A Pony Called Secret

by Olivia Tuffin

  For Clemmie and Poppet

  PROLOGUE

  The oxer was coming up now, looming above Alice and her little red pony, higher than the tallest of tower blocks, more imposing than the biggest mountain. Alice felt her pony falter, his stride hesitant as she urged him on with her legs, her voice encouraging him to dig deep, to soar the jump, to do it for her. Time was running out, their riding days that had once stretched ahead of them towards an endless horizon were now numbered, as Alice was reminded when she had adjusted the stirrups once again that morning. She was growing taller, and life was moving fast. So they had to make the most of what was left and push themselves further than ever before.

  Secret would do whatever she asked, she knew that. As the Welsh pony made the almost impossible leap, Alice felt his big heart, felt his willingness. But it was wrong, all wrong, and as though in slow motion his body twisted, his limbs flailing as the red and white poles crashed and scattered beneath him. Alice was falling, and her red pony was falling, and soon everything was going black, and all Alice could see was her pony’s face and another pony, a sweet palomino who’d gone before, and her ears were ringing from the high-pitched screams…

  Chapter 1

  Sitting bolt upright in bed, Alice felt her heart hammering against her ribs, her T-shirt drenched in sweat. For a few seconds she breathed in and out, trying to control her shaking. It was a dream, just an awful dream. She was still at home at Park Farm, and Secret was just a few metres away outside in his stable, a light rug keeping off the early-autumn chill.

  Alice blearily focused on her phone. It was two a.m., but that didn’t matter. She needed to see her pony. Pulling on a pair of tracksuit bottoms that had earlier been discarded on her chair, she threw on a hoody and slipped out of her room, bare feet searching for her wellies on the boot rack, next to which Poppy, her family’s elderly dog, thumped her tail, not bothering to move from the warmth of her basket. Her eyes were cloudy with cataracts and her muzzle was grey. Alice couldn’t remember life without her. Reaching down, she hugged the dog.

  “Don’t wake Mum and Dad,” she whispered. “Love you, Pops.”

  Then, quietly turning the key in the door, Alice crept out into the yard where the moon was bathing the cobbles in a silvery light. The ponies were quite used to Alice’s late-night visits, particularly in recent weeks. A few blinked at her, but most stayed asleep, either standing at the back of their stables resting a leg, or lying down in the deep shavings beds Alice and Mia had prepared earlier. The show season was drawing to a close so the yard was quieter than usual, the ponies Alice’s mum had in for the summer returning to their owners for the winter. Briefly patting Ella, Secret’s best friend in the stable next to him, Alice gave a sigh of relief as Secret popped his head over the door, alerted by his mistress’s footsteps.

  “Shhh,” Alice smiled, putting a finger to her lips. “You know the rules.”

  Opening the stable door, Alice let herself in and wrapped her arms round Secret’s strong red neck, his coat newly velvet after a recent clip, his scarlet mane silken against her cheeks as she closed her eyes. Secret was OK.

  The dreams had been happening for a few weeks now, ever since her stay at Devon Jenkins’ yard had been finalised. Devon was a top showjumper, and Alice and another young rider would be staying at the yard for a few days before trying out for the British pony team, who wanted to take a team of young amateur riders to a competition. Although the competition was classed as a friendly, the competitors would still get to wear the Union Jack on their saddlecloths, and it would be a huge step up in the world of showjumping. If Alice made the team her reputation would be cemented. She would be able to pursue her showjumping dreams on other horses as she grew older. It was an honour to be selected to try out and Alice couldn’t wait.

  Alice and her Welsh pony Secret had made quite a name for themselves over the last couple of years. Initially, Alice’s mum had hoped Alice would show the red pony in flat ridden mountain and moorland classes, but he’d hated the ring as much as Alice had. His talent, and his love, was jumping, just like Alice. Alice still helped her mum with the day-to day running of the show yard, and the recent addition of Mia, who rode the ponies for Josephine, had freed up a lot of her time, meaning Alice could concentrate more on her jumping. The summer had been busy and successful, starting with a win at Hickstead in the pony club showjumping, where Mia had ended up riding Secret, then on to bigger and bigger shows around the country. Secret was becoming unstoppable. His ability to cut corners no other rider would dare to attempt, his huge scope and his willingness to jump the moon for Alice meant it was very rare they didn’t return from shows with a red rosette. So far Alice hadn’t yet found Secret’s limit. But her bad dreams were getting worse and more frequent, and she wondered what they meant.

