Glancing behind her as Lily set off at a floating trot alongside the other ponies, Georgia saw Dan, who she knew was helping to man the horsebox field for the rest of the afternoon. She wondered what Will had been about to say about Joss. She must remember to ask him about it later. For now though, she had to concentrate on holding Lily back. The excitement of being out in the open with at least thirty other ponies trotting alongside had wound Lily up slightly and she felt as fresh as she had ever felt!
Georgia was glad Lily was behaving; one or two of the Pony Club members had already turned back, their ponies completely out of control. Jasper, at the front of the group, was keeping the field at a steady pace. Either side of Georgia, Wilson and Santa cantered with their ears pricked forwards, Sophie and Will grinning from ear to ear. This was what riding was all about, Georgia thought to herself. Out in the open countryside with her friends by her side. If only Joss hadn’t turned up it would have been perfect.
Topper, slightly behind the group, was sidestepping, shaking his head in frustration at not being allowed to gallop free. He looked a real handful, and for a moment Georgia wondered if she should hang back and check Joss was coping with the powerful gelding. Then, remembering how annoyed she was at Joss, Georgia kept on trotting forward. They were soon out in the rolling parkland beyond the manor house, and the field set off in a controlled canter. As the cold air whipped past Georgia’s face, causing her eyes to sting and her cheeks to numb with the chill, she laughed out loud. Will had been totally right – Lily was enjoying herself immensely, and after all of her schooling and shows it was a real treat to allow her to have her head, her long elegant strides eating up the parkland.
“Oh … oh, help!” She suddenly heard a cry from behind her as the field came to a stop at the top of the valley.
Turning round, Georgia noticed Topper leap into the air like a salmon, Joss clinging with all her strength to his pale mane and neck strap.
“All OK?” Will shouted back, and Joss laughed, but Georgia noticed the nervous undertone.
“Fine!” Joss replied. “He’s just a bit spirited!”
Turning to Georgia, Will said in a low voice, “Do you think I should hack back home with her?” Georgia shrugged. If Joss wanted to be out on the big gelding, it was her choice. Still, Georgia wrestled with her conscience – her instinct was always to help a fellow rider.
But before Will could make a decision the field were off again, streaming over the valley and popping over the cross-country fences as they went. Georgia felt that Lily had never been more powerful and spirited as Georgia took the weight off her saddle, folding forward like an event rider as she kept a light contact with Lily’s mouth. Now that the initial excitement had worn off, Lily had settled and pony and rider were in perfect sync. Will had caught up with Jasper, and the two brothers were way out in front – Santa and the iron-grey pony Jasper was riding in perfect stride with each other. Looking around, Georgia noticed she had lost Sophie as well. Sophie had hung back with Wilson and an old Pony Club friend and the two were gossiping merrily, loping along at a good pace. It was only Georgia and Joss together, and Georgia shouted angrily as Topper ploughed into Lily, Joss struggling to control him.
After the first hour of cantering and jumping, the field dwindled and was now separated into little pockets of riders. Jasper, noticing the snow clouds drawing in, had announced that they would call it a day after they had reached the woods beyond the valley. Everyone had had a brilliant ride, but he didn’t want the Pony Club members to have to hack back in the snow.
As Topper drew up beside Lily, Georgia noticed that although the rest of the ponies had settled, Topper seemed even stronger, and naughtier with it. He was obviously fed up and Joss was still clinging on to the neck strap as if her life depended on it. Georgia opened her mouth to tell Joss to relax and sit up straight but before she could say anything, Topper spun his powerful back legs round and, whipping the reins from Joss’s hands, half reared. He bolted back down the valley, the ground thudding as he lengthened his stride, the distance between him and the rest of the riders increasing. Panicked, Georgia realised with horror that as she was standing near the back of the group, nobody else had noticed Topper bolt.
For a fleeting second she was torn. Joss had taken Dan away from her. Still, she couldn’t leave her in trouble, or risk the handsome gelding being injured. Wheeling Lily round, she nudged her forward with her heels and set off at a fast canter after Topper. Her logical brain told her that Topper wouldn’t want to leave the ponies for long and would soon stop. She could ride with Joss back to Jasper and get him to accompany them home.
