Flying Horse

“I’m really ashamed that Phil’s horse can do something Belle can’t—especially when it’s a dressage movement,” Stevie said. “But I solemnly promise you, the next time Phil sees Belle, she’ll be doing flying changes.” She raised her hand like a Girl Scout taking an oath.

Lisa stifled an urge to giggle. “But Stevie, that doesn’t give you or Belle much time,” she reminded her friend. “Aren’t you planning a picnic ride for Phil’s birthday?”

Stevie nodded. “Two and a half weeks,” she said. “Should be plenty of time. Deborah learned to ride as a wedding present for Max. I’ll teach Belle flying changes as a birthday present for Phil.”

“I bet he’d rather have a new halter,” Lisa said.

“Flying changes,” Stevie repeated grimly. “Two weeks.”

“I
SN
’
T THIS DAY
just perfect?” asked Stevie Lake. She threw her arms open wide and sniffed happily at the fresh early-morning air.

“I don’t know about perfect,” said one of Stevie’s two best friends, Lisa Atwood, with a slight smile. “I woke up late and didn’t have time for breakfast, I couldn’t find my boot hooks, and Prancer’s thrown a shoe so I’m going to have to ride Delilah instead.”

“Oh.” Stevie’s grin faded in sympathy. “I’m sorry about Prancer, Lisa. Are you sure—”

“I’m sure,” Lisa said. “The shoe’s come all the way off, and she’s lost it in the pasture somewhere. It
wasn’t even loose yesterday. I don’t want to hurt her by trying to ride her without it.”

“Not a Thoroughbred,” Stevie agreed. The two girls belonged to a Pony Club called Horse Wise, in which they learned all sorts of things about horse care and training. They knew that while some horses had strong hooves and could be ridden without shoes, Thoroughbreds tended to have weak hooves. Prancer was a Thoroughbred and an ex-racehorse. “Don’t be disappointed,” Stevie comforted her friend. “You’ll have a nice ride on Delilah. The trails will be gorgeous, no matter what.”

“I know,” said Lisa. “I wouldn’t miss this trip for anything.” Horse Wise had been invited by a neighboring Pony Club, Cross County, to go on a trail ride through Cross County’s hunt territory. Lisa, Stevie, and their other best friend, Carole, had ridden at Cross County before, but they hadn’t explored all the hunt trails. They loved to ride somewhere new.

“I wouldn’t miss it for anything, either,” said Stevie, the rapturous smile returning to her face.

Lisa laughed. “That’s because the woods will be so beautiful, I’m sure,” she teased. “Or maybe because you’ll be riding your beautiful horse, Belle? It wouldn’t have anything to do with Phil Marsten, would it, Stevie?” Phil was Stevie’s boyfriend and a member of
Cross County. Lisa knew how rarely the two got to see each other.

“Like I said,” Stevie responded, “this is a perfect day!”

“Up, up, up!” Across the yard of Pine Hollow Stables, Red O’Malley, the head stable hand, was helping Veronica diAngelo load her mare into the horse van. Garnet stepped daintily aboard on Red’s command, and Stevie saw Red and Veronica exchange grins—a rare event, since Veronica was a spoiled brat and usually tried to boss Red around. Of course, Veronica had been treating Red a little more nicely ever since his girlfriend, Denise McCaskill, had come to help out at Pine Hollow. Veronica greatly admired Denise. Still—

“Would you look at that!” Stevie said.

Lisa nodded. “Veronica’s helping load Garnet. She’s even smiling. I can’t believe it!”

“It must be something in the air,” declared Stevie. “This really is an amazing day!”

“Except that without my boot hooks I can’t pull my boots on,” Lisa reminded her. She pointed to the tennis shoes she was wearing with her breeches.

“Switch to cowboy boots, they’re easier,” Stevie advised. “But I bet Carole is wearing her dress boots today. She’ll have some boot hooks.” She steered Lisa into the stable. They found Carole Hanson in the
main aisle, wrapping shipping bandages around the legs of her horse, Starlight.

“Boot hooks?” Carole repeated vaguely. She straightened, patting Starlight’s neck absentmindedly, and half closed her eyes. “In my cubby, in the tack room, second shelf, toward the back behind the saddle soap on the left-hand side.” Lisa and Stevie grinned. Carole could be incredibly flaky, but she was always organized around horses.

