Horseback Hopes

by Jake Maddox

  Kari dumped the dirty water in the sink and put the bucket away. “I don’t know why,” she said, “but I don’t mind cleaning here. Even though I hate it at home.”

  “I know,” Molly said. “I feel the same way. I hate cleaning at home too, but here, it’s sort of fun!”

  Kari smiled. “Now what?” she asked.

  “I’ll get the hay, and you fill the water buckets,” Molly said.

  “Sounds good,” Kari said, smiling. She pulled a hose over to Casper’s stall. Standing outside the stall, she stuck the hose through the bars into his bucket and filled it up.

  Molly headed outside to the hay bales. She wasn’t strong enough to drag a whole bale of hay into the barn.

  Instead, Molly peeled off sections and put them in a wheelbarrow. Then she carted the hay inside.

  The horses didn’t try to leave when Molly opened the stall doors. They knew it was time for dinner. She tossed a large clump into the corner of every stall.

  “Do we have to feed them anything else?” Kari asked.

  “Nope,” Molly told her. “Ms. North said she’d give them the rest of their food when she gets home.”

  “So what’s next?” Kari asked.

  “We have to muck out,” Molly said. “You know, get the gross stuff out of the stalls.”

  “I don’t want to muck out,” Kari said. “I’ll sweep.”

  “Works for me,” Molly said.

  She used a pitchfork and a huge plastic bucket to take wet straw and manure out of every stall. Ms. North cleaned the stalls really well every morning, so there wasn’t much.

  Kari stood back to admire the floor. She had swept up every bit of hay and dirt on the cement. “Is that it?” she asked.

  “Just about,” Molly said. She quickly checked the stall doors to make sure they were latched. “Now we’re done,” she said.

  The two girls walked outside and sat on the fence to wait for Ken to pick them up. A few minutes later, Gabrielle rode by on Rebel Wings.

  “Hi, Gabrielle,” Molly said. “Where’s Lily?”

  “She’s at the dentist,” Gabrielle said. “Will you open that gate for me?”

  Molly opened the gate to the trails. Gabrielle rode through. As the horse and rider turned toward the woods, Molly frowned. She called out, “It’s not safe to ride on the trails alone!”

  Gabrielle didn’t look back. She trotted Rebel Wings down the bridle path and disappeared into the trees.

  “I’m sure she’ll be fine,” Kari said. But Molly wasn’t so sure. And a few minutes later, they heard Gabrielle scream.

  CHAPTER 6

  Risky Rescue

  “Something’s wrong,” Molly said.

  “I’ll go call Ms. North,” Kari said. She headed for the barn. “I saw a phone in the tack room.”

  “Ms. North is too far away,” Molly said, running ahead. “I’m going to get Casper and go find Gabrielle.” She opened the barn door and went inside.

  “You can’t take a horse out alone!” Kari exclaimed.

  “I know, but this is an emergency,” Molly said. She took a deep breath and looked Kari in the eye. “You’ll have to hold Casper while I get on.”

  Kari gasped. “No way,” she said.

  “Kari, you have to,” Molly said. “I need your help. And so does Gabrielle.”

  “But what if he bites me?” Kari asked nervously. “Or kicks me? Or steps on my foot or something? I really can’t touch that horse.”

  “He won’t do anything,” Molly said. “Come on. If Gabrielle is hurt, we have to help her.”

  Kari took a deep breath. “Fine,” she said. She got Casper’s saddle and bridle from the tack room. Then she stood back as Molly took Casper out of his stall.

  Molly had to hurry, so she only had time to quickly brush the horse’s back and check his feet for stones. After she put Casper’s saddle on, she led him outside. Kari slowly followed.

  “This isn’t hard, Kari,” Molly said. “Just hold the reins tight under his chin so he can’t walk away.”

  Kari slowly walked up to the horse. Her hand shook when she took the reins. Molly knew that would make some horses nervous, but Casper didn’t even twitch.

  “What if he moves?” Kari asked.

  “Pull back and say ‘whoa!’,” Molly told her.