But as they cantered further and further away, she realised Topper had other ideas and was still bolting ahead of them. They had reached the huge open field now, overlooking the village of Redgrove, and both ponies had left the rest of the Pony Club far behind them. Georgia could hear Joss’s screaming above the wind and realised the girl was seriously scared. The big powerful pony clearly had no intention of stopping. Urging Lily on faster until she was just fifty yards behind Joss, she leaned forward in her stirrups and yelled at Joss to take hold of one rein and turn Topper, knowing that if he started to circle, he would have to slow down.
But Joss was frozen in the saddle, clinging on, her stricken face white. With one final burst of speed, Lily drew almost level with the big Welsh and Georgia placed both reins into one hand, indicating to Joss what she wanted her to do. With the little mare beside him, and starting to tire, Topper started to follow Lily’s lead. To Georgia’s relief, his gallop slowed to a canter and he started to turn a large circle, allowing Joss to gain control of his reins again. His canter then slowed to a trot and finally both ponies ground to a shuddering halt, Topper slick with sweat, blowing his nostrils out, his eyes wide, showing the whites. He was definitely too much of a handful for Joss!
“Th–thanks, Georgia, oh thank you…” All the smugness had disappeared from Joss’s voice now.
“That’s OK,” Georgia said, her voice short. She was mad at Joss for putting both ponies in danger. Lily could have easily tripped and fallen, travelling at that speed, but seeing how scared Joss was, she felt her resolve weaken. There was nothing more frightening than a bolting pony. Thanking Melanie silently, who had earlier made all three Redgrove riders attach a lead rope to their saddle in case of an emergency, she unclipped the rope and, leaning forward, fastened the clip on to Topper’s bridle.
“What are you doing?” Joss said nervously.
“Making sure he doesn’t do that again,” Georgia said grimly. “Come on, let’s get you both home.”
There was little point in trying to catch up with the rest of the Pony Club riders. Georgia knew that if they followed the edge of the woodland back towards Redgrove it would bring them out on the little back track leading down to Dan’s farm. From there it was only a mile or so home to Seven Birches, but they needed to hurry. The snow had started to fall again, small flakes drifting downwards as Georgia and Lily led the weary Topper back home. As they reached the edge of the woods and the bridleway, the snow was falling faster, big heavy flakes settling on the ponies’ manes and quickly turning the countryside white. The air was strangely quiet as the ponies trudged along, and so were both riders. Georgia couldn’t think of anyone she wanted to talk to less than Joss, and so she concentrated on the task ahead, delivering both pony and rider safely home. When she had a decent mobile signal she rang Melanie, who suggested they wait at Dan’s farm and she would pick them up from there.
Georgia looked guiltily at the missed calls from Sophie. With all the drama of Topper bolting, she had completely forgotten to let her friend know that she would make her separate way home.
Georgia had never been so grateful to turn into the small track that led down to Dan’s farm. The snow was thick and she could barely see her hands holding the reins now. Joss had already called a groom from Seven Birches, who was on his way, ready to whisk Topper and Joss back to the warmth and safety of the plush stables. Georg
ia wasn’t so lucky. Hearing her mobile ring, she peeled off a frozen glove and answered, her teeth chattering with cold.
“Georgia, I’m so sorry.” Melanie sounded panicked. “The lorry won’t start. It must be the freeze, and Simon can’t get the trailer off the drive without slipping everywhere. I’m so sorry, we just can’t get to you.” She paused. “Please don’t attempt to ride home in the snow.”
“Don’t worry.” Georgia tried her best to assure Melanie. “I’m sure I can put Lily in the stable here, and Mr Coleman is probably about.” But her heart sank as Melanie continued. She had already rung Dan’s dad on his mobile, only to find out that he and Dan’s older brother Ben were out clearing snow in the village with their tractor.
Dan was still helping clear up after the mock hunt and was going to hitch a ride home a bit later. Georgia would have to wait alone until someone arrived back. Leaning forward and unclipping Topper, Georgia guided the two weary ponies into the yard and both riders breathed a huge sigh of relief.
