Skyler watched as Jessica smiled back. I wonder how she’s really going to feel when she sees Sarah on her mount.
Peach picked that moment to stroll out of the feed room, boldly threading his way between Rampage’s legs. The fat orange tomcat stood on his hind legs to touch noses with the big bay before running over to the barn office and neatly hooking the edge of the door with his claws to pull it open and let himself in.
“Who was that?” Sarah laughed.
“That, Sarah, is the rest of Rampage’s baggage,” Skyler said. “I didn’t believe it at first either, but it’s amazing the calming effect that battle-scarred tom has when Rampage is nervous or pissed.”
“The cat comes with him?” Sarah looked doubtful.
“Trust me. You do not want to take that horse without taking the cat along, too,” Jessica said.
“Okay, ladies. Let’s head to the practice arena and see if this fellow will work for Sarah.” Skyler gave Sarah a leg up and walked slowly along with Jessica as she hobbled on her crutches. Jamie, always at Skyler’s heels, trailed along, absorbing everything they were saying about horses.
Rampage’s ears worked back and forth as he kept turning a puzzled face in Jessica’s direction. When they reached the arena, an amused Skyler stood by as Jessica rattled off Rampage’s likes and dislikes to Sarah.
“Hey, who’s the trainer here?” Skyler kidded. “Am I getting competition now?”
Jessica turned an adoring gaze on her lover. “Nobody is competition for you, sweetie.” She shifted her crutches and gave Sky a one-armed hug. “You’re the best.”
Jessica settled into a canvas chair and spent the next hour watching Sarah and Rampage, and calling out instructions from the sidelines. Skyler stood in the center of the arena watching and advising. There were only a few hitches at misread communications, but the last run-through went off flawlessly.
“Jess, he’s a dream.” Sarah’s face shone as they walked back to the stables. “I’ve ridden a lot of high-dollar horses, but never one so smooth. He makes you feel like a mere guest on his back while he performs.”
Jessica grinned. “You can see, then, why I can’t bear to sell him. I’m just hoping he’s as good a stud as he is a showman.”
Skyler was so proud. Jessica never ceased to amaze her. Anybody else would be sitting around feeling sorry for herself, but Jessica was finding another way to do what she loved. Skyler smiled as she listened to the two women discussing Rampage’s finer points. Signaling Jamie, she said, “Come on. We have work to do.”
Jamie had quickly become adept in handling a muck rake with her one good arm. Letting her help made her feel like part of their team, but Skyler was mindful of the girl’s still healing injuries. She limited how much Jamie tried to do.
“Uh, Sky?” Jamie was quiet as they ran rakes through the wood chips on the stallion’s stall floor to cull out the balls of manure. “Isn’t Sarah an old girlfriend of yours?”
“Yes, why do you ask?”
“I’m going to be thirteen next month,” Jamie said, tossing her wheat-colored hair back from her face. “And I do know a few things.”
“Such as,” Skyler prompted.
“I have an aunt who’s gay. She and her girlfriend come and visit Mom sometimes. I like them. Mom knows about you, too, you know. She doesn’t mind.”
Skyler smiled. “I’m glad you told me. I won’t worry then that she’ll change her mind about you staying with us.”
Jamie grinned. “I’m used to being around my aunt and her girlfriend. It doesn’t freak me out to see you guys kissing or anything. My aunt kisses her girlfriend in front of me all the time.”
Skyler blushed and her rake slowed as she mentally slapped herself. With everything happening, she realized they hadn’t been very discreet around Jamie.
“I’ll keep that in mind, kiddo.”
Jamie stared down at the stall bedding as she raked the same spot for the third time. “Anyway, you and Sarah used to go together, right?”
Skyler smiled at the old high school phrase for dating. “Yeah, but that was a long time ago.”
“Still, I think I would be jealous, if I was Jess.” Jamie looked up and raised a rather adult eyebrow at Skyler. “I would worry that you might still like Sarah some.”
Skyler wanted to laugh hilariously at the slender twelve-year-old’s rendition of Kate’s “I’ll kick your ass” look. But she knew Jamie was serious. The fact that Jamie was being protective of Jessica made Skyler oddly proud of the kid.
“You know what? Jess never has to worry about that,” Skyler assured her. “She means more to me that anything in this world. I’m not going to screw this up.”
“That’s good.” Jamie went back to her raking.
