welcomed it. If this was going to be a way to learn jumping on a trail ride, Lisa was willing to listen.
“Try this,” Carole told her friend. “I think Barry’s about to start us trotting. You can do it in jump position. It’s not the same as working with cavaletti, but it’s important.”
Of course
, Lisa thought. Eleanor, the jump instructor, kept stressing the necessity of a good jump position. In jump position, the rider’s seat was slightly raised, and you leaned forward with your back parallel to the horse’s neck. It was the position a rider needed to go over a jump, remain balanced, and absorb the impact of landing with the knees. It was critical to have a good jump position, so it was important to practice as much as possible. Lisa rose slightly, leaned forward, and kept her hands still at the horse’s neck.
“Good job,” Carole said. “Remember to keep your toes up and your hands steady.”
At the front, Barry raised his hand to signal a change of pace. In seconds, they were all trotting. Much to Lisa’s surprise, the other campers were following her lead and trotting in jump position. It seemed that even without the presence of Debbie and Elsa, the riders were competitive. Nobody wanted anybody to practice anything more than anybody else. Lisa didn’t know whether to laugh or be sad. Since Carole wasright there, they exchanged looks and laughed. It was better than being sad.
When they finished the trot and were walking again, Carole continued instructing Lisa. Carole was a natural teacher. She knew a lot about horses and riding and she liked to share it. Sometimes her friends got a little tired of it, but this time, two things kept Lisa from stopping her. The first was that everything Carole was telling her was absolutely right. The second was that every rider within earshot was hanging on to Carole’s every word. It was not just funny, it was hilarious.
Stevie, who was riding next to Phil, was close enough to see what was going on. Lisa spotted the familiar mischievous grin on her friend’s face and knew something good was coming.
“Hey, Carole!” Stevie called, spurring the horse toward her best friends. “Is Lisa having trouble with her form again? Let me help!”
When Stevie arrived, the fun began. She told Carole to ride on the other side so they could both watch Lisa, but she really meant so they could watch the other riders. Then Stevie started barking instructions, and they were all wrong. The eavesdroppers followed every word she said. Within a few minutes, Stevie had them all riding sitting on the back edges of their saddles, arms fully extended at shoulder height, legs straight and stretched forward.
Barry turned to check on his riders. He was completely astonished to see all of them, except The Saddle Club, posed like zombies on horseback!
“Halloween requires costumes and your horses require proper riders!” he snapped. “All of you! Back in position! We’re going to canter!”
Lisa hoped that the sound of his horse’s hooves covered the burst of giggles from The Saddle Club.
“What was that all about?” Phil asked Stevie when she returned to his side.
“Just a little joke,” she said, embarrassed. After all, Phil had followed her silly instructions, too.
“What kind of joke?” he persisted.
“It’s all this dumb competition,” she began. “Even without Elsa and Debbie, it’s like everybody’s spying. I just thought I’d give them something for their trouble. It was pretty funny, you know.”
“To you, maybe,” Phil said.
That was all he said for a while. Stevie didn’t like the idea that she’d made him feel foolish, but, she reasoned, he’d been acting stupid by following her directions.
After what seemed a long time, but was really no more than five minutes, he made a peace offering. “I brought some marshmallows,” he said. “Want to sneak out of camp after lights out and have a little picnic of our own?”
Stevie grinned and nodded.
“Try this,” Carole told her friend. “I think Barry’s about to start us trotting. You can do it in jump position. It’s not the same as working with cavaletti, but it’s important.”
Of course
, Lisa thought. Eleanor, the jump instructor, kept stressing the necessity of a good jump position. In jump position, the rider’s seat was slightly raised, and you leaned forward with your back parallel to the horse’s neck. It was the position a rider needed to go over a jump, remain balanced, and absorb the impact of landing with the knees. It was critical to have a good jump position, so it was important to practice as much as possible. Lisa rose slightly, leaned forward, and kept her hands still at the horse’s neck.
“Good job,” Carole said. “Remember to keep your toes up and your hands steady.”
At the front, Barry raised his hand to signal a change of pace. In seconds, they were all trotting. Much to Lisa’s surprise, the other campers were following her lead and trotting in jump position. It seemed that even without the presence of Debbie and Elsa, the riders were competitive. Nobody wanted anybody to practice anything more than anybody else. Lisa didn’t know whether to laugh or be sad. Since Carole wasright there, they exchanged looks and laughed. It was better than being sad.
When they finished the trot and were walking again, Carole continued instructing Lisa. Carole was a natural teacher. She knew a lot about horses and riding and she liked to share it. Sometimes her friends got a little tired of it, but this time, two things kept Lisa from stopping her. The first was that everything Carole was telling her was absolutely right. The second was that every rider within earshot was hanging on to Carole’s every word. It was not just funny, it was hilarious.
Stevie, who was riding next to Phil, was close enough to see what was going on. Lisa spotted the familiar mischievous grin on her friend’s face and knew something good was coming.
“Hey, Carole!” Stevie called, spurring the horse toward her best friends. “Is Lisa having trouble with her form again? Let me help!”
When Stevie arrived, the fun began. She told Carole to ride on the other side so they could both watch Lisa, but she really meant so they could watch the other riders. Then Stevie started barking instructions, and they were all wrong. The eavesdroppers followed every word she said. Within a few minutes, Stevie had them all riding sitting on the back edges of their saddles, arms fully extended at shoulder height, legs straight and stretched forward.
Barry turned to check on his riders. He was completely astonished to see all of them, except The Saddle Club, posed like zombies on horseback!
“Halloween requires costumes and your horses require proper riders!” he snapped. “All of you! Back in position! We’re going to canter!”
Lisa hoped that the sound of his horse’s hooves covered the burst of giggles from The Saddle Club.
“What was that all about?” Phil asked Stevie when she returned to his side.
“Just a little joke,” she said, embarrassed. After all, Phil had followed her silly instructions, too.
“What kind of joke?” he persisted.
“It’s all this dumb competition,” she began. “Even without Elsa and Debbie, it’s like everybody’s spying. I just thought I’d give them something for their trouble. It was pretty funny, you know.”
“To you, maybe,” Phil said.
That was all he said for a while. Stevie didn’t like the idea that she’d made him feel foolish, but, she reasoned, he’d been acting stupid by following her directions.
After what seemed a long time, but was really no more than five minutes, he made a peace offering. “I brought some marshmallows,” he said. “Want to sneak out of camp after lights out and have a little picnic of our own?”
Stevie grinned and nodded.
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