whole sequence of the drill, and more important, she remembered to watch her “little sister” out of the corner of her eye. She kept Starlight’s movements on scale with Outlaw’s.
Jasmine, too, was helping Outlaw move as largely and expressively as he could so that his gaits would more closely equal Starlight’s. They completed theircircles perfectly this time—round and even, and exactly half a circle apart. We’ve learned to work together, Carole realized. We’ve really become a team.
Stevie had not wanted to admit to anyone that she had been nervous about Belle. She loved her horse devotedly, and she had always felt that they made a terrific pair—that Belle listened and responded to her and that they trusted each other. But Belle was still new enough to Stevie that she hadn’t been sure how the mare would respond to the commotion of the parade and public performance. Practicing in the ring at Pine Hollow was one thing, but this was quite another. Stevie’s old mount, Topside, had been a champion show horse, and she always knew that he loved crowds.
Now, to Stevie’s delight, Belle was showing the same sort of response that Stevie would have expected from Topside. The crowd had seemed to make her more alert, yet steadier—she waited for Stevie’s commands as if she sensed their extra-special importance. And Stevie couldn’t help but feel that her horse was trying to show off. Surely Belle had never arched her neck so elegantly or strutted so proudly before!
Movement by movement the drill progressed. Finally they reached the cross through the center. Carole thought of Jessica, and her heart constricted. Somuch had gone right for Jessica today—could she pull this off too? Carole remembered how close Jessica had come in their last practice. She didn’t dare turn her head to see Jessica start, but as soon as she and Starlight were through their corner she looked sideways to the center of the ring.
Jessica was crossing through the center with a gigantic smile on her face. Penny, little Penny, was absolutely flying—trotting with enormous ground-swallowing strides that kept her right on speed without breaking gait! They’d done it! Carole wanted to cheer. But she turned her eyes forward and her attention resolutely back to the next part of the drill. They’d all done so well—she didn’t want to mess up now.
As the final strains of music ended, the riders halted squarely in a row facing the grandstand. To their surprise, the audience erupted into applause. Even Max looked elated. “That was better than our best practice!” he told them as they rode out of the arena. “Am I proud of you!”
“Am I proud of you!” echoed Stevie. She dismounted and flung her arms around Belle’s neck. The mare turned her head and drooled on Stevie’s jacket.
Carole and Lisa felt the same way. They also dismountedand gave their horses plenty of pats and hugs. The other riders did the same. They were all thrilled with their success.
Carole walked Starlight over to where the little girls were chattering excitedly. “Great job, all of you!” she said.
“Thanks!” chorused May and Jessica.
“Thanks,” said Jasmine. “You did pretty well too, Carole, on those circles.” She grinned mischievously.
“I guess Outlaw can keep up with Starlight,” Carole agreed, grinning back. “At least, that is, when you ride him that well.”
Jessica and Jasmine laughed, but May grew indignant. “Outlaw’s nothing special compared to Starlight,” she said. “Starlight’s beautiful.”
“Outlaw’s beautiful too,” Jasmine defended him staunchly. “He’s the best pony ever.”
“Jasmine’s right,” Carole said, trying to calm them down before they really started to argue. “And how about you, Jessica? You had Penny really moving out there.”
Jessica’s face shone. “I just thought and thought about what it should feel like,” she said. “And then when I rode I made it feel the same way.”
* * *
C
Jasmine, too, was helping Outlaw move as largely and expressively as he could so that his gaits would more closely equal Starlight’s. They completed theircircles perfectly this time—round and even, and exactly half a circle apart. We’ve learned to work together, Carole realized. We’ve really become a team.
Stevie had not wanted to admit to anyone that she had been nervous about Belle. She loved her horse devotedly, and she had always felt that they made a terrific pair—that Belle listened and responded to her and that they trusted each other. But Belle was still new enough to Stevie that she hadn’t been sure how the mare would respond to the commotion of the parade and public performance. Practicing in the ring at Pine Hollow was one thing, but this was quite another. Stevie’s old mount, Topside, had been a champion show horse, and she always knew that he loved crowds.
Now, to Stevie’s delight, Belle was showing the same sort of response that Stevie would have expected from Topside. The crowd had seemed to make her more alert, yet steadier—she waited for Stevie’s commands as if she sensed their extra-special importance. And Stevie couldn’t help but feel that her horse was trying to show off. Surely Belle had never arched her neck so elegantly or strutted so proudly before!
Movement by movement the drill progressed. Finally they reached the cross through the center. Carole thought of Jessica, and her heart constricted. Somuch had gone right for Jessica today—could she pull this off too? Carole remembered how close Jessica had come in their last practice. She didn’t dare turn her head to see Jessica start, but as soon as she and Starlight were through their corner she looked sideways to the center of the ring.
Jessica was crossing through the center with a gigantic smile on her face. Penny, little Penny, was absolutely flying—trotting with enormous ground-swallowing strides that kept her right on speed without breaking gait! They’d done it! Carole wanted to cheer. But she turned her eyes forward and her attention resolutely back to the next part of the drill. They’d all done so well—she didn’t want to mess up now.
As the final strains of music ended, the riders halted squarely in a row facing the grandstand. To their surprise, the audience erupted into applause. Even Max looked elated. “That was better than our best practice!” he told them as they rode out of the arena. “Am I proud of you!”
“Am I proud of you!” echoed Stevie. She dismounted and flung her arms around Belle’s neck. The mare turned her head and drooled on Stevie’s jacket.
Carole and Lisa felt the same way. They also dismountedand gave their horses plenty of pats and hugs. The other riders did the same. They were all thrilled with their success.
Carole walked Starlight over to where the little girls were chattering excitedly. “Great job, all of you!” she said.
“Thanks!” chorused May and Jessica.
“Thanks,” said Jasmine. “You did pretty well too, Carole, on those circles.” She grinned mischievously.
“I guess Outlaw can keep up with Starlight,” Carole agreed, grinning back. “At least, that is, when you ride him that well.”
Jessica and Jasmine laughed, but May grew indignant. “Outlaw’s nothing special compared to Starlight,” she said. “Starlight’s beautiful.”
“Outlaw’s beautiful too,” Jasmine defended him staunchly. “He’s the best pony ever.”
“Jasmine’s right,” Carole said, trying to calm them down before they really started to argue. “And how about you, Jessica? You had Penny really moving out there.”
Jessica’s face shone. “I just thought and thought about what it should feel like,” she said. “And then when I rode I made it feel the same way.”
* * *
C
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