any more than Veronica did. Stepping backward was an easy command and something every horse learned early in training. The command for it was to simply pull straight back on the reins—not hard, just steadily. Stevie watched closely.Garnet was doing exactly what Veronica was telling her to do, which was to turn around.
In the next moment, Garnet and Veronica had taken off on a trail ride. The Saddle Club had never seen anything like it. She just plain rode out of the ring in the middle of the meeting! Even Max, usually completely composed when he was in a riding ring, gaped. Then, becoming aware that he was staring, he returned his attention to the riders in the ring. “Polly,” he said. “Tell me three reasons why a horse might need new shoes.”
As it turned out, Max, as usual, had planned everything to be fair. All the riders got some questions they could answer, and by listening carefully, they could learn from the other riders as well. One of the youngest members, Lucy Johnson, was the first over the line when she told Max that a rider always mounted from the left-hand side. Everybody clapped for her because she deserved to win and they had all had fun playing the game.
After that, Max took them on a brief trail ride, across a meadow and into the woods behind Pine Hollow. They met up with Veronica in the meadow, where she had been cantering on Garnet. Max called her over to him and everybody heard what he said.
“Veronica, I understand you were excited about riding your new horse for the first time, but leaving the meeting was childish and wrong. Don’t do it again.”Then he dismissed her, directing her to the end of the line of riders. As she passed by The Saddle Club, Veronica smiled triumphantly. Stevie shook her head. Veronica actually thought she’d gotten away with something!
C AROLE FINISHED GROOMING Barq and gave him his feed. She was almost ready to find her father and leave for the day. First, though, out of habit, she walked along the hallway between the stalls, looking to see if anyone needed help with his horse. She didn’t have to go far before she found somebody who needed a
lot
of help. It was her own father.
Colonel Hanson was standing in Garnet’s stall, holding the horse’s reins in one hand and examining the bridle as if it were an interesting specimen under a microscope.
“What are you doing?” Carole asked somewhat impatiently. He did look a little stupid standing there.
“I’m trying to figure out how to take this, thing off,” he cheerfully replied. “Veronica told me she was tired after her ride and asked if I’d take care of her horse for her. I don’t mind, but how do you get this thing off?”
“I’ll do it,” Carole said, speaking more sharply than she meant to. Her father handed her the reins and stood back, watching her.
Carole was upset. Everything seemed wrong to her. How could it be that her very own father, who always knew everything, didn’t even know how to remove abridle? How could he be a good sponsor for Horse Wise—Horse Dumb seemed more apt to her. Even worse, how could it be that somebody who didn’t deserve a horse could have one as beautiful and gentle as Garnet?
“Can I help you out there?” Colonel Hanson asked.
“No,” Carole said.
“Then maybe I should see if I can help somebody else.”
“Sure,” she said, although it occurred to her that if she didn’t want everybody to know how ignorant he was, it probably wasn’t a great idea to send him out as a helper. What was foremost in her mind, though, was Veronica’s carelessness. Her carelessness had cost the life of her last horse. What would it do this time?
“N EED SOME HELP ?”
Stevie looked up and saw Colonel Hanson standing at the stall door. “Sure, come on in. Help me get Topside untacked.”
“Oh, good,” he said. “You can show me how to undo this bridle gadget. It’s sure got a lot of buckles, doesn’t it?”
Stevie laughed. “It’s easy. I’ll show you.
In the next moment, Garnet and Veronica had taken off on a trail ride. The Saddle Club had never seen anything like it. She just plain rode out of the ring in the middle of the meeting! Even Max, usually completely composed when he was in a riding ring, gaped. Then, becoming aware that he was staring, he returned his attention to the riders in the ring. “Polly,” he said. “Tell me three reasons why a horse might need new shoes.”
As it turned out, Max, as usual, had planned everything to be fair. All the riders got some questions they could answer, and by listening carefully, they could learn from the other riders as well. One of the youngest members, Lucy Johnson, was the first over the line when she told Max that a rider always mounted from the left-hand side. Everybody clapped for her because she deserved to win and they had all had fun playing the game.
After that, Max took them on a brief trail ride, across a meadow and into the woods behind Pine Hollow. They met up with Veronica in the meadow, where she had been cantering on Garnet. Max called her over to him and everybody heard what he said.
“Veronica, I understand you were excited about riding your new horse for the first time, but leaving the meeting was childish and wrong. Don’t do it again.”Then he dismissed her, directing her to the end of the line of riders. As she passed by The Saddle Club, Veronica smiled triumphantly. Stevie shook her head. Veronica actually thought she’d gotten away with something!
C AROLE FINISHED GROOMING Barq and gave him his feed. She was almost ready to find her father and leave for the day. First, though, out of habit, she walked along the hallway between the stalls, looking to see if anyone needed help with his horse. She didn’t have to go far before she found somebody who needed a
lot
of help. It was her own father.
Colonel Hanson was standing in Garnet’s stall, holding the horse’s reins in one hand and examining the bridle as if it were an interesting specimen under a microscope.
“What are you doing?” Carole asked somewhat impatiently. He did look a little stupid standing there.
“I’m trying to figure out how to take this, thing off,” he cheerfully replied. “Veronica told me she was tired after her ride and asked if I’d take care of her horse for her. I don’t mind, but how do you get this thing off?”
“I’ll do it,” Carole said, speaking more sharply than she meant to. Her father handed her the reins and stood back, watching her.
Carole was upset. Everything seemed wrong to her. How could it be that her very own father, who always knew everything, didn’t even know how to remove abridle? How could he be a good sponsor for Horse Wise—Horse Dumb seemed more apt to her. Even worse, how could it be that somebody who didn’t deserve a horse could have one as beautiful and gentle as Garnet?
“Can I help you out there?” Colonel Hanson asked.
“No,” Carole said.
“Then maybe I should see if I can help somebody else.”
“Sure,” she said, although it occurred to her that if she didn’t want everybody to know how ignorant he was, it probably wasn’t a great idea to send him out as a helper. What was foremost in her mind, though, was Veronica’s carelessness. Her carelessness had cost the life of her last horse. What would it do this time?
“N EED SOME HELP ?”
Stevie looked up and saw Colonel Hanson standing at the stall door. “Sure, come on in. Help me get Topside untacked.”
“Oh, good,” he said. “You can show me how to undo this bridle gadget. It’s sure got a lot of buckles, doesn’t it?”
Stevie laughed. “It’s easy. I’ll show you.
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