The farm was very quiet. Apart from the odd low moo coming from the cows’ winter barn, there was an odd silence. It took Georgia a moment or two to realise it was too silent. Normally, Hattie would have bustled up by now, or she would have heard Dan’s sheep. Listening carefully, Georgia heard the faint whimper of Dan’s collie. She frowned and looked around. Where was Hattie? The whimper grew louder, accompanied by a short, shrill bark. Hattie was trapped somewhere!
Jumping off Lily and quickly running the stirrups up, Georgia told Joss to stay where she was. Hattie had probably been accidentally locked in one of the buildings in Mr Coleman’s haste. It wasn’t the first time it had happened – Hattie loved seeking out mice in the sheds, and Dan always joked that her hearing was selective.
The snow was still falling but the earlier whiteout had subsided, with only a few small flakes drifting down. In the short time it had been snowing, it had been enough to thickly carpet the farmyard, and Georgia’s riding boots were almost covered. The whimpering was louder now, and Georgia quickly realised it was coming from the little stable where Secret had been born. Smiling to herself, she imagined Hattie wandering in and having a sleep on the deep straw bed, until to her horror she saw that a metal bar had been placed across both doors, jamming them shut. As she heard Hattie whine and yip at the sound of Georgia approaching, she felt a shiver run down her spine as she realised Hattie had been deliberately trapped in the stable.
Wrenching the bar back, Georgia dragged the stable door open and freed an ecstatic, joyful Hattie, who weaved excitedly in and out of Lily’s and her legs. The palomino gazed down at the collie with mild interest. Thinking quickly, Georgia quickly led Lily round the side of the stable, her heart sinking into her boots as her suspicions were confirmed. The gate to the sheep barn was wide open and, judging from the trampled snow in front of the entrance, leading off to the right, the sheep had only recently exited. Georgia had an image of Dan’s devastated face in her mind, as she envisaged him finding out his beloved flock had gone. She swiftly led Lily back round to the main farmyard, where Joss was now standing by as the groom from Seven Birches rugged and loaded Topper.
“Joss…” Georgia’s voice was breathless. “Please stay and help me. I think Dan’s sheep have been stolen.”
Joss looked only mildly interested as she read a message on her mobile phone. “What can I do about it?” she said with a hint of annoyance. “Look, Georgia, I’m completely exhausted and I’m freezing out here. I really want to get home for a bath.”
Georgia couldn’t believe it! Joss obviously didn’t care about Dan at all. She glared at the pretty actress, trying to think of how to respond.
“Sorry, Georgia,” Joss continued, flicking back her hair as she climbed into the warmth of the cab. “I’ve got to go. I’ve got a party to get to.”
And without another word, the horsebox pulled out of the driveway and purred into the lane, leaving Georgia and Lily alone in the yard, staring at the back of the disappearing vehicle.
There was no time to feel sorry for herself. After trying Dan’s mobile, which went straight to voicemail, Georgia remounted Lily and rode back round to the barn, thinking over her options. The snow was soft and powdery. The sheep couldn’t have gone far; the prints in the snow were fresh.
“Come on, Lily.”
The little palomino seemed to sense what Georgia wanted and, snorting into the cold air, set off on the trail of the flock, guided by Georgia, who squinted into the fading afternoon light, trying to spot any movement. She had ridden the fields behind the farm enough to know the sheep were heading out towards the little back road that lay between the farm and the village of Redgrove. She remembered Dan’s worries over his sheep being stolen, and shook her head. Surely that hadn’t happened, or were his fears justified? Hearing a little bark beside her, she looked down and noticed Hattie lolloping next to Lily, grinning up at her, her tail wagging. Georgia felt a wave of gratitude towards the little dog. “Come on, girls,” she said determinedly as she nudged Lily into a canter. “Let’s get these sheep back.”
As the trio rounded the corner and started to head towards the furthest point on the farm, where the fields met the boundary, Georgia caught her breath as she saw a silver livestock vehicle partially hidden in the lane. The gate leading on to the lane was wide open and, even worse, the sheep were heading straight towards it, flanked by a brown and white collie that was darting around, yapping with excitement. Georgia gave a small cry of horror as she noticed Dan’s favourite ewe limping badly at the back of the group, her two tiny lambs trailing next to her. She looked terrified and bewildered, and Georgia felt her anger grow.
