The Lonely Pony

by Sarah Hawkins

  The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is the UK’s largest animal charity. They rescue, look after and rehome hundreds of thousands of animals each year in England and Wales. They also offer advice on caring for all animals and campaign to change laws that will protect them. Their work relies on your support, and buying this book helps them save animals’ lives.

  www.rspca.org.uk

  Contents

  Cover

  Half Title Page

  RSPCA

  Title Page

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  The Real-Life Rescue

  Collect the Whole Series

  Join the RSPCA

  Copyright

  “Oof!” Mia woke up with a jump as something thumped on to her tummy. A familiar rumbling purr started as a large ginger cat padded down the bed, using her body like a tightrope.

  “Morning!” Mia giggled as the cat walked right up to her face and gave her a hello bump with his head, his purring louder than ever. “I guess that means you want breakfast,” Mia said, laughing as she stroked his soft fur and tickled him behind the ears. Marmalade nudged her again, then let out a hungry miaow.

  “OK, OK, I’m getting up!” said Mia as she threw back her covers. But Marmalade couldn’t wait. He walked to the end of her bed and sprang up on to her bookshelf.

  “Marmalade!” Mia jumped up as he walked along next to her books and rosettes, knocking into everything with his furry tail. “What are you doing!”

  She jumped up to rescue him, standing on her bed to carefully lift him off the shelf. Miaow, he grumbled as she picked him up, his paw sending the rosette she’d won at an under-fives’ gymkhana fluttering to the carpet.

  “Funny old cat!” said Mia, putting him on the bed and hanging her rosette back where it belonged. Mia smiled as she glanced round her room. It was covered in pony posters and horse-riding rosettes. In fact, Mia thought, looking at her room, everyone would know she loved horses! She had lilac-purple walls, and her curtains had purple stars on them, but everything else was covered with ponies. There were horse pictures Blu-Tacked to her bedroom walls, a pony duvet on her bed, and even her slippers were fluffy unicorns.

  Miaow! Marmalade called impatiently, going to the doorway and looking back to make sure Mia was following him.

  “OK, OK,” Mia giggled, following Marmalade downstairs.

  Down in the kitchen her mum was on the phone, walking round the table as she listened. Her long brown hair was tied up in a neat ponytail, and she was wearing her work uniform: jodhpurs, a navy polo shirt, and her blue jumper with the RSPCA logo on it.

  “Mm-hm,” she murmured, waving at Mia. “OK, that’s great news. I’ll be at the centre when she arrives. Tell the vet thanks.”

  Mia poured dry cat food into Marmalade’s bowl and made sure he had clean water. As the tubby cat raced over to his bowl and started crunching happily, Mia poured her own cereal and tried to listen in to her mum’s conversation. She must be talking to someone at the RSPCA centre where she worked.

  Mia chewed impatiently as Mum finished talking. As soon as she put the phone down, Mum flicked the kettle on, and stared off into space, looking thoughtful.

  “What’s wrong?” Mia asked. “Is a new animal coming to the centre?”

  Mum nodded. “A brown and white skewbald pony called Polly.”

  A new pony! Mia thought excitedly. But she knew most animals came to the RSPCA after something bad had happened to them. “Is she all right?” she asked.

  “She was found on her own in a field.” Mum sighed. “A member of the public called the RSPCA because they saw her lying down. Amanda and Lindsay went to do a rescue, and took her straight to the vet’s. She was badly treated by her previous owner, and hasn’t been fed enough at all. In fact, the vet said she’s the thinnest horse he’d ever seen.”

  “Oh no!” Mia gasped.

  Mum made a coffee, then came and sat with Mia. “The vet’s been looking after her for a few weeks. She’s well enough to come to the centre now, but she’s going to need a lot of care.”

  Mia swooshed her cereal round in her bowl. She loved animals so much she couldn’t bear to think about anyone being mean to them. Marmalade gave a miaow and jumped up on her lap. He’d come from the RSPCA rescue centre, too. The horse centre didn’t normally deal with dogs and cats, but he and his brothers and sisters had been left in a cardboard box outside the front door. They had been so little that none of them had opened their eyes yet, and Marmalade had been the smallest of them all.

