“I’m so sorry about your pony,” she blurted out, before she could stop herself. “My first pony, Honey, she died too.” She closed her eyes briefly, thinking of her sweet palomino mare.
Pain flashed over Devon’s face. “Thanks,” she said quietly. “It still seems like yesterday. I’m sorry you lost your pony too.”
“She had a heart attack,” Alice said, her voice wobbling slightly. “The vet said there was nothing that could have been done.”
Devon looked away. “I feel like I could have stopped Tally getting injured,” she said. “If I’d been with him.”
“What happened?” Alice asked.
“It was the day after getting placed at the Horse of the Year Show. Nick was annoyed I hadn’t pushed Tally harder in the jump-off, but I’d done my best,” Devon said flatly. “I was sixteen, too young to drive, so Nick used a transporter, a really posh one, to take him around. Anyway, I was travelling separately that day.” She frowned. “I can’t even remember why. I didn’t usually. I think I had to sign autographs – something Nick had arranged, anyway. I didn’t want to. Tally never travelled without me. He was quite nervy, but I knew how to relax him.”
Alice thought about Kite, who was also highly strung but responded so well to Leah.
“He reared in the box and went over,” Devon continued. “Injured himself so badly the vet had to put him down.” She paused. “Nick sent me a piece of mane in the post, along with a letter to say I had been dropped from sponsorship. I was ‘too difficult’ to work with, he said. Because I didn’t want to push Tally too hard.” She snorted in disgust. “If his idea of difficult was questioning the welfare of my pony then so be it. I didn’t care about that, but losing Tally hurt more than anything.”
Alice frowned. That hadn’t been the story Nick had told the journalist. She couldn’t help thinking that there were more than a few similarities with Leah: a nervy pony and a rider disagreeing with the owner. And although Tally hadn’t belonged to Devon, she had loved him. Like Leah and Kite.
“Maybe it’s different now,” Devon sighed. “But if I was your friend, I’d never let my pony out of my sight.”
“What do you mean?” Alice said, but just then Nick headed their way and Devon turned her mare sharply away. Nick seemed to know everyone backstage, from the other showjumpers to the owners sipping champagne and the stewards. His voice was loud and he seemed to like the sound of it, chuckling away at his own jokes, clapping friends heartily on the backs as he accepted a glass of champagne. Alice was sure she saw him smile at Devon’s departing back, an unkind, dismissive smile. Frowning, she turned away. Although she still felt envious of Leah’s sponsorship deal, she was starting to realise it came at a price.
Later that evening Alice and Finn had managed to find some brilliant seats right by one of the huge Christmas-themed jumps, and they’d enjoyed a wonderful half-hour watching the big class, marvelling as the horses soared over the giant fence. Alice realised that she would be jumping in the same arena very soon. Although the jumps in her class on Sunday morning would be lower than those in the adult classes, the course would be just as technical. And she knew the designs would be just as extravagant: Christmas trees and giant candy canes. She couldn’t wait!
But even though Alice was having a great time, she couldn’t forget her conversation with Devon, and how it contrasted with Nick’s story to the journalist. It was the way he’d referred to Talisman being sold… Of course, Nick had no doubt bought and sold a lot of ponies over the years but it didn’t feel quite right, and it was playing on Alice’s mind.
“You remember that girl at the Hyde Park stables.” She turned to Finn in the interval. “Leah, with Kite? The sponsored one?”
“Mm.” Finn was only half listening. “What about her?”
“Oh.” Alice paused. “I don’t know. Something doesn’t seem right to me about the whole situation. Like, she can’t have an opinion and is being controlled all the time. The owner – the sponsor guy – doesn’t seem to care about the pony at all.”
Finn glanced at her and gave a smile. “Alice,” he said kindly, “why are you even worrying about her? You’re jumping against this girl. She’s got a super-rich company sponsoring her, and one of the best ponies in the country to ride. I mean, I think she’s probably OK.”
“Maybe.” Alice said, but she remained unconvinced.
