Charlie and Charm (2 page)

The girls in the younger room are:

Yasmin is from Hounslow, and Ruby and Molly have come together and live nearby. They’re all eight.

Sally gave us these timetables so we can see roughly what we’re doing each day, although she says it will change sometimes. In fact, it changed right away ’cos then we had a tour round the yard instead of a Pony Care lecture.

Sally showed us round Sunnyside and we all went
when we saw the swimming pool and the games room. Then she took us into the main barn, where all the ponies who live out in the summer were waiting for us. Lydia was busy tacking them up ready for our lesson and the other girls got really excited, wondering which ponies they were going to get and saying how cute they looked.

The barn smelt exactly like the one on my old yard, and without thinking I began looking for Apple among the ponies. With a start I realized what I was doing. That barn smell made me miss her so much! I was really relieved when we filed out again, to go to the fire drill meeting point.

Sally also went over some other safety things like:

1. How to tie a pony up properly.

2. How important it is to put all the equipment away and not leave things lying around.

3. How you must always tell someone where you’re going if you leave the group, even if it’s just to go to the loo or to get a different grooming brush from the tack room.

4. The correct boots and hats and body protectors, of course!

Then we all had to practise tying proper slip knots in our lead ropes. Molly got in a muddle, so I did hers, and then I did Ruby’s, too, because she was looking a little bit confused. I’ve tied up Apple so many times I can do it with my eyes closed, so it was no bother.

Then it was time to meet our ponies. We collected our hats, gloves and crops and went out on to the yard. Secretly, I felt really sick.

Sally said, “You’ll each have your own pony for the whole week. You’ll feed, groom and look after him or her as well as riding.”

Everyone was grinning, and Ricosha and Tameka were actually jumping up and down with excitement, but I didn’t feel that way at all. I didn’t want a new pony to look after, even just for a week. I only wanted Apple.

It was great to see Skye so happy, though. She got a beautiful bay Arab cross called Fisher, with a lovely tumbling mane that’s a bit like her own hair! They just seem to fit together, like me and Apple used to. Jemima got a palomino called Mischief, and she made us all laugh by saying, “Sounds like he’ll suit me! That’s what Mum would say, anyway … and my teachers!”

Molly was so excited about getting Sugar that it took ages to persuade her to stop making a fuss of him and mount up!

I kept myself busy by helping out with the other girls’ stirrups, hoping that Sally wouldn’t notice me. But when I turned round she was standing there with a grey Connemara. “Charlie, meet Charm,” she said, with a smile. “He’s a lovely boy and he’ll definitely cheer you up. Plus, he’s a great jumper.” She winked at me and added, “And you’ll find out why that matters later on.”

I forced myself to smile back and took the reins. I fussed over Charm, but only because Sally was watching. Inside, I missed Apple so much I felt like crying. But I took some deep breaths and managed to hold the tears in – I don’t want the girls thinking I’m a spoilt brat or something.

So, this is who everyone got in the end: