‘So it’s not stupid to actually think we could get to the Olympics one day?’ Milly asked, her usually hyper voice sounding a whole lot more serious.
‘Not if you’re prepared to work hard every day and train,’ Aunt Sophie said. ‘It’s tough to get the top, Milly, but not impossible. And if you want to know a little secret, it’s my dream, too. Every competition takes me a step closer to my goal of one day making the Olympic squad for dressage.’
‘I just know you’ll get a great new sponsor, Mrs D,’ Katie piped up. ‘And you’ll so make the Olympics one day.’
Poppy nodded in agreement.
‘I hope you’re right, girls, about the sponsor part at least,’ Aunt Sophie said. ‘Now, who’s up for a trot? I think I’ll trot for a bit with you all, then when you’re ready you can take off and have fun on your own.’
Poppy didn’t need to ask Crystal twice. Her excitable pony bounced straight into a trot, fighting to go faster. Jupiter’s trot was huge and covered so much ground, and Crystal was desperate to keep up with him.
‘Sorry Mrs D!’ Milly yelled as Joe went flying straight past them all in the fight for first place. His nose was thrust high, almost more determined than Milly was.
‘Don’t let him get away on you, Milly,’ Aunt Sophie called back. ‘It’s okay to be in front of me, but only if you’re the one asking for it. Don’t let Joe forget who the boss is.’
It was something her aunt had told her when she first started riding. It was fine to enjoy your horse, to have a partnership and treat them kindly, but the rider still had to be the boss. Otherwise there was no control, and it was dangerous for the horse to think they were the one in charge of making decisions.
Milly reined Joe back in front of them, riding him in a circle, then joined the group again at a trot. They continued on for a few minutes, the ponies bouncing along beside Jupiter.
‘Can we go now?’ Poppy called out.
‘Go for it, girls!’
Poppy pressed her legs to Crystal’s side and rose out of the saddle in a cross-country gallop position. She had her stirrups at jumping length and she kept her heels pressed firmly down, hands steady as she let Crystal stretch out.
Katie and Milly cantered beside her across the damp sand, which was the safest part of the beach to ride their horses on.
‘Go, Crystal!’ Poppy whispered, urging her even faster until they were in a full gallop, her pony going as quickly as she could. Poppy was sure the horses loved it as much as they did, the freedom of galloping down the endless stretch of beach a true rush of adrenalin. The wind whipped hard against Poppy’s face, the roar of the ocean was loud in her ears.
She was looking between Crystal’s pricked ears, but she did glance sideways to check where the others were. Milly was hot on her heels, so she wrapped her legs even tighter against Crystal’s side, not wanting to let her friend beat her. It hadn’t started as a race, but it sure was now! Crystal was grunting because she was going so fast, loving the competition, and Poppy grinned when she heard Milly yell something at her. No one liked winning more than Milly, which made racing against her and winning all the better.
Out of nowhere Katie shot past them, in the lead by a nose. They were all galloping fast now, three abreast, racing over the sand.
‘Katie!’ Poppy cried, laughing as she loosened the reins even more to let Crystal go as fast as she could. She couldn’t believe Cody was faster than both Crystal and Joe, but he was winning fair and square.
Milly was yelling something out, right on Crystal’s heels, but the wind was so loud at the speed they were going that Poppy couldn’t figure out what she was saying. They kept going, all three of them neck and neck. It was the most amazing feeling in the world.
‘My legs are killing me,’ Milly moaned, stretching out in the shade of an ancient-looking jacaranda tree beside Poppy. The tree had a gnarled trunk, and the purple flowers were so bright and beautiful against the blue sky as Poppy stared up.
‘Imagine how Joe is feeling. He was the one doing all the hard work,’ Poppy replied. She had to admit that her own legs were sore from standing out of the saddle for so long as they raced and raced.
‘Tuck into your lunch, girls,’ Aunt Sophie said, emerging from the other side of the truck with her hands full. She set two bags of food down beside them.
Poppy stomach rumbled just at the thought of eating. She didn’t care what it was, she’d just about eat a horse right now!
