The Palomino Pony Rides Out

by Olivia Tuffin

  “Hey back!” He prodded her playfully on the arm. “Where’s Em?”

  “I don’t know,” replied Georgia. “She didn’t say anything yesterday about feeling ill.”

  “Maybe she’s with Lexie?” suggested Dan.

  “Lexie?” Georgia puzzled. “Who’s she?”

  Dan chuckled. “Honestly, Georgia. Do you not notice anything at school?”

  Georgia thought hard.

  “You can’t have missed her,” Dan started again. “New girl. Tall and slim. She’s pretty cool. Sat at the back of the class yesterday – dark brown hair.”

  “Sorry, you’ve got me there.” Georgia shrugged. “Still, I guess I’ll get to meet her soon enough.”

  “It’s even weirder that you didn’t notice her, seeing as she’s really into horses too,” said Dan.

  “Horses?” Georgia’s ears pricked up. “Really?”

  “Yes, really,” said Dan. “Her dad’s just bought that big new yard up by Beecher’s Wood – Seven Birches.”

  “The one with the indoor arena and stuff?” said Georgia.

  “The very one,” said Dan.

  “I can’t believe it!” said Georgia. “Wasn’t that owned by a German dressage rider?”

  “Yep,” said Dan. “Lexie’s stepdad’s paid a fortune for it, apparently.”

  Georgia was suddenly more interested in the new girl. “I’ll definitely have to meet her then. So how does Em know her?”

  “From when they were younger, I think,” said Dan. “Their dads know each other. Anyway, come on, we’re here.”

  The school bus lurched to a stop outside some red-brick buildings and they all jumped off. As they headed for the main entrance, a sleek grey four-by-four pulled up next to them.

  “Georgia!” A familiar voice cried and a girl with long dark hair bounded out of the car.

  “Em!” Georgia cried. “Why weren’t you on the bus?”

  A girl stepped out behind her. Georgia guessed it must be Lexie.

  “I got a lift with Lexie,” Emma said, falling into step beside Georgia. “Sorry, I should’ve let you know. My dad and Lexie’s dad had some business stuff to do this morning so Lexie’s dad said he would drop us off first. Oh, sorry – Georgia, this is Lexie. Lexie meet Georgia.”

  Lexie smiled and Georgia grinned back. She was tall, probably taller even than Dan, and had a sleek bob of dark brown hair that glinted as she tossed her head and held out her hand. “Hey,” she said in a voice that had a distinctive Yorkshire accent. “Emma’s been telling me all about you and your ponies, Lily and Wilson.”

  “Well, they’re not exactly my ponies, as such,” Georgia explained. “Lily’s mine on loan and Wilson – well, I’m just looking after him while his owner’s at university.”

  “Still, it’s pretty cool,” said Lexie. “And Emma told me how you rescued one of them. That’s so amazing!”

  “Well, thank you!” said Georgia, blushing with pride and instantly warming to the girl. And she could see why Dan had described her as cool. Not only was Lexie super-pretty, with her shiny hair and smooth, tanned skin, but she was self-assured and confident too, far more so than any of the other Year Nines who were staring at them as they filed past.

  “Dan said your dad has bought the place up by Beecher’s,” said Georgia. “And that you like ponies.” She was aware that her voice sounded croaky and young all of a sudden.

  Lexie nodded. “I love ponies, sure – but if you’ve heard about the competing, well that’s my stepdad’s thing, really.”

  “Oh.” Georgia was surprised by the change in Lexie’s voice. She had sounded – well, steely somehow, and after being so friendly. Georgia opened her mouth to say something but in a flash Lexie grinned, warmth flooding back into her features. “You should come over sometime.”

  Georgia grinned back. “I’d love to,” she said. “Thanks very much!”

  Later that day, as the bell rang for the end of school, Georgia bumped into Emma coming out of her maths class. She tucked her arm into her friend’s and they walked in silence for a few steps.

  “Is everything OK, G?” Emma said finally.

  “Yes!” Georgia said in surprise. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

  Emma shrugged. “You’ve just been in your own little world all day, that’s all. I was worried you might be cross that I came to school in Lexie’s car.”

  “Don’t be silly, Em.” Georgia hugged her friend. “Not at all! But I’ve got something to tell you. I’ve been saving it up all day – ever since you weren’t on the bus.”

