Amy and Amber by Kelly McKain Page A

the youngest. They’re all 9, but Ava’s only just 9 and Jas is 10 next week.

    Then Sally showed us round the yard. We all went WOW when we saw the swimming pool – it looks even more amazing than in the pics on the Sunnyside Stables website. There’s a games room too, with COOL! stuff like table tennis and Twister and dance mats.
    Next we went into the barn and saw the ponies! They’re so gorgeous and my heart was racing with excitement as me and Kayla whispered about which ones we might get! Everyone else felt the same and we made a huge fuss of them all. Back on the yard Sally went through the safety rules about putting equipment away and wearing proper boots and letting an adult know if we leave the group to go to the loo or anything.
    Then came the bit we’d all been waiting for – finding out which ponies we were getting! Lydia brought them out one by one and Sally paired us up. This is who everyone got:

    Amber is SO gorgeous! Here’s my pony profile of her:
    Name: Amber
    Height: 13hh
    Age: 6
    Breed: Maybe some New Forest pony in her, Lydia thinks!
    Colour: Dun
    Markings: White star, dark brown mane and tail and a cute blackish-brown line down her back
    Fave foods: Carrots and apples (according to Millie)
    Personality: Sweet, patient, tries hard and GORGEOUS!!
    We all lined up to use the mounting block and once we were on, Sally and Lydia came round to sort out our stirrups and girths. Amber was so sweet and stood really quietly so I didn’t need any help, but Sally had to hold Cracker because he kept wandering off whenever Kayla tried to put her leg forward.
    We rode into the manège in single file and my heart was pounding because I wanted to impress Sally. As we were walking around to warm up I kept thinking too much about my posture and hands and legs and I felt really awkward, but after a while I relaxed into it. I so enjoyed riding Amber, she makes lovely smooth transitions and she always stopped nice and square when we went forward into halt.
    Kayla’s pony Cracker is so cute and cheeky. He cut off the corner when we had to trot to the back of the ride, and Sally got her to circle him round and do it again twice. He kept to the track after that, and Sally said Kayla had done really well.

    And guess what?! She did so well that she’s been put in Group B with Shanika, Sarah, Genevieve and Millie. (I’m in Group A with Lexy, Jas and Ava, which is fine by me!) I thought Kayla would be really happy, but when we were untacking in the barn afterwards she was a bit upset that we won’t be riding together. She even wanted me to go with her to ask Sally if she could swap to Group A.
    I was secretly a bit upset too, because of course I’d wanted us to ride together, but I was careful to hide it. There’s no way I’d hold her back – that’s not what good friends do. “You should be proud that you got into the top group,” I told her. “You’re such a good rider. This is a great chance to really push yourself.”
    Kayla looked uncertain. “Do you really think so?” she asked.
    “Of course I do! Go for it!” I cried, giving her a big hug. “And don’t forget, we’ll still have our hack out and beach ride together.” Kayla shrugged, then smiled. “OK.”

    It was great fun brushing our ponies down next to each other and getting them some fresh water and checking their hooves and everything.
    Oh, Millie’s just come in and said it’s time to go back down to the yard again. Gotta go – I can’t wait one more second to see Amber! I know I’ve only just met her, but I’m completely crazy about her already!

I’m in bed! It’s the first chance I’ve had to write in here since lunch!
    Right now, me, Kayla and Millie are waiting till Jody’s gone to bed so we can have our first midnight feast (there’s no way we can wait till actual midnight!). So in the meantime I’m writing this under the covers by the light of my torch.

    Wow – there’s so much to say! Loads