she’s in charge) and her husband Johnny is the Yard Manager and Millie’s dad!
Next Jody got us to say our names and where we were from. There are nine of us including Millie, three in each room. Carla is the youngest (she’s only six) and she’s in withChloe and Tam, these two friends who came all the way from Manchester! In the other room there are three almost-teenagers sharing together – Kate and Karen the twins are smiley and nice, but Jade looks a bit moody. She wears lots of make-up and has blonde hair that she keeps flicking round as if she’s in a shampoo ad.
Anyway, back to MY PONY!
When Lydia led this gorgeous pony out of the stable I crossed my fingers really tight, hoping he was for me. Then I heard Sally say, “Megan, you asked for a challenge, so we’ll try you on Mischief.”
I could hardly believe it! He was the gorgeous palomino I’d seen in the field! I wanted to jump up and down and scream, “Yes! Yes! Yes!” but I didn’t in case it spooked the ponies.
Kate got this handsome black gelding called Rupert.
Gabrielle got the cute cobby piebald, who’s called Prince.
Moody Jade got a glossy chestnut called Shine, who flicks her tail round in the same way Jade does with her hair – so they suit each other well! I don’t remember who the others got because I was too excited about Mischief!
We tacked up (Lydia helped me with getting the bit in) and waited to mount up on the block, ready for our first lesson. Once I was on I felt quite high up on Mischief, but as he’s a light build I could wrap my legs round his sides nicely. I even tightened my own girth, and I felt really cool and grown up just sorting it out myself – until Mischief started wandering off while I still had my leg forward. Lydia had to come back over and hold him still, so then I didn’t feel very cool after all!
At first, when we got in the ménage we just had to walk round on the track and think about sitting up straight and keeping our hands relaxed and our heels down. There were no complete beginners and everyone could trot at least, so that was okay.
Then it all went not okay, ’cos Mischief started doing Naughty Things. Like:
Naughty Thing 1
We did trotting to the back of the ride one by one and I think Mischief got bored of walking round and round waiting for his turn becausehe kept going really close to the person in front, which was Gabby, and nearly sticking his nose up Prince’s tail. Sally told me to use half halts to keep him in check, but that didn’t really work because he just kept stopping completely!
Naughty Thing 2
When it was our turn and I asked for trot, Mischief just leaped backwards and started skittering about. Everyone was looking at me and I felt really panicky, but then Sally strode towards us and so Mischief started behaving after all. Well, until…
Naughty Thing 3
When we did some practice of going over trotting poles, Mischief got a bit excited and barged up the side of Shine. I pulled on the reins and leaned back but I still crashed legs with Moody Jade. I’m sure it didn’t hurt but shemade a big fuss, crying, “Argh!” really loudly and saying that I’d got no control. I pretended not to hear, but I just KNOW everyone else was listening. After that I tried really hard to keep out of trouble but…
Naughty Thing 4
We were going round cones and Mischief went absolutely miles round them, like way over to the edge of the manège. Sally called out, “Time to take charge and get tough, Megan!” which was awful because it was like being told off in front of everyone and I was already trying my hardest – but Mischief was just ignoring me!
But the worst thing was when Sally asked some of us to ride our ponies into the middle (including me!) while the others had a canter round the track. I was really upset because I’ve done loads of cantering on Fella back at home,even if it was only short bursts after lots of encouraging him.
I’m worried that Sally
Next Jody got us to say our names and where we were from. There are nine of us including Millie, three in each room. Carla is the youngest (she’s only six) and she’s in withChloe and Tam, these two friends who came all the way from Manchester! In the other room there are three almost-teenagers sharing together – Kate and Karen the twins are smiley and nice, but Jade looks a bit moody. She wears lots of make-up and has blonde hair that she keeps flicking round as if she’s in a shampoo ad.
Anyway, back to MY PONY!
When Lydia led this gorgeous pony out of the stable I crossed my fingers really tight, hoping he was for me. Then I heard Sally say, “Megan, you asked for a challenge, so we’ll try you on Mischief.”
I could hardly believe it! He was the gorgeous palomino I’d seen in the field! I wanted to jump up and down and scream, “Yes! Yes! Yes!” but I didn’t in case it spooked the ponies.
Kate got this handsome black gelding called Rupert.
Gabrielle got the cute cobby piebald, who’s called Prince.
Moody Jade got a glossy chestnut called Shine, who flicks her tail round in the same way Jade does with her hair – so they suit each other well! I don’t remember who the others got because I was too excited about Mischief!
We tacked up (Lydia helped me with getting the bit in) and waited to mount up on the block, ready for our first lesson. Once I was on I felt quite high up on Mischief, but as he’s a light build I could wrap my legs round his sides nicely. I even tightened my own girth, and I felt really cool and grown up just sorting it out myself – until Mischief started wandering off while I still had my leg forward. Lydia had to come back over and hold him still, so then I didn’t feel very cool after all!
At first, when we got in the ménage we just had to walk round on the track and think about sitting up straight and keeping our hands relaxed and our heels down. There were no complete beginners and everyone could trot at least, so that was okay.
Then it all went not okay, ’cos Mischief started doing Naughty Things. Like:
Naughty Thing 1
We did trotting to the back of the ride one by one and I think Mischief got bored of walking round and round waiting for his turn becausehe kept going really close to the person in front, which was Gabby, and nearly sticking his nose up Prince’s tail. Sally told me to use half halts to keep him in check, but that didn’t really work because he just kept stopping completely!
Naughty Thing 2
When it was our turn and I asked for trot, Mischief just leaped backwards and started skittering about. Everyone was looking at me and I felt really panicky, but then Sally strode towards us and so Mischief started behaving after all. Well, until…
Naughty Thing 3
When we did some practice of going over trotting poles, Mischief got a bit excited and barged up the side of Shine. I pulled on the reins and leaned back but I still crashed legs with Moody Jade. I’m sure it didn’t hurt but shemade a big fuss, crying, “Argh!” really loudly and saying that I’d got no control. I pretended not to hear, but I just KNOW everyone else was listening. After that I tried really hard to keep out of trouble but…
Naughty Thing 4
We were going round cones and Mischief went absolutely miles round them, like way over to the edge of the manège. Sally called out, “Time to take charge and get tough, Megan!” which was awful because it was like being told off in front of everyone and I was already trying my hardest – but Mischief was just ignoring me!
But the worst thing was when Sally asked some of us to ride our ponies into the middle (including me!) while the others had a canter round the track. I was really upset because I’ve done loads of cantering on Fella back at home,even if it was only short bursts after lots of encouraging him.
I’m worried that Sally
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