Pony Jumpers 9- Nine Lives

by Kate Lattey

  I opened my eyes and blinked in the bright cabin lights. The woman sitting by the window had pushed the shade up, but all I could see was clouds. On paper, 26 hours in transit hadn’t seemed like all that much. It was more than a whole day, sure, but I’d intended to spend most of the time watching movies and sleeping. But I’d never flown that far before, and I hadn’t been prepared for how loud it was, or how difficult it would be to sleep sitting up. The plane food was tasteless and the cabin pressure was giving me a headache. My eyes were gritty and my neck and shoulders were tight and sore. I couldn’t wait to land and get off this plane, and three-and-a-half weeks suddenly seemed like a very short time before I had to go through all this again on the way home.

  I wished Mum was sitting next to me. I’d have given anything just then to hear her voice nagging me, asking if I’d filled in my arrival card and reminding me to clip my tray table up. I was missing her more every minute. I missed Phil, missed the smell of his skin pressed against mine, missed AJ and her relentless positivity, missed my ponies and my scrappy little dog and everything that was familiar. Tears prickled the corners of my eyes as we dropped below the clouds, and I caught my first glimpse of Ireland. The grass was green but the sky was grey, and raindrops spattered the plane windows as we made our slow descent.

  It seemed to take forever for us to touch down onto the tarmac, and even longer before the seatbelt sign went off. I stood up immediately, desperate to stretch my legs and get out of this sardine can. The air conditioning had been switched off, and the air was moist and warm with all of the human bodies squished into such a small space. My heartbeat quickened, and my breath came more quickly. Just breathe, I told myself. This was not the time or place to have a full-blown anxiety attack. I knelt on my seat and closed my eyes, breathing deeply as the people around me chatted and laughed. Up the front of the plane, a baby started to wail.

  Finally, there was movement. I shoved my way out into the aisle as people began shuffling towards the exit, almost forgetting my backpack in the overhead locker and having to go back for it. It took an interminably long time to get down the long aisle, but finally I was in the terminal, my feet on solid ground at last. The Christiansons were waiting for me this time, looking relaxed and well-groomed as usual, and I staggered towards them with my headache bashing against my skull, forcing myself to smile.

  I wanted to be excited, to bask in the thrill of having arrived at a foreign destination, but all I could think about was getting to the hotel, having a shower, taking some painkillers and falling into deep, much-needed sleep.

  Our taxi pulled up outside a glitzy looking building in the heart of Dublin, and I quickly learned that the Christiansons favoured travelling in style. The hotel door was opened for us by a man in a top hat, and porters rushed forward to take our bags. My suitcase looked cheap and tacky next to the Christiansons’ matching luggage, which was probably Louis Vuitton or something, because I couldn’t imagine Sonya going down to Farmers to buy a suitcase. She probably considered it beneath her to own anything that didn’t cost three times as much as any normal person would spend on it.

  There were sparkling chandeliers and marble pillars in the hotel foyer, and a sweeping staircase led up to the five-star restaurant. We were fawned over by the staff before being taken up to our suite, which was even more ridiculously palatial. It had its own lounge, and two huge bedrooms with en suite bathrooms. I just stood in the middle of the bedroom that I was sharing with Lily and stared around me at the impossible grandeur.

  I could hear Sonya in the lounge, gushing about the impressive décor, while Hugh said things like “it should be nice, it cost enough” and “that’s what you’d expect, for what we paid to stay here”.

  I grabbed some clean clothes and went to take a shower. The bathroom was sparkling clean, and the water pressure was so strong it felt like needles against my skin. I washed my hair and scrubbed myself down twice, then dried off and wrapped my hair in another thick white towel before going back out into our shared room.

  “Finally,” Lily said, sitting up and picking up her things before heading into the bathroom. “You took forever!”

  While she was gone, I pulled the curtains and shut the door into the lounge, then lay down on my bed and closed my eyes. I’d never appreciated just how good it felt to lie flat on my back, and I stretched all of my muscles in turn, then relaxed my whole body into the spongy mattress. I just needed a short nap, just a brief pause to let my headache abate and my stomach settle. The traffic roared past outside, but I quickly became oblivious to it as I sank down into a deep sleep.

  When I woke up, the room was empty. I rubbed my eyes, then sat up, my head foggy and throat thick and sore. At least my headache had subsided, but my stomach had realised how much it had been deprived of food, and was painfully hungry. I ran my fingers through my damp hair, trying to look presentable, then opened the door into the lounge, ready to apologise for having overslept. I’d expected to find Lily and her parents in there, sitting on the couch or watching TV, but it was empty. I walked across the room and peered through the half-open door into the master bedroom, but it was empty as well.