Quickly judging the distance between the gate and Lily, she flew into a gallop, aiming to cut across the path of the flock and stop them heading out into the lane. The snow was deep, but Lily ploughed through, sending up flurries of powder. They came to a sliding halt in front of the gate. Georgia had no idea how to instruct a sheepdog to carry out its work, but waving her whip at the brown collie she shooed it backward. For a fleeting moment she was aware of two dark figures running in the lane, and caught a glimpse of a surly-looking man, the same man Georgia had given directions to. For an awful moment, Georgia felt alone and terrified. But the two men whistled for their dog and sprinted towards the livestock lorry, pulling hoods over their faces as they went. There wasn’t time to think about them; Georgia’s priority was to get the frightened sheep home.
Reaching down and deftly swinging the gate shut, she tried to catch her breath, the freezing air catching in her throat. The sheep, now scattered, blinked at her as if in recognition but, still spooked, ran as Georgia approached them. They couldn’t get on to the road but Georgia knew she had to get the lambs back into the warmth of the barn. Then she cried out as she noticed the sick ewe, Dan’s favourite. She had stumbled forward and was lying heavily on her side, her lambs bleating pitifully next to her. Jumping off Lily, Georgia ran and knelt beside the loyal sheep, who was uttering short gasps, her eyes half closed. There was nothing Georgia could do, and tears sprang into the corners of her eyes as she gently cradled the ewe’s head, remembering how Dan loved her and how she followed him everywhere, trotting along, bleating happily. The sheep’s breathing became calmer and she gazed up at Georgia with a soft expression. With one last shuddering breath, her body relaxed and her dark eyes became fixed and glassy.
Crying, Georgia placed her head gently down into the snow and put her arms around Hattie, who was sitting next to her in silent solitude. Lily, sensing the sheep had died, hung her head and blew gently out of her nostrils. Suddenly the frightened little cry of the lambs jolted Georgia to her senses. Giving the ewe a final pat, she stood up. She had to get the rest of the flock safely back, and she needed to act quickly.
“I’m sorry, girl,” she whispered.
It was horrible leaving her out there, lying in the snow, but Georgia had no choice. She couldn’t physically carry her. The lambs nosed the still-warm fleece of their mot
her. Gathering them both up, their little bodies cold and their long legs wriggling, Georgia tucked them inside her open tweed coat, trying to warm them. They were freezing, and needed warmth and milk, fast. Suddenly Georgia had a brainwave. She remembered reading in one of her pony books that native ponies such as Highlands and Fells were used to bring deer and sheep down off the moor, before they became riding ponies and show ponies. Perhaps Georgia’s special Welsh pony could do the same job! Very gently, she laid the two lambs carefully over the front of Lily’s saddle, and gingerly swung herself up, so she could hold the lambs steady with her hands and guide Lily back using her legs.
Despite the sadness of the situation, Georgia couldn’t help the corners of her mouth lifting into a smile as Lily flicked her ears back, bemused by her extra passengers. One week a winning show pony at Olympia International Horse Show, the next a shepherd pony! The little palomino seemed completely unaffected by the lambs on the saddle. Now there was just the rest of the flock to take care of, but somehow, sensing Lily’s calmness, they had gathered behind her. Hattie, automatically doing her job, and used to bringing in the sheep with Dan, followed at the back, her eyes bright as she gently guided the little flock into a group.
“Right,” Georgia said out loud, wondering how surreal they must have looked. “Homeward!”
Meanwhile, back at the farm, Mr Coleman and Ben were standing in the yard, a panicking Ben dialling the number of the local police station. Suddenly Mr Coleman placed a hand on his arm, urging him to look out towards the fields. Both rubbed their eyes, wondering if they might be imagining things. Coming towards them was a small figure in a tweed coat hunched over two tiny lambs, on the saddle of the most famous Welsh Section B in the country! Followed by thirty placid ewes and their missing collie.
“What the—” Mr Coleman, normally so bustling and cheerful, was completely lost for words, as Ben just gaped at the funny-looking group.
Palomino Pony On Parade Page 7
