Given Name:
Riley Jo Smith
Nickname:
Over the years Riley has collected a handful of nicknames. However, most simply call her Riley. Close friends call her Ril and, when angry, her grandmother likes to inflict authority by using "Riley Jo!"
Ril loves both giving and receiving nicknames, and she gives them most frequently.
Gender:
Female
Age:
She, recently, turned eighteen.
Horse:
J.W.
Position:
Boarder
Personality:
Riley is not a hard person to please. Give her a horse and an open field and you have one mighty happy person. She enjoys the simple things in life and doesn't let too much stuff get in under her skin. In high school(from which she recently graduated), Riley was never one to really stick out in a crowd. Everyone she meets usually describes her as a "sweetie;" she's always polite unless given a reason not to be. Ril's more of an observer; the type who thinks before they act.. completely. She tends to over-think things to the point where it can drive her absolutely insane. However, times she doesn't seem to think at all are times she gets herself hurt(like her broken arm, for example). It would be a lie to say she doesn't enjoy those times she can simply be carefree, though. Riley loves to have a good time and joke around; laughter is the best medicine, after all. She doesn't like seeing someone in a bad mood or upset, and tends to try and cheer them up(may it be a corny joke or a funny "magic trick"). She is what most would consider rather dorky. Since she is kind-hearted many people take said kindness for weakness and try "using" her so-to-speak. Don't let her sweet little smile trick you, what she lacks in physical strength she makes up in verbal wit(able to take down many snake-tongues in the past). Tense situations freak her out and she avoids them anyway possible. Due to this, Riley has more of a way with animals than she does people. Drama is indeed a "no no."
Back home, Riley Jo spent most of her time out in the barn and, come to think of it, she does that even now at Shady Oak. When it comes to competition she is a little more serious than usual. No, winning is not everything. She competes because it's what she loves to do. It is her passion. However, she does like doing her best. Since having arrived at Shady Oak Stable Riley's made herself scarce. She knows by far that she is way out of her league and with a broken arm.. She just wants to fly in under the radar for the time being.
History:
Riley is a simple girl with a fairly simple life. At the age of four both her parents were in a fatal car wreck(it's not a real touchy subject for Riley due to the fact that she doesn't really remember them). When that occurred she was sent to live with her grandparents in Tennessee, close to Nashville. She's a small town girl by far. Her grandfather's a preacher and her grandmother a small bakery owner. It's safe to say she's been raised by gentle, yet firm, hands. Though Riley Jo often wondered what her parents were like, it is no mistake that things do happen for a reason.
If it weren't for her grandparents she would have never found her love for horses. She would have never realized her knack for horseback riding. It's her life now. Riley first started riding at the age of seven. She went on trail rides with her grandparents who enjoyed doing so on most Fridays and Saturdays with a large group of friends. Her first "horse" was a small pony that went by the name of Scout. At age ten she declared she was "way too big" for a pony and therefore her grandfather traded dear Scout for a small Arabian horse. At this time Riley found a new independence and was riding practically everyday, forming new trails out in the woods for herself and so on.
At age thirteen Ril had out grown the Arabian, but didn't say a word. She was surprised on her fourteenth birthday when she made her way out to the barn and found a beautiful thoroughbred. It didn't take the thoroughbred, whom she named J.W., long to warm up to her and her to him. They became close buddies fast. For the most part Riley Jo took J.W. on trail rides(which was all she ever done). If they weren't doing that she was goofing off with the dog-like horse, braiding his mane and many other random activities. She eventually got bored, like most teen-aged girls do. She wanted to challenge herself and her horse. So, she started training J.W. in jumping and cross country. Using makeshift obstacles which weren't the safest, the two trained daily, every evening. It wasn't long until Riley started entering in local competitions.
Unknown to Ril, her grandparents noticed how she took to competition and how well both her and J.W. was at it. They both knew she could never amount to her full potential without the proper "equipment." Her grandfather stumbled upon a brochure for Shady Oak Stable not long before Riley's eighteenth birthday and discussed with her grandmother; they found what they were getting her for said birthday.
Saying Riley was surprised is a bit of an understatement. She was overjoyed, thrilled. However, actually seeing the place smacked her into realization. She's not too sure about this anymore. After all, she's a little ole' country girl from Tennessee, not some rich welfare baby.
(Due to the fact that Riley's grandparents do not have the money to pay her boarding fee for her monthly, Riley does various things for Eden to "pay her fee." She's been at Shady Oak for a little over a week now.)