‘Bacon and egg pie, tomato sandwiches and chocolate brownies,’ Aunt Sophie announced, setting everything down. ‘I couldn’t sleep last night, so I got up and made myself useful instead!’
‘Yum,’ Poppy said, pushing Milly aside as they both jostled to get closer to her aunt. She unpacked the bag in front of them and soon Poppy was practically drooling.
‘It was a great idea coming here today, girls. Just what I needed,’ Sophie said, pulling out paper plates and passing them around. ‘Training can get so serious and dull leading up to a competition, so it’s good to have a change of scenery.’
Poppy reached over and grabbed a sandwich, wolfing it down while Aunt Sophie cut the pie.
‘Best lunch ever, Mrs D,’ Milly said through a mouthful of sandwich.
There was hardly a scrap of food left once they were finished. Poppy was absolutely stuffed when she put her plate down and leant back against the tree.
‘Poor Mark, I told him there’d be leftovers!’ Sophie said with a laugh. ‘You girls ate like hungry bears.’
They sat a while longer in the shade, the early summer weather perfect. It was warm but not too hot, and Poppy felt her eyes closing as she listened to the others talking.
‘Oh, I forgot to tell you girls more about next Saturday,’ Aunt Sophie said. ‘They’re offering a round-the-ring jumping class, plus a single jump contest with a cash prize for the winner.’
Poppy sat bolt upright. She’d hardly been listening, but that made her ears prick up like a pony’s. ‘What kind of cash prize?’ she asked.
‘The single jump class is big, about $500 I think, plus horse feed for a year. It’ll be tough competition, with any rider under seventeen years old allowed to enter, but I’d love you all to give it a go.’
Poppy’s mind was racing, thinking of how much she could help her aunt and uncle out if she won. It was a lot of money, more than she could earn in a year walking the neighbour’s dogs!
‘I’m going to win it.’
‘I know I told you to dream big Poppy, but . . .’
Poppy clamped her hand over her mouth, her face burning. ‘Oops. I didn’t realise I’d said it out loud.’
‘I don’t want to discourage you, Pops, because you’re definitely good enough to win, but you girls are only twelve, and that means you’re going to be up against riders who are years older than you.’ Aunt Sophie started to clean up the lunch. ‘If you want to win though, don’t let me stop you. We’ll saddle Crystal up again this afternoon and practice over a single jump, see how high you can go. We’ll get in as many practice rounds as we can.’
Poppy leapt up, mind racing as she checked all her gear was packed away then untied Crystal to load her onto the truck. She leant in, waiting for Aunt Sophie to put Jupiter on first.
‘We’re going to win that grand prize, Crystal,’ Poppy whispered to her pony, stroking her cheek. Her coat was soft as Poppy ran her fingers down it, before bending to plant a kiss on her dark grey muzzle. ‘I know we can do it.’
She was going to help pay off any loan her aunt and uncle had on Crystal by using her savings and winning that money. If the others added their savings too, maybe it could make a difference. And feed for an entire year! Surely that would go a long way to help. She just had to make sure she won. So what if she was only twelve? It didn’t mean she couldn’t do it. Aunt Sophie had told her when they’d given her Crystal that she was well known on the competition circuit. Crystal had been a brilliant competitive mount with her last rider, who’d only sold her because she’d turned sevente
en and was moving on to a bigger horse. Poppy wasn’t as experienced, but her pony was, and it was time to trust in Crystal and let her prove herself.
‘Aunt Sophie,’ she said in a low voice. ‘How much did you have to pay for Crystal?’
‘That’s not something I want you to worry about, Pops,’ Aunt Sophie said, placing a hand on her shoulder. ‘But just so you know, we only have another $1500 to pay back on her. She cost a great deal more, but we structured it to pay off all your ponies as quickly as we could.’
Poppy smiled at her aunt, heart racing. If she won the prize money and used her savings, she would come close to paying off the loan. If there’s a will, there’s a way. Wasn’t that what Aunt Sophie had just told them?