  Molly stretched to get her left foot in the stirrup. Then she grabbed the saddle, hopped, and pulled herself up.

  “Okay. I’m on,” she said.

  Kari gave Casper a quick pat on the neck and stepped back. “Good luck,” she told Molly.

  Molly turned Casper down the bridle path and kicked him into a trot.

  The trail through the woods was pretty, but Molly was too worried about Gabrielle to enjoy it. After a few minutes, she pulled Casper back to a slow trot. She didn’t want to move too quickly, in case she had to duck under a tree branch.

  “Gabrielle!” Molly yelled. “Gabrielle!”

  “I’m over here!” Gabrielle called.

  Molly trotted Casper forward. Soon, she spotted Gabrielle sitting on a big log.

  “What happened?” Molly asked.

  Gabrielle stood up and brushed off her pants. She had dirt on her face, but she didn’t look hurt. “A stupid squirrel scared Rebel,” she said. “He moved back, and I fell off.”

  “Where is Rebel?” Molly asked.

  “He ran away,” Gabrielle said. “I tried to catch him, but he’s too fast. I’m really worried.”

  “Casper’s not speedy, but he goes faster than we can,” Molly told her. She moved the horse over to the log and said, “Get on behind me.”

  Gabrielle frowned and asked, “Are you sure he rides double? If he can only handle one rider, this is a really bad idea.”

  “It’s fine,” Molly said. “Nothing bothers Casper.”

  After Gabrielle got on, Molly kicked Casper into a slow jog. Both girls searched the woods for the lost horse.

  After a few minutes, Gabrielle gasped. “There he is!” she said, pointing ahead.

  Rebel’s reins were tangled in a patch of bushes. He was breathing hard, and sweat covered his coat. He was stuck, scared, and tired.

  Gabrielle slid to the ground. She moved slowly toward Rebel, talking softly as she walked.

  “Easy, boy. It’s okay,” she said quietly. She untangled the reins and led Rebel out of the brush. Then she carefully got on his back.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” Molly asked.

  “Yeah. Thanks,” Gabrielle said. She turned and rode back toward the barn.

  Molly frowned. Then she patted Casper’s neck. “Good boy,” she said softly. “You saved the day.”

  CHAPTER 7

  Horse Show

  A few weeks later, Molly grinned as she looked out over the Bay Meadow Junior Horse Show.

  Trucks and horse trailers were parked in one field. Red, white, and blue jumps were set up in the large show area. Young riders were brushing horses or riding in the warm-up ring. They all wore velvet hard hats, breeches, and shiny boots. Some were also wearing hunt coats and shirts with wide collars.

  “I can’t believe we’re here!” Molly exclaimed.

  “It would be more fun if you were showing,” Kari said.

  “Yeah, but there’s an entry fee for every class,” Molly explained. “I didn’t want to ask my parents for more money. We’ll still have fun helping the other kids.”

  Four of Ms. North’s other students were riding in beginner groups. Molly and Kari had come to watch, work, and learn.

  Ms. North walked Casper down the ramp of her horse trailer.

  “Kari, can you hold Casper for a few minutes?” Ms. North asked. “It’s okay to let him eat grass.”

  “Sure,” Kari said. She took the lead rope and led Casper to a patch of green grass.

  Molly smiled. Kari still didn’t want to ride, but she liked taking care of the gentle old horse.

  “Molly, will you take these entry forms and fees to the show tent?” Ms. North asked. She poin
ted toward the arena. “They’ll give you number cards for our riders.”

  “Sure,” Molly said. “Be right back!”

  She hurried to the tent. After she handed in the forms, she wrote each rider’s name on a number card. Every rider would wear a different number.

  While Ms. North’s students practiced, Molly and Kari watched the other riders. In the first group, the riders were asked to walk, trot, and canter. The judge scored the riders on how well they rode.

  In other groups, like Gabrielle’s junior jumper group and Lily’s hunter group, the judge scored the horses, not the riders.

  Molly and Kari watched as Gabrielle entered the ring and eased her horse into a canter. Then it was time for the jumps. The jumps were made of rails, white gates, and bushes.