  “It’s probably just nerves,” Finn, Alice’s best friend, had reassured her during one of their long phone calls. “Getting the opportunity to try out for the British team is a massive deal, even a friendly, but no more so than jumping Olympia or Hickstead.”

  Finn had been in Spain for the past few months, training as part of an equestrian stunt team who put on daring shows throughout the summer and provided horses for film and television work. It was a world away from Alice’s life – showjumping, yard work, school – but she loved their regular chats.

  “I guess,” she’d replied. “You’re probably right.”

  But it felt like more than that somehow. Alice couldn’t explain it. She was aware her years were limited with Secret, that she’d grow too tall for him at some point, but she couldn’t bear it. They were at their peak right now, and so this was the biggest chance they were going to get, and Alice knew it might be their only chance. She wanted to succeed more than anything she’d ever wanted before.

  *

  “I’ll miss you!” Mia said, hugging Alice tightly.

  Alice felt a lump rising in her throat. Park Farm was so cosy, so familiar, the hanging baskets around the immaculate yard providing a splash of colour, the duck-egg blue stable doors and the worn cobbles smoothed away by decades of ponies clip-clopping over them. It was early and the sun was just starting to rise on the horizon, so all the yard lights were on and Fergus, her mum’s long-term groom, was whistling cheerfully as he pushed a wheelbarrow full of hay round to each stable. With two ponies qualified for the Horse of the Year Show, including Alice’s mum’s beloved Shetland pony Porridge, who Mia rode, there was plenty of work to be done. And suddenly, despite her excitement about heading off to Devon’s yard, Alice’s tummy started to twist into knots. She could smell the breakfast her dad was cooking in the big kitchen where rosettes and horse photos filled every space and where Poppy was no doubt lying at his feet, enjoying the warmth and hoping for a treat. Alice loved everything about Park Farm. It was home.

  Trying to smile, she hugged Mia back. “It’s only a week,” she said. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

  Mia pushed her shiny black braids back from her face, looking younger than her eleven years. “I’ll help your mum as much as I can,” she said. “You’re coming back on Thursday, though, aren’t you?”

  Alice nodded. “Yes,” she said. “Of course I’ll be back. So I’ll see you then.”

  It was her dad’s birthday on Thursday and her mum had organised a party in the old hay barn. Josephine had thrown herself into the preparations with gusto and everyone was really looking forward to it. Mia and her family, Fergus and Angus, Finn’s dad, were among the guests.

  When the dates of Alice’s training week had come up, she’d been really worried about missing the party. But then Devon had agreed to meet her mum halfway, so Alice could go to the party and return for training the next morning.

 
; “It’s important to have balance,” Devon had said cheerfully on the phone as Alice had thanked her. “It’s no problem at all.”

  “OK,” Mia smiled. “But text me, won’t you? And can I ring you? With Porridge going to HOYS I’ll need to chat! And I want to tell you how I get along with Lacey.”

  Lacey was a very pretty Welsh mountain pony that Josephine had in for training. Mia was to be her sole rider, and she was really excited about it. Alice knew it meant a lot to her to prove how much she had come on as a rider. She’d only been helping out at Park Farm for a few months but to Alice it felt like she’d been there forever!

  Alice smiled back at Mia, giving her another hug. “Of course,” she said. “I’ll be training hard, but I’m sure there’ll be downtime. Text me as much as you want.”

  With the trials date looming, when the British team would be selected, it was going to be an intensive week, far more so than anything Alice had done so far with Angus, her regular showjumping instructor.

