Sky's POV:

I yawned as I led Onyx towards the outdoor arena. Yesterdays lessons had been tough on all of us and I was sore all over, but it was worth it because I finally felt like Onyx and I were ready to take on the best Stables from every province in Canada. The teams from further away provinces that required a plane to get here, which was basically all of them, would be arriving today and either keep their horses in the luxury live in trailers that J.O.P.S provided or put their horses in stalls while the riders, trainers and parents stayed at a hotel downtown. The hotel always helped sponsor the Finale because it brought in a lot of business for them.

A light breeze made me shiver underneath my specially made J.O.P.S team jacket. Mom and dad had surprised all of us yesterday by giving us custom made jackets and sweatpants to put on over our show clothes tomorrow. Not only would it keep our clothes underneath clean, but it also allowed us to represent our team. The J.O.P.S logo-a horse show jumping, doing dressage and cross country all tying together with each letter to spell J.O.P.S inside each horse, was on the side of the sweatpants. The Jacket was in J.O.P.S colours, navy blue and red and had the logo on the back and each of our nick-names and our horses show names on our own jackets on the front. Mine was Sailing Skylar and Thrower Onyx. Onyx had gotten that show name from his habit of throwing any rider that wasn't me, but with his good behaviour lately, I may have to change that.

Jewel was waiting with Shadow by the fence, turning and smiling when she saw me. The names on her jacket was Jumping Jewel and Shadow of the Night. Her and I were going to be the judges at C, the back of the arena. It was important that Payton impress us the most because that's where the head judge was going to be seated at the Finale. Every team competing was informed of everything we were, from where the judges were to the order of the jump off course for Show-Jumping, so it wouldn't feel as if our team had an advantage because we lived and trained here.

She covered a yawn with her hand. " Morning " she mumbled. Shadow was standing sleepily under her, one hoof cocked up.

I mimicked her yawn. " Morning " I replied as I halted Onyx and mounted. he was way too tired to try anything today, but by tomorrow, I knew he would be back to his old self.

Blaire and Marlo walked over to us on Flicka and Marco, both horses and riders looking tired. Marlo looked stiff in the saddle and I remember her telling me her thigh had bruised from her fall yesterday.

Blaire halted Flicka and the names on her jacket gleamed. Beyond Blaire and Flying Flicka. Marlo had the mighty team. Mighty Marlo and Mighty Marco were what she had decided to put on her jacket.

" Could I be anymore sore? " Blaire whined as she stretched in the saddle. Flick snorted underneath her and shook her head.

" Tell me about it, maybe we should just forget flatwork and just start getting the horses and things ready instead " Marlo replied, rubbing her bruised thigh.

Jewel smiled. " I wish, but I don't want the horses to get stiff, we could some lazy flatwork just to make sure their muscles don't cramp up and they're good for tomorrow " she replied, patting Shadows neck. " I don't want to not work him after a day like yesterday and then jump him tomorrow and have him hurt himself "

" Good point " Marlo replied, leaning back in the saddle. " I guess I'm still thinking I'm back home at the track. We worked and didn't work the horses all the time " she replied. " But we did put them in the hot walker on off days so I see your point "

We talked for a few more minutes before Caitlyn and Payton walked over to us. Caitlin had Carefree Caitlyn and Jumping Jackson on her jacket and Payton had Perfect Payton and All That Jazz on hers.

Payton looked a bit stiff in the saddle, but unlike the other horses, Jazz looked ready to go. She had an extra spring in her step and her neck was arched. She must have figured out she was going to do Dressage.

" Nervous much? " I asked.

Payton shrugged. " Sorta, but once I'm in the arena, I think I'll be fine "

" More than Fine, now go, I'll take the spot at E, Blaire's got A, Marlo has B and Jewel and Sky are at C " Caitlyn told her, moving Jackson at a trot over to her spot.

