Jumping through Fall

My goodness, has fall been flying by! Here in the Mitten, we're soaking in a few last days of partial sunshine and relative warmth before the pattern changes, as we know it will.

a Pandoria-esque sunset from last week

Thanksgiving is so late this year (11/27) that the humans put up the tree already this weekend.

Mom finally made use of an old gift card and treated herself to a couple of new ornaments this year.

We approve!

No signs of Christmas yet on Star Stable, but we've been enjoying ourselves anyway. As you may recall, we were curious about how the Gotland Pony and Welsh Pony compare size-wise. So, here they are:

Our assessment: they're very similar in height and build, but the Gotland's limbs are more dainty.

Raven has completed her training now. It took noticeably longer with her than it did with Kitekey, due to the lack of the bonus horsey experience rewards that come with special events. We did not mind. She spent the second half of said training in her non-magical cremello form, which we also love. 

They happened to visit the orchard while wearing the new apple-themed saddle pad. So, naturally, they paused for a screenshot. =)

Here are Raven and Clara sporting the second set of tack and clothing that Clara painstakingly hand-crafted in Valedale. Loving the tack, especially on Raven. Not so in love with the outfit, but it does all match nicely. (This set also includes brush boots, which Raven could not model, obviously.)

Raven's final sparkle occurred in a rather mundane place, our wash stall, and she was back in her magical form at that point:

That means Seaglass is getting Clara's undivided riding attention now. 

We've all decided we especially enjoy riding her in races with lots of small spaces and/or tight turns, like Uncle Bob's race on Paddock Island. 

She can hold her own on the new show jumping courses - based on some real-life courses - at Jorvik Stables too. 

We found it quite entertaining riding first our coldblood Raven and then little Glassy around these fancy courses with enormous jumps... while most other players were there with their warmbloods. =)

We did see one other Welshie jumping to its heart's content out there earlier this week, though.

These two, H&M All In and H&M Indiana, who are based on real-life Swedish top level jumpers, are now available for purchase near the Jorvik Stables arena. They're both great, but as we still haven't gotten over the Belgian Warmblood's air chomping idle animation, we're not especially tempted.

More exciting to us is the new breed that made its debut on Star Stable the week before, the Black Forest Horse. They come in various shades of flaxen chestnut, and they even have a (more expensive) mane/tail style with little evergreen sprigs tucked in. A+, Star Stable! <3

Other players seem to think so too. We've seen quite a few of them being ridden around in general and in recent championships. 

They are similar in stature to the Jorvik Wild Horse, but unlike the JWH and most of the other drafties on the game, they have no feathering on their legs, allowing them to wear boots and leg wraps.

Ha ha, Raven fits right in.

Now, on to some fun screenshots from our other recent adventures! 

First up: Clara assisted a family that Mr. Kembell had scammed big time, selling them a "house" that was actually nothing but some ruins out in Valedale forest. Clara worked with the family and the councilman of Firgrove to catch Mr. Kimball storing hazardous waste illegally on his Firgrove property.

While the kid distracted everybody, Clara snuck under the broken fence...

snuck past the rather oblivious Dobermans...

...and located the hazardous waste.

Mr. Kembell pulled a fast one and had moved it by the time Clara returned with backup, but Clara snuck back in and found its new hiding spot as well.

The councilman was able to evict Kembell and gave the cottage to the family. Yay for a happy ending, and for finally being able to get through that barbed wire fence!

The other extensive quest we finally saw through to the end: that one with the shadow seekers on the loose in the mountain pass near Goldenhills.

Unconventional, but if it works, we won't argue!

Fortunately, we learned our lesson well the first time and didn't waste any time getting caught by the shadow seekers or falling off cliffs this time. 

The trap worked like a charm! Clara took the whole shebang to Avalon in Valedale for advice on what to do with it.

He made a friendliness powder from some friendly ferns (procured by Clara, naturally), had Clara suck up the powder, and voila, the shadow seeker was now good!

Clara rode Raven back to mountain pass, then proceeded on foot one last time to trap and turn the remaining shadow seekers. She released them by the rift.

They closed it and returned to Pandoria as they did so...

...leaving Clara alone in a much less pink mountain pass.

We didn't think to try riding Raven into the pass to see if she'll go in there now. Next time!

On a much more relaxing note, Clara's been visiting in the Forgotten Fields from time to time to build experience with the Dew family. She's been on a few picnics with and Maya and Alex, cycling through the other optional guests.

Agreed, Linda! <3 I feel like we'd get along great in real life.

Picnicking on the beach under the stars... enjoy, Clara!