  Rebel Wings cleared every jump without knocking anything down. Molly clapped and cheered when he won a blue ribbon for first place.

  In the hunter group, Lily’s horse cleared every fence, but hunters were also judged on looks, gait, and manners. Jubilee won a yellow ribbon for third place.

  “We’d better get back,” Kari said. “I promised to help Max get Casper ready.”

  When they got back to the trailer, Max was sitting on the ramp. He didn’t look happy.

  “What’s wrong, Max?” Molly asked.

  “I don’t want to show,” Max said. “I bounce around too much. It’s really embarrassing.”

  “It’s okay, Max,” Ms. North said, smiling. “Horse shows should be fun. You don’t have to ride if you don’t want to.”

  “Molly knows how to walk and trot,” Kari said. “She could show instead.”

  “Yeah, let Molly ride!” Max said. “Then it’s not a waste of my entry fee. That will make my mom happy.”

  “I can’t be in the show!” Molly exclaimed. “I didn’t bring my riding clothes.”

  “You’re right. That is a problem,” Ms. North said. “I have an extra hard hat, but you need breeches and boots.”

  “Could we borrow some?” Kari asked.

  Molly looked at the other North Star kids. They were all younger, and their clothes were too small. She really wanted to ride, but she couldn’t do it without the right clothes. The horse show had strict rules.

  “Don’t give up,” Ms. North said. “Tack up Casper, and I’ll check with the other trainers. Someone must have clothes in your size that we can use.”

  Molly and Kari each brushed one side of the horse. Kari combed out his mane and tail, and Molly polished his hooves with oil to make them shine. Then they saddled and bridled him.

  Soon, Ms. North was back, frowning. “Sorry, Molly. No luck,” she said.

  Molly put down the brush she’d been using to smooth Casper’s coat. “Thanks for trying,” she said. She smiled, but she felt really disappointed.

  Then she heard a shout. “Molly!”

  Molly looked up. Gabrielle and Lily were running toward her. “I heard you had a problem,” Gabrielle said.

  Molly nodded. “I can’t ride in the walk-trot class because I didn’t bring my riding gear,” she explained.

  “We always bring an extra set of clothes,” Lily said.

  “In case we fall in the dirt or it rains,” Gabrielle said. “You can borrow my clothes,” she added. “They should fit you.”

  “Really?” Molly said.

  Gabrielle shrugged and smiled. “I owe you a favor,” she explained. She handed a bundle of clothes to Molly.

  Kari looked at her watch. “You only have ten minutes!” she said. “Go change, Molly. I’ll take Casper to the arena!”

  CHAPTER 8

  The Great Casper

  Ms. North pinned a number card to the back of Molly’s coat. Then she gave her a boost onto Casper’s back.

  Molly was nervous. “I don’t want to mess up,” she admitted.

  “You’ll be fine,” Ms. North said. “Casper knows what to do.”

  Molly looked over to the fence nearby, where her teammates were watching. Lily and Gabrielle were there too.

  “Good luck,” Lily said. She gave Molly a thumbs-up.

  “I hope you win a ribbon,” Gabrielle said.

  “Did you win a ribbon in your first horse show?” Kari asked.

  “Yep,” Gabrielle said. She grinned. “I came in sixth. Out of six.”

  Molly counted the horses waiting at the gate. Twelve. Six ribbons would be awarded, so she had a fifty-fifty chance. Winning would be nice, but she was just glad to be riding in the show.

  As the other riders moved into the ring, Ms. North gave Molly some advice. “Stay close to the fence,” Ms. North said. “Don’t get bunched up with the other horses.”

  “Okay,” Molly said.

  She shortened her reins, sat up straight, and entered the arena. The minute the gate closed, Casper’s ears perked up. He walked a little faster and picked up his feet. Molly smiled. She knew that Casper was showing off for the judges.

  “Walk!” the announcer said over the loudspeakers.

  Ms. North stood by the fence. “You’re looking good, Molly!” she called. “Push those heels down.”

  Molly pushed her heels down and looked straight ahead.

  “Trot!” the announcer said. Casper started trotting.