As Payton warmed up outside the arena, the rest of us took our spots. the arena had speakers set up on the outside and inside so Payton and the rest of us could hear her music, all Jewel had to do was press play on her phone, which was wirelessly hooked to the speakers. Tomorrow, a stable hand would be taking care of the music.

Payton walked, trotted and cantered Jazz around the arena, working on her stretching and bending to make sure she was ready. She would be warming up in a different arena from the rest of us tomorrow before going to her class. The warm up arenas were separated by levels for each event.

Payton entered the arena with a Passage then halted Jazz at X and saluted. Jewel pulled out her phone and pressed the play button. The song Payton had chosen, a remix of the soundtrack from the movie how to train your dragon, started playing. For the bonus Freestyle event, the riders had to chose a freestyle created by a professional Dressage rider like Charlotte Dujardan, Carl Hester, Edward gal, etc and do their freestyle. I remembered Payton saying how she was the first to call J.O.P.S to reserve Charlotte Dujardins freestyle from London Olympia so nobody else could get it.

Payton moved Jazz to C at a trot, tracking right and crossing over the diagonal M-X-K. She sat effortlessly as Jazz extended her stride to cover more ground. Her hands did bounce around a lot when she started extended, but then they settled, so I made a mental note to remind her after. Once they reached K they rounded the corner at a trot. They reached F and moved into a beautiful trot half pass from F to E. Jazz didn't exactly reach the marker, instead finishing the half pass just behind it, but it was still beautiful to watch. Payton moved her legs and hands, transitioning Jazz to a Passage half pass. There was no way Onyx would ever be able to do something like that, at least, not willingly. I half wanted to cover my eyes, afraid Jazz might trip over her own legs, but the mare was calm and balanced. They moved diagonally until they were in-between F and A, so in a grand prix arena, that would be D. Jazz moved fluidly into a Piaffe and started turning. A Piaffe Pirouette looked to me as one of the most challenging Dressage movements. Trying to keep the Piaffe lively while also turning the horse in a circle would confuse the heck out of me, but Payton looked like a pro, which she technically was, being the Canadian Junior National Champ and all. After they completed a half Piaffe Pirouette they moved back into a Passage Half Pass, moving from D to R before returning to a regular trot half pass. Once they reached K Payton slowed Jazz back into a Passage, rounding at A and moving down centre line. They started another Piaffe at D. Jazz's Piaffe looked fun to sit to, it was bouncy and lively, but not sloppy, and she stayed as still as possible. Payton guided her at a Passage around, passing V and doing another Piaffe at X before moving in a Passage to R. Payton sat back and brought Jazz to a medium walk. They turned across the arena to H before Jazz's medium walk became a free walk. They moved across the diagonal, Payton loosening the reins so Jazz could stretch her neck down. The mare blew out a breath and stretched her neck down. Payton encouraged her to stretch but also kept her at a good paced walk, major bonus points.

Once they reached P, Payton had already shortened her reins and sat deep in the saddle as Jazz transitioned into a collected canter and moved to A. They turned a bit sharply and moved into an extended canter down centre line. Payton rocked smoothy to the bigger stride, encouraging Jazz with her hands and seat. They slowed when they got to G and Jazz turned in a beautiful canter pirouette. Once they did that twice, they moved to M at a collected canter. They had not once gotten ahead or behind the music, they were totally on time. Sweat had made the liver chestnut mares coat even darker, but she wasn't showing signs of slowing due to being tired, if anything she looked more energetic. They turned the corner to M and started preforming one time flying changes.

I saw Jewel out of the corner of my eye. She was mimicking how Payton moved her legs to cue Jazz to switch leads. She always complained that Shadow had trouble with his lead changes, but I always told her she was lucky he even did them. Onyx put up a fuss. He got frustrated when we had to do them more constantly, rather than just in the centre of the arena. Even Steven sometimes had trouble getting him to do them, but Onyx was still young, so I understood his frustration. It was frustrating for me to.

