J.O.P. Stable: The Twin Saga (Book 1: The Summer Finale)

Chapter 12:

Sky's POV:

As embarrassing as it was apologizing to the other girls for my behaviour, it made me feel good afterwards. The team vibe was starting to appear, all it needed now was a little push, and between Jewels and my plan, I think we could give it that push.

We were currently in the indoor arena attached to the barn. Blaire and Marlo were setting up a few low jumps, a cross-rail, cavaletti and a very, very low vertical. Caitlyn and Payton were with Jewel, tacking up their horses, our horses and Secret. Secret is a 15 year old, 16.1 hand high grey Wurttemberger mare. Secret is the oldest school horse at J.O.P.S and she competed in a Puissance jumping championship with a rider from the Netherlands that saw her jumping video on the internet, and then came to Canada to request to lease her for the competition, but those were slowing down due to her age. Right now, however, she was the perfect horse for our Uncle John to ride. She was clam and patient and listened to ever cue without protest.

" Alright, this look's good, really good " I told Blaire and Marlo as I stepped back to admire their work. " How's the spacing? "

Marlo retracted the tape measure. " Well, based on the measurement of Secrets stride that you told us, we spaced out the jumps accordingly, but I'd still test it before your uncle gets here " she replied.

I smiled at her. " Ya, of course, do one of you want to test or do you want me to? "

" Well, you should have more experience with her, so I think it's a good idea that you test it " Blaire replied, Marlo nodding in agreement.

" Alright then, can one of you hold Onyx then while I do it? "

" I can " Marlo replied.

" You sure, Onyx and Marco are hard enough on their own.... " Blaire began, but Marlo put a hand up.

" Thanks, but no thanks, I can handle it...but if not, I'll pass off to you, deal? " she asked.

Blaire smiled and nodded. " Deal "

Right after she said that, the door to the arena opened and Jewel, Payton and Caitlyn walked in, each leading 2 tacked up horses, with the exception of Jewel, who was leading Shadow, Onyx and Secret.

" Somebody order 7 horses for delivery? " Jewel joked, making us all laugh. I think it was even the first time our team had genuinely laughed together, it was weird, yet oddly satisfying and gave me a warm feeling everywhere.

" How long until Uncle John gets here? " I asked. Jewel has text Uncle John a fake ' emergency ' that Secret had gotten caught on something and bent her shoe. Sure, it probably wasn't the best way to get him here, but if we had told him what we were really up to, he wouldn't have come.

" He text me back saying he was a few minutes away, then I told him we were in the arena, but I didn't specify which arena, so I'd say we've got 20 minutes at the most, unless he comes straight to this arena " Jewel replied as she handed everyone the reins to their horses, giving me Onyx and Secret.

Secret stood calmly beside Onyx while he sniffed her. I handed Onyx to Marlo, watching carefully as she led him away. Now that I was becoming friends with the girls, it seemed that Onyx was behaving better with them as well. Watching him calmly walk away with Marlo, and comparing it with the Dressage lesson when Payton had taken him was a huge difference. It made me proud of my boy.

I adjusted the stirrups on the Marcel Toulouse Platinum Sienna All-Purpose Saddle. The saddle wasn't Secrets schooling saddle, but still fit her and the all purpose saddle would be better and more comfortable for Uncle John to sit in rather than a close contact or jumping saddle. We had to switch out her EcoGold® CoolFit™ Saddle Pad for a Rider's International All-Purpose Pad with Double Piping and we also switched her Dy'on® Figure 8 Bridle for a Suffolk™ for a Fancy Snaffle Bridle that Blaire had brought. All we had to do was switch the bits and we were set.