  They had gone out, and left me here alone. I sat down on the couch and stared at the window at the rooftops of Dublin. Strange how I’d assumed that the riding was going to be the most challenging factor in this trip, but at that moment, I would’ve given anything to have been walking through a stable or sitting in a saddle, instead of alone in a strange hotel room, feeling stranded, like a fish miles from the nearest water…

  Suck it up, Katy, I told myself firmly. You’re being pathetic. My stomach rumbled, and I looked around the hotel room, my eyes lighting on a large basket of snack food that the hotel had left out for us. They really do think of everything around here, I thought with relief, and I’d consumed a bag of potato chips, half a packet of pistachio nuts and a can of Coke before the Christiansons returned.

  “Katy, you’re awake,” Sonya declared as though it wasn’t obvious by the fact that I was sitting there, staring at her. “Did you have a nice sleep?”she asked, as though I was five years old and had just woken from my afternoon nap.

  I forced myself to remain civil. “Fine, thanks.”

  “I see you got hungry,” she said, eying my empty food wrappers.

  “Yeah, a bit.” I wondered if I should have asked first, but it wasn’t as though there wasn’t heaps left. “Lily was right. The food on the plane was horrible.”

  “Oh really? Ours was quite nice, I thought,” Sonya said as Hugh walked up behind her and glared at me.

  “Raiding the minibar already, are we?” he asked. “I’ll put it on your tab.” I smiled at him, thinking it was a joke, but his expression didn’t change. “Those snacks don’t come cheap, you know.”

  “Um, okay.”

  “We’ve made a dinner reservation at the hotel restaurant for seven,” she told me. “So you’d best get changed.”

  I looked down at the jeans and sweatshirt I was wearing. “Changed?”

  “It’s a nice restaurant, Katy,” she said, as though explaining something obvious to a toddler. “There’s a dress code.”

  Fortunately, I’d packed a dress, just in case this team event required us to go to any fancy shindigs. I went back to my room to change into it, then waited while Lily hogged the bathroom, applying a ridiculous amount of makeup for a twelve-year-old girl and leaving me barely time to slap some mascara and lip gloss on before Sonya summoned us into the lounge.

  Before I’d left, I’d thought that my simple dress was perfect for the trip – classy enough for a fancy occasion, but understated enough for a more casual one. Yet when I walked out into the lounge and saw what everyone else was wearing, I realised just how underdressed I was.

  “I suppose that will do,” Sonya said with pursed lips before heading towards the door.

  As if I could’ve predicted that I’d be staying in a place like this, I thought grumpily as I followed her out into the hall.
Nobody had put a ball gown on the packing list, after all. A grandfather clock struck seven as we walked past it, and I counted back the hours as we waited for the lift to arrive. Four hours since we’d landed in Dublin. Thirty-six hours since I’d left New Zealand, and so far, all I wanted to do was go back home.

  The lift dinged its arrival, and the doors slid open. Lily and her parents stepped inside, and I gritted my teeth, took a breath, and followed them.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  I live in Waikanae Beach, New Zealand and started riding at the age of 10. I was lucky enough to have ponies of my own during my teenage years, and I competed regularly in show jumping, eventing, show hunter and mounted games before finishing college and heading to Massey University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in English & Media Studies in 2002.

  In the years since, I’ve never been far from horses, and have worked in various jobs including as a livery yard groom in England, a trekking guide in Ireland, a riding school manager in New Zealand, and a summer camp counselor in the USA, where I worked at the wonderful Road’s End Farm for five summers. During my time there, I wrote several short stories about the farm’s horses, which were a huge hit with the campers, and their encouragement inspired me to continue writing. I also had the privilege of meeting some amazing young women, and one incredible horse named Bittersweet. She was truly my horse of a lifetime, and my memory will stay with me forever.

  I currently own a Welsh Cob x Thoroughbred gelding called Fox in Socks (JJ to his friends), who is now leased out to a young rider and is showing her the ropes in the show jumping arena while I keep busy coaching at Pony Club and judging at local shows.

  I have been reading and writing pony stories ever since I can remember, and have ideas for many more! If you enjoyed this book, please check out the rest of my novels on Amazon, and feel free to leave a review. Read on to find out more about the other books I have written.

  Also by Kate Lattey:

  DARE TO DREAM

  Saying goodbye to the horses they love has become a way of life for Marley and her sisters, who train and sell show jumpers to make their living. Marley has grand ambitions to jump in Pony of the Year, but every good pony she’s ever had has been sold out from under her to pay the bills.

  Then a half-wild pinto pony comes into her life, and Marley finds that this most unlikely of champions could be the superstar she has always dreamed of. As Marley and Cruise rise quickly to the top of their sport, it seems as though her dreams of winning the Pony of the Year might come true after all.

