Read Online Yankee Swap by Bonnie Bryant - Free Book Online

reins and circled the ring, first keeping Barq to a walk and then to a trot. The horse responded to the command immediately. After a few strides he tried to break into a canter, but Merrill immediately brought him back to a trot. Barq shook his head impatiently, but soon he settled down and waited for his rider’s next order. Carole smiled. Max had been right, as usual. Merrill was more than a match for a horse like Barq.
    Soon Merrill trotted back over to where Carole was waiting. “What a great horse,” she said breathlessly. “He can really move, and his trot is so easy to sit.”
    “He is wonderful, isn’t he?” Carole agreed wholeheartedly. She gave Barq a pat. “He’s one of my favorites.”
    Merrill laughed. “Aren’t they all your favorites?”
    Carole laughed, too. She was glad that Merrill was in such a good mood. “Very funny. So are you ready to start jumping now?”
    Merrill stopped laughing. Her whole body tightened, and Barq shifted nervously beneath her. “I guess so,” she said.
    “Well, the first thing you can do is relax,” Carole instructed her. “I’m not going to send you over any fences just yet.” She went over to where the cavalletti were stacked near the stable building. She was going to take it slowly—or as slowly as she could, considering they only had one afternoon. This was the only chance she was going to get to show Merrill how much fun jumping could be.
    “I T ’ S GETTING DARK ,” Lisa commented to Stevie. “Do you think they’re still at it?”
    “There’s only one way to find out,” Stevie said.
    The two friends went outside. They reached the gate of the outdoor ring just in time to watch Merrill and Barq make a flawless round over a course of low fences. Barq was moving like a champion, and Merrill rode him confidently, with every move she made helping rather than hindering his progress. They were truly a team.
    When Merrill finished, she was beaming. She rode over to the gate and dismounted. Carole, Stevie, and Lisa applauded enthusiastically.
    “That was wonderful!” Lisa exclaimed. She gave Merrill abig hug. Then she turned and hugged Carole. “Carole, you’re a miracle worker!”
    “She sure is,” Merrill agreed. “But some of the credit should go to Barq, too. He’s amazing!” She threw her arms around Barq’s neck. Then she turned to Lisa. “I have a big favor to ask you,” she said.
    “What is it?” Lisa asked.
    “Can I ride Barq for the rest of the clinic?” Merrill asked.
    “Does that mean you’re not going to drop out?” Lisa asked. “Then of course you can! I can ride Chip for the rest of the week.” She gave Merrill another hug.
    “Thanks,” Merrill said. “Believe it or not, I’m actually looking forward to class tomorrow. Thanks again, Carole.”
    Carole smiled. “You just gave me all the thanks I need,” she said. “And now let’s go shopping.”
    “Shopping?” Stevie repeated. “Why?”
    “For the Yankee Swap, of course,” Carole replied. “Since we’re going to be awfully busy with the clinic this week, it wouldn’t hurt to get it out of the way now.”
    “I guess that’s true,” Lisa said, thinking about Simon Atherton. She still wasn’t sure what to get him.
    Stevie sighed, too. The last thing she felt like doing was shopping for a gift for Veronica the snob. Still, she knew Carole was right. “All right,” she said. “Let’s get it over with.”
    Carole was a little surprised at the lack of enthusiasm Stevie and Lisa were showing. “Who did you guys pick, anyway?” she asked.
    Stevie shook her head. “We can’t tell each other. That would spoil the fun,” she said.
    “Come on, Merrill,” Lisa said. “I’ll help you put Barq away. We’ll have to hurry if we want to make it over to the shopping center before dinner.”
    “O KAY , LET ’ S SPLIT UP ,” Stevie said when the girls arrived at the shopping center, which was a short walk from Pine Hollow.
    “That could be a bit of a