Crystal was probably tired from the big beach ride, but Poppy wasn’t going to spend the day sitting around when it was her only opportunity to train. She had the rest of the day before her mum came to pick her up, then they were having dinner with her aunt and uncle, which meant she had a bit longer than usual. After that . . . she gulped. She usually only came to visit every second weekend, but with the competition on next Sunday she was allowed to come back again early on Saturday, so she’d have all day to practise her jumping.
‘Poppy, do you want to go first?’ Aunt Sophie called out.
‘Yes!’ she answered. She was cantering in a circle, getting Crystal into a nice balanced rhythm. Katie and Milly were training with her, but Poppy knew she was the only one who wanted this so badly. She was determined to win this event. She gritted her teeth, never having been so sure of wanting something ever in her lifetime.
‘We’re going to pretend this is the actual class you’ll be competing in. I want you to take turns, waiting at the edge of the arena until I call you. On the actual day you’ll be waiting outside the arena, of course. If you knock a rail, you’re out,’ Aunt Sophie told them, standing beside the jump in the centre. ‘The competition is over when there is only one rider left.’
Katie and Milly trotted to the entrance and halted to watch. Poppy ran a hand down Crystal’s neck. Her pony had her head down perfectly, her canter strong yet steady as she circled towards the jump. It wasn’t too big, just an average-sized fence with three rails. Poppy urged her on, legs pressed tightly to her sides as they approached.
‘One, two three, four . . .’ Poppy murmured as they were four strides out. Crystal popped up, stretching out as Poppy released the reins, before landing perfectly on the other side.
‘Good girl!’ She gave her a big pat and cantered over to the others.
‘Milly, you’re next,’ Aunt Sophie called.
Milly went straight over the fence, too, then Katie. They each did another clear round when the jump went higher. Then it was Poppy’s third turn. The jump looked much bigger now, but she remembered her aunt’s advice and didn’t look at it as they approached, keeping her eyes trained over the poles as if she was looking ahead to the next jump. Poppy gave Crystal more rein, didn’t hold her back. It was big, but she knew to trust her horse and let her figure her own strides out.
The jump came up fast and within seconds they were soaring over it. Poppy listened, hoping not to hear the knock of a pole, and they landed without touching it.
‘Yes!’ she exclaimed. Crystal seemed to sense her excitement and let rip with a buck, which sent Poppy into peals of laughter. ‘Crystal!’ she scolded. Luckily Crystal hadn’t managed to unseat her even though she’d taken Poppy by surprise.
Milly cantered fast towards the fence when it was her turn, and Poppy cringed when Joe’s back hoof clipped the top rail and sent it tumbling. Her friend looked disappointed, but she still gave her pony a big pat. Next up was Katie and she cleared it with ease.
They were neck and neck, both doing well, as Poppy cleared the next one. She held her breath when it was Katie’s turn, wondering how high they’d end up going. It wasn’t that she was getting nervous of the height, they were only training at home after all, but her stomach was full of butterflies at the thought of how high it could go on the day. Would she actually be able to do it?
‘Go, Poppy!’ Aunt Sophie called.
She gathered up her reins and cantered in a circle before sending Crystal towards the jump. They had this. They could do it. Poppy clamped her legs on, staring at the centre of the jump and then forcing her eyes up and past it. Her stomach lurched as Crystal lifted, tucking her knees up high as they cleared it. They landed hard on the other side, the effort of jumping so high feeling completely different to finishing over smaller fences.
‘Did you feel the difference then?’ Aunt Sophie asked Poppy as she cantered past. ‘How much bigger her jump felt?’
Poppy slowed to a trot, then a walk. ‘Yeah, I did. It was. Wow.’ She shook her head, her heart beating fast. ‘It was awesome.’
Sophie’s smile was infectious. ‘Keep your head up and let her look after you. Crystal knows what she’s doing. It’s just whether you’re confident enough to let her go for it as the jumps get higher. You’re doing great.’
Katie went over the fence then, just touching it and causing the rail to wobble. For a moment it looked like it would stay, then it fell to the ground with a thud.
‘You win!’ Katie called.
Poppy didn’t like to see her friend lose, but it felt good to have gone over the jump that many times and not taken a rail. ‘Can I go one more time?’ she asked.
