‘Sorry, Kate,’ she calls out. ‘I just lost my balance.’
Phew! She sounds okay, thank goodness, though she does look a bit shocked.
‘Next time you’re going over a higher jump, hold on to Gizmo’s mane until you get the hang of it,’ Kate says.
‘I will. Maybe I wasn’t quite ready for that yet. I guess I should just stick to the basics for now.’
Kate nods her head as if to say, ‘I told you so.’ Then she brushes the sand off Claire and checks that she’s okay. The kids are used to the occasional fall, and as long as they’re not hurt Kate tells them to get right back on. That way they won’t lose their confidence. I’m proud of Claire. She just gets up, wipes out her sandy mouth with a tissue, and off we go again.
‘You’re only a real horse rider after your first fall,’ Kate tells her afterwards, and it’s true.
Of course, we don’t mean to throw our riders off – sometimes things just go a bit wonky. I’m hoping Claire isn’t cross with me, but she soon puts me at ease when she gives me a lovely, snuggly goodbye hug.
‘That’s my girl,’ I neigh back to her. ‘Live, learn and make some mistakes – that’s what life is all about.’
And then I suddenly realise how happy I am to be here, nuzzling my favourite rider and gazing off into the County Down countryside, and I think that maybe I don’t need American prairies to be happy after all. Maybe the Pony Palace will do just as well.
Chapter Eleven
Hannah hasn’t been able to make it to the Pony Palace all week. In fact, I heard Kate say that she might not be coming back at all. Even though Gizmo and Tonto are being really nice to me, I just can’t seem to cheer up. I have lots of other lovely riders – Darcey, Tara, Emma and many more – but Hannah is kind of special. I know her voice, her smell, her laughter – everything. I don’t even feel like being part of a ride today.
Gizmo comes trotting back into the stables full of excitement. He tells me all about the lesson in the sand school and how Claire fell off. I’ve noticed that he’s a lot more animated lately and spends less time dilly daydreaming.
‘She’s okay, though,’ he tells me. ‘The sand school’s pretty soft, so she didn’t hurt herself, and she got right back on afterwards.’
It’s nice to see Gizmo taking an interest in his rider. Claire’s been good for him, and Oskar’s been really good for Tonto. But what about me? All the other kids here are great, but they’re just not Hannah.
‘Hello there, Daisy,’ Kate says, walking towards me. ‘Sophie’s going to be riding you this afternoon, so Mark will be along soon to tack you up.’
‘I don’t want anyone else to ride me,’ I whinny sadly. Besides, Sophie normally rides Parsley. She’s used to riding at a different pace.
Kate must understand me because she says that Sophie needs to try out other horses.
‘Partnerships are good, but it’s important for riders to try out other ponies – just like it’s important for you ponies to adapt to other riders,’ she says. ‘Anyway, I don’t want you in here in the stable moping all day. Much better to get you outside into the fresh air.’
‘Oh, all right then,’ I nicker. Sophie is a sweet little girl, and maybe the lesson will take my mind off things. Old Rupert in the next stable gives me a nod and tells me to get out there and enjoy myself. Rupert’s retired now and he always gives us younger ponies good advice. So when Mark comes in I let him lead me out and put my best hoof forward. After all, all the riders at the Pony Palace are special, and they deserve a pony who’s on top form.
Chapter Twelve
Now you’re talking! We’re trekking through the countryside and, believe it or not, I’m allowed to put my head down as much as I want! We’re having a treasure hunt and I’m actually supposed to bury my head in the grass, to look for treasure.
‘I found another one!’ Oskar shouts. Each rider has to find eight different coloured horseshoes along the bridle paths and in the fields. Then they get to go back to the Nosebag for a big surprise. I wonder what it could be …
Oskar dismounts and picks up a yellow horseshoe hidden in a clump of daffodils, then calls over to Claire. ‘How many have you got?’
‘Six,’ she shouts back. ‘What about you?’
‘Seven! Only one more to go,’ he replies.
Mark walks behind us, collecting the horseshoes from the riders and keeping a record as he goes along. Claire waves and beams at him, but then she turns to Oskar and gives him an even bigger smile. Those two seem like really good friends now.
A little while later, Oskar whispers to me that today is actually his birthday. He says that he’s a bit sad that he’s not having a party, but that he’s having good fun on the hack today anyway.
‘Never mind, Oskar,’ I whinny back to him. ‘Sometimes life is just like that. We don’t always get exactly what we want, and sometimes you just have to go with the flow …’ Uh oh, I’m starting to sound like Gizmo!
We can hear lambs baaing across the fields as we trot around looking for more treasure. There are yellow flowers in the hedgerows that look like shiny little butter clusters, and I can hear sparrows cheeping above my head. Oskar is chatting happily to me and I realise I can understand what he’s saying – in both of his languages. I also realise that I’ve really started to like him. He’s a good, strong rider who knows what he wants and I respect that.
Then I hear Kate say, ‘First one back to the Nosebag with eight horse shoes gets a special surprise!’ and before I know it our riders are jumping off our backs and scampering around like baby goats.