  Angus had been thrilled at the news that Devon was going to coach Alice in preparation for the pony trials. “This is a massive step up from pony club,” he’d said at the end of their last lesson. “It’s always good to have fresh ideas, a different approach. Devon’s done so well and I think this is going to be really great for you. And it will be helpful to train alongside someone at the same level too. And I’ll be there on the day of the trials!” He’d smiled. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world. You’ll have stiff competition but we all believe in you. I’m sure we’ve probably jumped against Cora in the past. Her dad was well known back in the day. She’s doing very well. Her siblings too; although –” he then frowned as if trying to recall something – “although only her brother still competes, as far as I know.”

  Cora Davies was the girl from the northern circuit who was also heading to Devon’s yard. She had featured in Horse & Hound with her gorgeous mare Bluebell, and had even won the same class as Alice at Olympia the year before her. Although they were both trying out for the same place in the British team – and there’d be competition ahead for whoever made it on to the team – Alice couldn’t wait to meet her and she hoped they could become friends and bounce ideas off each other. It might help to break up the intensity of the week, if both girls were in it together.

  A whicker next to her brought her back to the present, and, turning, Alice smiled at Secret in his Olympia winners’ rug and at her mum, who was emerging from the house with a thermos cup of coffee ready for the journey ahead. Devon’s yard was quite close to the famous Hickstead site, and Alice knew that she regularly hacked her horses around the cliffs and beaches of the south coast. Alice often pored over the photos on social media of Devon and her beautiful horses galloping on the sand.

  “Ready to go?”

  Josephine opened the door to the big horsebox, ready to load the last of Secret’s gear, and, feeling a rush of homesickness, Alice ran back inside the house to give her dad one more hug.

  “You’ll be great, love,” he said, squeezing her tightly. “Good luck at the show.”

  Alice smiled to herself. It was a bit more than a show. It was a trial for the British pony team! But she loved that her dad didn’t differentiate between the local gymkhana and the British trials. He was just proud of her, however she did.

  “Thanks, Dad,” she said, “but I’ll see you before that, remember?”

  He smiled, patting her head. “Of course,” he replied, “but only if you’re sure. I know the next week is going to be very busy for you. It’s only a birthday; I’ll have one next year too.”

  “I wouldn’t miss it for the world!” Alice hugged her dad one last time, before crouching down and hugging Poppy, who rolled on to her side, her greying tail thumping the flagstones of the kitchen floor. Then Alice took a deep breath, ready to go out and load Secret for the journey ahead. She had no idea what the next few days held for her and her brave red pony, but she knew this was the biggest opportunity they were ever going to get.

  Chapter 2

  A shrill whinny from the back of the horsebox made Alice smile as they neared Skyview Stables, Devon’s yard, a couple of hours later. Alice knew that Secret would be keen to get off the horsebox and look around. He adored going to new places and had never worried about being anywhere overnight, whether in London for Olympia or France for the pony club trip. As long as Alice packed the special clip to stop him opening his stable door and escaping, and as long as Alice was with him, he was OK.

  The journey had passed quickly, with Alice and her mum mainly talking about the trials. Alice often reflected on the change in her mum. Just a couple of years ago she had been reluctant for Alice to even join the local pony club, unhappy that her daughter was turning away from showing, where Josephine had been sure Secret was going to excel, just like his well-known dam, the beautiful Lily. Showing meant everything to Josephine. She had jumped as a teenager, like Alice, but after her pony was injured she’d concentrated on showing and Alice knew she’d longed for her to follow in her footsteps. But after seeing the passion and joy Alice and Secret had for showjumping, Alice knew her mum was now behind her all the way.

  Devon’s home was down a long drive and Alice caught a glimpse of the sea as they turned into the entrance of the yard, stopping to allow the automatic gates to slowly open outwards. An American barn housed the stables and the whole place was spotless, as if someone came out at night with a dustpan and brush to sweep up every loose shaving. The stables each had a window that opened out to the back of the barn and gleaming horses popped their heads over as if greeting the new arrivals. Alice immediately recognised Danny, a gorgeous big grey and one of Devon’s top horses, who Alice had met at Hickstead in the summer.