  Mum had brought the kittens home and fed them milk every four hours until she knew that they were going to be OK. The RSPCA found all his brothers and sisters the perfect home, but Marmalade had already found his – with Mia and Mum! Mia stroked Marmalade behind the ears and he started purring happily. Looking at the big happy cat, it was hard to believe that he had ever been so tiny.

  Mum came round and started doing Mia’s long brown hair, combing it with her fingers and winding it into a neat plait, just like she used to plait horses’ manes and tails when she was a dressage rider, before Mia was born. Mia usually loved it when Mum did her hair, but today she couldn’t stop thinking about the new arrival.

  “How old is she? Has she been ridden before?” Mia asked.

  “She’s fourteen hands high and we think she’s three or four,” Mum explained. “I won’t know any more until I meet her later. I’m going to be her groom, so I’ll be able to tell you all about her after school.”

  Mia didn’t know how she was going to concentrate at school when there was a new horse arriving at the stables. “Polly,” she said to herself. “I can’t wait to meet you!”

  “Now, since it’s the last day of term …” Miss Rogers paused as the class cheered. “… I thought we’d do a fun project. Everyone get into pairs, and we’re going to talk about what you have planned for your summer holidays. I want you to practise listening to each other, and then you’ll each stand up and tell the class what your partner is going to be doing.”

  Jasmine grabbed Mia’s arm. “Be my partner?” she asked.

  “Of course!” Mia grinned at her best friend. When she and Mum had moved house last year, Mia had been nervous about starting a new school, but on the first day she’d spotted Jasmine’s pony pencil case and started talking to her about horses. They’d been friends ever since! She and Jasmine were really different – Jasmine was short and Mia was tall for her age; Jasmine had short blonde hair and pink glasses, and Mia had long dark hair and freckles. Mia was quiet and Jasmine was such a chatterbox that she even talked in her sleep! But they both absolutely loved animals. Jasmine had a little white dog called Archie, who was part cocker spaniel, part poodle, so his hair was curly and he had a cute face, a bit like a teddy bear.

  Jasmine pushed her glasses up her nose and rooted around in her pencil case, bringing out a pen with a fluffy purple bit on the end. “Now,” she started, holding the pencil like a microphone. “Mia Bennett, what are you doing this summer?”

  Mia giggled. “Well, I’m going to be helping out lots at the centre with Mum.”

  “Oh, you’re so lucky!” Jasmine sighed.

  “You’ve got your riding lessons,” Mia pointed out. Jasmine had only just started learning to ride, but her best friend loved it just as much as she did. Jasmine went to Saddlebags, a riding school nearby, and she had already learned how to do a rising trot.

  “By the end of the summer you’ll probably be able to canter,�
� Mia said encouragingly.

  “I know, and I love riding Brandy,” Jasmine said, “but it’s only once a week. You’ll be with the horses all the time.”

  “You can come too!” Mia promised. “The centre is going to do a summer gala this year, where people can come and learn about horses, and Mum said I can help out. We’re going to teach people how to tack up properly, and show them some grooming – if they can make the horses stand still for long enough! You can come and tell people all about learning to ride.”

  “OK!” Jasmine said happily.

  Mia wondered whether Polly had arrived at the centre yet. She could imagine Mum and the other grooms carefully getting her out of the horsebox and taking her through the yard. She hoped Polly wasn’t too frightened. Horses could be very nervous in new places, but she knew Mum would be there to calm her down.

  “Are you OK?” Jasmine waved a hand in front of her face.

  “Sorry!” Mia stopped daydreaming. “I was just thinking about the centre. There’s a new horse arriving today and she’s really poorly.”

  “Oh no!” Jasmine’s eyes went wide with worry.

  Mia explained about Polly being neglected and Jasmine shook her head crossly. “If anyone hurt Brandy, I’d … I’d set Mr Parker on them!”

