HOME | DD

HCL: One Step — Description

sorry guys

HCL Animation Porthos and Ryan
Please check out the AMAZING animation of the actual accident.
I am in awe of 4TheLoveOfAnimation and they have blown my mind with how perfectly they captured everything.

----------

It had just been one moment, one step. But that's all it takes for the whole world to change.

-

Porthos had been doing so well. He had been behaving much better at this event, probably due to all the extra schooling as well as a slight tack adjustment that meant it was easier for him to deal with all the distractions that came with such a large crowd.

The last month since Vienna had seen them staying at Imperials while William had organised a covering to an amazing tb mare with the goal of breeding him a sporting Thoroughbred. It was a bit unorthodox given they were in the middle of the HCL tour season, but Imperials was a long time affiliate of KhanCohban and after William had approached him and Cavan had agreed, it had been decided that they would be best taking advantage of being so close. The stay had also given Ryan a chance to use the amazing facilities at Imperials during their preparation for Buyeo, as well as the chance to watch and learn a bit from the riders and trainers that made that stable a household name. Porthos had been exposed to so many strange and new things during the last month and Ryan was increasingly pleased with how the stallion had adapted to it all and continued to work well.

The flight had been reasonably simple. Greyjoy had joined them in Austria and there was another tour rider based at Imperials other than Will, who would not be competing this leg. Sommer was an amazing rider that Ryan had met during his stay and had also admired from a distance during his career, and he was bringing a talented young mare for Buyeo. However, Porthos was very clear about his interest in both Breezer and Greyjoy and took a long time to settle. The small Air-Freight stalls did not allow much distance between the horses, which meant that his shifting about and constant noise and attempts to interact got on the roan mares nerves. However, despite it all they eventually relaxed and both horses had come off the plane trip in good shape and had accepted the temporary stables that had been set up for the competitors.

Ryan had worked both his horses in the lead up to the event to help acclimatize them to the weather and location and so far the trip had gone much smoother than anticipated. Both horses had adapted well to the new water and climate. Once the horses were happy, Ryan started to really enjoy his first visit to Korea as well. The food was amazing and he had even taken the time to see some sights around the village with some of the other competitors. The historical park and museums were astounding and he was fascinated by the amazing clothes and culture that he had so little knowledge of. But he had not come here for himself and before he knew it the event was getting started and the small and open classes were gearing up which meant getting his first ride of the event completed.

The experience had been a great way to get himself prepared for the atmosphere and type of crowd he would face in Buyeo. It was clear that each location was a little different and the Korean location was thrilling but somehow without the pressure he had felt in Vienna. Maybe it was due to it being his second competition for the team, but he felt lighter and more controlled this time around. Greyjoy as always was sharp and focused. She was a definite horse as always and needed a specific riding style, but Ryan knew her well and she put on an excellent showing of her talent and style in the Baekje Trophy class. The smooth ride left Ryan feeling excited and feeling positive about the big class the next day.

The warm up had gone really well, for Porthos at least. Only a few bucks and a couple of rears at the start while he was fresh and then he had settled into the powerhouse jumping machine style that he was capable of when at his best. He was bold, he was paying attention even if he did have some moments he decided to push his boundaries, and he was not touching any rails on the warm up jumps. No matter how much better he was today, he was still himself though and so all of this was done with swishing tails, ugly faces at the other horses and the occasional noisy moments when he decided to make his presence known. Luck was with them and they had even drawn an early slot on the schedule so they wouldn't have to wait as long before their ride. That had not helped last time and so everything had seemed like it was setting them up for the perfect chance at a good ride.

But life does not work that way. Preparation can only do so much and then it is all about adapting to what happens. The Universe is chaotic. Anything can and does happen.

They were just over halfway through the course when everything went suddenly wrong. Porthos had been on fire. He was the right side of hot and sharp as a whip. It felt like they were blitzing the times as they used their speed and Porthos' bravery and scope to cut corners and push the trickier angles with the hope that they would lay down a clean round that was fast enough to make it hard for the later riders. Ryan would second guess those choices for days, weeks, months afterwards.

They had just made it over the Fanned Oxer. Porthos had landed with a swish of the tail and was striding forward easily with his usual determined mixture of angry joy. Ryan was riding Porthos with a firm leg and encouraging voice given the incident with the fountain in Buyeo. He didn't want to risk the stallion ducking to the side again and throwing off the strides, and also was aware that although he had been fine during training, it was another water obstacle. Porthos however seemed unfazed right up until he stumbled at the take off.

It was a sickening lurch in the stallions step. Even on the replays Ryan couldn't see what had made him trip or misstep. Ryan was jolted and while he automatically tried to rebalance, he realised that Porthos was going to try to jump anyway. He was not the kind of horse that refused. He hated touching the rails. He would wobble and even run to the side if he thought he could get away with it early on in the setup, but once you locked him on to an obstacle he would never waver. It was what made him so talented at the tricky courses and tight turns. He would jump if you could get him there. Unfortunately that determination and bravery meant that he and Ryan were both off balance when he made an astounding leap to try and clear the Liverpool.