  But her family is struggling to make ends meet, and as the countdown to Pony of the Year begins, Marley is forced to face the possibility of losing the pony she has come to love more than anything else in the world.

  Can Marley save the farm she loves, without sacrificing the pony she can’t live without?

  Reviews for Dare to Dream:

  “There are always two parts to a good horse story–the people and the horses. Sometimes authors get the horses right and Kate Lattey definitely knows horses. All the details are spot on. But for me, it was the people that made this book shine. The relationship and dynamic between the three sisters is filled with warmth, humor, and truth. I recommend this book for all horse-lovers.

  – Kim Ablon Whitney, author of “The Perfect Distance”

  “I absolutely loved Dare to Dream. I finished it in tears. It’s moving, wrenching, funny. Goodness, it’s good.”

  – Jane Badger, author of “Heroines on Horseback: The Pony Book in Children’s Fiction”

  DREAM ON

  “Nobody has ever tried to understand this pony. Nobody has ever been on her side. Until now.

  She needs you to fight for her, Marley. She needs you to love her.”

  Borderline Majestic was imported from the other side of the world to bring her new owners fame and glory, but she is almost impossible to handle and ride. When the pony lands her rider in intensive care, it is up to Marley to prove that the talented mare is not dangerous - just deeply misunderstood.

  Can Marley dare to fall in love again to save Majestic's life?

  Reviews for Dream On:

  “Kate Lattey has produced another tremendous, character-driven book, with every bit of authentic horsey detail you could wish for. I defy you not to cry at the end. If you haven’t already gone and loaded this on to your Kindle go and do it now. You won’t regret it.”

  - Jane Badger, author of “Heroines on Horseback: The Pony Book in Children’s Fiction”

  “Kate Lattey’s characters are convincing and engaging, and the storyline kept me hooked from the first page to the very satisfying epilogue. A deliciously enjoyable read.”

  – Amanda Wills, author of the “The Lost Pony of Riverdale”

  Clearwater Bay #1:

  FLYING CHANGES

  When Jay moves from her home in England to live with her estranged father in rural New Zealand, it is only his promise of a pony of her own that convinces her to leave her old life behind and start over in a new country.

  Change doesn’t come easily at first, and Jay makes as many enemies as she does friends before she finds the perfect pony, who seems destined to make her dreams of show jumping success come true.

  But she soon discovers that training her own pony is not as easy as she thought it would be, and her dream pony is becoming increasingly unmanageable and difficult to ride.

  Can Jay pull it together, or has she made the biggest mistake of her life?

  Reviews for Flying Changes:

  “Excellent read in the traditional format: girl gets pony, works through traumas with the pony and in her own life. Brilliant New Zealand background, and excellent, accurate horse stuff.”

  – Jane Badger, author of “Heroines on Horseback: The Pony Book in Children’s Fiction”

  “Detailed and descriptive, it’s one of those books that once you start, you can’t put down.”

  – The Children’s Bookstore

  Clearwater Bay #2:

  AGAINST THE CLOCK

  It’s a new season and a new start for Jay and her wilful pony Finn, but their best laid plans are quickly plagued by injuries, arguments and rails that just won’t stay in their cups. And when her father introduces her to his new girlfriend, Jay can’t help wondering if her life will ever run according to plan.

  As her friends battle with their own families and Jay struggles to define hers, it is only her determination to bring out the best in her pony that keeps her going. But after overhearing a top rider say that Finn’s potential is being hampered by her incompetent rider, Jay is besieged by doubts in her own ability…and begins to wonder whether Finn would be better off without her.

  Can Jay bear to give up on her dreams, even if it’s for her pony’s sake?

  Reviews for Against the Clock:

  “I absolutely love the books by this author! This is another fabulous story filled with ponies and the girls that love them. As always, the scenes of New Zealand countryside are descriptive and captivating, the characters are unique and compelling, and the horses are accurately depicted and eloquently wrought. Lattey manages to tell a horse story appropriate for a young audience without the stereotypical storyline and awful romance of many young adult horse novels.”

  – Anne, via Amazon.com

  “This was fantastic – somehow even better than the first. I think what I like about Jay as a heroine is that she’s not the best rider – she has to work at it. There are so many YA horsey books where the main character is an OMG amazing, undiscovered, super-talented rider who just never had the chance and those can be really, really annoying because really? How common is that?? Jay screws up, she gets mad, she LEARNS. I love that.:

  – Jenn S, via Amazon.com

  FIND & FOLLOW

  Website: http://nzponywriter.com

  Email: nzponywriter@gmail.com

  Facebook: Kate Lattey – NZPonyWriter

  Goodreads: Kate Lattey

  Instagram: @kate_lattey

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