  She let out a long breath. This was showjumping’s elite. This is what she’d dreamed of. She tried not to think about the other dreams, the ones that had been keeping her up at night. She had to focus on the trials ahead.

  Letting down the ramp with her mum, Alice placed a hand on Secret’s neck as he sauntered down. He let out an ear-shattering whinny, as if demanding everyone look at him. His eyes were bright, his ears pricked. A summer spent hacking out over the downs and showjumping on the top circuit meant he’d never looked better. In his prime, fit, healthy and talented, it was no wonder he’d been selected to try out for a British friendly. But although Alice was the right size for him now, at some point she was going to outgrow him, and she wanted to fit in as much as possible with him before then. The only thing that made the situation bearable was that her mum had already promised that Secret would have a home at Park Farm for life. It was one thing to think about getting too tall for him, but quite another to consider selling him. The thought caused her heart to beat faster and her mouth to go dry. She couldn’t imagine a world without Secret.

  Placing her arms round him, she gave him a hug. “Big week ahead, boy,” she murmured into his scarlet mane. “Let’s give this everything we’ve got.”

  “Alice!”

  A familiar, friendly voice interrupted Alice’s thoughts and Secret looked up and whickered in recognition. Devon was emerging from her house, a neat chalet-style building with an open veranda with uninterrupted views over the fields and cliffs and down towards to the sea.

  Devon hugged both Alice and her mum. “So glad you made it safely,” she smiled, reaching out to pat Secret, who nuzzled her back.

  Devon and Alice had first met at Olympia Horse Show when Secret had been kidnapped in a case of mistaken identity involving Devon’s former sponsors. The ordeal had firmly cemented their friendship and Devon had become a real friend to both Alice and her pony club, even lending Alice a pony to help the pony club team win the showjumping at Hickstead. But although Devon was bubbly and super friendly, Alice also knew she was totally focused and driven. She longed to be just like her.

  Another woman followed Devon; she was tall with glossy dark hair in a ponytail. She was carrying a terrier puppy in her arms and had two bridles slung over one sh
oulder. She reached out a hand in greeting.

  “I’m Nina,” she said, her voice accented with a Dutch twang. “Welcome to Skyview.”

  “Nina’s my partner,” Devon said with a smile, giving Nina a squeeze on her arm. “She recently moved over from the Netherlands with a few horses.”

  “I couldn’t resist,” Nina grinned. “Hickstead’s so close, the greatest arena in the world. Oh, and Devon, of course.” She chuckled and Alice smiled. She immediately liked Nina, and recognised her from Horse & Hound. Alice knew Nina was already taking the southern circuit by storm.

  “So, let’s show you to your stable.”

  Devon fell in step with Alice and her mum as they made their way through the wide doorway into the barn, where a large stable was waiting for Secret with a perfectly made up bed of snow-white shavings that was so straight and neat it looked as though someone had checked it with a spirit level!

  “Wow, Alice,” Josephine’s mum said in an admiring voice, looking around her. Alice clocked the hot-wash bay, the shelves of neatly folded rugs and the polished leather head collars hanging side by side on named hooks. “Isn’t this something?”

  Alice nodded. Park Farm was beautiful and Josephine kept it in great order but Devon’s ultra-modern yard looked amazing. She couldn’t wait to get started. The homesickness from earlier was starting to disperse, and all she felt was huge excitement.

  *

  It didn’t take Secret long to settle in. After a luxurious roll in the deep shavings bed, he had a good shake and a drink from the automatic waterer and then tucked into his hay net, pausing every now and again to stick his head out of the back window as if checking out his new surroundings. The horse next door, a particularly lovely dark bay mare called Gloria, gave a curious whicker, and Alice smiled as the ponies sniffed noses through the bars. She must have been nearly seventeen hands high and seemed enormous next to Secret, who was barely thirteen hands. The stable on the other side was empty and Alice wondered if it was where Cora’s pony would go.