Dating?:
Not once in her life has she done so! (That would be a big NO)
Married?:
"That's a negative, ghost rider!"
Appearance:
Riley stands at 5'5" and weighs anywhere from around 124 pounds to 118 pounds(she hasn't weighed herself in the longest time). She's not big built by any means and is actually quite petite looking. The height she has in made up in long, nicely defined legs. Her shoulders are gently rounded, leading down to arms of fair length. Ril has never really thought of herself as anything pretty, always seeing herself as, well, average. If you asked her grandmother or any of her grandmother's friends, however, they'd call her a "doll baby." Her facial features are rather innocent-looking. Both her chin and nose are softly rounded, her eyes almond-shaped, holding false innocence. Said eyes are a pleasant emerald green color flecked with gold around the pupil. Her jawline is smoothly cut, running beneath a decent set of pale pink lips(however, her lips aren't the fullest, to her disliking). Framing her face is a thick head of brunette colored hair that falls fairly straight(with slight wave) to middle of her back. Most of the time she has it pulled back into a low ponytail or braided off to the side, if she's not in the rush. If her hair's thrown back into a messy bun.. Well, you know she woke up late.
Riley's skin is lightly tanned due to being outside pretty much all the time and grazed with tiny little scars here and there(most along her arms). Said scars were received from being clumsy, falling and such around the barn, however, she always likes telling outrageous stories on how she received them; her most famous story is how she wrestled the two hundred pound mountain lion and survived. As for a wardrobe, Riley Jo isn't extremely picky about what she wears. She's more about comfort than anything: a pair of nice fitting jeans, a comfy tee shirt or a flannel(and you cannot forget her broke-in cowboy boots she's had for a little over a year now). Something along those lines. Of course, for competition she dresses up nice, to her disdain. Along with her clothing Riley is currently "rocking" a dark blue cast on her left arm. She broke it a little over two and a half weeks ago, and she still has two weeks left. The people she's surrounded by makes her feel borderline poverty with their nice clothing and such, but she doesn't let the fact that it "bothers" her show. Ril has more pride than that.




Show Name:
" The Duke"
Barn Name:
J.W. (short for John Wayne which is, surprisingly, Riley's favorite, old actor. What can you do? Old Westerns are her cup of tea.(She sometimes calls him Jay for short as well))
Gender:
Gelding
Breed:
Thoroughbred
Age:
Six
Discipline:
Jumping and Cross Country
Personality:
J.W. is a fairly young horse. His personality mixes with Riley's perfectly; he understands her and she understands him. He's really a big ole' baby, truth be told. He likes all the attention to be on him, especially when Ril is around. He's a free spirit and being so likes testing the limits with certain things, but is easily reined back in(depending on who it is). Eager to learn new things and please his rider, in training J.W. always has a one-track mind. That is maybe the only thing he is "serious" about. He gets along well with most other horses, not being one for conflict. Jay loves meeting new people but it's found that he has a small problem with nipping. He's in no way trying to hurt, he simply lets his goofiness get the best of him sometimes. J.W. likes to win but due to the fact he's spent most of his life as a trail-riding horse he isn't as worried about it as some of the competitors. It's safe to say he has a lot to learn along with his rider.
History:
J.W. was meant to be a race horse from birth. He has always been fast and racing was what he was good at. Born in Kentucky, at the age of two Jay was sent for training. There, believe it or not, two greedy little men stole him(seeing his potential), and made a mad dash for the lovely state of Tennessee. There they got scared of being caught and sold him into auction, and there is where Riley's grandfather came into play. He was at the auction that day looking for Ril a new horse for her birthday when he stumbled across J.W.(whose previous name had been "Lucky"). There wasn't much known about the horse(wonder why, huh?), but her grandfather, Samuel, bought him anyway. He figured the horse would provide his granddaughter with a challenge.
So, at the age of two J.W. entered Ril's life, she was fourteen and ever since the two have been a pair. You hardly ever see them apart, really. They're all each other have now.
Appearance:
J.W. is a solid chestnut color save for the distinct, white blaze. He stands at sixteen(16) hands, baring a wide chest. Beneath his sleek coat when he moves it's easy to spot the bunch and pull of muscle; he's not underweight by any means. He always has a tentative look about him, ears pricked forward and warm, brown eyes alert. It is easy to see this horse was built for speed. Though he's not one for dressage, J.W. is a fine looking horse. He is kept up well with nicely trimmed hooves and a mane and tail that is always brushed out to perfection. He's not short of anything but loved.