Read Online Foxy: Rivalry at Summer Camp by Belinda Rapley - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Belinda Rapley
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o’clock inspection. Once they were tacked up, they rode onto the cross-countrycourse at staggered times. That way there wasn’t a huge bunch of riders all trying to jump the same fences. The purple and blue team stood together, watching the green and red teams head out. Destiny’s pony Topaz was a handful, spinning and half rearing, but Destiny did well to sit to her and stay on while they warmed up.
Charlie circled Phantom as the morning grew hotter. He knew something different was happening and he’d started to sweat on his neck as he grew increasingly edgy, waiting for the off. Alice shifted uncomfortably in her tight body protector as she waited on board Scout, who was standing next to Skylark.
“I wish I was in your team,” Watty groaned to Amber, “then I could watch you fly across all the huge fences and pretend I was watching Lily Simpson!”
Alice glanced sideways and noticed Amber grit her teeth, staying silent in her saddle.
But Emily carried on, unaware that Watty’scomment had made Amber bristle. “Copper looks like he was born to do cross-country,” Emily added, admiring Copper’s light frame.
“Unlike some
other
ponies,” Watty said, nodding towards Holly’s cobby pony. “Skylark’s such a lump. I bet you wish Freddie had chosen a different pony for you this week, don’t you, Holly?”
Mia, Alice and Rosie glared at Watty, but Charlie gave a small smile. She realised that Watty had no clue how to judge a good pony, even when one was standing right in front of her!
Holly looked flustered for a second. “I wouldn’t swap Skylark for the world. My Grammy always says ‘handsome is as handsome does’.”
“Your Grammy can’t have seen Skylark, then.” Watty guffawed at her own joke, turning back to Emily who was snorting too. Beside them, Alice caught Amber making no effort to hide a smirk either.
Holly looked hurt as she reached forward to gently pull one of Skylark’s big ears. The heavy pony turned his head, giving a soft whicker. Holly found him a Polo from her jodhpur pocket, which he lipped from her hand. He stood for a second with his face turned to her, like he was checking Holly was okay.
“Grammy says it’s not about what a pony looks like on the outside,” Holly continued in a quiet voice, “it’s what’s in their heart that counts. And I reckon Skylark’s heart is huge.”
At that moment Freddie called for the purple team to start warming up. Leaving Watty and the blue gang behind, he walked them over to the start of the cross-country course, carrying a long lunging whip with him. Then he got everyone riding in the cross-country position – short stirrups and raised out of their saddles. Alice felt her nerves tingle. But as Freddie talked them through the lesson ahead, he filled her with such confidence that she couldn’t waitto send Scout over the first few inviting fences.
“Remember,” Freddie called out, leaning on his long whip, “this should be fun for your pony, and for you. Right, let’s jump!”
There were two different height options at each fence. Freddie said that anyone from his team could start over the lower options, then move up to the bigger height when they felt ready. Freddie sent Copper out first over the fences as the trailblazer. Amber immediately pointed her pony at the bigger of the two options. The rest of the ride watched in awe as he powered effortlessly across the grass and jumped quickly, barely breaking his stride over the solid fences. Amber didn’t look like she was in charge, but her pony took good care of her, making all the decisions.
Alice followed Freddie’s advice and started off over the smaller obstacles. She picked up canter and Scout flew over them bravely. Mia, not wanting Wish to get any knocks on thefences, jumped the smaller options at a steady canter. Holly did the same with Skylark. As Alice pulled Scout up, she turned to watch Holly. On the approach to the first fence, Skylark looked unsure, but Holly
Charlie circled Phantom as the morning grew hotter. He knew something different was happening and he’d started to sweat on his neck as he grew increasingly edgy, waiting for the off. Alice shifted uncomfortably in her tight body protector as she waited on board Scout, who was standing next to Skylark.
“I wish I was in your team,” Watty groaned to Amber, “then I could watch you fly across all the huge fences and pretend I was watching Lily Simpson!”
Alice glanced sideways and noticed Amber grit her teeth, staying silent in her saddle.
But Emily carried on, unaware that Watty’scomment had made Amber bristle. “Copper looks like he was born to do cross-country,” Emily added, admiring Copper’s light frame.
“Unlike some
other
ponies,” Watty said, nodding towards Holly’s cobby pony. “Skylark’s such a lump. I bet you wish Freddie had chosen a different pony for you this week, don’t you, Holly?”
Mia, Alice and Rosie glared at Watty, but Charlie gave a small smile. She realised that Watty had no clue how to judge a good pony, even when one was standing right in front of her!
Holly looked flustered for a second. “I wouldn’t swap Skylark for the world. My Grammy always says ‘handsome is as handsome does’.”
“Your Grammy can’t have seen Skylark, then.” Watty guffawed at her own joke, turning back to Emily who was snorting too. Beside them, Alice caught Amber making no effort to hide a smirk either.
Holly looked hurt as she reached forward to gently pull one of Skylark’s big ears. The heavy pony turned his head, giving a soft whicker. Holly found him a Polo from her jodhpur pocket, which he lipped from her hand. He stood for a second with his face turned to her, like he was checking Holly was okay.
“Grammy says it’s not about what a pony looks like on the outside,” Holly continued in a quiet voice, “it’s what’s in their heart that counts. And I reckon Skylark’s heart is huge.”
At that moment Freddie called for the purple team to start warming up. Leaving Watty and the blue gang behind, he walked them over to the start of the cross-country course, carrying a long lunging whip with him. Then he got everyone riding in the cross-country position – short stirrups and raised out of their saddles. Alice felt her nerves tingle. But as Freddie talked them through the lesson ahead, he filled her with such confidence that she couldn’t waitto send Scout over the first few inviting fences.
“Remember,” Freddie called out, leaning on his long whip, “this should be fun for your pony, and for you. Right, let’s jump!”
There were two different height options at each fence. Freddie said that anyone from his team could start over the lower options, then move up to the bigger height when they felt ready. Freddie sent Copper out first over the fences as the trailblazer. Amber immediately pointed her pony at the bigger of the two options. The rest of the ride watched in awe as he powered effortlessly across the grass and jumped quickly, barely breaking his stride over the solid fences. Amber didn’t look like she was in charge, but her pony took good care of her, making all the decisions.
Alice followed Freddie’s advice and started off over the smaller obstacles. She picked up canter and Scout flew over them bravely. Mia, not wanting Wish to get any knocks on thefences, jumped the smaller options at a steady canter. Holly did the same with Skylark. As Alice pulled Scout up, she turned to watch Holly. On the approach to the first fence, Skylark looked unsure, but Holly
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