The Palomino Pony Rides Out

by Olivia Tuffin

  For the rest of the afternoon, Georgia hung around on the farm, helping Dan unload boxes for the shop and bottle-feeding the three calves that lived in a stable adjacent to the yard. Their long eyelashes and dark curious eyes reminded Georgia of Lily and, for the hundredth time, she wondered what the palomino’s foal would be like. She couldn’t wait!

  When Georgia cycled back up the drive to Redgrove stables to bring Lily in for the night, she was surprised to see Emma waiting for her, drumming her feet against the wall that she was sitting on. She jumped down when Georgia pulled up and fell into step beside her. “Hey, there,” she said, sounding slightly awkward.

  “Hey,” Georgia said in response. “What are you doing here?”

  She couldn’t help but notice Emma’s new jodhpurs and shiny black boots.

  Emma picked up a lead rope and twirled it round in her hand, avoiding her friend’s eyes. “You’re not mad at me, are you?” she said finally, still looking at the ground.

  Georgia trailed her foot in the mud and said nothing.

  “I know I was with Lexie at the trials and I haven’t been up here much,” said Emma. “But what with Lexie offering me these riding lessons, and Dad saying I should take up her offer…” Her voice tailed off.

  “It’s all right, Em,” Georgia sighed. “Just be careful, that’s all.”

  “Careful?” Emma questioned. “What do you mean?”

  “I’m not sure,” Georgia shrugged. “It’s just that I get a funny feeling about Lexie. Something’s not quite right.”

  Emma looked defensive for a moment. “Lexie’s absolutely fine, Georgia,” she said coldly. “I’ve known her for ages. And she invited you over to the yard to see her ponies, didn’t she?”

  “I guess,” Georgia shrugged, “although she hasn’t exactly followed through on that.”

  “She will,” said Emma. “She’s just been busy.”

  The two girls talked for another few minutes or so, but it was horribly awkward and Emma excused herself at the first opportunity.

  Georgia sighed heavily after her friend had left. She caught Lily and they walked back up to the yard, the mare’s golden coat gleaming in the last rays of the sun. Georgia pulled on an ancient quilted jacket hanging in the tack room to ward off the evening’s chill. The air was thick with the smell of a nearby bonfire as she led Lily into her stable and rugged her up. Georgia scratched behind her ears and Lily sighed contentedly, lowering her head and closing her eyes as she enjoyed the attention.

  “Oh, Lily,” Georgia said sadly. “Thank goodness for you.” She thought back to a few weeks ago when Emma had excitedly announced that she wanted to start riding again and Melanie had given her lunge lessons. They had even spent hours circling adverts in pony magazines as they laughed and daydreamed about Emma getting her own loan pony.

  So much for that, Georgia thought. She hated being jealous but she couldn’t help the feeling that kept flooding through her. She and Emma normally shared everything and had always been really close, but now that Emma was going to ride at Seven Birches and had a new friend in Lexie, they suddenly felt worlds apart…

  “Hey, Georgia, do you fancy coming over to the yard on Wednesday after school?”

  It was morning break a couple of days later, and Lexie had joined Georgia, Emma and Dan as they stood around in the playground, chatting. Emma must have said something to her, Georgia realised, feeling a warm glow that her friend had thought about her.

  “You could meet River and look around the yard,” Lexie went on without actually meeting Georgia’s eyes. “Oh, and Dan – you can come too if you like,” she said, casually, as if it were an afterthought.

  “Thanks, Lexie,” Georgia said, not knowing what else to say.

  “Yeah, thanks,” said Dan.

  Lexie looked embarrassed and, gathering her bag, shot off to her next class.

  To Georgia’s surprise, Emma hung back instead of rushing off with her new friend. “You will come, won’t you? You’ll love it at the yard. It’s so smart – like nothing you’ve ever seen before. Dad’s just so happy I’m going to ride there instead of at Redgrove!”

  Georgia felt a small bubble of annoyance forming. “So there’s something wrong with Redgrove now, is there?” she blurted out. “You liked it well enough before!” And turning on her heel, she marched off down the corridor.

  “Georgia!” Emma called after her.