Skyler thought about her struggle to trust her heart to other people. She knew a lot of her reluctance stemmed from the low self-esteem instilled by her abusive father. She prayed they’d addressed Jamie’s home situation before it damaged her, too.
“You know, my dad told me so many times that I was worthless, I guess I grew up believing that I didn’t deserve to be loved,” she said softly.
Jamie kept raking, her head down, but she nodded. Yes, she knew.
“I guess that’s why I dated so many women. I just didn’t believe any of them could really love me, so I wouldn’t let myself love anyone back,” she confessed. “Jess helped me realize that I do deserve to be loved. And I love her, with every breath I take.”
When Jamie looked up, her eyes were bright. “She is kind of special, isn’t she?”
“Really special.” Skyler smiled.
“Uh-oh. Here comes trouble,” Skyler muttered, yanked from her pleasant daydreams by the approach of a short wiry man with a wavy mane of white hair, dark piercing eyes, and a face made leathery by too many years on the golf course—Willard Lexington Tate. At Tate’s elbow was Sarah’s trainer, Jason Wright, and lagging reluctantly behind was Matthew Richard Duke, her husband.
Tate glared at Skyler, and she met him with a level stare. I’m not afraid of you, old man. You can’t hurt me anymore. She smiled with satisfaction to see him straightening his shoulders to try and match her height.
“I heard they had let some trash back on the circuit,” he remarked with a sneer.
“Hello, Mr. Tate. It’s good to see you again, too,” Skyler said in a cool voice.
The man gave a condescending snort. “I’ll get to the point, Ms. Reese. I hear from several sources that you’ve been hanging around my daughter again. Starving you out didn’t keep you away, so I’m offering a different approach.” He pulled his checkbook from his pocket and flipped it open.
“Hey, Sarah, Daddy is here to see you,” Skyler called into the office. She turned back to Will Tate. “You may have bought your own daughter before, but I’ve never been for sale, you bastard.”
Sarah, Kate and Jessica stepped out of the office. Skyler felt Jessica’s hand on her back, offering support, as Sarah moved between Skyler and her father.
“So, Jason. I see you wasted no time bringing Daddy out here to rat me out.” She shook her head and clicked her tongue. Her voice was cold and her manner nonchalant. “And you dragged poor Matt with you.”
Sarah’s husband Matt shrugged apologetically.
“Don’t get in my way, Sarah,” Tate growled.
“Why not, Daddy? You’ve meddled in my life enough. It’s time to put a few things on the table. I’m not involved with Skyler again. What I am doing is leasing this stallion from Jess. He makes the high-dollar mare you picked out for me look like a mule in the arena. I’m riding Rampage in the trials. I just signed the lease papers. Jessica and Skyler are acting as my trainers.” Sarah turned on her former trainer. “As for you, you’re fired. You aren’t half the trainer Skyler is. You’re nothing but a watchdog for my father.”
“Your daddy pays my fee, not you,” Jason sneered.
“Well then, I suggest you find somebody else to ride his mare so he’ll have a reason to keep signing your paycheck,” she replied.
“You ride that stallion in the trials with that queer trainer following you around, and I’ll disinherit you in a minute,” Tate spat, pulling his usual trump card.
“Won’t work this time, Daddy. I’m not that scared little girl you intimidated before. You see, I took the money Grandmother left me and made a killing in stocks a while back. I would guess it surprises you that a girl has a brain, but I’ll be very comfortable on my own money, not to mention my husband’s estate. Isn’t that right, honey?”
Matt, six-foot-two and sandy-haired, lounged against the wall. He seemed to be enjoying the show. “Right you are, babe.”
“Shut up, faggot,” Tate shouted at him. Seeing he was out-numbered, he began to tuck his checkbook in his pocket. “Come on, Jason.”
“Don’t put that checkbook away so fast,” Sarah warned. “Kate and I anticipated your interference, and we’ve been doing a little background work.”
Kate, who had been watching silently from the outskirts of the group, folded her arms over her chest and gave Tate a challenging stare.
“I want you to open that checkbook and write out a check to the Cherokee Falls Youth Equestrian Program for fifty thousand dollars,” Sarah told him.
“And why would I do that?”
“Because if you don’t, Kate’s lawyer will file a slander suit against you for maligning the character of Skyler Reese and, by association, the Cherokee Falls Equestrian Center.”