  Mia smiled at the thought of their strict head teacher telling off a mean owner. “I know, I hate it,” she agreed. “But if anyone can make her better, Mum can.”

  “Right, that’s enough!” Miss Rogers clapped her hands and called for attention. “Mia and Jasmine, do you want to start? Jasmine, what’s Mia got planned for the summer?”

  Jasmine stood up and turned to face the rest of their class confidently. “Mia and I are going to have the best summer ever,” she smiled, “because we’re going to spend every spare minute with horses!”

  “Happy summer holidays!” Mum yelled as Mia came out of school. She was waiting in the playground next to Jasmine’s mum. Archie was sitting at their feet, his tongue hanging out in a doggy grin.

  Mum swept Mia up in a big hug. She’d come straight from the stables and there were bits of hay on her trousers and in her hair.

  “How’s Polly?” Mia asked breathlessly. She’d been thinking about the new arrival all day long. “What’s she like? Did she come out of the horse box OK?”

  “One question at a time!” Mum said, smiling. “She arrived safe and sound, althoughshe’s very nervous.” Mum shook her head sadly. “I think she’s one of the worst cases I’ve seen. She’s very thin indeed, but I’m going to get her on a proper diet to make her big and strong. We’ll get her up to a good weight soon enough, but it’s going to take something really special to make her trust people again.”

  Poor Polly, Mia thought sadly. “When can I meet her?” she asked.

  “I need to go back and check on her first thing tomorrow,” Mum said. “You can come with me then. We’ll leave her to settle in tonight.”

  “All right,” Mia said, her mind whirling.

  “Zoe and I thought we could all take Archie for a walk,” Mum said, looking at Jasmine’s mum.

  “Yes!” Jasmine cheered.

  “OK,” Mia agreed, bending down to stroke Archie’s curly white fur. She wished she could see Polly now, but if she couldn’t meet the new pony, at least she could spend time with her favourite puppy! Archie wagged his tail as the two girls petted him, then jumped up on Mum, standing up on his back legs to sniff her trousers.

  “He keeps doing that!” said Mum. “He thinks I smell like a horse.”

  “You do,” Mia said, giving her another squeeze and breathing in the farmyard smell on her jumper.

  “Charming!” Mum replied, pretending to look cross.

  “But it’s the nicest smell in the world!” said Mia. She knew her mum could look really glamorous when she dressed up, but this was how she liked her best.

  “Come on, let’s go,” Mum laughed.

  “Jacob’s got rugby practice with Dad, so it’s just us girls,” Jasmine’s mum explained to Jasmine. “And Archie of course. We thought we could go for a nice walk in Holly Hill Park, then have ice creams to celebrate the start of the summer holidays.”

  “Oooh, yes please!” Jasmine said, turning to grin at Mia. “Can Mia come in our car?”

  “But you’ve just been together all day!” Mum said. “I don’t know what you two find to talk about.”

  “Horses!” Mia said, exchanging a smile with her best friend.

  They jumped in Jasmine’s car, with Archie between them, Jasmine holding him safely. As they pulled up at the park Archie realized where they were and started barking excitedly, jumping around so much that his waggy tail bashed Mia in the face.

  Mia giggled as she opened the car door. “Save me from this crazy dog!” she laughed.

  They jumped down on to the muddy track, and Archie’s white paws sank into the mud.

  Mum parked next to them and opened her car door. “Now I’m glad I kept my wellies on,” she said, looking down at the mud. “Here, Mia, yours are in the car boot.”

  Jasmine looked down at her school shoes anxiously, but her mum just laughed. “Don’t worry, darling, you won’t be wearing them for six whole weeks. And knowing you, they won’t fit by next term anyway!”

  Mia pulled on her wellies and stepped in the squelchy mud delightedly. Archie was enjoying himself, too, racing in circles around their ankles and barking happily. Jasmine’s mum got a red ball out the back of their car, and clipped Archie’s lead on to his collar.

  Mia bent down to stroke the excited puppy, running her fingers through his curly fur. “Can I hold his lead?” she asked.