Claire finds two more coloured horseshoes but Oskar finds his faster. He jumps on my back as quick as he can and trots me back to the yard.
‘Am I the winner?’ he asks Kate.
‘You certainly are, Oskar!’ she replies. ‘Would you like to see your special surprise now?’
She leads him into the Nosebag, which is decorated from top to bottom with birthday banners and balloons. Oskar’s mum and dad are there and so is Hannah and even Mrs Palmer! All the volunteers and loads of the other riders are there and they all start singing, ‘Happy Birthday to you …’
Oskar looks gobsmacked. Olivia and Mark lead us ponies right into the yard outside the café so we can see everything that’s going on, and Daisy’s ears move forward with delight when she spots Hannah. Claire comes trotting up behind us on Gizmo and dismounts to give Oskar the biggest birthday hug ever.
‘Your dad told me that you wanted to have a birthday party,’ Kate explains. ‘So I hope you’re as pleased as we are to celebrate it at the Pony Palace. We organised the treasure hunt to get you out of the way while we got everything ready.’
Oskar’s eyes look a bit glossy, but he has a huge smile on his face. He looks all around him at everyone in the Nosebag and seems really surprised when he sees three boys sitting on the big green sofa.
‘I invited some of your friends from school,’ his dad says. ‘They’re really keen to learn all about horse riding.’
The Nosebag is full of happy people who all want to share Oskar’s day.
‘What do you think, son?’ his mum asks.
‘I think this is the best birthday ever!’ he replies.
‘Just one more thing,’ says Kate. ‘We haven’t given you your present yet.’
Kate turns Oskar towards the yard and tells him he can have a pony on loan for a whole day.
‘It will be just like owning your own horse for the day,’ she smiles. ‘It’s yours to ride, groom, and have fun with. Who would you like to choose?’
She points to all of us tethered in the yard: Barney, Biscuit, Parsley, Gizmo, Skippy, Daisy, Dury … and then Oskar looks at me.
‘Please may I have the greediest, cheekiest pony in the Pony Palace,’ he says, beaming. ‘Tearaway Tonto.’
‘Sure?’ asks Kate.
‘Sure!’ says Oskar.
And inside I’m thinking that I will never, ever stop for a picnic again when Oskar is riding me. No more
escaping into the fields for juicy grass, and no more thinking that I’m the boss when I’ve got a kid on my back. I’m so proud to be chosen as Oskar’s special pony that I decide to be As Good As Gold like Daisy from now on. And who should nuzzle me at that very moment but Princess Daisy herself. Little Hannah and her gran are standing beside her, and Mrs Palmer looks as healthy as an April afternoon.
‘Hi Oskar, hi Claire,’ Hannah says happily. ‘I’ve really missed being here, but Gran’s much better now so I’m back for good. And I’m extra, extra pleased to be here for your party.’
Daisy looks like she’s on top of the world and I’m so glad that her favourite rider is back at the Pony Palace.
‘That’s brilliant,’ says Claire. ‘We’ve missed you, Hannah. Haven’t we, Oskar?’
And Claire smiles at Oskar, the birthday boy, and then his classmates walk over and suddenly Oskar is surrounded by friends.
And do you know what happens next? Gizmo strolls over to Daisy, lowers his head, pushes his ears forward and touches Daisy’s nose with his. They stand like that for ages, just gazing at each other, and I think to myself how everything in life is better when you can share it with friends. Even food!
Then the music starts blasting from inside the Nosebag and all the kids start dancing like puppets on strings. Well, you know what they say: if you can’t beat them – join them! So Daisy and Gizmo and all us ponies start to boogie-woogie our little hind legs off and it’s just THE BEST PONY PARTY EVER!
The End
Fact Files: Gizmo
Name: Gizmo
Colour: Grey
Height: 12.2 hh
Loves: Daydreaming
Hates: Rushing
Fact Files: Daisy
Name: Daisy
Colour: Black
Height: 12.2 hh
Loves: Gizmo
Hates: Bad behaviour
Fact Files: Tonto
Name: Tonto
Colour: Skewbald (white and brown)
Height: 12.2 hh
Loves: Picnics
Hates: Being hungry!
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank Philippa Auret, Ruth, Nicky, Manus, Bethany, Laura and all who help out at Lessans Riding Stables week after week.
I am indebted to Ann and Tom at the Nosebag Café for their generous hospitality and the best sausage butties in County Down, as well as all the parents and grandparents who share food and friendship with my family and me every Saturday.
Thank you to all at Blackstaff Press and to Damian Smyth at the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, for their faith in my stories.
And finally, to my family and friends, thank you so, so much for supporting me on my writing journey.
Pony Palace Camp: Pony Friends Forever
eBook
EPUB ISBN 978-0-85640-580-8
KINDLE ISBN 978-0-85640-598-3
Paperback
ISBN 978-0-85640-923-3
www.blackstaffpress.com
Pony Surprise: Pony Friends Forever
eBook
EPUB ISBN 978-0-85640-662-1
KINDLE ISBN 978-0-85640-680-5
Paperback
ISBN 978-0-85640-936-3
www.blackstaffpress.com
Pony Party Page 3