by Amy Brown
When Jade’s dad had finally won this polite argument, and when Hamlet had finished stealing Pip’s horse mints, Mrs White invited everyone in for a quick slice of Christmas cake and a glass of bubbly and orange juice (mostly orange juice for Jade).
‘Cheers to a new start in Flaxton,’ Jade’s dad said, raising his glass. ‘And cheers to Jim and Ellen for their kindness.’
They’d been sitting on the Whites’ deck for nearly an hour, soaking up the sun, chatting about Jade and her dad’s new house and being charmed by Holly, when Granddad swore loudly.
‘Language, Dad!’ Jade’s father said, teasingly. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘The ham! It’ll be burnt to a crisp.’
Jade scooped up the puppy and hurried out to the Falcon.
‘If it’s completely ruined, come back here for dinner—we have plenty of food,’ Abby called, grinning.
‘It’ll be fine,’ Jade replied. ‘But, if it’s OK, I’ll be around tomorrow for a ride.’
‘Of course,’ Mr White said. ‘I’d expect nothing else from you.’
Four ways to make friends with a pony
If you approach a pony quietly, slowly and towards its head, it is more likely to be pleased to see you. If you run up behind a pony, laughing and shouting, it will be frightened and either shy away or kick with its strong hind legs. Just think how startling it would be if an equine friend came galloping up behind you. Only approach a pony if its owner doesn’t mind. If you see a lovely chestnut mare in a paddock and want to say hello, just call to it from over the fence.
Even if they don’t understand every word you say, ponies love a good conversation. As you approach a pony, or call to it from the fence, say its name in a kind, confident voice. If you don’t know the pony’s name, clicking your tongue is a good way to get its attention. Sometimes, if you make a snickering noise (by rolling your lips as if you were blowing a raspberry), a pony will mimic you and snicker back. This is a good sign that you and the pony are becoming friends. When you have a pony’s attention, and are patting, leading, grooming or feeding it, keep the conversation going. Praise the pony if it is behaving well, ask how its day has been going, and keep it informed. For example: ‘Hello, Pip! How are you, today? Nice and sunny, isn’t it? Have you been rolling? Your rump is all dusty. OK, I’m just going to put your halter on now. Good girl!’
Generally, ponies love being patted and groomed. When you’re patting a pony, stroke firmly in the direction that its coat grows. If you pat too gently, the pony might think that your hand is a fly and its skin will shiver. To stop flies annoying them, ponies often stamp their hooves. When you are near a pony, it is a very good idea to wear covered shoes. Most ponies enjoy a good scratch on the forehead or eyebrow, but some would rather you didn’t touch their face. If your equine friend is head-shy, stick to patting its neck.
Offering a treat is a good way to make friends with a pony. A ripe apple or carrot will be well received. (If the pony has a small mouth, these might need to be broken in half.) Horse mints are a favourite too, or even just a handful of lush grass or clover. When feeding a pony, remember to keep the palm of your hand as flat as possible. That way, when the pony bites the apple it won’t accidentally take your fingers off. If the pony isn’t yours, it is a good idea to ask the owner before feeding it a treat, just in case it’s on a diet. If you’ve called a pony in a paddock over to the fence, a small handful of grass or clover shouldn’t do any harm. Just be careful not to feed it anything poisonous. If you don’t recognize a plant, don’t feed it to a pony.
If you are eating your lunch near a pony, you might find that it is very interested in your honey sandwiches, packet of chips, or chocolate biscuits. Like people, ponies love sugary and salty foods. While these are OK as an occasional treat, an apple or carrot is much healthier.
Other Books By
The Pony Tales series
1. Jade and the Stray
Coming soon…
2. Jade at the Champs
Copyright
HarperCollinsPublishers
First published in 2010
This edition published in 2010
by HarperCollinsPublishers (New Zealand) Limited
P.O. Box 1, Auckland 1140
Copyright © Amy Brown 2010
Amy Brown asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers.
HarperCollinsPublishers
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National Library of New Zealand Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
Brown, Amy, 1984
Jade and the stray / Amy Brown.
(Pony tales)
ISBN 978-1-86950-842-5 (pbk.)
ISBN 978-0-7304-9253-5 (epub)
1. Horses—Juvenile fiction. [1.Horses—Fiction.] I. Title.
II. Series: Brown, Amy, 1984- Pony tales.
NZ823.3—dc 22
Cover design by Ingrid Kwong
Cover photography by Steve Baccon
Special thanks to the Malabar Riding School
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