Alice was up extra early the next day. Her mum was driving down later and would leave the horsebox at the Hyde Park yard and then have dinner with some old school friends in the West End. Alice would head to Olympia and then they’d meet up afterwards to go back to the hotel they were going to be based in for the rest of their stay. Alice’s Olympia moment with Secret was mere hours away now! She thought back to all her training with Angus, jumping round the local circuit, and although the nerves were peaking, so were her excitement levels.
When she got to the yard a short while later, bundled up against the cold in her thickest coat, Clare was just carrying out her first checks.
“Good morning!” she smiled. “I might see you later. I’m heading to Olympia with friends!”
Then she drew Alice aside. “Actually, Alice, I wondered if I could ask a favour?”
“OK,” Alice replied, wondering what on earth she could help with.
“Kite hasn’t really settled,” Clare explained. “And sometimes a change of stables can help. As your pony seems such an easy chap, I wondered if you’d mind swapping stables just for the last night? I think Kite would be better in the big corner stable with a little more space.”
“That’s fine,” Alice agreed. Secret was exceptionally easy-going, and he proved it by settling straight into his new stable, munching away at the hay net as if he had always been there. Kite seemed a little more relaxed too, and when Leah arrived a few moments later she was genuinely grateful.
“Thanks, Alice,” she said. “I really appreciate it.”
“It’s no problem,” Alice replied, and as the girls smiled at each other, Alice felt the tension of the last couple of days thaw a little. She remembered what Leah had said in the park during her disastrous photo shoot, how Kite just needed to hack out and take it easy before his big class. Suddenly she had an idea.
“Hey, do you want to ride out with me this morning?” she asked. “Only if you want to, or you don’t have to be somewhere with your sponsors,” she added hurriedly.
But Leah’s smiled widened. “Yes please,” she said softly. “I’d really like that.”
It wasn’t long before both girls were clattering out of the yard together, chatting away. Secret was thrilled to go out with Kite, who he’d taken a shine to, and as much as Alice had enjoyed the ride with Finn, it was nice to ride out with another girl the same age, with a shared interest in showjumping.
Leah seemed genuinely interested in Secret’s history with Alice and their previous struggles, and then told Alice a little bit about her pony club.
“My parents aren’t horsey in the slightest,” Leah explained. “But when I was nine they managed to afford some lessons, and I started helping at the yard not long after that. Jackie, the lady who owns the stables, taught me to ride. She was really good to me and lent me her daughter’s old pony, Bobby. She took me to shows, and I joined the pony club attached to the stables. It was the best fun,” she added, slightly wistfully, Alice thought.
“So how did the sponsorship deal come about?” Alice asked.
“Bobby was a brilliant showjumper and we had an inter-branch competition that I won,” Leah replied. “Nick happened to be watching. He was looking for a keen rider they could sponsor up through the levels, but when I explained Bobby wasn’t actually my pony, he told me about his plan to buy a pony from the Netherlands.” She paused. “It was an amazing deal. My dad had just lost his job and I knew Mum and Dad wouldn’t be able to afford my lessons for much longer. Jackie did try to convince me to stay with her.” She paused, her voice wobbling a little. “But I couldn’t carry on going to the
shows, not being able to pay for entries and stuff. When Nick offered me the deal, it was like a lifeline. It came at just the right time.” She leaned over and patted Kite. “And when I met Kite it was love at first sight. He’s nervy and hot-headed but we just clicked; I understood him. I can’t imagine anyone else riding him.”
Alice felt a little humbled as she listened. She loved ponies more than anything. They were all she thought about at school; all she wanted to do at the weekends. But she’d never been in a situation where she couldn’t actually ride a pony. Even when she’d given up for a while, after her first pony, Honey, had died, horses were still a huge part of family life. And Leah obviously loved ponies as much as she did.
“How long have you been sponsored?” she asked.