  But Georgia didn’t turn back. Emma’s dad was a snob. A horrible giant snob. And now it seemed that Emma was turning into one, too. She was getting a bit fed up with her going on about nothing else but Lexie and her amazing yard…

  “So what do you think, Dan?” said Georgia, as they pressed the buzzer to the heavy iron gates at Seven Birches on Wednesday evening. The gates swung back and the two of them walked their bikes up the drive.

  “Well, it’s certainly impressive.” Dan let out a low whistle as they passed field upon field with outbuildings and arenas.

  “It is, isn’t it?” Georgia blinked. It was all she could do not to gape at what lay around her. A long sweeping drive flanked by neatly trimmed conifer bushes took them into the stable block, where the entrance was framed by an imposing archway, complete with tower clock. Roses clambered around the stone brickwork and even the yard floor itself had a mosaic of a leaping horse on the cobbles. There wasn’t a wisp of hay or single shaving out of place.

  Beyond the stable block lay the Olympic-sized arena set within a walled garden complex. Immaculate show jumps were in place, and far beyond that, Georgia could see the start of a mini cross-country course, which wound its way around the parkland.

  “Wow!” she breathed.

  “It’s lush, isn’t it!” Emma was suddenly beside Georgia, clad in a brand new bodywarmer with her hair in a neat ponytail. These days, she was looking more and more like the type of smart, horsey girl Georgia envied on rare trips to big events like Badminton.

  “So, this is Herbie!” Emma walked Georgia and Dan into the yard and introduced them to a beautiful dun Connemara who was hanging his head over the stable door. He watched the visitors calmly before turning his attention back to his hay net. It was easy to see why Emma was so keen on riding here – the first pony they’d met was the most elegant equine specimen Georgia had ever seen, apart from Lily, she thought, forever loyal to her mare.

  “Lexie’s qualified him for Horse of the Year five years in a row,” Emma said proudly, stroking his mushroom-coloured neck. “I either ride him, or Maggie, the grey, or even River sometimes.”

  “He’s lovely, Emma,” Georgia said.

  “And he’s perfect for Emma,” a cool voice added.

  Turning around, Georgia saw Lexie walk into the stable yard. She looked elegant as always in expensive chequered breeches that Georgia recognised from the local saddlery. She had picked them up herself and tried them on wistfully at least ten times.

  Lexie’s stepfather was with her and gave the group a curt nod. Lexie introduced them all, calling him Joe. Georgia and Dan shook his hand politely.

  Joe paused as he grasped Dan’s hand. “Coleman, you say?”

  “Yes,” Dan said, looking puzzled.

  “Your dad owns the farm down the road?” Joe continued looking closely at Dan who was blushing.

  “Yes, that’s my dad’s farm,” he agreed, glancing at Georgia who shrugged.

  “Down the road from Redgrove Stables.” Joe said this almost to himself, before he turned on his heel and clapped his hands. “Jason!” he barked as the whippet-thin man with the flat cap from the trials came scurrying over. “Make sure Lexie does her grid work tonight. I want River jumping perfectly, do you hear?”

  Dan and Georgia hung around for a little longer, watching Emma ride Herbie in the indoor school. It was clear to see she was nervous. Jason was snappy and brusque in his style of teaching and Emma looked confused as she tried to follow his orders.

  Herbie rolled his eyes and swished his tail, growing increasingly impatient as he was given
the wrong aids. Georgia was almost certain that he was a highly bred Junior Grade A pony, which meant he’d won a certain amount of money competitively and would not be used to novice riders. She was amazed that Joe was letting Emma ride him at all. She guessed it must be to show his gratitude to Emma’s dad for all the legal help he was giving him.

  Georgia felt an awful sense of disloyalty towards her friend – but she knew that Emma just wasn’t an experienced enough rider for the Connemara. She could barely watch as the pony put in a couple of small bunny hops as Emma pushed him into a clumsy canter, startling and unbalancing her. Somehow she survived the rest of the lesson, but she was white-lipped and clearly terrified … and that wasn’t a good start to anyone’s riding career…

  “That was a bit weird, wasn’t it?” Dan yelled over his shoulder later as he and Georgia biked their way back from Seven Birches in the growing dusk. “Lexie’s stepdad knowing who I was, I mean.”

