clearly not challenging enough for a good rider like Lisa—that didn’t mean she was useless. “She must be handy for new riders,” she commented.
“You’re kidding, right?” Marguerite laughed. “Nobodyhere would be caught dead on a horse like that. The only reason Tiny’s here is because someone donated her as a tax write-off. She’s so slow and dull that they take her along to shows and stuff to keep the other horses calm.” She glanced over at Lisa as she swung aboard Amber, who was prancing and snorting and seemed full of energy. “I’m really sorry you’re stuck riding her, Lisa. My mom is going to kill me when she finds out. But Mr. Keit said there just wasn’t any other horse available right now.”
“It’s okay.” Lisa settled her feet firmly in the stirrups and gathered her reins, preparing to start. Tiny was standing still, her head drooping. Every once in a while she let out a snort or a whinny, responding to things around her. Lisa smiled as the big horse nickered at a passing bird. “At least she’s chatty.”
Marguerite rolled her eyes. “Come on,” she said. “Let’s go.” She sent Amber into a fast walk.
“Lead the way!” Lisa said, trying to sound cheerful. She signaled for Tiny to walk, and for a second the mare seemed reluctant to move.
Lisa was more than a little annoyed, though it had nothing to do with Tiny’s laziness. She knew that none of this was the sweet old mare’s fault. If Marguerite had done what she was supposed to, Lisa could have been riding a horse much more suited to her ability.
A strange, nagging feeling came over her as she followed the other girl out of the stable yard. She urgedTiny into a ponderous trot to keep up with Amber’s brisk walk. Something was bothering Lisa, but she couldn’t figure out what was wrong. Then she realized what it was. She missed the lucky horseshoe.
The lucky horseshoe was a Pine Hollow tradition. It was nailed to the wall by the stable door, and Lisa, like all the riders at Pine Hollow, was always careful to touch it before setting out. No rider who had done so had ever been seriously hurt.
“Oh, well,” Lisa whispered to Tiny, keeping her voice low so that Marguerite wouldn’t overhear. “I should know better than to expect any good luck around here.”
Tiny nickered and glanced back toward the stable building. Lisa smiled and gave her another pat. She could tell that the old mare didn’t want to be out there any more than she did. Then Lisa glanced up at the sky.
Maybe Tiny and I will get lucky after all
, she thought hopefully as she saw still more gray clouds gathering at the horizon.
It looks like it’s going to pour pretty soon. Then Tiny can get back to her hayrack, and I can get back to Pine Hollow early!
“I’ M STARTING TO wonder if Tate is ever going to ride with our class,” Stevie grumbled. She and Carole were at Calypso’s stall. The Horse Wise meeting and the girls’ jump lesson had both come and gone, and there had been no sign of the new boy. The girls were on their way to the grain shed to mix the feed for the next week, but they had stopped by to see the pregnant mare first.
Carole could tell that Stevie was disappointed because Tate hadn’t shown up. She had to admit, she was a little disappointed, too. But she was also relieved. Whenever the new boy was around, she felt kind of awkward. She wasn’t sure whether that had anything to do with Tate himself or whether it was purely a result of Stevie’smatchmaking. She decided it was time to change the subject. “The Horse Wise meeting was fun, wasn’t it? Belle seemed to catch on quickly to what you were asking her to do.”
Stevie’s eyes lit up. “She did do well, didn’t she?” she said. “Even Max said—”
Carole never got to hear what Max had said. Stevie was staring past her down the aisle, grinning widely. “What is it, Stevie?” Carole asked, turning to look.
“Hi there!” Tate called, walking toward them.
“You’re kidding, right?” Marguerite laughed. “Nobodyhere would be caught dead on a horse like that. The only reason Tiny’s here is because someone donated her as a tax write-off. She’s so slow and dull that they take her along to shows and stuff to keep the other horses calm.” She glanced over at Lisa as she swung aboard Amber, who was prancing and snorting and seemed full of energy. “I’m really sorry you’re stuck riding her, Lisa. My mom is going to kill me when she finds out. But Mr. Keit said there just wasn’t any other horse available right now.”
“It’s okay.” Lisa settled her feet firmly in the stirrups and gathered her reins, preparing to start. Tiny was standing still, her head drooping. Every once in a while she let out a snort or a whinny, responding to things around her. Lisa smiled as the big horse nickered at a passing bird. “At least she’s chatty.”
Marguerite rolled her eyes. “Come on,” she said. “Let’s go.” She sent Amber into a fast walk.
“Lead the way!” Lisa said, trying to sound cheerful. She signaled for Tiny to walk, and for a second the mare seemed reluctant to move.
Lisa was more than a little annoyed, though it had nothing to do with Tiny’s laziness. She knew that none of this was the sweet old mare’s fault. If Marguerite had done what she was supposed to, Lisa could have been riding a horse much more suited to her ability.
A strange, nagging feeling came over her as she followed the other girl out of the stable yard. She urgedTiny into a ponderous trot to keep up with Amber’s brisk walk. Something was bothering Lisa, but she couldn’t figure out what was wrong. Then she realized what it was. She missed the lucky horseshoe.
The lucky horseshoe was a Pine Hollow tradition. It was nailed to the wall by the stable door, and Lisa, like all the riders at Pine Hollow, was always careful to touch it before setting out. No rider who had done so had ever been seriously hurt.
“Oh, well,” Lisa whispered to Tiny, keeping her voice low so that Marguerite wouldn’t overhear. “I should know better than to expect any good luck around here.”
Tiny nickered and glanced back toward the stable building. Lisa smiled and gave her another pat. She could tell that the old mare didn’t want to be out there any more than she did. Then Lisa glanced up at the sky.
Maybe Tiny and I will get lucky after all
, she thought hopefully as she saw still more gray clouds gathering at the horizon.
It looks like it’s going to pour pretty soon. Then Tiny can get back to her hayrack, and I can get back to Pine Hollow early!
“I’ M STARTING TO wonder if Tate is ever going to ride with our class,” Stevie grumbled. She and Carole were at Calypso’s stall. The Horse Wise meeting and the girls’ jump lesson had both come and gone, and there had been no sign of the new boy. The girls were on their way to the grain shed to mix the feed for the next week, but they had stopped by to see the pregnant mare first.
Carole could tell that Stevie was disappointed because Tate hadn’t shown up. She had to admit, she was a little disappointed, too. But she was also relieved. Whenever the new boy was around, she felt kind of awkward. She wasn’t sure whether that had anything to do with Tate himself or whether it was purely a result of Stevie’smatchmaking. She decided it was time to change the subject. “The Horse Wise meeting was fun, wasn’t it? Belle seemed to catch on quickly to what you were asking her to do.”
Stevie’s eyes lit up. “She did do well, didn’t she?” she said. “Even Max said—”
Carole never got to hear what Max had said. Stevie was staring past her down the aisle, grinning widely. “What is it, Stevie?” Carole asked, turning to look.
“Hi there!” Tate called, walking toward them.
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