“George Brumley says we have a very good case against you.” Kate’s voice was quiet, yet deadly with controlled anger. “We’ve obtained signed affidavits showing that you blackmailed several people into blacklisting Skyler.”
Tate’s eyes flicked nervously. “You’re bluffing.”
“Try me, Will. Just remember, you aren’t dealing with a young, penniless rider now. You’re dealing with me.”
Tate’s face reddened. The Parker name and estate dwarfed his own. “What do you call this? You’re blackmailing me.”
Kate grinned. “Nope. It’s not blackmail, Will. We see the donation as an apology. One that is long overdue.”
Snorting his disgust, he angrily scribbled out a check and thrust it toward Kate.
“Thank you. We’ll send you a receipt for your tax deduction,” Kate said politely.
“Blackmailed by my own daughter.” He glared at Sarah. “I don’t even know you. In fact, you aren’t my daughter,” he snarled.
Sarah stared at him. He seemed much smaller and older to her now. “Oh, but I am your daughter, Daddy. I learned every underhanded move I know from watching you operate.”
Tate’s face blanched. Without another word, he strode out of the barn with Jason on his heels.
Matt laid a supportive hand on Sarah’s shoulder. “I’ve never seen this side of you, babe. I think I like it.”
Sarah gave him an affectionate smile. “Come here, you.” She hugged the man. “I hope you know this is just a horse deal with friends here. I really should have talked to you first to make sure you were okay with what I have planned.”
“Hey, I’ve got old girlfriends in my past, too,” he said, waggling his eyebrows at Skyler.
Sarah smiled up at him. “Ladies, this is my wonderful husband, Matt. Good looking, great in bed, and has money, too. What more could a woman want?”
Matt blushed at his wife’s teasing. “So, is this stallion as good as the rumor mill says he is?”
“He’s even better,” Jessica bragged.
As if to live up to his owner’s words, Rampage ran away with Friday’s dressage competition. Smooth and confident, he turned in a flawless performance that quickly intimidated the lesser riders in the competition and had the veteran competitors looking over their shoulders.
Saturday was the real test. Endurance/cross country. This all-day competition was designed to test a horse’s speed, endurance, and jumping ability. On the cross-country course horses and riders had to be bold and smart. The course was about four miles long and was ridden at a good gallop. The obstacles could be very difficult—jumping uphill, jumping over solid obstacles, jumping downhill, jumping several series of fences and—Jessica’s bane—jumping over a solid obstacle into a knee-deep pool of water on the other side. Riders were permitted to walk the course before the competition, but the horses were seeing it for the first time. This made good communication essential for a winning run.
Dark clouds hung overhead, threatening rain, but also bringing a welcome breeze. Kate rented a large SUV and had already picked an advantageous viewing spot atop a hill overlooking the steeplechase and cross-country courses. She also produced binoculars for everyone.
Sarah was focused and quiet as Rampage pranced, picking up on his rider’s anticipation. His workouts over the past week had been light and he was bursting with pent-up energy. She smiled. “I thought I was supposed to be the one with a case of nerves.”
“Don’t worry. Once you get him started and give him a job to do, he’ll settle down,” Jessica said. But Jessica didn’t feel quite as confident as her words. She fidgeted as she leaned on her crutches.
“I swear, Jess. I’ve never seen anyone pace on crutches, but you’re doing a good job of it,” Skyler said with a warning look. “Hold still. Rampage is picking up on your nerves.”
Jessica stilled her body for a moment, then limped off toward the others waiting at the truck.
“You need to cut her some slack, Sky,” Sarah said. “I know it would be hard for me to train all year, and then watch someone else ride my horse in the trials.”
“It’s not just that, I don’t think,” Skyler replied. “There’s something else bothering her. She’ll chew on it for a while before she spits it out and tells me her real problem. She’s sort of like this boy.” She patted the bay’s shoulder. “You have to coax her, not force her.”
Skyler checked Sarah’s saddle and stirrups, murmuring to sooth the tense horse. She squeezed Sarah’s knee. “Ride well and be safe. Trust Rampage. He’s a hell of a horse.”
Skyler joined the others at the SUV and stood behind Jessica, arms wrapped around her. “What’s on your mind, babe?” she coaxed. “That was supposed to be you down there on Rampage. Is it harder than you thought, watching Sarah take your ride?”
