Eager Star by Dandi Daley Mackall Page B

putting you in.” He chuckled. “We’ll show him!”
    I’m riding Eager Star in the barrel race!
    Hawk rode Towaco closer. “Winnie, this is what you wanted! I’ll ride Towaco home and bring him back in time to watch you race!”
    â€œThanks, Hawk!” Catman would be there. And Barker and Lizzy. I’d have my own cheering section. “What’s Grant say?” I asked Mr. Baines.
    He revved his engine. Nickers reared a couple of inches. “Who knows? He left the house before I got up. I haven’t seen him. Don’t worry about Grant. What he wants is a win—any way he can get it. And you’re it!”
    I hoped he was right. I couldn’t imagine not wanting to ride my own horse. But his dad knew Grant better than I did.
    On the ride home I pictured myself on Star, crossing the finishing line, flashbulbs popping, people cheering . . . Summer whining.
    I turned Nickers out and was running to the house to tell Lizzy the good news when I stopped cold. Grant Baines was sitting on the steps eating Lizzy’s cold pizza.
    I sat beside him. “Grant, I’m sorry.”
    â€œDon’t be!” he snapped. “I suppose you’ve told everybody how I got bucked off yesterday.” He wouldn’t look at me.
    â€œI wouldn’t do that.”
    He got to his feet. “Can we just practice?”
    He strode ahead of me to the barn. Grant’s dad doesn’t know him as well he thinks he does. On the other hand, Grant couldn’t be too upset or he wouldn’t have come over to help me with Star.
    That thought made me feel better, even though Grant stormed through the barn, banging the lid on the tack box as he pulled out Star’s saddle and bridle.
    I felt bad for the way our only practice had gone. I’d been too tough on him. I thought back to how many things I’d criticized: Don’t talk loud, don’t pat, don’t tighten the reins, don’t . . . It may not have been punishment, but it sure hadn’t been praise.
    Think of people as horses. At church Ralph had said, “All God’s creatures need praise.” Watching Grant slam the saddle down, I wondered if I’d ever seen anybody who needed praise more than he did. I wished I could have that practice back.
    Eager Star walked in, and that’s when I got an idea. I didn’t need to practice on Grant’s horse. Maybe we’d have time for a do-over after all. “Grant, why don’t you start working out with your horse? I’d like to try something.”
    â€œYou’re the boss.” He didn’t sound too happy about that.
    I led Star to the pasture, then handed the rope to Grant. “Drop the leadrope and walk away.”
    He did, and his horse stayed while he brought out the tack.
    â€œWell, praise him! He stood still for you.”
    â€œI don’t know how to praise him!” He said it like I’d asked him to slow dance with me.
    â€œGood boy, Star!” I nodded for Grant to say it.
    â€œGood boy, Star,” he said, with one-tenth my enthusiasm.
    â€œThat wasn’t so bad!”
    I made him praise Star five times as we tacked up. By the fifth time, he sounded like he meant it. “He’s not a bad-looking horse, is he?” He reached up to pet the bay, but Star jerked his head back, remembering the slap.
    â€œTell him ,” I urged.
    Grant almost grinned. “You’re kind of handsome.” This time the bay stood still and let himself be scratched.
    â€œYou’re good with him,” I said. “Star likes you.”
    â€œYou think?” He scratched Star’s withers. “You like that, don’t you?” I had a feeling he’d never talked to a horse before, except to scold him.
    Grant’s mount didn’t go much better than the night before, but he kept his cool and didn’t raise his voice.
    â€œYou two are doing fine!” I called as he