cold look. “I usually ride with Stevie when we do pairs,” she said. She knew she was being mean, but couldn’t he take a hint and leave her alone?
“Gosh, it’s too bad Stephanie already found a partner, then,” Simon said sympathetically.
Lisa glanced around the ring. Poor Stevie! Left without Lisa or Carole to pair up with, she had ended up having to ride next to Veronica. She looked even less enthused than Lisa. She was staring stonily ahead to avoid all conversation with Veronica.
Garnet didn’t look too happy either. She was laying her ears back and twitching her tail. When Max called for a trot, the mare jerked her head up and down. Veronica tried to keep her even with Topside, but she kept slowing and trying to walk.
In a fury Veronica dropped the reins on Garnet’s neck and threw her hands up. “Max!” she yelled. “Something’s wrong with her! She can beat Topside any day, and now she’s not even keeping up.”
Max looked at her reproachfully. He frowned on any kind of outburst while mounted.
“What? Why are you staring at me?” Veronica cried, indignant. “It’s not my fault!”
Max ordered the rest of the class to keep trotting inpairs. Then he had Veronica come to the center of the ring and trot in a small circle. After a few times around, Max said, “Veronica, this time you happen to be right. It’s not your fault.”
“See!” Veronica cried. “She’s misbehaving, isn’t she?”
“She may be misbehaving, but you haven’t figured out the reason why—Garnet’s lame in the right fore. She throws her head up when she steps on that foot to take the weight off it. It’s really hurting her.”
“So what am I supposed to do?” Veronica asked, full of self-pity.
“Dismount at once and call Judy,” Max said flatly. Judy Barker was the local vet. She was often called to Pine Hollow to do everything from birth a foal to give routine shots.
Veronica jumped off and led Garnet back into the barn. “Poor thing, I hope my baby’s not hurt badly,” she said loudly.
“Veronica, if you need any help after class, just tell me!” Simon yelled after her.
“All right, enough,” Max called. “I guess we’ll have to abandon the pairs work for today. There’s no longer an even number.”
Stevie gave Lisa the thumbs-up sign. No more pairs meant no more Simon Atherton. Veronica had actually done them a favor—or at least Garnet had.
“Okay, everyone separate and pick up a trot,” Maxbarked. “Like you were supposed to be doing this whole time instead of talking with each other.”
“O H , MY ACHING thighs,” Stevie said as she and Lisa carried their tack to the tack room. Max had decided to substitute the pairs work with riding without stirrups for half an hour.
“I may be bowlegged for life,” Lisa agreed. They had untacked and groomed Barq and Topside and were planning to relax for a few minutes. They put the tack back on its racks and gulped down the remains of the sodas—another Pine Hollow ritual—that everyone got after lessons.
“Wow,” Stevie said, glancing at the saddles near hers. “Starlight’s saddle makes mine look a prairie dust storm.”
“I’ll bet Carole polished it while she waited,” Lisa said.
“No doubt. Hey, let’s check on Starlight and see how he’s doing.”
The two girls walked out to the gelding’s stall. On the way they said hello to Judy Barker, who was examining Garnet. Simon Atherton was holding Garnet’s lead. Veronica looked on from a slight distance.
“Guess she’s found a new volunteer,” Stevie muttered.
Starlight was munching his afternoon hay contentedly. He pricked up his ears as they approached. Lisa fedhim a carrot she had nabbed from the grain room while Stevie went into the stall and checked him over.
“Looks fine to me,” she said.
Judy Barker poked her head out of Garnet’s stall. “Wish I could say the same for Garnet, but I’m afraid she’s got a bruised sole.”
“It’s no wonder,” Veronica
“Gosh, it’s too bad Stephanie already found a partner, then,” Simon said sympathetically.
Lisa glanced around the ring. Poor Stevie! Left without Lisa or Carole to pair up with, she had ended up having to ride next to Veronica. She looked even less enthused than Lisa. She was staring stonily ahead to avoid all conversation with Veronica.
Garnet didn’t look too happy either. She was laying her ears back and twitching her tail. When Max called for a trot, the mare jerked her head up and down. Veronica tried to keep her even with Topside, but she kept slowing and trying to walk.
In a fury Veronica dropped the reins on Garnet’s neck and threw her hands up. “Max!” she yelled. “Something’s wrong with her! She can beat Topside any day, and now she’s not even keeping up.”
Max looked at her reproachfully. He frowned on any kind of outburst while mounted.
“What? Why are you staring at me?” Veronica cried, indignant. “It’s not my fault!”
Max ordered the rest of the class to keep trotting inpairs. Then he had Veronica come to the center of the ring and trot in a small circle. After a few times around, Max said, “Veronica, this time you happen to be right. It’s not your fault.”
“See!” Veronica cried. “She’s misbehaving, isn’t she?”
“She may be misbehaving, but you haven’t figured out the reason why—Garnet’s lame in the right fore. She throws her head up when she steps on that foot to take the weight off it. It’s really hurting her.”
“So what am I supposed to do?” Veronica asked, full of self-pity.
“Dismount at once and call Judy,” Max said flatly. Judy Barker was the local vet. She was often called to Pine Hollow to do everything from birth a foal to give routine shots.
Veronica jumped off and led Garnet back into the barn. “Poor thing, I hope my baby’s not hurt badly,” she said loudly.
“Veronica, if you need any help after class, just tell me!” Simon yelled after her.
“All right, enough,” Max called. “I guess we’ll have to abandon the pairs work for today. There’s no longer an even number.”
Stevie gave Lisa the thumbs-up sign. No more pairs meant no more Simon Atherton. Veronica had actually done them a favor—or at least Garnet had.
“Okay, everyone separate and pick up a trot,” Maxbarked. “Like you were supposed to be doing this whole time instead of talking with each other.”
“O H , MY ACHING thighs,” Stevie said as she and Lisa carried their tack to the tack room. Max had decided to substitute the pairs work with riding without stirrups for half an hour.
“I may be bowlegged for life,” Lisa agreed. They had untacked and groomed Barq and Topside and were planning to relax for a few minutes. They put the tack back on its racks and gulped down the remains of the sodas—another Pine Hollow ritual—that everyone got after lessons.
“Wow,” Stevie said, glancing at the saddles near hers. “Starlight’s saddle makes mine look a prairie dust storm.”
“I’ll bet Carole polished it while she waited,” Lisa said.
“No doubt. Hey, let’s check on Starlight and see how he’s doing.”
The two girls walked out to the gelding’s stall. On the way they said hello to Judy Barker, who was examining Garnet. Simon Atherton was holding Garnet’s lead. Veronica looked on from a slight distance.
“Guess she’s found a new volunteer,” Stevie muttered.
Starlight was munching his afternoon hay contentedly. He pricked up his ears as they approached. Lisa fedhim a carrot she had nabbed from the grain room while Stevie went into the stall and checked him over.
“Looks fine to me,” she said.
Judy Barker poked her head out of Garnet’s stall. “Wish I could say the same for Garnet, but I’m afraid she’s got a bruised sole.”
“It’s no wonder,” Veronica
Similar Books