  “Ooh, what is it?” asked Emma.

  “It’s the Working Hunter Team Challenge at the Autumn Championships!” Georgia squealed. “Janey rang me at the weekend to ask if I’d try out for it!”

  “But that’s brilliant, G!” Emma squealed back, hugging her friend. Then she went a little quiet. “You never know – one day, I might even be able to try out with you.”

  “Oh, Em…” said Georgia, feeling a little sad that her friend wasn’t going to be doing it too. But Em wasn’t much more than a beginner – she’d only just started riding at Mel’s recently when she’d had a few lessons on Wilson.

  “Hang on, there’s Lexie,” said Emma. “Let’s tell her!”

  “No, Em, stop…” Georgia’s voice trailed off.

  But it was too late. Em was already rushing off and had joined Lexie on the other side of the playground. Georgia sighed. It was going to sound so stupid when she hadn’t even been picked yet. Especially when Lexie had so many ponies of her own. Georgia felt embarrassed as she caught up with the two girls.

  Emma turned to her. “Guess what!” she cried. “Lexie’s trying out as well.”

  “Yes, I am.” Lexie nodded in agreement, but her face darkened once again as she spoke. Georgia looked at her in surprise but just as quickly as before, Lexie regained her composure. “Are you still coming round tonight, Em?” she asked in a cheerful voice.

  “You bet!” Em grinned before turning to Georgia. “You don’t mind, do you?” she asked. “I know I said I was going to come and see Lily but Lexie has invited me over and her dad, sorry Lexie, stepdad has invited my dad over so that’s why I’m going too…”

  Georgia felt a little wave of jealousy creeping up inside but she quickly pushed it away. Em was her best friend and nothing was going to change that. Of course she should take up the chance of going over to the yard! She grinned. “Don’t be silly, Em,” she smiled. “Don’t worry at all! I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Cool,” said Emma, looking relieved.

  Georgia watched as, just at that moment, Lexie’s stepdad swept up again in his silver car, opening the door for the girls in a flourish. He had a well-groomed, monied appearance. Looking at his suit and shoes, there was no way Georgia could imagine him mucking out!

  Boarding the school bus, Georgia looked around for Dan’s familiar face but she couldn’t spot him anywhere. Sighing, she turned on her mobile and it bleeped instantly with a message.

  Sorry, G, my dad picked me up. Farm emergency. D.

  That was strange. She knew that Dan and his brother, Ben, ran a tight ship when it came to the farm and farm shop. She hoped it was nothing too serious. As the bus rattled down the roads and made the turn to Redgrove, Georgia was lost in her thoughts. She was pleased to finally find herself walking up the drive and looking out over the fields.

  “There’s a girl,” Georgia called to Lily.

  Lily was grazing in the small front paddock with Callie, a small Exmoor pony. Callie was retired now, but Sophie had once competed on her at the Horse of the Year Show and at Olympia. Now, she was quietly grazing with Lily, nose to nose, occasionally pausing to flick some drowsy flies from her companion’s face with her tail. Callie had been devoted to the palomino pony ever since her dramatic arrival at the yard. And Callie seemed to see it as her duty to mother her more than ever now that she was pregnant.

  The evening was unexpectedly warm. Georgia caught Lily with a small han
dful of pony nuts and slipped the headcollar on over her nose. Tying her up in the yard she set about grooming her. Pregnancy had given Lily’s coat an extra sheen.

  Lily closed her eyes and her bottom lip drooped as Georgia brushed her coat. It always amazed her just how trusting Lily was, considering her past. She really was one extra-special pony!

  The next day at school, Georgia ate her lunch with Lexie and Emma. The two of them were giggling over something but Georgia wasn’t really paying attention. As Dan joined them, throwing his battered school bag down and pulling out his food, she smiled at him. He looked tired and deflated and didn’t make conversation, staring straight ahead as he chewed on his sandwich.

  “Dan?” Georgia asked him eventually. “Are you OK?”

  Dan raked a hand through his unkempt curly hair. “Just about,” he said. “It’s the farm, that’s all.”

  Georgia gave him a look and he smiled weakly. “We’re just in a bit of a tight spot at the moment,” he explained. “Nothing that we haven’t faced before, though.”