“And Lisa didn’t get to eat breakfast,” Stevie continued.

“There are doughnuts. Maybe in the tack room? Somewhere.” Carole looked around distractedly.

“Here?” Stevie plucked a pile of shipping bandages off a hay bale to reveal a bag of doughnuts.

“There.” Carole smiled and went back to wrapping Starlight’s legs.

“See?” Stevie said to Lisa. “Carole helps you out, and I help Carole help you out.”

Lisa laughed. That was the best part of their threesome—not the way their personalities fit, which they certainly did, but the way they were always ready to help each other. They had even formed a club called The Saddle Club. Members had to be horse crazy and had to help each other out whenever help was needed. Both of those rules were easy to follow for Lisa, Carole, and Stevie.

“Starlight looks beautiful,” Lisa said when she returned from the tack room with her boots on and her arms full of Delilah’s tack. Lisa didn’t have her own horse. She wanted one, of course, but she still wasn’t sure she knew enough to give one the care and training it would need. Lisa hadn’t been riding as long as Carole and Stevie, and although she was a good rider, she was also a good enough student to realize how much she didn’t know.

In the stall next to Delilah’s, Jessica Adler was saddling Penny, one of Pine Hollow’s lesson ponies. “I can hardly wait,” Jessica told Lisa as she walked Penny out of the stall. “I’ve never taken Penny on a real trail ride before.” Lisa smiled. Now that she had her boots on and had eaten something, she was starting to feel enthusiastic about riding Delilah. The mare was sweet and would be nearly as much fun to ride as Prancer. The clear sky promised them a warm day, and a balmy summer breeze wafted through the stable, mixing with the smells of horses, leather, and hay. Lisa buckled the throatlatch of Delilah’s halter and paused to stroke the mare’s golden neck before leading her out of her stall. Stevie was right. This was going to be fun.

Outside, confusion reigned. Nearly a dozen Pony Clubbers were going to Cross County, but only four horses had been loaded onto the van. Red was standing by the van’s ramp, trying to organize the horses
that were ready to load. It was a short trip so the horses were traveling fully tacked. Denise was inspecting the horses’ tack before they were put on board. Some of the younger riders hadn’t put their saddles on properly or fastened the saddle girths correctly. A few of the ponies had gotten tired of waiting and were beginning to act up. Their riders shrieked and scolded.

Polly Giacomin ran through the crowd saying, “Oh gosh, how could I forget—” Her purple windbreaker flapped loudly in the breeze. The noise spooked Penny, who was just about to step onto the van. Penny backed up, fast, yanking the reins out of Jessica’s hands. The pony wheeled and trotted briskly back to the barn.

“Jessica, what do you think you’re doing?”
A loud voice boomed across the yard. Instantly the riders went still. Max Regnery, owner of Pine Hollow Stables and leader of the Pony Club, strode forward angrily. Everyone looked shocked. Max could be a stern instructor, but he never yelled like that, especially not at one of the younger kids.

“She was trying to put Penny on the van,” May Grover, one of Jessica’s friends, said stoutly. “Polly ran past and made Penny nervous.”

“I’m sorry, Max,” Jessica said. “I didn’t mean to let go of the reins, but I couldn’t help it.” Denise came
back from the barn leading the pony. She handed Penny to Jessica with an understanding smile.

“Well,” Max said grumpily. “You shouldn’t have let it happen. All of you are making too much noise. It’s no wonder the horses are upset. Let’s have a little peace and quiet around here for once, okay?”

“Geez,” said Stevie, leading Belle up beside Starlight and Delilah. “What’s gotten into Max?”

“I don’t know,” said Carole. “I’ve never heard him talk to one of the little kids like that. He knows Penny doesn’t like to go into the van.”

“He must be missing Deborah,” Lisa guessed. Deborah was Max’s new wife. As soon as they’d gotten home from their honeymoon in London, Deborah, a newspaper reporter, had returned to Europe to cover a political summit. She’d been gone for a week already.

“It’s awful to be separated from the person you really care about,” Stevie said with a sigh. “I know what that’s like.”