Silver Hawk Ridge: Winds of Change

{ Chapter 10 }

Noon was approaching very quickly. Kennedy and I were in the stable block flying around in an attempt to get the horses ready. Our coats were hanging up in garment bags, pressed to perfection. It was only when we looked at the boards this morning that we noticed our team had been split up. Because we were competing at level III and beyond for dressage, Kennedy, Emily, and I were all in the advanced division. Izzy, Sam, and Callum were competing in the intermediate division. Now we knew that the pressure was on to bring home both division titles. Safe to say we all had an aneurysm at THAT team meeting this morning.

   "Apollo darling I love you, but you have an unfortunate knack for getting your socks dirty" I heard Kennedy groan. She'd seen his socks when she walked in and nearly had a heart attack. Immediately we both had set to work and scrubbed with purple shampoo till they glowed in the Texas sunlight. He was currently wearing his warmup wraps to keep them this way.

   "And I bet you he's thinking about how he can do it again after this" I teased from my own grooming. Rega wasn't always much better about it (as seen by the plaits fiasco from the show that started this whole journey). Now that she'd been show-sheened to perfection, I was tacking her up with painstaking care. Thankfully it was my warm up suit taking a majority of the hair, otherwise I would be screwed. I gently set her grip pad into place and laid the square white pad on top. This one didn't originally have the school logo on it. They give us a lot, but the jumper pads were the only ones provided by the school. We were allowed to get logos if we wanted from out of pocket, which meant everyone campaigning on the varsity and national team invested in it. On went the sheep skin half pad and my black dressage saddle followed. Once her clean snaffle bridle was on, she was ready to go.

"Hey Kennedy, can you hold her for a second while I get my coat on?" She came over and spoke to Rega in a low, soothing tone while I pulled my jacket and stock tie on. The perks of the national team coats was using them for all events except for cross country since only the collar was a different color from black. Pinning my tie was a bit of a rough task, but it was done to perfection.

"Thanks Kennedy." I held Apollo while she changed. If it weren't for the horses, we would look identical on our horses (that and our different numbers). We hauled our butts into the warmup ring and were met by the Bailey duo.

"Morning ladies. We have you two, and then we may need your help for the others in the afternoon. Cool?" We nodded in assent. "Alright, Kennedy go with Victoria, Savannah you're with me". Thankfully the small number of early birds in the ring with us were obeying the left to left rule, so it would be smooth going. Mr. Bailey handed me an ear piece and I walked in. Immediately he set me to work on every last detail. Every single collection and extension was perfected down to the hand gesture.

   "Soften your hands up there. I've seen the judging panel here, they're real sticklers about it." I groaned internally. I didn't mind reaching for the best, but I also hated getting scored too harshly. Once we were supple and on the same wavelength with communication, coach called it. Just in time too. A steward came to fetch Kennedy and I.

   "Alright, rider 50 on deck, and rider 51 take the wings." We took the ear pieces out and gave them back to the coaches. We followed the steward to where the entrance was. Coach Flint was standing by the gate entrance.

"Alright ladies, you feel ready?" She asked. I could tell she was as nervous as the rest of us, but she was all business. She had a green blazer on over her white training polo and grey subtle-checked breeches. Her black leather belt and paddock boots had been polished to perfection. Her brown polarized aviators hid her eyes, but her brows were knit.

"Ready as it gets at this level" Kennedy said carefully. We both watched the competitor in ring currently. She was good, there was no doubt about it. Her warmblood did every bit of the assigned test precisely, almost down to the hoof prints.