There was no way they could have made it cleanly.

Porthos grunted as he pushed off. He did not manage to tuck his legs up neatly as normal and his knees knocked the top rail with a loud rap. Ryan felt the world tip as the horse twisted underneath him and then vanished as he was thrown forward. The horrifying cracking and squeal that ricocheted around the stadium was muffled by his own impact into the ground, and he lay dazed and confused for a moment after he rolled to a stop.

His heart thundered and his ears roared for a moment as he gasped for breath. As the air returned to his lungs, so did the sounds. Porthos was squealing and kicking. He could hear the announcers over the horrifying silence of the crowd. People were rushing over as he pulled himself upright and ran over to where his horse was thrashing on the ground. He dropped down beside the stallion and held his neck, soothing him as much as possible before yelling at the vet to 'hurry the fuck up'. Other hands helped still the frantic horse as he thrashed around near the broken rail.

Ryan hoped that the rail had been the source of the cracking noise, but the fact that Porthos was so panicked and also had not gotten to his feet right away was not a good sign. Looking him over quickly there was no immediate issue with the legs, they looked straight and clean as ever to his eye. But Porthos' eye was wild and he had stopped moving and lay shivering and gasping on the ground as his eye rolled and looked at all the people gathering around him and clearing the immediate area. Ryan felt his voice fail then as he looked down at the proud stallion laying helpless and terrified on the grass. This horse was a force of nature. He was powerful and even when well behaved there was something untamed about him. Seeing him like this was wrong in so many ways, and it was then that he felt the dread curl through his gut and fester as the vet made his initial assessment.

Faint hope kindled as the vet cleared the lower legs, and it did not immediately look like a spinal injury given the stallions tail and back legs would easily thrash around when people tried to touch him. However he could not stand. When they stepped back and tried to urge him to his feet, and then roll him to his stomach, the bay stallion screamed and fell back to a twitching and panicked slump. The vet then looked at Ryan with dark sad eyes and gently tried to feel under the stallions neck to check the left shoulder. Ryan's heart broke when Porthos squealed in pain and flinched from the touch, setting off another round of panicked thrashing before he finally stilled under Ryan's hands again.

He stroked the sweat soaked and foam flecked neck as the vet in slow but clear English said it was a broken shoulder. Felt like a complex break and while they could try to get him to his feet or roll him over to confirm, he should call the owners now. Ryan took the offered phone with numb hands and punched in Neaghe's number as if by muscle memory. His unseeing eyes stared blankly at the green screens that were going up around them as he heard the woman's voice shrill and panicked in his ear. She was watching the livestream. He barely understood the questions she was firing at him but managed to choke out a version of what the vet had said. The cold silence at the end of the line felt like an eternity of judgement before she said in a harsh voice, "We will pay whatever is needed but do what is right for the horse." A fresh squeal left his chest feeling like it was a vice as the Vet walked over and shook his head.

It all happened so fast then. People moved around him like a roaring stream as he knelt by the stallions head and stroked his ears, spoke to him to try and keep him calm, and then held him as the fear and pain finally faded from his eyes. Ryan was unaware of the tears streaking through the dirt on his cheeks as the vet and staff pulled him away from the prone form as they removed the tack and managed to shift everything into the trailer that had been brought around. Somewhere he could hear music as the commentators and hosts tried to distract the crowd with interviews from what was unfolding just out of sight. They wouldn't know. His horse was hidden in the trailer and all that remained of it all once the screens were packed away was the disturbed grass and the pieces of broken rail that were being carried out as a fresh one was neatly placed back in the cups of the jump.

It was all so normal.

Someone led him out of the arena. He saw the crowds faces and cameras but he couldn't seem to understand what was being asked of him and so he just walked where the staff member led him. He sat where he was placed and he drank something and tried to eat something that tasted and felt like chalk. He had been staring at his hands, at the bridle he still clutched so hard that his knuckles were white when a familiar voice broke him out of his trance.

He looked up. The light was different, somehow it was the late afternoon now and he was in the medical tent, but Cavan was standing in front of him. His friends face was creased and ashen as they stood looking at each other.

"Porthos is gone." He gasped slightly as a sob tore through him. "Cavan, he's gone."

The bridle clattered to the floor from numb hands as Ryan crumpled. Cavan was there in a flash, wrapping his big arms around him and hugging him tight as the tears began to flow. Aching sobs ripped through him and Ryan wrapped his arms around the other man and held on as if that grip would hold his heart together as he finally let it sink in.

He wasn't sure how long they stood there like that. Cavan didn't waver from the bruising hug until Ryan's tears slowed and his grip loosened. The bearded red head pulled back slightly, keeping his arm around his best friend. Ryan looked exhausted. The doctors had said he was in shock and had been minimally responsive for most of the afternoon. He was drinking and eating on request but they were concerned at how shut down he had been. Seeing his friend in this state was horrifying and he was so glad he had been able to drop everything and leave as soon as Neaghe called and told him to fly to Korea. It was lucky he wasn't already in the USA preparing for his next event or he would have taken another day to arrive, but he had made it in 6 hours which already felt like 6 hours too long. If only he had been able to schedule a few days of break entirely to be here to support Ryan, but it hadn't worked out. He was here now though, and his priority was making sure that Ryan was looked after until he had recovered from the shock of the accident.

