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Authors: Bonnie Bryant
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rate, her cut didn’t seem to be bothering her or affecting her riding at all.
For some reason, though, Lisa simply could not get herself together. The more “help” Veronica gave her, the worse she did. She felt discombobulated, couldn’t concentrate, and had several refusals. The thought of her list of problems only discouraged her further. Veronica stood in the middle of the ring, making a zillion suggestions all at once. “Sit deeper! Don’t lean that far forward! And watch your elbows! Don’t forgetto release in midair! Look up! Now look for your next fence!”
Lisa tried to swallow her pride and listen, but it was all she could do to stop from screaming with frustration. She
knew
everything Veronica was saying, she just couldn’t do it all at once. Today she could hardly do any of it.
The only reprieve came when Veronica finally got her fill of lecturing and headed in. By that point, Lisa was so worked up that she just rode on the flat for a few minutes, trying to salvage some small success for the morning. Even riding alone didn’t do the trick this time, though. Finally she let Prancer walk on a loose rein. Again and again she went over her efforts to improve, wondering what on earth could have gone so terribly wrong in the past few sessions. When she went to dismount, Lisa was convinced that she was riding and jumping worse than the day she had started at Pine Hollow.
Totally discouraged, she put Prancer away and went to change in the locker room. Veronica was inside changing, too. She immediately jumped on Lisa with a ton of suggestions. Lisa nodded blankly from time to time. Sheer exhaustion kept her from telling Veronica not to bother, that she couldn’t absorb another riding tip in a million years.
“And so if you work really hard for the next few days, you’ll have a chance of getting around the course. I’m sure of it,” Veronica concluded with a condescending smile. She finished tying her tennis shoe and stood up, picking up her bag. As she rose, something long and gray fell out of the bag. Whatever it was landed near Lisa, who reached down automatically to pick it up. Before she could grab it, though, Veronica shoved past her to get to it first. In the process, she accidentally kicked the object under the row of lockers, out of reach. Lisa gave her a questioning look.
“Oh, it’s nothing,” Veronica said, shrugging off Lisa’s curiosity. “Just something I picked up at the beauty parlor. Now, I’d better scoot. I have to go breeches shopping today.” With that, she picked up the pair she had been wearing when she fell. The tear went straight up the leg, so it was clear that they really weren’t reparable.
“It’s a good thing I was wearing my oldest pair,” Veronica went on. “I hate to think of how mad Mother would have been if I’d wrecked one of my European pairs. At least these are replaceable,” she added, dropping the breeches into the garbage and walking out.
Lisa wasn’t sorry to see her leave. In fact, beingalone in the locker room was such a relief that she lay down on the bench to think for a minute or two. As she lay there with her eyes closed, she thought about the morning’s horrible practice. Although it had been very, very disappointing, Lisa was still far from wanting to give up. She planned her next practice in her mind, visualizing the jumps. Her eyes would be up; her hands would be steady.…
Opening her eyes a few minutes later, Lisa found herself staring at the gray object underneath the lockers. Why had Veronica tried to get it so quickly? Lisa got down on her hands and knees and felt for it, but it was out of reach.
Suddenly Lisa felt a bit foolish. What would she say if Mrs. Reg walked in? Yesterday it had seemed as if everyone at Pine Hollow felt sorry for Veronica. Mrs. Reg would hardly tolerate any nonsense that involved her, especially if it came from a member of The Saddle Club. This time, Lisa decided, she would have to do as her mother
For some reason, though, Lisa simply could not get herself together. The more “help” Veronica gave her, the worse she did. She felt discombobulated, couldn’t concentrate, and had several refusals. The thought of her list of problems only discouraged her further. Veronica stood in the middle of the ring, making a zillion suggestions all at once. “Sit deeper! Don’t lean that far forward! And watch your elbows! Don’t forgetto release in midair! Look up! Now look for your next fence!”
Lisa tried to swallow her pride and listen, but it was all she could do to stop from screaming with frustration. She
knew
everything Veronica was saying, she just couldn’t do it all at once. Today she could hardly do any of it.
The only reprieve came when Veronica finally got her fill of lecturing and headed in. By that point, Lisa was so worked up that she just rode on the flat for a few minutes, trying to salvage some small success for the morning. Even riding alone didn’t do the trick this time, though. Finally she let Prancer walk on a loose rein. Again and again she went over her efforts to improve, wondering what on earth could have gone so terribly wrong in the past few sessions. When she went to dismount, Lisa was convinced that she was riding and jumping worse than the day she had started at Pine Hollow.
Totally discouraged, she put Prancer away and went to change in the locker room. Veronica was inside changing, too. She immediately jumped on Lisa with a ton of suggestions. Lisa nodded blankly from time to time. Sheer exhaustion kept her from telling Veronica not to bother, that she couldn’t absorb another riding tip in a million years.
“And so if you work really hard for the next few days, you’ll have a chance of getting around the course. I’m sure of it,” Veronica concluded with a condescending smile. She finished tying her tennis shoe and stood up, picking up her bag. As she rose, something long and gray fell out of the bag. Whatever it was landed near Lisa, who reached down automatically to pick it up. Before she could grab it, though, Veronica shoved past her to get to it first. In the process, she accidentally kicked the object under the row of lockers, out of reach. Lisa gave her a questioning look.
“Oh, it’s nothing,” Veronica said, shrugging off Lisa’s curiosity. “Just something I picked up at the beauty parlor. Now, I’d better scoot. I have to go breeches shopping today.” With that, she picked up the pair she had been wearing when she fell. The tear went straight up the leg, so it was clear that they really weren’t reparable.
“It’s a good thing I was wearing my oldest pair,” Veronica went on. “I hate to think of how mad Mother would have been if I’d wrecked one of my European pairs. At least these are replaceable,” she added, dropping the breeches into the garbage and walking out.
Lisa wasn’t sorry to see her leave. In fact, beingalone in the locker room was such a relief that she lay down on the bench to think for a minute or two. As she lay there with her eyes closed, she thought about the morning’s horrible practice. Although it had been very, very disappointing, Lisa was still far from wanting to give up. She planned her next practice in her mind, visualizing the jumps. Her eyes would be up; her hands would be steady.…
Opening her eyes a few minutes later, Lisa found herself staring at the gray object underneath the lockers. Why had Veronica tried to get it so quickly? Lisa got down on her hands and knees and felt for it, but it was out of reach.
Suddenly Lisa felt a bit foolish. What would she say if Mrs. Reg walked in? Yesterday it had seemed as if everyone at Pine Hollow felt sorry for Veronica. Mrs. Reg would hardly tolerate any nonsense that involved her, especially if it came from a member of The Saddle Club. This time, Lisa decided, she would have to do as her mother
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