Poppy and Prince (3 page)

Everyone turned round to stare at me and I went all red and flustered. Sally came over and told me to stay calm, adding, “I'll be watching you, and remember what I said – you can always trust Prince.” Then she asked Lydia to put me on the lead rein. I felt a bit better then, despite Jennifer's raised eyebrows.

Once I got used to Prince's plodding rhythm and realized that he needed a little squeeze every other step just to keep him going, I began to feel relaxed. He definitely wasn't going to cart me off across the school – thank goodness!

We practised walking on and halting for a while, and everything started to feel really
natural, like it used to. But when Sally said we were going into trot, I completely tensed up and I didn't want to squeeze on with my legs. Lydia said, “Stay relaxed, Poppy, you're doing really well. You can always put the reins into one hand and hold the pommel if you feel unsteady.”

I felt tears welling up then and when I squeezed my eyes shut to stop them, my mind flashed up an image of all the rosettes on my wall at home! That's when I thought,
There's no way I'm holding the saddle!
I gathered my reins, took a deep breath and squeezed on, determined to try. Prince made a good transition but I just went all stiff and bobbled about with my hands in the air!

Sally called out, “Relax, Poppy! Your legs are saying go but your hands are saying no!” The rhyming made everyone giggle (including me!) and I felt a tiny bit better. When I finally got a nice rising trot going it felt great. I couldn't believe I'd done so much in one lesson, even if it was with a leader. Sally said I could come off the lead rein this afternoon, and I must have looked scared because she laughed and added, “You'll be fine, Poppy, but of course, you can go back on anytime you like.”

I made a big fuss of Prince in the yard as we all dismounted, and I whispered in his ear, “Thanks for keeping me safe and trying so hard. Maybe next time we'll be able to do it all on our own!”

I love Prince – he's so gorgeous. Sally was right, he
is
the perfect pony for me!

Millie and Jennifer are on after-tea cleaning up duty so I've got our room to myself – well almost to myself! I'm glad I got the bottom bunk now because Cello is on my bed and I don't think I could have lifted her up to the top.

This afternoon we helped skip out the stables and refill the water buckets – it's so great to be on a yard again. Then we had our Tack Lecture with Jody, and a practice on April's pony, Charm, a handsome grey Connemara. When we were doing “parts of the saddle”, I kept putting my hand up and I was even getting the hard things right, like the skirt and the D-ring, which not everyone was sure of.

I was really enjoying myself and feeling like the old pony-mad Poppy when Sophie, the little blonde girl who's got Monsoon, said, “Wow, Poppy, you know loads for a beginner!”

I felt myself go all red and hot again. I never actually
said
I was a beginner! They just think that because I had a leader in the lesson! “Yeah, erm, well, I read loads of horsy books,” I mumbled.

After that we did “parts of the bridle”, but I was careful not to answer too many of the questions. Jody kept looking over at me when no one knew the different nosebands and I kept pretending to have to adjust my left boot so I didn't catch her eye. She knew I was holding back, but she's so nice she didn't say anything.

It was great tacking Prince up all by myself – it felt as if he was my very own pony. Then Jody asked me to give Tess a hand with Tiny and I helped her do the
thumb-in-the
-corner-of-the-pony's-mouth thing to get the bit in, because she was quite scared about it. (Tiny's a cheeky little monkey!) I said, “You'll get it with practice, there's just a knack.” And then I remembered that they think I'm a beginner and quickly added, “That's what I read, anyway.”

When I went back to get Prince and lead him out to the mounting block he was giving me a look, like he thought I should have told Tess and Sophie the truth about my level of riding.

“It isn't lying, Prince,” I whispered to him. “I just don't want people to expect too much from me – not while I'm getting my confidence back!”

He snorted and pushed my hand with his nose, so I knew he understood after all.

For the afternoon lesson I was put into Group A, which I knew straight away was the beginner group, because Millie and Amita are in Group B (and so is Jennifer). “You'll all still go on hacks and trips together,” Sally explained, “but having two groups for lessons makes it easier for each rider to get the level of attention they need, and to make the most progress possible.”

In the lesson I tried to relax and keep my head up and my hands down. I really wanted to ask for a leader, but instead I took some deep breaths and kept Prince moving with my legs, and soon I felt much better. When we were going into trot I couldn't help lifting my hands and tensing up, though. Sally called out, “Just trust Prince, Poppy.”

That made me relax a bit and I found my rhythm and went rising. We did some circles and bending work around cones in walk and trot and then Sally said we'd try a canter to the back of the ride for those who wanted to. I felt really panicky and didn't think I could – after all, I was cantering when I came off! Sophie wasn't too sure either, as she really is a beginner and has only just got the hang of rising trot.

“Hands up if you want a go!” called Sally, but me and Sophie kept our hands firmly down. Sally smiled at us and said that was absolutely fine and got us to turn our ponies into the middle so we could watch. Lucinda cantered Lovely round the track and they looked really good, apart from a little wobble when she went back to trot. And then
Tiny
cantered
Tess
round the track! Tess flopped forward and only just
managed to hang on, but Sally still said she'd done brilliantly! Sophie looked at me with this big grin on her face and said, “I'm
definitely
trying next time. Aren't you, Poppy?”

“Erm, yes,” I said. “Definitely.” But to be honest it looked so fast and scary, I can't imagine ever cantering again. I feel so cross with myself for being such a scaredy-cat – it's not like me at all, but I just can't seem to help it.

On the way out of the manège, Sally gave Prince a big pat and told me how well I was doing. “But I didn't even canter,” I said glumly.

Sally smiled. “Poppy, it's only the first day,” she cried. “You're off the leader and you've got a nice trot going, when you didn't even expect to get ON! It won't be long before you're back up to speed. Don't be so hard on yourself.”

I nodded and smiled, then rode Prince into the yard feeling much better. But not for long,
because a moment later Jennifer's group came in. “We cantered without stirrups!” she announced. “What did you lot do?”

Lucinda and Tess were excitedly telling her how they'd cantered but I had to admit that I hadn't. Jennifer looked really sorry for me and said loudly, “Don't worry, Poppy, I doubt Prince has got a canter in him anyway. He's so dopey. I'm sure it wasn't your fault.”

I can't
believe
she said that right in front of my gorgeous pony. I got really annoyed then and snapped, “He's not dopey, he's just gentle! He'd go for it if I asked him to. I just, erm, didn't feel like it today, that's all.”

Jennifer said, “Well sor-ry, I was only trying to be nice!” and clip-clopped Flame off to her stable in a huff.

When she'd gone, I gave Prince a big cuddle,
and told him to ignore her. “It's not your fault we didn't canter, it's mine,” I whispered. “I bet you really wanted to go for it! I'll try next time, I promise.”

So I HAVE to canter now, because Prince is really looking forward to it!

Oh great, it's time for our Evening Activity – swimming. At least that's something I can do without getting scared!