  Georgia didn’t really understand farming, but she knew that Dan and his dad and brother kept sheep and cows. Their farm shop was extremely popular and people came from far and wide to buy everything from cheese and meat to biscuits and cakes.

  “Been practising for Saturday, Georgia?” Lexie’s friendly voice broke into her thoughts and she looked up to see Lexie smiling at her.

  “A bit,” Georgia said. “Mel gives me lessons when she has time but mostly I just jump things when I’m out hacking. We made some cool straw bale jumps last week, didn’t we, Em?”

  Emma nodded. “It was such fun, Lexie. You should come out with us soon!”

  Lexie laughed, but it sounded a little hollow. “Joe would never let me.” She bit her bottom lip. “The ponies are far too valuable.”

  “What? For hacking?” Georgia said in an incredulous voice. “You mean, they just stay in the school? All the time?”

  “Yup,” Lexie said. “No hacking out for me. And I’ve got to qualify for the Horse of the Year Show this year or Joe’s going to flip.”

  Georgia was startled. She had learned from Emma that Lexie’s stepdad was very driven but she couldn’t imagine having that sort of pressure. Georgia’s mum wasn’t horsey at all. She couldn’t tell a hoof pick from a hock but she was always interested in Georgia’s news about Redgrove. It was hard to imagine what it would be like if her enjoyment of being around the ponies was tainted by being pushed to do well in competitions.

  The morning of the trials dawned bright and cold with a faint acidic smell in the air. A low silver mist clung to the fields as Georgia trudged through the wet grass with Wilson’s headcollar. She paused to stroke Lily, who nuzzled her head against her quilted jacket, leaving a grassy mark. Georgia chuckled and brushed it off before slipping the headcollar over Wilson’s nose. He was just starting to lose his summer coat and his dark brown sides had taken on a lustrous velvet appearance.

  “Come on, Wilson. In we go…” Georgia ran her hand through his mane and quietly clucked under her breath for him to walk on. Lily trotted alongside and Georgia laid a hand on her shoulder. Her heart swelled with love for the sweet golden mare and, all over again, she felt excitement at the arrival of the foal bubble up inside her. She couldn’t wait!

  The journey to Janey’s was quiet. Georgia tried to suppress her growing nerves. Her stomach was churning and she dug her nails into her palm as she tried to remember what Mel had taught her.

  “Sit up, look ahead, give Wilson his head,” she muttered under her breath. She knew that the brave brown pony was experienced and could do his job. She just hoped she didn’t mess it up for him!

  As they pulled into Janey’s immaculate yard, Georgia felt her stomach lurch. Gulping in the cool air as she swung open the lorry door, she looked around the parking area. There was Lottie, who was in her last year of pony club before she took up a place to study veterinary medicine, then a girl Georgia didn’t recognise with a perky-looking black pony who whinnied at their arrival, and…

  Oh no. Georgia gave a groan. It was Harry, the most arrogant boy in the pony club. As usual, he was laughing loudly, leaning up against his horsebox as his mother, with pearls around her neck bigger than a set of marbles, flitted around, tacking up his horse, Hector. As she passed Harry a can of Coke, he spotted Georgia and winked. “Gross,” she muttered under her breath.

  Then, out of the corner of her eye, Georgia caught sight of the biggest horsebox she had ever seen. It was so long that, for a moment, she thought it might not be able to take the corner through the gates. But with some skilful manoeuvring, the huge silver and black vehicle purred into the yard. Someone immediately opened the passenger door. Lexie!

  Even Harry turned his head and gaped as Lexie swung out of the cab, landing gracefully. She was wearing cream jodhpurs and the softest-looking riding boots Georgia had ever seen.

  Nudging Georgia, Harry pointed to the box. “Sponsorship and everything,” he said, awestruck. Georgia noticed the initials DD intertwined and emblazoned on the side of the lorry in silver and black.

  A whippet-slim man climbed out of the driver’s seat and looked around. Who was he? Georgia wondered. It wasn’t Lexie’s stepdad. Maybe he was one of Lexie’s trainers? She had heard Emma talk about the staff employed at Seven Birches.