“About eighteen months,” Leah explained. “Kite was bred in the Netherlands, and when he came over here I thought I would have three or four years to get him to the level he is at now. He’s hard work, really sensitive, and it doesn’t take a lot to upset him. Even going away overnight can wind him up. But Nick threw everything at us, the best trainers, entries to the big qualifiers.” She frowned. “If Kite was my very own pony, I would have taken it slower. I mean, he’s coped so far, he’s super-talented and everything but … sometimes it’s just a bit much, you know? He really needs to just chill out for a bit. Look at your pony, super-relaxed. Kite’s never like that.”
Alice thought carefully about what she was going to say. “Surely if Kite has been given to you to ride, you’re allowed a say in what happens with him?”
But Leah shook her head. “I wish,” she sighed. “If he could have a break and just do some lower-level stuff for a while, I think that would really help him.” She chewed on her lip. “I blame myself a bit. I’ve been too scared to say anything to Nick. Kite’s not ready for Sunday, not the way he is at the moment.”
Alice looked at the handsome skewbald, who still looked unsettled. She knew Secret could be cheeky and exuberant, but it was always with a joyful demeanour. Kite just seemed stressed, no matter how quietly Leah was riding him.
“Well, why don’t you say something now?” Alice said, thinking of Nick. He didn’t seem like a nice person, but surely he wouldn’t want to risk stressing and potentially ruining his star pony.
“He’s already hinted I’m being a nuisance by even questioning him,” Leah said, sounding miserable. “You have to remember, he’s not my pony. Nick’s invested big money in Kite and he wants results. They’ve got a big deal going on at the moment and he needs an Olympia placing to boost the profile of Hadley.” She hesitated. “I overheard him telling someone – boasting, really – that Kite is insured for over one hundred thousand pounds.”
Alice’s mouth fell open. That was an eye-wateringly huge amount of money for a young pony.
“But truthfully,” Leah continued, “he’s not that interested in Kite. He never pats him, he barely looks at him really. He’s only interested in what he can do for his company. And as Nick often reminds me, there’s always a rider behind me, ready to take my place. Horse-mad girls who can ride a bit and can’t afford a pony are as common as anything, he says.” She paused. “So I haven’t spoken out before, but I know I need to now.”
The girls had ridden on in companionable silence, Alice thinking about Leah’s words. It seemed the expensive wool rugs, photo shoots and branded kit were not all they were cracked up to be if they came with the control Nick exerted over Leah and Kite – the constant threat of having her pony taken away and given to someone else to ride. She thought again of Devon, but decided against mentioning the showjumper to Leah, after her reaction last time.
“That was really nice,” Leah smiled as they untacked their ponies side by side back at the yard. “Thank you.” She paused. “It’s been ages since I rode out with anyone. When I rode with Jackie, I had loads of friends I could ride with, but you know…” Her voice tailed off and she shook her head.
Alice was still thinking about Leah’s words as she cleaned her tack in the heated tack room later. She still couldn’t get over the fact Kite was worth over one hundred thousand pounds. For a pony who’d only been on the competition circuit for a short amount of time!
Her thoughts were interrupted by raised voices outside. Peering out at the smart arena, Alice watched Kite cantering around, before Leah aimed him at a jump. Kite was clearly on edge and not seeming to focus at all on the simple straight bar. It was different from Secret, who bounded gleefully into the fences.
To Alice’s surprise Kite refused the jump, but she was impressed with the way Leah sat quietly and didn’t once pick up her whip, instead giving him a quick pat before circling and attempting the jump again. Kite gave a high-pitched whinny and Alice could see Leah was struggling to get the pony to concentrate. They cleared the fence the second time but it was obvious Kite wasn’t in the zone. Leah patted him, pulling him up next to a man Alice hadn’t seen before, dressed in smart breeches. He exchanged a few words with Leah, nodded and then turned to Nick, who was clearly furious.
Edging closer, Alice tried to work out what was being said.
“I agree with Leah.” The man in breeches had a calm air about him, in stark contrast to Nick. “It’s been too much this year. Kite’s barely had a moment’s rest and I think Olympia is a step too far.”
“But he qualified!” Nick said angrily. “He’s perfectly capable.”
