looked anything but restful: He snorted and plunged and tossed his head. When Nigel mounted him, Southwood gave a quick buck before snatching at the bit and taking off at a trot.
Nigel waved gaily to The Saddle Club and Dorothy as he rode away. “We’ll just take a little walk around the park,” he called. Southwood tossed his head again andkicked out at a scrap of paper. “Whoa, old boy!” Nigel turned his full attention to the horse.
The Saddle Club was astonished. Yesterday Southwood had been calm and businesslike, and today he looked like a rocket ship ready to blast off. They hadn’t known he could act so wild, and Lisa found it alarming. Dorothy, however, was laughing. “Southwood’s turned into a true event horse,” she said. “He really hasn’t been in very many three-day events, but already he knows he’s supposed to do cross-country the day after dressage. Southwood’s ready to go.”
Drew shaded his hand with his eyes and continued to watch Nigel and Southwood. “Just like Prospero,” he said, a wistful look on his face. “He loved eventing, and he especially loved cross-country. He was a big, handsome, dark dappled gray, Lisa, and when he was about to start cross-country he would arch his neck and whinny.” Drew looked sad. “He was so beautiful!”
“Ghost, the horse we found on Tuesday, acted a little like that,” Lisa said. They’d told Drew about the rescue and Mrs. Harrington’s kindness. “He seemed to want to be at Rolex. It was almost as if he knew what was going on.”
“Dr. Lawrence said maybe Ghost was an old show horse,” Stevie added. “He thought Ghost saw all the people and horses and wanted to be at the show.”
“You never know,” Dorothy said, to The Saddle Club’s surprise, because they found Dr. Lawrence’s idea a little far-fetched. “Horses have strange memories. Sometimes they forget things right away, and sometimes they never, ever do. I once had a mare who was almost run over by a mailman. Great big trucks, strange tractors, and noisy motorcycles never scared her, but from the day the mailman nearly hit her, she became terrified of Jeeps, because they looked like mail trucks. She never lost that fear.”
“Prospero wasn’t afraid of anything,” Drew said.
Friday was the first day that there were more spectators at Rolex than people riding or helping out. “Did you notice that the trade fair is open today?” Dorothy asked The Saddle Club as Drew went back into the stables to clean Southwood’s stall.
“I saw a candied apple stand when we were driving in,” Stevie said.
“Right between the show-jumping ring and the main park buildings,” Dorothy said, nodding her head. “That’s it. There’s a circle of food vendors, a big tent, and a lot of little tents. Everything that’s for sale—except for the food—has something to do with horses.”
Carole’s eyes lit up. “That sounds fun,” she said. Maybe she could find something special for Starlight.
“I could really go for a candied apple,” Stevie added.
“Let’s all go!” Lisa said. “You, too, Dorothy—Nigel won’t be back for a while.”
Dorothy shook her head. “I have a few things to do for Nigel,” she admitted. “You girls go ahead. But why don’t you wait for Eddy? Drew said he’d be here any minute, and he’s hardly seen you all week.”
Lisa didn’t know what to say. Eddy hadn’t seen them
once
all week, and they hadn’t seen him. Operation Duck Dready Eddy had been a roaring success.
“I
really
need a candied apple,” Stevie said. “I’m going to get sick if I don’t eat something soon.” She clutched her stomach and tried to look faint.
Dorothy smiled but shook her head. “Eddy is a really sweet boy,” she said. “I think you girls would like him.”
“I know we would,” Carole said, “but I don’t think we should wait if it means making Stevie sick.” She took her friend’s arm solicitously. “Come on, Stevie. We’ll take care of
Nigel waved gaily to The Saddle Club and Dorothy as he rode away. “We’ll just take a little walk around the park,” he called. Southwood tossed his head again andkicked out at a scrap of paper. “Whoa, old boy!” Nigel turned his full attention to the horse.
The Saddle Club was astonished. Yesterday Southwood had been calm and businesslike, and today he looked like a rocket ship ready to blast off. They hadn’t known he could act so wild, and Lisa found it alarming. Dorothy, however, was laughing. “Southwood’s turned into a true event horse,” she said. “He really hasn’t been in very many three-day events, but already he knows he’s supposed to do cross-country the day after dressage. Southwood’s ready to go.”
Drew shaded his hand with his eyes and continued to watch Nigel and Southwood. “Just like Prospero,” he said, a wistful look on his face. “He loved eventing, and he especially loved cross-country. He was a big, handsome, dark dappled gray, Lisa, and when he was about to start cross-country he would arch his neck and whinny.” Drew looked sad. “He was so beautiful!”
“Ghost, the horse we found on Tuesday, acted a little like that,” Lisa said. They’d told Drew about the rescue and Mrs. Harrington’s kindness. “He seemed to want to be at Rolex. It was almost as if he knew what was going on.”
“Dr. Lawrence said maybe Ghost was an old show horse,” Stevie added. “He thought Ghost saw all the people and horses and wanted to be at the show.”
“You never know,” Dorothy said, to The Saddle Club’s surprise, because they found Dr. Lawrence’s idea a little far-fetched. “Horses have strange memories. Sometimes they forget things right away, and sometimes they never, ever do. I once had a mare who was almost run over by a mailman. Great big trucks, strange tractors, and noisy motorcycles never scared her, but from the day the mailman nearly hit her, she became terrified of Jeeps, because they looked like mail trucks. She never lost that fear.”
“Prospero wasn’t afraid of anything,” Drew said.
Friday was the first day that there were more spectators at Rolex than people riding or helping out. “Did you notice that the trade fair is open today?” Dorothy asked The Saddle Club as Drew went back into the stables to clean Southwood’s stall.
“I saw a candied apple stand when we were driving in,” Stevie said.
“Right between the show-jumping ring and the main park buildings,” Dorothy said, nodding her head. “That’s it. There’s a circle of food vendors, a big tent, and a lot of little tents. Everything that’s for sale—except for the food—has something to do with horses.”
Carole’s eyes lit up. “That sounds fun,” she said. Maybe she could find something special for Starlight.
“I could really go for a candied apple,” Stevie added.
“Let’s all go!” Lisa said. “You, too, Dorothy—Nigel won’t be back for a while.”
Dorothy shook her head. “I have a few things to do for Nigel,” she admitted. “You girls go ahead. But why don’t you wait for Eddy? Drew said he’d be here any minute, and he’s hardly seen you all week.”
Lisa didn’t know what to say. Eddy hadn’t seen them
once
all week, and they hadn’t seen him. Operation Duck Dready Eddy had been a roaring success.
“I
really
need a candied apple,” Stevie said. “I’m going to get sick if I don’t eat something soon.” She clutched her stomach and tried to look faint.
Dorothy smiled but shook her head. “Eddy is a really sweet boy,” she said. “I think you girls would like him.”
“I know we would,” Carole said, “but I don’t think we should wait if it means making Stevie sick.” She took her friend’s arm solicitously. “Come on, Stevie. We’ll take care of
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