  Georgia gave Lexie a small wave as she unloaded Wilson, and Lexie gave her a half-smile back before busying herself with her jacket buttons. She looked pale and anxious.

  Georgia couldn’t work Lexie out. Sometimes she was so friendly and confident and then, at what seemed like a flick of a switch, she was a different person.

  Oh well. Turning back to Wilson, Georgia unbuckled the straps of his rugs. She was just crouching down to take off his dark green travel boots when she heard a familiar voice.

  “Georgia!”

  It was Emma! Georgia jumped to her feet to greet her friend. She’d had no idea Emma was coming today. “What are you doing here?” she asked. She didn’t meant it to sound unwelcoming, but it sort of did.

  “Sorry, G,” Emma said quickly. “I didn’t realise I had to ask your permission.”

  Georgia stepped back, feeling stung. “No, no, of course not,” she said. “I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just … well, I just thought you were busy today, that’s all.”

  Emma must have realized that she had sounded blunt, as her tone instantly softened as well. “I was going to go shopping,” she said carefully. “But Lexie needed a bit of support because – well, because her stepdad’s not with her today, and…” She smiled awkwardly and seemed about to say more, but then she stopped herself. “Anyway, Dad said I should come along to help.”

  “Oh, cool,” Georgia replied, trying to sound nonchalant. “So who is that guy with her?”

  Emma put her hands over her eyes and squinted into the early autumn sunlight. “Over there? Oh, that’s Mike. Or is it Jason?” she said. “I don’t know – I muddle up the trainers. They’re all so similar.”

  “Trainers?” Georgia couldn’t believe her ears. “As in more than one?”

  Emma rolled her eyes. “And the rest.” She counted on her fingers. “Two trainers, two grooms I think, oh and Ray, the handy man. He does the fencing and stuff. And Lisa, she rides the ponies when Lexie’s at school.”

  “Wow!” said Georgia, secretly impressed. There didn’t seem much else to say. She felt a little tingle of excitement flood through her. She couldn’t wait to visit Seven Birches at some point. It sounded amazing! She just hoped that Lexie would remember she’d invited her.

  As if reading her thoughts Emma spoke. “Lexie’s stepdad is quite funny about who visits the yard, you know. I think he only lets me ’cos Dad is something to do with his business.”

  “Oh right,” said Georgia, feeling a little put-down, though she didn’t know exactly why. “So what does he do for Lexie’s dad?” she asked curiously.

  Emma shrugged. “Don’t know exactly,” she replied.
“You know Dad works in property law, and Lexie’s stepdad is something to do with property, so…”

  “Oh. Right.” Georgia nodded, not really any the wiser.

  “Georgia,” Emma said in a hesitant voice. “There’s something I need to talk to you about.”

  Georgia looked questioningly at Em. It sounded serious.

  Emma took a deep breath. “Lexie’s offered me riding lessons at Seven Birches,” she said finally.

  “Oh,” Georgia said.

  “What do you think?” asked Em.

  “But you’ve been having lessons at Mel’s. How are you going to do both?” said Georgia.

  “Well, that’s just it,” Emma replied. “I can’t be in two places at once, and as I can’t really ride Wilson if you need to practise all the time, it seems like a good idea to just have them at Seven Birches.”

  Georgia didn’t know what to say.

  What Emma said was true but her heart still sank. She’d been enjoying riding with Emma at Redgrove, especially with Sophie away at the moment. Emma was slowly building up confidence and Georgia would miss her being around. Then, suddenly, something struck her. “But you don’t need to ride Wilson. Mel was going to ask about borrowing that cob gelding from the local riding school. The one that was going to be semi-retired, remember?”

  “Yeah, well, Lexie’s got plenty of ponies for me to ride,” Emma said nonchalantly.

  “Oh right,” said Georgia, surprised. “Well, I guess you’d better just tell Mel then.” She took a deep breath and was about to say more but, at that moment, she heard Lexie calling Emma’s name. The next minute she came clattering over on her pony.

  Georgia was instantly wowed by the gelding. He was the whitest shade of snow, apart from a splattering of black appaloosa spots and a few black streaks in his thick tail that gave him an other-worldly appearance. A grackle bridle in the softest shade of Havana emphasised his fine features as he pricked his curved ears and gazed with interest at the jumps that were being set up in the outdoor arena.