Aunt Sophie moved towards the jump immediately and put it up, and Poppy cantered towards it. She felt invincible. Like she could conquer anything.
They cantered towards it and Crystal thrust her head up, pulling hard. Poppy tried to fight her and stay in control, then glanced up just in time and realised that Crystal had been doing it for a reason, that she needed more rein, was trying to guide them safely towards the fence. Poppy looked down, knowing she’d been too confident and not listened to her horse. Crystal took a quick last stride before gathering herself up, trying her hardest to clear the fence, but Poppy had interfered too much and they took the rail down with them. Crystal’s back legs crashed into them and Poppy groaned as she looked behind them and saw they’d managed to tumble two rails.
‘I’m sorry,’ she muttered to Crystal, loosening the reins until they were on the buckle and giving her a big pat. ‘I won’t do that again.’
‘Trust your pony, Poppy,’ Aunt Sophie called. ‘She was trying her hardest to get you over that fence.’
Poppy nodded, upset and embarrassed that she’d completely mucked up the last jump. She might have won against her friends today, but she was going to have to do a lot better on the day if she wanted to collect that prize money.
‘Want to come for a walk to stretch them out?’ Katie asked as she neared them.
Poppy was fighting tears. They were burning her eyes and her throat felt all sticky and hot from trying to swallow them down.
‘I’m just going to go for a walk on my own,’ she managed to choke out.
Katie and Milly looked at her, worried. But she needed a few minutes alone. Her friends loved their ponies as much as she loved Crystal, but Starlight Stables meant so much more to her and she couldn’t stop thinking about losing it.
When her dad had been away serving as a soldier, she’d loved coming here. Then when he’d died, it had been the one place in the world where she could just get away from everything and stop being the girl whose dad had died, the girl who was always sad. Then Crystal had come along, and her aunt and uncle had been so amazing to her and helped her mum when she was depressed and not able to look after Poppy and her little brother.
She owed them so much, and if she could just help out when they needed her, she’d feel so much better. If only she could do something to help them save the farm and not just help to pay off her horse.
She took her feet out of the stirrups to stretch her ankles and patted Crystal’s neck as they walked. Her poor pony must be so exhausted from the day they’d had.
‘I’m sorry I let you down,’ she whispered, he
r tears falling down her cheeks then onto Crystal’s silky grey neck. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘Poppy!’
She halted Crystal when she heard Aunt Sophie calling her. Poppy quickly wiped at her face, not wanting her aunt to see that she’d been crying. For a girl who never usually cried, she was doing way too much of it this weekend.
‘Hey, are you okay?’ Concern was etched all over Sophie’s face. Her aunt took hold of the reins, standing beside her and looking up.
‘I let you and Crystal down,’ Poppy said, pleased that her voice wasn’t all wobbly with more tears. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘Sweetheart, you did great. You’ve never attempted a jump as high as those last two!’
Poppy sighed and absently stroked the top of Crystal’s mane by her wither. ‘But I want it so bad. I want to win.’
‘Then win,’ Aunt Sophie said like it was the most simple thing in the world. ‘Believe in yourself and make it happen.’
Poppy sat up straighter in the saddle. ‘You really think I have a chance?’
‘Yes,’ Sophie said without hesitation. ‘I do.’
Poppy laughed, her tears long gone now. ‘And you’re not just saying that because you’re my aunt and you have to?’
‘Pops, I would never tell you something just because I thought it was what you wanted to hear, especially not when it comes to riding.’ She placed a hand on her leg, looking up at her. ‘I saw you go over those jumps, and both you and Crystal have what it takes. If you believe in the two of you as a team, truly believe, then anything is possible. Just trust her every step of the way and keep practising.’
Aunt Sophie gave her an affectionate squeeze on the thigh and took a few steps backward.
‘Thanks,’ Poppy mumbled, feeling a warm glow at the confidence her aunt had in her.
‘I’ll ride her this week for you, just to keep her exercised. She’ll be rearing to go when you get back here.’ Sophie chuckled. ‘She’ll feel tiny for me compared to Jupiter, but it’s always fun having a play around on the ponies.’
Starlight Stables: Saving Starlight Page 3