Jessica looked worriedly at the clouds threatening overhead. She squeezed her lover’s embrace even tighter. “It’s just the clouds and wind. I’ve just got a bad feeling. It’s like déjà vu or something.”
Skyler’s mind raced back to Jessica’s accident on Racer. “Don’t even think it. That was a freak accident. This is a different day, a different situation.” She could feel Jessica tremble in her arms. “Hey, trust me and Rampage, okay?”
Jessica leaned her body into Skyler’s. She did feel warm and secure in her tall lover’s arms. She wanted to trust that everything would be fine.
They moved to join Kate, Laura, and Jamie, who were seated in lawn chairs and intently following Sarah and Rampage as they began their first phase. The stallion was a coiled spring, straining to be let loose. His brisk trot ate up the ground before him and the pair turned in a time more than a minute shorter than the nearest competitor.
Skyler frowned. “She needs to hold him in. She’s coming out too fast and won’t have anything left for the cross-country.”
“They’re okay,” Jessica disagreed softly. “He’s got more stamina than any horse I’ve ridden. If she holds him in too much, he’ll sulk and fight her. They’ll lose their rhythm.”
Entering the steeplechase phase, Sarah gave in a little more to the eager bay. The hilltop group could hear the crowd seated in the stands below murmur in admiration as the horse and rider sailed over the course. The judges were checking their watches and shaking their heads.
As they began the third phase, a slow trot and walking to cool down, Jessica and Skyler hopped in the SUV so they could meet Sarah at the veterinary check. Sarah was breathing hard from the adrenaline rush when she hopped down from the saddle.
“You’re taking him too fast,” Skyler scolded. “I don’t know if he’ll have enough left for the cross-country.”
“Are you kidding? I’m having a hell of a time holding him in. He acts like he hasn’t even taken his edge off yet.”
Jessica moved closer. “Then he’s going to be tough over the cross-country. He loves to jump and tends to get more and more excited as you go farther along the course. You have to use the little distractions I showed you to keep his attention on you and not just the next series of jumps.”
Sarah nodded and sipped from the sports drink Jessica handed her. Skyler led Rampage through the vet check, walking him the full ten minutes to calm him yet keep his momentum.
“Don’t look so worried,” Sarah said when she was back in the saddle. “It’s in the bag.”
Skyler shook her head at Sarah’s bravado and stepped back as she turned Rampage toward the cross-country.
When Jessica and Skyler returned to the hilltop, the clouds had grown heavier. The coming storm still was too far away to hear the thunder, but sheets of lightning were visible in the distance. Jessica peered up at the darkening sky and clung to Skyler’s hand with a death grip.
Skyler muttered under her breath as she watched Sarah wind Rampage through the course. “Too fast, Sarah. You’re losing control over him. Slow him down.”
Jessica pulled a stopwatch from her pocket and returned her binoculars to her eyes. She clicked the watch as Sarah left the chevrons and headed toward a double ski jump. Rampage rushed the first jump, and Sarah struggled to slow him for the more dramatic drop on the second jump. Rampage shook his head at her pressure, but sailed over the second jump while maintaining perfect balance.
“He’s giving her a really hard time,” Jessica said, “but she’s hanging in there with him.”
The wind picked up, swaying the trees as Jessica tracked her binoculars ahead of the horse and rider. Christ, the water jump. Rampage continued to shake his head as Sarah worked to slow him down. Rain began to pelt down and thunder rumbled as they approached the jump. Oh, God. It was happening again.
“No!” Jessica screamed as Rampage slipped when he launched his body over the jump. Flipping sideways, he landed heavily on his side in the water. Sarah was pitched clear of the horse. They all stood frozen, heedless of the rain pelting them.
“This can’t be happening again,” Jessica moaned before turning and limping as fast as her crutches could carry her toward the truck.
Skyler caught her and held her tight in her arms. “Jess, baby, hold on a minute,” she pleaded.
They all held their breath as Sarah rolled, then sprang to her feet. Rampage also struggled up and shook the water from his coat like a big dog before looking for his rider.
“They’re both up and okay,” Kate called out.
Sarah quickly led him to a spot where she was standing uphill from the horse and launched herself back into the saddle. A quick pat on the stallion’s neck and the two were off again. Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief. Skyler watched the big bay’s progress closely for lameness. The downpour was brief and already had subsided to a sprinkle.