  “Yes, it was,” Georgia shouted back. In fact, the whole set-up had seemed a little strange. She wasn’t sure what to make of it, and worried for her best friend. Georgia had always trusted her instincts and there was something strange going on at Seven Birches that she couldn’t quite put her finger on. Why was Lexie so keen for Emma to ride one of her best ponies when she was only a novice? And why had Joe taken such an interest in Dan?

  As they rounded the corner to the Colemans’ farm, Dan suddenly stopped in his tracks.

  Parked in front of the bungalow was a sleek black estate car with tinted windows. It was far too shiny and clean to be any of Mr Coleman’s friends. The farm collie, Hattie, sat sadly outside, but was soon whining for attention when she caught sight of Dan. She weaved in and out of his legs.

  Dan pressed a finger to his lips and beckoned for Georgia to follow him into the porch where they could hear the muffled sound of a conversation inside. Mr Coleman’s voice was distinct above the others and he sounded upset. There were at least two other men in the room.

  “If you could just think about it overnight…”

  It wasn’t a local accent – London, maybe? And it was followed by what sounded like a fist being slammed down on the table.

  “No!” Dan’s dad’s voice was firm but he was clearly upset. “No, no, NO! This farm has been in this family for five generations!”

  Dan glanced at Georgia, his face a mixture of shock and worry. He opened the door to the kitchen, startling everyone inside. Dan’s father was sitting at the table, looking small and grey in his old checked shirt. Usually so red-cheeked and cheery, he looked pale and anxious as he ran a hand through his sandy-coloured hair.

  Two other men lounged in their chairs, one snapping a briefcase shut. Both had slick hair and shiny shoes, looking as out of place at the scrubbed wooden table as cats at Crufts. They both glanced uninterestedly at Georgia and Dan.

  “Our offer still stands,” one of them said to Mr Coleman, gesturing to his companion that it was time to leave. Standing up, he held out a hand to Dan’s father, which wasn’t accepted. Smirking, the man continued, “We’ll see ourselves out then.”

  And with that, they were gone, purring down the farm drive in the black car, narrowly missing a cockerel who had strayed across their path.

  “What’s going on, Dad?” Dan demanded, sitting down next to his father.

  Mr Coleman sighed and slumped his shoulders. “They’re agents, Dan. Buyers for a large development company that wants our land to build on and then sell for a huge profit.” He didn’t seem to notice Georgia. He sounded angry now, his eyes flashing.

  “What did you say?” Dan said, the colour draining from his face.

  “I said over my dead body!” Mr Coleman said loudly. “There’s no way I’m letting this farm go. Not ever!”

  “Well then, they can’t do anything, can they?” Dan’s voice was anxious.

  His dad sighed, putting his head in his hands. “No, son, but somehow they’ve got hold of our accounts and know the shop’s running at a loss.” He glanced at the paperwork beside him. “I just don’t know why we’re losing customers. It’s never happened before!” He looked bewildered and tired.

  “It’ll be all right, Dad.” But Dan sounded unconvinced. “It’s only a temporary thing – we’ll start making money again soon.”

  His dad gave a wry smile and patted his son on the back. “I do hope you’re right, Dan. We can’t take any more setbacks.”

  To Georgia’s surprise, Emma invited her back to Seven Birches the following night to watch Lexie riding River. Cycling up the drive with her spaniel, Pip, running beside her, she felt a sense of unease. But at least there was no sign of Joe, or the fearsome Jason, just Lexie, schooling River around the walled arena.

  Georgia watched with interest. Lexie was so light and fluid, her hands soft and yielding, and River moved in total harmony with her. She looked so much more relaxed when she was by herself than when Jason was in the arena with her, barking instructions. There was a rare smile on her face as she leg yielded across the school, before cantering a perfect twenty-metre-circle. Georgia went to look for Emma and found her in a stable grooming Herbie.

  “That was impressive,” Georgia said, leaning in over the door. “Lexie’s riding, I mean. She’s a really good rider, isn’t she?”

  “Yeah, she is,” Emma said, pulling a comb through Herbie’s black mane. “When she’s not jumping, that is… Jason and Joe, they…” She paused, busying herself with an imaginary knot in the mane.