  “Of course.” Jasmine’s mum smiled.

  As soon as Mia took the lead, Archie was off, dragging her behind him as he raced towards the gate. “Wait for me!” Mia giggled.

  “Archie!” Jasmine called, running up behind them. The little dog turned around at the sound of his name, his tail wagging happily.

  “Slow down,” Jasmine scolded him gently. “You’ll pull Mia’s arm off!”

  “Thanks,” Mia giggled as they started walking at a normal pace. “I’m not very good with dogs – I’m much better at horses.”

  As they got to the duck pond in the middle of the park, Jasmine’s mum bent down and took Archie off his lead for a run around.

  “What do you want from the ice-cream stand, girls?” Mum said. “As if I need to ask.”

  Mia and Jasmine grinned at each other. They always had the same thing – the best ice cream in the whole world. “Pink and whites!” they chorused.

  Mum came back with four enormous ice-cream cones, with vanilla and strawberry swirled together.

  Archie came up and raced in circles around their legs as Mia and Jasmine started eating their ice creams. As the girls looked down at him, the little dog suddenly stood still, his tail wagging frantically, then raced off into the bushes.

  “Archie!” Jasmine called. The bushes rustled, but there was no sign of the little dog.

  “Archie!” Mia joined in. “Archie, here boy!”

  The bushes rustled again, and there was the sound of frantic quacking. A duck shot out of the undergrowth, followed by a white, furry blur.

  Woof! WOOF! Archie barked excitedly.

  “Archie, no!” Jasmine’s mum called.

  But it was too late. Archie raced after the duck as it flapped away. As the duck got to the pond Mia breathed a sigh of relief. But then Archie gave a happy bark and leaped straight into the water after it!

  “OH, ARCHIE!” Jasmine cried as the naughty puppy started doggy-paddling around in circles, barking happily.

  As they arrived at the centre, Mia breathed in the smell of hay and horses and gave a huge grin. Today was the day she was going to meet Polly! Mum opened the gate, and they walked inside. Mia looked round at the familiar surroundings. There were four stable blocks around a big yard and a long wooden shed where Mum and the rest of the RSPCA grooms had their offices. Next to that was a picnic area wit
h a little hut that they used as a shop, selling horse posters, second-hand books and ice creams to the visitors.

  It was already open for the day, and Mia could see two ladies inside having a cup of tea and a chat. Two of the RSPCA grooms, Helen and Lynn, were sweeping the yard, and Ali was feeding the donkeys. Past the stables were the paddocks, and in each one, there were three or four horses, chomping the grass happily. Over in one of the training fields, Mia could see Amanda cantering Beans.

  Mia grinned as she saw the little bay horse. Beans had only just arrived and still needed lots of work. He was terrified of loud noises, and couldn’t go anywhere near traffic without getting really scared. But he loved his groom, Amanda, and he was getting better every day.

  “I’ve got to call the vet, then I’m going straight up to check on Polly.” Mum nodded her head over to the isolation stables. “Give me ten minutes or so to make sure she’s all right, then come and join us. Polly’s in the last stable.”

  “OK!” Mia grinned. That gave her just enough time to say hello to all her friends! She went over to the nearest paddock and drummed her hands on the wooden fence. The three young mares, Honey, Star and Dapple, all looked up at the noise. “Hello, girls!” Mia called.

  The largest mare started cantering over. “Hi, Honey!” Mia called. The gorgeous golden palomino horse had come over to the side of the paddock to see her. Mia reached up to stroke her on the neck. Honey huffed happily, and swung her great head down so that Mia could stroke her in her favourite spot behind her ears.

  Mia laughed as Honey sniffed her hands. Honey had been at the centre for six weeks, since her owner couldn’t afford to keep her. She was rather greedy, and would do anything for a treat or a pat. It meant that she’d been really good and easy to train – but sometimes it made her a bit naughty, too. Once Mia and Mum had tied her up outside while they were mucking out her stable and she’d nibbled at the quick-release knot to untie herself and gone into Star’s stall to eat all her feed. It had taken ages to drag her away!