The man in breeches shook his head. “Qualifying is one thing, actually competing at Olympia quite another. There’s always next year, even the year after,” he said. Leah looked grateful for the back-up. “Why push him too hard? He’ll just burn out. He’s not the easiest pony, you know that.”
“With all due respect,” Nick practically spat, “he’s my pony. I pay you to get the ponies to the top, not go all soft on me.”
“It’s too much,” Leah said firmly, her voice strong. She was finally speaking out, Alice realised, feeling proud of her. “You can see for yourself he’s wound up and his jumping is suffering. I don’t think he’ll do well at all. I told you, he needs a couple of months in the field to chill him out.” She paused, and it seemed her resolve was strengthening. “I’m not jumping him, and that’s that.”
Nick glared at her. “We’ll talk about this later, Leah.”
Leah didn’t say anything, but her face fell. Alice remembered her words, how it would break her heart to lose the ride on Kite. But Nick couldn’t take away her ride, just for trying to do the right thing … could he?
“I might see you later?” Leah popped her head round the door. She’d changed into jeans and her scarlet-branded jacket, her auburn hair tied neatly into a long plait. Her face gave away none of her emotions. “At Olympia, I mean.”
“Yes,” Alice smiled. “I’m going for the evening performance.” And then as Leah was still hovering in the doorway, she added. “Shall we meet up? We could watch some of the show together? My friend Finn is riding.”
And just like when Alice had invited Leah riding, Leah relaxed into a smile.
“Yes, please,” she said. “I have to go on the stand first, then I’m free.”
After exchanging telephone numbers, Leah was off. Alice smiled, resuming her tack cleaning. She hoped for Leah’s sake it would all work out for her, withdrawing Kite from his class. Perhaps Nick would understand once he’d had a chance to cool down a bit. She knew from experience the worst thing you could do was push a pony before it was ready, or didn’t want to do what it was you were competing in. She’d learned that the hard way with Secret in the show ring. And Leah had the back-up of the obviously experienced instructor.
As Alice ran a damp sponge over the soft leather she thought back to how envious she’d been of Leah. Not any more. At least Alice would always have a say in what she did with Secret!
Alice had a routine now: the bus journey, the fastest way round to the backstage area, and who was who in each of the stables. Watching a Whitaker sail over the most enormous practice fence, she did have to p
ause for just a moment, allowing it to wash over her. Being backstage had been brilliant. She’d been able to get right up to her favourite horsey heroes and watch how they did things, and meeting Devon was the highlight.
As she passed the Hadley Feeds trade stand, she noticed a huge, life-size cardboard cut-out of Leah and Kite sailing over a fence.
Nick was standing at the front, chatting animatedly with a small group of people, champagne glass in hand. Any trace of his anger from earlier was gone as he laughed and joked loudly. Leah was being completely ignored and Alice wondered what she was meant to be doing. Held up by the dawdlers in front of her admiring a crystal-studded saddlecloth on the stand next door, Alice watched as a girl about her own age approached Nick in a confident manner. She hovered next to him for a minute before Nick turned to her with a pleasant smile.
“Can I help you?”
The girl launched into what sounded like a sales pitch. From the bits Alice could hear, she had a loan pony that was being sold and her parents couldn’t afford to buy him.
“But we’re doing so well,” the girl said passionately. “We were class winners at the local county show and we’ve been in the pony club team for the last two years. Would you consider sponsoring me, one day?”
And she pulled out her phone, presumably to show Nick footage of her riding.
“See, that’s me winning the junior open,” the girl explained. “And that’s me at areas, and that’s—”
Nick handed the phone back.
“Lovely,” he said in a charming voice. “I’ll take your details and perhaps I’ll come and watch a class. I’m always looking for new opportunities.”
Then he flashed the quickest glance at Leah.
“You might hear from me sooner than you think.”
And after he’d taken the girl’s name and number and given her one of his cards, she skipped off with her friends, clearly delighted.
A Dream Come True Page 5