  “They what?” Georgia said curiously.

  Emma looked thoughtful. “I dunno, Georgia. It’s just not the same as at Mel’s, that’s all. They make her jump when she doesn’t want to. They’re just pushy, I guess.”

  Georgia felt worried for Emma. “It’s not making you lose your nerve, is it?”

  “No … no,” Emma said. “It’s just that, well, sometimes I worry about Lexie.”

  “Is she scared?” Georgia thought back to when she’d watched Lexie jumping under her stepdad’s watchful eye. But Lexie was such a natural in the saddle Georgia didn’t know what she had to be afraid of.

  “Not scared, exactly,” said Emma. “Oh, I don’t know. Forget I said anything. Anyway, the point is, she just can’t say no to her stepdad.”

  “Why’s her mum never about?” asked Georgia.

  “She’s always in London, shopping,” said Emma.

  “Oh,” said Georgia. Poor Lexie. “It’s weird her stepdad knew who Dan was,” she said, thinking back to last night.

  “I guess everyone knows the farm shop,” Emma replied, shrugging.

  “Maybe,” Georgia said, but she was unconvinced. She couldn’t shake the strange feeling she had about Lexie’s stepfather.

  As Emma fumbled around with her gloves and hat, Lexie clattered into the yard. She said a brief hello to Georgia before tying up River and loosening his girths.

  “Are you still up for jumping tonight, Emma?”

  Emma looked startled. “What, without Jason here?” she said in a worried voice.

  “It’s better if he’s not here,” Lexie said coolly. “You can ride River.”

  “Em…” Georgia said and then stopped herself. She was about to say that, as a novice rider, she didn’t think her friend was ready for River. But this was Lexie’s yard and Emma rode here now. It wasn’t her place to say anything.

  Emma turned to Georgia. “Sorry, G, but would it be OK if you left? I get distracted with too many people watching.”

  “OK,” Georgia said slowly, trying not to sound as hurt as she felt. She knew Emma wasn’t up for jumping yet, and certainly not on a pony as feisty as River. She also knew she was only trying to impress Lexie. Georgia wanted to shake her and beg her to come back to Redgrove where Melanie would carry on teaching her on the kind and patient Wilson. River, although obedient, was a highly-strung and experienced pony.

  Feeling dejected she picked up her bike and called for Pip, who was rustling in the conifers surrounding the yard.

  “You
know Mel would still be able to give you lessons if you wanted.” Georgia blurted out the words before she could stop herself.

  Emma looked momentarily guilty. “I know, Georgia, but this is where I ride now. Redgrove is fine but I want to learn to ride properly, and this is my chance to do that.” But she didn’t meet Georgia’s eyes as she spoke and what she was saying sounded like a rehearsed speech.

  “But Redgrove is perfect!” Georgia retorted, immediately defensive.

  “What Emma means is that she can ride the best ponies here and learn properly, instead of always being fobbed off with a lunge lesson on an old plod,” Lexie said, her words cutting into Georgia like a knife.

  “But that’s not how it is at all, is it, Em?” Georgia said, flushing. She turned to her friend. “Melanie’s a good teacher. She was building you up slowly, and Wilson isn’t a plod!”

  Emma looked embarrassed. “I know that, G,” she said quietly. “But I was only ever going to trot around the field with you at Redgrove. At least here I can actually ride and do stuff.”

  “But River’s too much for you!”

  Instantly, Georgia regretted her words. Emma turned towards her, eyes blazing. “Oh, you really think you’re something, don’t you!” she said harshly. “You get given a pony on loan, you get called up to trial for the Team Challenge, and now you dare to tell me what I can and can’t do. Well, for your information, Lexie wouldn’t let me ride her best pony if she thought he was too much for me!” Emma’s normally pale complexion flushed pink and white in quick succession.

  Georgia felt as though she had been slapped in the face. Jumping on her bike, she pedalled down the drive as fast as she could, her eyes streaming with tears. Maybe it was true that she did get all the attention at Redgrove. And Melanie did let her compete and ride her best pony, while loaning her Lily, but Emma had only got back into riding recently and Georgia knew it was important to build confidence up slowly. And Melanie had been looking into sorting out another horse for Emma.