  Kari was standing on the opposite side of the big show ring. As Molly rode by, Kari yelled, “Elbows in!”

  Molly tucked in her elbows. There was so much to remember. She was glad to have a second coach.

  “Walk,” the announcer said, “and reverse.”

  Molly turned Casper toward the center of the ring and changed directions. She smiled.

  Then she realized that she’d stopped being nervous. In fact, she’d started enjoying herself.

  The announcer ran through the same set of instructions again. When the group trotted, two horses rushed up behind Casper. They passed too close, startling Molly. She tensed, but Casper kept going like nothing had happened.

  “Walk!” the announcer called.

  That was it. It was over.

  Kari smiled when Molly and Casper walked by. “You were fantastic!” she said.

  “Thanks for the help,” Molly said. “It was fun. You should try riding sometime.”

  “Maybe I will,” Kari said. “Ms. North said that you’re good enough to ride Rainbow now, so maybe I can try riding Casper.”

  Molly was thrilled. Things couldn’t get much better. Rainbow was Ms. North’s best horse, and Kari wanted to ride!

  “Line up, please,” the announcer said.

  Molly rode into the center of the arena. The riders lined up side by side. The judge walked behind them and wrote the winning numbers on his clipboard. Then he handed the clipboard to the announcer.

  A few horses jiggled while they waited. Casper stood still, and Molly patted him on the neck. He was the perfect horse for her first show. She knew she wouldn’t win, but she’d had a great time.

  The announcer called out first and second place. The riders rode up to the judge, who handed them blue and red ribbons. Then the announcer said, “Third place goes to Molly Burke on Casper.”

  Molly’s jaw dropped. “What?” she said. Then she heard cheering coming from her friends near the fence.

  Molly smiled. Then she rode Casper over to the judge and accepted her first ribbon.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Diana G. Gallagher lives in Florida with her husband and five dogs, four cats, and a cranky parrot. She has been an English equitation instructor, a professional folk musician, and an artist. However, she had aspirations to be a professional writer at the age of twelve. She has written dozens of books for kids and young adults.

  ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR

  When Tuesday Mourning was a little girl, she knew she wanted to be an artist when she grew up. Now, she is an illustrator who lives in Knoxville, Tennessee. She especially loves illustrating books for kids and teenagers. When she isn’t illustrating, Tuesday loves spending time with her husband, who is an actor, and their son, Atticus.

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p; GLOSSARY

  breeches (BREECH-iz)—knee-length pants that are tight at the bottom

  canter (KAN-tur)—when a horse canters, it runs at a speed between a trot and a gallop

  curry-comb (KUH-ree-kohm)—a special brush used for cleaning horses

  dependable (di-PEN-duh-buhl)—if someone is dependable, you can rely on them

  emergency (ee-MUR-juhn-see)—a dangerous situation that must be handled right away

  gallop (GAL-uhp)—when a horse gallops, it runs as fast as it can

  groom (GROOM)—to brush and clean a horse

  reins (RAYNZ)—straps that help control a horse

  stable (STAY-buhl)—a place where horses are kept

  stirrups (STIR-uhps)—loops that hang down from a saddle, where a rider’s feet go

  trot (TROT)—when a horse trots, it moves quickly but more slowly than when it canters

  MORE ABOUT HORSEBACK RIDING

  Learning how to ride a horse takes time. It also takes proper training. However, it does not take much equipment. You don’t need your own horse, and you certainly don’t need fancy clothes.

  A beginning rider will need:

  • a pair of sturdy boots with a low heel

  • comfortable pants

  • good gloves

  • a riding helmet

  The horse, saddle, and other equipment should be available at the stables.

  The best place to learn to ride is at a riding school. Look for a school that has clean stables and healthy horses. Also make sure that the school has qualified instructors and small class sizes.

  At a riding school, you will learn how to properly groom and ride a horse. To find a good riding school in your area, check with the Pony Club. (You can search online for the Pony Club, or ask a parent or teacher for help.)

  It takes time to build a relationship with a horse. You must be patient. With training and time, a horse can become a great friend.