Mrs Millar called out. “He’s just a bit unsure, that’s all.”
Charlie put her legs gently on Phantom’s sides, keeping her hands soft as soon as he came back down. For a moment he cantered beneath her at a walking pace, still with no weight on the reins. Charlie sat quietly with her legs still touching his sides and patted his neck. Finally, he plunged forward and started to cover some ground.
Charlie brought him quietly back to trot then put him through his paces. He fought her to startoff with, bucking a couple of times and slowing right up, and threatening to rear when she asked him to do something that he didn’t like, but as Mrs Millar gave them a lesson, they both started to settle. The others watched through the drizzle, captivated, as Phantom transformed in front of them with Mrs Millar’s expert tuition and Charlie’s skill, and they saw flashes of a beautiful, rounded trot and a stunningly smooth canter. Charlie couldn’t help grinning as she circled Phantom and brought him to a halt.
“Let’s try him over a fence,” Mrs Millar said, directing the girls, who leaped down at once and ran to set up a place pole and a single cross pole. “Bring him in trot, Charlie.”
Charlie shortened her stirrups, feeling a rush of excitement. She kept Phantom on a light rein and, in an even, bouncy trot, turned him towards the fence. He saw it, pricked his ears and rushed, but slowed for the pole and dipped his head and neck low, really arcing from his ears all the way tohis tail and ballooning over the cross pole. Charlie almost laughed – she couldn’t believe the feeling she’d just had. Pirate was such a good jumper and would fly over anything, but he jumped flat. Charlie had never felt a horse that jumped so cleanly and cleared the poles so effortlessly.
Mrs Millar put up another fence in the school. Phantom fought Charlie for his head on the approaches but rounded over each fence easily when he got there, tucking up his hooves neatly and clearing them cleanly. Charlie crouched lightly on top of him, her soft hands following his movement.
The watching girls held their breath as Charlie and Phantom popped over the fences. Phantom was awesome. When she pulled up, Charlie patted the black horse. He shook his head, irritated by the fuss.
“He needs plenty of work,” Mrs Millar boomed, finding a mint for him which he ignored. “Got to keep his mind occupied. Lots of changes of rein, changes of pace, circles. Mix it up.”
Pixie sat on the fence, looking transfixed, understanding for the first time how good her horse really was.
“I think you should try him in the Compton Manor competition, Charlie,” Mrs Millar said with a smile. Pixie had filled Mrs Millar in on what life had been like at Compton Manor and Mrs Millar was keen to go there and see it for herself. She wanted a word with Mrs Compton, too, after her failure to make sure that Pixie got the help and support which had been promised. “Let you experience what he’s capable of.”
“You really think so?” Charlie asked, jumping off and loosening Phantom’s girth, dodging his teeth as he turned to nip her, his ears back. It was Tuesday and the show was being held on Saturday. That didn’t give her long to get to know Phantom.
“With the owner’s permission, that is,” Mrs Millar laughed, slapping Pixie on the back as they took Phantom to his stable and went to fill in the Compton Manor entry forms.
Chapter Thirteen
MRS Millar popped over to Blackberry Farm after school for the next three days to give Phantom lessons. He looked amazing, powerfully striding along under her watchful eye.
The others always watched from the fence, oohing in unison every time he put in another huge buck.
“His back hooves are literally going higher than your head, Charlie!” Rosie called out one time, only to be silenced with a single stare from Mrs Millar. Charlie just managed to sit to each buck, staying in the saddle as she worked to keep
Charlie put her legs gently on Phantom’s sides, keeping her hands soft as soon as he came back down. For a moment he cantered beneath her at a walking pace, still with no weight on the reins. Charlie sat quietly with her legs still touching his sides and patted his neck. Finally, he plunged forward and started to cover some ground.
Charlie brought him quietly back to trot then put him through his paces. He fought her to startoff with, bucking a couple of times and slowing right up, and threatening to rear when she asked him to do something that he didn’t like, but as Mrs Millar gave them a lesson, they both started to settle. The others watched through the drizzle, captivated, as Phantom transformed in front of them with Mrs Millar’s expert tuition and Charlie’s skill, and they saw flashes of a beautiful, rounded trot and a stunningly smooth canter. Charlie couldn’t help grinning as she circled Phantom and brought him to a halt.
“Let’s try him over a fence,” Mrs Millar said, directing the girls, who leaped down at once and ran to set up a place pole and a single cross pole. “Bring him in trot, Charlie.”
Charlie shortened her stirrups, feeling a rush of excitement. She kept Phantom on a light rein and, in an even, bouncy trot, turned him towards the fence. He saw it, pricked his ears and rushed, but slowed for the pole and dipped his head and neck low, really arcing from his ears all the way tohis tail and ballooning over the cross pole. Charlie almost laughed – she couldn’t believe the feeling she’d just had. Pirate was such a good jumper and would fly over anything, but he jumped flat. Charlie had never felt a horse that jumped so cleanly and cleared the poles so effortlessly.
Mrs Millar put up another fence in the school. Phantom fought Charlie for his head on the approaches but rounded over each fence easily when he got there, tucking up his hooves neatly and clearing them cleanly. Charlie crouched lightly on top of him, her soft hands following his movement.
The watching girls held their breath as Charlie and Phantom popped over the fences. Phantom was awesome. When she pulled up, Charlie patted the black horse. He shook his head, irritated by the fuss.
“He needs plenty of work,” Mrs Millar boomed, finding a mint for him which he ignored. “Got to keep his mind occupied. Lots of changes of rein, changes of pace, circles. Mix it up.”
Pixie sat on the fence, looking transfixed, understanding for the first time how good her horse really was.
“I think you should try him in the Compton Manor competition, Charlie,” Mrs Millar said with a smile. Pixie had filled Mrs Millar in on what life had been like at Compton Manor and Mrs Millar was keen to go there and see it for herself. She wanted a word with Mrs Compton, too, after her failure to make sure that Pixie got the help and support which had been promised. “Let you experience what he’s capable of.”
“You really think so?” Charlie asked, jumping off and loosening Phantom’s girth, dodging his teeth as he turned to nip her, his ears back. It was Tuesday and the show was being held on Saturday. That didn’t give her long to get to know Phantom.
“With the owner’s permission, that is,” Mrs Millar laughed, slapping Pixie on the back as they took Phantom to his stable and went to fill in the Compton Manor entry forms.
Chapter Thirteen
MRS Millar popped over to Blackberry Farm after school for the next three days to give Phantom lessons. He looked amazing, powerfully striding along under her watchful eye.
The others always watched from the fence, oohing in unison every time he put in another huge buck.
“His back hooves are literally going higher than your head, Charlie!” Rosie called out one time, only to be silenced with a single stare from Mrs Millar. Charlie just managed to sit to each buck, staying in the saddle as she worked to keep
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