The medical staff wanted to transfer him to the local hospital, or at least keep him overnight to make sure there wasn't a concussion, but everything had tested clear and Ryan was exhausted but refusing to stay. The day was drawing to a close and Ryan wanted to check on Greyjoy before he would allow Cavan to take him back to the hotel. They had to sign him out against medical advice with Cavan promising to watch him and make him go immediately to the hospital if there was any worrying signs, but Cavan collected all Ryan's gear and tried to subtly guide and protect his friend as they made it out of the of the medical tent and through the smattering of reporters that lay in wait. Cavan handled it all. As an owner of the horse he was able to make a quick but firm statement asking for privacy but confirming that Ryan was ok, and then they were in the car and heading towards the stables. It was only a few minutes away and Ryan was still unresponsive for the most part. He looked like a small breeze would knock him over and Cavan hovered nervously around him as they made their way into the stable block.

The riders and grooms in the area went quiet as they walked past. A few murmured condolences and others averted their eyes when they saw Ryan's haunted expression. It was not easy to loose a horse, let alone in an accident as sudden and traumatic as this. In a way it had happened to everyone as the thought that it could have been any of them weighed down the excitement and celebrations of those who had won. Cavan saw the familiar faces of the Imperials riders and support team as well as Ryan's team mates as they approached the right stalls. Greyjoy stuck her head over the door and called out to the familiar humans and Ryan moved away from Cavan, slipping into the stall and burying his face in the inky black mane.

Cavan watched for a moment before turning and greeting William and his family. It touched him when they expressed their sympathy and sorrow at what had happened. The rumors had flown fast through the competitors and Cavan confirmed the worst. Old pains of losing his favourite stallion years ago awoke again as they all dealt with the news. They all offered whatever support was needed and Cavan thanked them from the bottom of his heart, assuring them that he would let them know if there was anything that could be done. However he thought the best thing for Ryan would be rest as he had also been through a fall and his body could only take so much. With care he moved away, wishing them all the best at the event as he moved to check on Ryan. But he was no longer in Greyjoys stall.

Panicked for a moment he looked around, taking in the averted gazes and huddled whispers around them but seeing no sign of his best friend. Then he saw one of the Kingfisher grooms that he recognized for some reason, Kaira he thought her name was, nod towards the empty stall beside Greyjoys. His heart tightened as he realized. It was Porthos' stall. Walking over he saw Ryan huddled and braced against the wall, head in hands and soft sobs shaking his shoulders. Cavan walked in and squatted in front of him, reaching out and in a gentle voice said, "Come on mate. You need to sleep. We can come back and sort everything out tomorrow." Ryan looked up at him and nodded. Wiping his face quickly he accepted the offered hand and allowed Cavan to pull him to his feet and wrap an arm around him.

The brief words from his team mates washed over him, but he managed to nod in thanks before Cavan led him back out and tucked him into the car again. The ride was a blur and he felt himself drift off a few times before he was gently shaken awake. They were at the hotel. Cavan made him shower, the warmth easing the dirt and grass out of his hair and skin before the big man gently urged him out and gave him a glass of water and tucked him into the warm bed. Then darkness consumed him too and he slept.

----------

I tried something much more stylised and emotive this time rather than trying to include the exact setting or details. For me this image was all about the story and less about the event so my focus on the characters, and in particular the loss and darkness that is eating at Ryan, was the priority.

Commentary/TLDR:
They are much more controlled this round. Porthos is still sharp, fast, bold and full of attitude, but they are working together this time. There is an excited rear as they enter the arena again, and a slight buck as they canter around before starting but once they begin the round it is all focus. They push fast and cut corners, relying on Porthos' skill and scope to clear jumps. They want to lay down a competitive time and live up to the result in Vienna. Ryan's riding is much more finessed this time and he is able to display his expirience and skills more. He wants to feel proud of his ride rather than horrified about the style.

Just over halfway through the course Porthos trips jsut before takeoff over the liverpool. He jumps anyway and clips the rail and rotates as he falls, landing on his shoulder and neck. Ryan is thrown clear but Porthos is unable to stand. Course clerks and the vet is called into the arena and green screens are erected as they try to evaluate the damage and get the horse to his feet but a truck is driven in and Porthos is PTS on site given the severe damage to the shoulder and his personality meaning he would not be suitable for attempting surgery and recovery. Ryan walks out of the arena, ok but in shock.

- DISQUALIFIED -
DNF

Rider: Ryan Jacobs
Rider's age: 31 years old
Horse: KhC Porthos DECEASED
Horse's details: 8yo OTTB Stallion

Show: HCL BUYEO
Team: Kingfisher Korps
Individual Rider

No refs used for characters/poses. 1.3 Entrance to palace loosley (by eye) used for Palace in bg.