Horse Spy by Bonnie Bryant Page A

would Max and Mrs. Reg let me?”
    It wasn’t what Carole had in mind, but Frieda seemed so excited by the idea that she hated to disappoint her. Also, the woman had taken so many lessons over the last week or so that she was surely ready for a bit more fun.
    “You can ask,” Carole said. “We’re taking sandwiches for a picnic, too.”
    “Great!” said Frieda. “I brought my lunch along. I even have extra brownies. Would you like some?”
    “Let’s go talk to Mrs. Reg,” Carole said.
    It didn’t take long. Mrs. Reg said she was sure Frieda was ready for a trail ride and assured Frieda that the trio of girls would look after her.
    “And teach me, too,” said Frieda.
    “Well, they’ll teach you some things,” said Mrs. Reg wryly. “But I’m not sure I want you to learn
everything
from them.…”
    “We’ll be good,” Carole promised.
    “Okay, then,” Mrs. Reg agreed. “I think Frieda should ride Patch.”
    “Just what I was going to suggest,” Carole said.
    It took more than the ten minutes Stevie had challenged them too, but Carole was sure her friends would be as flattered by Mrs. Reg’s confidence as she was and that they’d enjoy Frieda’s company. Patch was as familiar with the trails as their own horses were. Nothing could go wrong.
    It felt a little odd to all three of the girls to have an adult along on the ride—especially one who had so much to learn from them.
    “Make sure you keep your heels down,” Lisa said.
    “And in,” Stevie added.
    “If your toes are pointed to the ground, it messes up your balance and control,” Carole explained.
    Frieda followed their instructions.
    Carole also helped her adjust the reins so that they weren’t flapping around.
    “See, if you don’t have them tighter, then when you go to give the horse a signal, you’re going to end up yanking them back up to your shoulders. You should be able to give a signal by moving your fingers ever so slightly.”
    “Like this?”
    Carole looked. Frieda had the reins so short that poor Patch’s head was practically pinned to his neck.
    “No, looser,” Carole said. Frieda let the reins out until Carole told her to stop. “Good,” Carole said, wondering quickly how someone could have forgotten as much as Frieda apparently had since her last lesson. She’d looked good in the ring on Thursday. Carole was beginning to doubt Mrs. Reg’s judgment.
    But then Frieda seemed to have gotten the idea and didn’t need a lot more correcting. Pretty soon everybody relaxed and began talking. The girls told Frieda some of what they’d learned at the meeting that morning.
    “You wouldn’t believe all the equipment you have to take to a show!” Lisa said, and began enumerating.
    “It’s really a big deal,” Stevie agreed.
    “And all the beautiful tack!” said Carole.
    “And all the beautiful clothes!” said Lisa.
    “The field is open here—can we trot now?” asked Stevie.
    “Definitely,” Carole said. She signaled Starlight to trot and began posting to his smooth two-beated gait. Lisa and Steviedid the same. Frieda, Carole was pleased to see, followed right along. At least she remembered how to post!
    “Very good,” Carole said when they slowed down again.
    “It’s because you’re such good instructors,” said Frieda. Carole smiled.
    Stevie led the group through the woods, up the curvy trail that cut along the side of the gently sloping hill through an open meadow. It was a well-known route—the girls’ favorite. They knew where they were going, and Stevie found herself thinking about how nice it would be to share their favorite trail ride and picnic spot with Frieda. If Frieda was going to learn about trail riding from them, she might as well learn about the best kind of trail riding.
    There it was, up ahead on the right. Stevie barely had to give Belle a signal. Belle knew where they were going, too. She turned into the clearing and stopped automatically in the spot where the girls always secured