Jessica sniffled, her face still buried in Skyler’s shoulder.
“Jess, baby, look. They’re okay. Sarah is finishing the course.” Skyler rubbed her lover’s back with one hand while she held her binoculars with the other.
“I can’t look,” Jessica mumbled. “You watch for me.”
Skyler placed a soft kiss on her forehead and gave her a running report of Rampage’s progress. “They’re over the solid wall, taking the hedges with room to spare. Sarah really is pushing it to make up their lost time. God, Jess, Rampage is flying. That’s it. They’re home free.”
Jessica sniffed, clinging to her. “I’m sorry. I just keep hearing Racer scream and seeing that bone sticking out of his leg. I can’t even describe how bad my own leg hurt. It’s probably a good thing that I can’t jump horses anymore. I think that accident will haunt me forever.”
Skyler brushed Jessica’s dark locks back from her face. “And I will always be here to help chase that bad memory away. We’ll replace it with lots of good memories,” Skyler promised. “Come on. Let’s go see Rampage and Sarah.”
Sarah’s face glowed as she recounted the incredible recovery at the water jump. “Damn that rain,” she griped. “We would have been in first place if we hadn’t slipped on those wet rocks.”
They all turned as Matt trotted into the barn. “Well, all the scores are in. That fall really cost you, Sarah, but you are still only a tenth of a point behind third place.”
“Nature of the game, my dear,” Kate drawled. “The good news is that you are in fine striking distance. A clean performance in the show jumping and you should be back among the top three leaders.”
“Let’s celebrate,” Matt crowed. The top three were assured places on the Olympic team.
The women all smiled at his enthusiasm.
“Not so fast,” Skyler said. “Tomorrow is the biggest test. We have to make sure Rampage doesn’t stock up after today’s workout and be too stiff to jump well tomorrow.”
“That’s why they show jump on the last day, hon,” Sarah explained to her enthusiastic husband. “The cross-country actually has more difficult jumps, but the test is to see if your horse is in good enough shape to complete the cross-country and still be limber enough to do precision jumping the next day.”
“I’m going to be earning my pay tonight,” Skyler said. “We need to walk him and rub his legs down every four hours to keep him from getting stiff.”
Kate grinned. “We’ve got several hours before he needs another rubdown. Let’s all go somewhere to eat. Then, we’ll split the shifts.” She reeled off the assignments, leaving her own name off the list. She needed her sleep.
“What about you, horse co-owner?” Laura teased.
Kate straightened up to her full height. “Because I’m the senior member, meaning I’m too old to be rubbing down horses,” Kate whispered in Laura’s ear. “And it’s not a horse I want to be rubbing my hands on tonight.”
Kate’s comment had been too softly spoken for the others to hear, but Jessica didn’t miss her mother’s blush. “I’m not sure I like this, Kate. You’re planning to snuggle in with my mother while you send my bed warmer into the cold night to rub a horse down?”
“Don’t forget, dear, I pay her salary.” Kate winked at Skyler. “After all these years, I’ve finally found a good use for the Parker millions.”
“Sky, a little help here?” Jessica requested as she heard Skyler spit out her toothpaste and rinse her mouth in the next room. “My knee is too sore to bend enough to get my pants the rest of the way off.”
Skyler strode into the room, wiping her mouth on a thick white hand towel. The sight before her made her legs feel weak. She eyed the dark-haired beauty lying on the bed with her chest bare and her jeans pulled halfway down her hips. The half-lidded, blue eyes twinkled at her under long dark eyelashes.
Oh, yeah. This was an ambush, all right.
Mustering her sexiest smile, she leaned down to kiss her lover’s full lips. “I guess if I get to undress you each night, there are some definite advantages to this whole knee surgery thing.” Skyler burned a hot trail of kisses down Jessica’s taut stomach, down her thighs, and down her calves as she tugged her lover’s jeans the rest of the way off. She stopped to kiss the bandaged knee on her journey back up, then nuzzled Jessica’s soft breasts.
“Oh, sweetie. I missed your touch so much these past few nights,” Jessica moaned.
Skyler lifted her head from the nipple she was teasing. “I didn’t think you were up for making love, with everything that has happened. It seems very selfish for me to ask, but I just can’t keep my hands off of you any longer.”
“You know, my knee may be hurt, but the other parts of me are working fine.” Jessica smiled as she discarded the T-shirt Skyler had planned to sleep in. The underwear came off next.