Payton didn't completely go on a diagonal, instead she moved from a diagonal in the flying changes to the centre line to A, tracking left and slowing to a collected canter. once at F, they moved across the arena in a series of canter half passes F-V, V-R and R-H. Then from H-A at an extended canter and back down to a canter pirouette at A. After two full pirouettes, Jazz got a quick pat from Payton as they moved in a collected canter to F, moving across the diagonal and onto centre line to C in two time flying changes this time. They tracked left to H at a collected canter. Payton slowed Jazz to a collected trot to S and then across the arena in an extended trot to L. At L Payton slowed Jazz and she transitioned into another Piaffe pirouette, turning left on the spot and then right back around.

Finally they moved down centre line and Payton halted Jazz at X. Jazz stood perfectly square and still as Payton saluted. When she let Jazz walk, she leaned down and hugged the mares neck, giving her big pats.

I started clapping right away, not being able to form words of how amazing her ride was. The other girls clapped to, and our tired horses raised their heads. Onyx whinnied and the other horses copied him. It was as if they were cheering for Jazz.

Jewel and I rode into the arena first and trotted straight up to her.

" So? " Payton said, catching her breath. " How was that? "

I pretended to pick up my phone. " Oh whats that? You'd like to give Payton her bonus points already? " I teased.

Payton laughed, her face going red. " Was it really that good? "

Jewel copied me, picking up her own phone. " What? And give her the award for best Dressage rider ever? I'm sure she'd love that! "

We all giggled as Blaire, Marlo and Caitlyn rode over to us.

" That was the best Dressage I've ever seen! " Blaire told her.

" It was awesome! I didn't seen any mistakes! " Marlo said.

" I think you could give Charlotte Dujardin a run for her money! " Caitlyn added.

Payton got more red with every compliment we doled out. " Girls please, I'm sure there had to be some mistakes "

Jewel leaned over and gave her a one armed hug. " The two mistakes can be discussed later, right now, we have to catch up to how you just worked out yourself and Jazz " she replied before moving Shadow forward. " Care to coach us this time, Dressage Superstar? "

Payton smiled and kicked her feet out of the stirrups. " Love to, get ready for the show prep workout of your lives " She replied as she gave us an evil grin, trying to not laugh.

I tried to pretend to be serious, but bursted out laughing along with the others.

" Alright Dressage Queen " I said, bowing in the saddle, pretended to lift an imaginary dress, making us all laugh again.

" Let's get ready! "

...................................................................................

" Onyx! Hold still! " I scolded as my arms were practically ripped out of their sockets when Onyx raised his dapple grey head. I had been trying to braid his forelock, but after almost and hour of standing and doing nothing but get his mane pulled and tugged, he was on his last straw. After we had finished our workout, we gave the horses a quick rinse with cool water before setting them up for braiding. We'd all agreed to follow Caitlyn's show ritual and braid on our own to avoid distractions, then come together by Onyx and Shadow's stall to see how each of us did before moving on to finish grooming and put the horses away. My fingers were cramping up, but it was worth it to see the finished product an hour later. My braiding skills, improved with age and experience, showed by the way Onyx's braids were neat and tight, not a single lock of mane was out of place.

I grabbed the side of his halter and forced his head down for the hundredth time. He laid his ears flat and blew out a breath in my face. I ignored his behaviour and finished the set of big button braids.

Onyx snorted in relief when I finally stepped away from him and lowered his head as low as the crossties would let him. Onyx had been clipped hunter style a few weeks back, so everything but his saddle area and legs had been clipped. Clipping would help him cool down faster and save me time on grooming him. I had also cut his tail so the bottom was equal in length. Before we left the barn for the night, I would put on his hunter green Stretchies® Hood to keep him from rubbing out his braids.

I had just finished checking his legs and putting his tail in a hunter green Nylon Tail Bag with Shoofly to protect it from getting caught when Jewel halted Shadow in front of us.

