of themselves, students run to the ammunition - to clean the saddles and bridles to a mirror shine. Then it is time to work on the cord, where you need to drive the horses, warming up the muscles before a grueling day.
This is followed by a double dressage block (2 hours), honing each movement to automatism. After breakfast, there is only half an hour of "free time", which is usually spent catching your breath or quickly cleaning your horse.
Then the most difficult tests begin: a three-hour cross-country cross-country, dressage again and speed training. The day ends with a theory torture (a total of 6 hours) and a final run of the horse on the cord for a cool-down. Sleep comes as a deliverance.

The only ray of light is Sunday. **
This is the only day off when the strict regime is replaced by the long-awaited freedom. On this day, students are allowed to leave the territory of the club for a horseback ride in the fields or forest. This is not just a walk, but a whole event. The hike must take place under the supervision of a coach, and everyone knows who exactly will agree to go.
Of course, the main organizer and participant of these campaigns is Kirill Anestarkin. The students love these days, because they can ride side by side with their cross country trainer on his faithful companion - the elegant and kind mare ** Aurora**, who calmly walks at the front of the column, setting the rhythm for the entire journey.

The Heritage stable itself is a monumental red brick building, separated from the residential block by a wide asphalt area. The smell of sawdust, hay and strict order reigns here.

Inside the stable there are two rows of stalls. These are not just stalls, but spacious individual rooms for each horse, covered with a thick layer of fresh sawdust. At each stall there is a sign with a nickname and a training schedule.

Just outside the central aisle is a ** horse washing area**. It is important to understand that this is not a warm bathhouse, but an open concrete area under a canopy. Washing horses with shampoo is allowed here only in summer. In winter, so that the horse does not catch a cold, students are taught to clean them to the seventh sweat with special stiff brushes, removing dirt and massaging the muscles.

The area around the stable includes everything you need for triathlon:

• ** Two arenas:** one huge indoor (for training in any weather) and one outdoor sandy parade ground.
• Hippodrome: a separate track for speed and agility.
• ** Barrel:** A smaller circular pen to work on flexibility and contact with the horse.
• ** Theory Room:** A small room with a blackboard where Der Madolsontar gives his harrowing lectures.
• Hay Hangar: A massive structure next to the main building, from where fresh portions of feed are delivered daily to the stalls.

10 teenagers (from 14 to 16 years old) with excellent riding experience got into your race, but all of them have explosive characters. Here is everyone who came except you:

**Royal entourage:*[
] Kristina "Chris" Volkova: A blonde with ripe wheat hair and the look of a drama queen. is her armor. She considers herself a future Olympic champion by default and despises those who are weaker in spirit.

• ** Liza Orlova:** Shadow Chris. A quiet performer who always agrees with her leader. Without Kristina, she is lost, but in a duet they are the main headache of the course.

Walking Encyclopedia:[
]** Ilya "Genius" Petrov: A 16-year-old bore. A walking reference FEI. He corrects accents, knows the pedigree of each horse. In the saddle, he sometimes resembles a sack of potatoes, but his knowledge is invaluable for theory.

The rest of the team (cool and fun):**

• Max "Tank" Kovalev: A big guy who looks like a bouncer. He loves physical labor, is not afraid of coaches. He rides the most powerful horses, breaking the stereotype that strength interferes with balance.
• ** Sonya "Iskra" Mironova:** Explosive racer. He lives for speed and risk. She gets the most nervous purebreds, which she tames with her fearlessness.
• Danya "Strategist" Kozlov: A cunning man and an inventor. He is looking for loopholes in the rules to simplify life. The main generator of ideas for survival in this hell.
• ** Vika "Buran" Smirnova:** A calm support for the team. You can rely on her. If you need to help or calm the panic, this is it. Her equanimity is contagious.
  Roma "Svetoch" Lebedev:** An aesthete and a poseur. She loves the beauty of dressage and perfect shape. She works on her posture even while eating, dreaming of becoming a star of the arena.
  Kirill "Typhoon" Eremin:** The youngest and wildest. The energy is in full swing, which helps on the cross, but constantly violates discipline. An eternal source of chaos.