Read Online Horse Games by Bonnie Bryant - Free Book Online

something very right. You did a good job of riding and it helped Stevie tremendously.”
    “Uh, Max,” Carole said. “You should have seen what she did when Lisa and I were trying to round up Comanche. You’d think she was a natural-born cowpoke.
    She flushed him right away from the fence and into our waiting arms. This girl is good!”
    “Here, here,” Lisa added.
    “And she’s going to get better,” Max said.
    Marie looked at her mother’s worried face. “I was all for it before today, but now I see it can be quite dangerous,” Mrs. Dana said.
    “Hey, I’ve been riding for years,” Stevie said. “This is the first time I ever got hurt—oh, yeah, except for the poison ivy I got when I fell off Patch, and the time I bruised my shoulder …”
    “Shut up, Stevie,” Carole said.
    “Uh, Stevie is a somewhat rambunctious rider,” Max explained. “Carole sets a better example.”
    “Marie doesn’t have to do anything wild or dangerous,” Carole said. “She’ll be safe as can be. We’ll take care of her.”
    Marie looked at Carole and then back at Max. “Is this some sort of conspiracy?” she asked.
    “It’ll be for your own good, Marie,” Carole said. “You told me your physical therapist wants you to ride.”
    “It’ll strengthen those weak legs,” Lisa added.
    “But most of all, it’ll be fun,” Carole said. “That’s what riding is—fun.”
    “Most of the time,” Stevie said. “As long as you’re careful.”
    “All right, all right. I give in. I’ll ride. When’s my first lesson?”
    “Monday, after school?” Max suggested. “We’ll have one session for just the two of us and then, if I think you’re up for it, you can join the class on Tuesday—if your mother approves.” He looked to her for assent.
    “Oh, I don’t know,” Mrs. Dana said. “I just worry that—”
    Carole’s father came to the rescue. “You don’t have to worry about her, Olivia. Max is the best instructor there is. And once she’s in the class, this threesome will see to it she’s safe.”
    “Okay. You can try it,” she agreed finally.
    “Monday at three-thirty,” Marie said.
    Carole sighed with relief. Her friends had helped her achieve her goal. And if they could talk Marie Dana’s mother into letting Marie take riding lessons, they could do anything, couldn’t they?

“T HE S ADDLE C LUB shall come to order,” Stevie announced. Lisa and Carole both looked at her in surprise. Saddle Club meetings usually just took place wherever and whenever anybody thought they were having a Saddle Club meeting. Except for once a long time ago, when Lisa thought having rules was a good idea, nobody called them to order and nobody adjourned them. However, this time, things were a little different.
    The three girls were at Stevie’s house. They were supposed to be having a sleepover at Lisa’s house, but since the events of the day had included Stevie’s sprained ankle, her parents thought she should be at home. She’d talked them into letting Carole and Lisa stay over with her.
    What made it different from other sleepovers was allthe attention Stevie was getting from her family. Her father had stopped by her bedroom twice to see if she wanted anything. Her brother Chad had brought all the couch pillows from the den and made a sort of throne for her on her bed. Lisa suspected that was why she sounded like a queen when she announced the beginning of the meeting.
    Alex, Stevie’s twin brother, had knocked on the door three times to ask if there was anything Stevie wanted. She had been able to think of things he could do for her and her friends. She got away with the round of sodas and one tray of cookies and milk. He hadn’t been quite so gracious with the second tray of cookies and Lisa suspected they wouldn’t be seeing him again for a while.
    On the other hand, Michael, Stevie’s younger brother, had been talked into paying a quarter just to see how swollen the ankle was.
    “Oh, gross!”