Jessica rolled onto her side, laying her injured leg straight and bending her other leg to balance herself. She pulled Skyler down to the bed and pressed her over onto her back. “Please let me,” she urged softly as Skyler moved to regain her dominant position.
Her lover had lost a lot in the past week, Skyler realized, control of her career, control of her horse. And there was nothing she would deny those beautiful eyes now darkened with lust and longing. So, in answer to her love’s request, Skyler settled back and took the smaller hand in her long fingers, leading it to the moist blond curls between her legs. Jessica leaned over to kiss, lick, then suck at Skyler’s neck and the breasts that arched up to receive her mouth. She dipped her fingers into the dripping, hot folds and slowly stoked the fire of Skyler’s sex.
“I want to feel you inside me,” Skyler moaned.
Jessica plunged two fingers into the hot canal, but withdrew as she sensed Skyler’s climax building.
“Please, Jess,” Skyler begged for release.
“Not yet, babe,” Jessica purred. “Flip over for me.” She ran her hands, then her lips over Skyler’s graceful neck and smoothly muscled back. She rested her cheek on Skyler’s warm, taut buttock before teasing the sensitive flesh with a series of nips and kisses. She reached between her lover’s legs again and entered her again with her thumb, while her fingers stroked the hard clit as she thrust with a steady stroke. Skyler moaned and the sound increased Jessica’s own ache to a throb.
“Oh, baby, don’t stop!” Skyler gasped out.
“Let me slide under you,” Jessica demanded, pushing Skyler onto her knees.
It only took a split second for Skyler to see the advantage of this new position. She straddled Jessica’s head, and then buried her face in the raven curls to draw Jessica’s stiff clitoris into her warm mouth.
They stroked and sucked and cried out together as their pleasure peaked and hard orgasms washed over them. A light sheen of sweat covered their bodies as they clung to each other and kissed away the sweet nectar of each other’s climax. Skyler lay lightly upon Jessica, resting most of her weight still on her knees and elbows. Jessica stroked the back of Skyler’s muscled thighs. She loved the musky smell of her lover and the ownership she felt over this incredibly sexy woman.
Skyler gathered Jessica’s entire body in her arms to rest her on the disarray of pillows. “I love you, Jess,” she whispered reverently. Pulling the blanket up over them, she settled back with Jessica’s dark head resting in the well of her shoulder.
Jessica stretched a protective arm across Skyler’s waist and drew her good leg up across Skyler’s. The heat of her lover’s body warmed her through to the core of her very soul. “I love you, Sky. So much,” she murmured.
Chapter Eighteen
Saturday’s clouds had long since blown out to the North Carolina coast, leaving a crisp blue sky overhead. Jessica watched nervously as Skyler tacked Rampage up for the final competition. “Shorten that strap on the martingale,” she instructed. “Maybe the saddle should slide up another inch.”
Skyler stopped and turned slowly to her backseat driver. “Jess, how many years have I been saddling horses?”
“I know. It’s a little harder than I thought it would be to watch someone else ride him, especially in the show jumping. I don’t know why the show jumping is different, maybe because it’s my favorite.” Tears filled Jessica’s eyes. “I wanted so badly to be taking him in that ring myself.”
Skyler pulled her into a protective embrace. “I know, baby. But this is a very selfless thing you’re doing. You’ve made me and everybody else in our little family very proud.”
Jamie came running, breathless, into the barn. “Rampage is next on deck!”
Skyler unhooked Rampage from the crossties and led the stallion forward.
Sarah straightened her red riding jacket and brushed the barn dust from her polished boots. “Leg up?” she requested when she was ready.
Matt stepped forward quickly. “I’ll do it. I’m learning a few things around this place.” He lifted his wife into the saddle. “Break a leg?”
Skyler snorted, and then whispered something in his ear. He grinned.
“Ride well and be safe,” he offered to his smiling wife.
Sarah steered Rampage to the warm-up area to loosen his muscles.
Waiting for them at the entrance to the arena, Kate gave her a quick lay-of-the-land. “This is a tough course, Sarah. The leader pulled two faults, slow time and one rail down. His horse wasn’t in a very good mood and fought him a lot. The woman second in the standings is the only one so far to make a clean run, and the woman holding third dropped a rail on the vertical jump. Run it clean and you’ve got a spot on the team.”