" Wow, he looks great " I told her, and I wasn't kidding. Shadows black coat gleamed in the light of the barn, but his white stockings looked like they were painted on, standing out against his originally black coat. He stood tall, flexing his neck, almost as if he was showing off his perfect button braids to Onyx. His tail was also wrapped and Jewel was carrying four standing wraps in her arms. I had already put on Onyx's Rambo® Ionic Stable Boots, so after she cross-tied Shadow, I helped her put on the standing wraps.

Caitlyn, Blaire, Marlo and Payton had halted their horses beside, in front or behind us and the way their horses looked, our team screamed ' professional '.

Jackson's blood bay coat was shiny, but didn't feel slippery to the touch. His black legs looked even darker, if that was possible and the braids in his black mane made his neck look even more muscular.

Marco's chestnut coat looked amazing and the faint white star he had on his forehead looked even more noticeable now that his fuzzy forelock had been tamed and braided. Marlo had been the most worried about braiding, but one hour and what I was guessing was a whole bottle of Mane 'N Tail® detangler, his braids looked even better than Onyx's.

Jazz's liver chestnut coat shone, but it was the white on her legs that stood out the most. The two socks on her back legs, the fetlock sock on her right foreleg and the pastern on her left foreleg almost didn't look real. Her braids were a bit smaller, but shone almost as much as her coat, the same with her tail, which looked liked it had been cut straighter than I had cut Onyx's.

Flicka looked like a porcelain figure. Her light grey coat practically glowed everywhere, from her head to her legs. Her braids almost blended in with her coat, the white hairs shiny and sleek.

" If there was bonus points for best looking horses, we would so win! " Blaire said, tying Flicka's lead line to the bars of an empty stall.

" Duh, we didn't just put in hours of grooming and braiding for nothing " Payton replied, putting standing wraps on Jazz's legs while Caitlyn held her lead line. Jackson was already wrapped, hooded and ready to go to his stall.

" We should take them back to the borders barn now, let them get rest for the big day tomorrow " Marlo told us, rechecking Marco's hood and tail wrap.

My stomach did backflips at the mention that the show was tomorrow and I leaned against Onyx's stall.

" ...Why don't you keep them here tonight? " I suddenly spoke up. The girls, including Jewel, all looked at me.

" I think the horses could benefit staying with each other before everything gets crazy tomorrow. The rest of the horses aren't coming in tonight so the stalls will be clean for riders and horses tomorrow, so pick a close stall and put your horses in there tonight " I explained.

" Thats a great idea! " Jewel replied, leading Shadow into his stall. " And why don't we have one big sleepover downstairs! Sky and I can take the two pull out couches, its part of our ritual that we sleep over before a show "

" That sounds like a great idea! " Blaire replied, already leading Flicka into the empty stall beside Shadows. Marlo put Marco in the stall beside Onyx while Payton and Caitlyn put Jazz and Jackson in the stalls across from the other horses.

" Okay, time for my show ritual, a checklist, its super cliche I know, but it helps me " Payton spoke up as she produced a paper from her pocket.

" Exercise horses? "

" Check "

" Washed, braided, clipped, wrapped, hooded for the night? "

" Check "

" Tack clean and organized? "

" Ch-No, wait! I forgot to grab Shadow's cross boots from the laundry room! " Jewel suddenly spoke up, running to the laundry room.

While she did that, Payton went over the rest of the list, which included if show clothes were ready and boots were polished and courses and tests memorized. I had to memorize the courses for my Show-Jumping and Cross-Country rounds, but since I was in beginner Dressage, I could have someone call out the tests, which was good because I wasn't exactly the best at memorizing Dressage tests.

Once Jewel came back, we each gave our horses a final pat, kiss and treat before turning off the lights to the barn and going back to the house.

We may be having a sleepover, but I think sleeping was the last thing I was going to do.