“So you want to give up your place at the assessment?” Sophie said quietly, “and let this Jodie girl ride Lily?”
Georgia nodded as she shrugged her shoulders. “I know, you think I’m mad,” she said with a small smile. “But Jodie really, really deserves a chance.”
“How do you feel about someone else riding Lily?” Melanie frowned.
“I wouldn’t suggest it if I didn’t trust her,” Georgia replied honestly. “She’s one of the best riders I’ve ever seen. But it’s really up to you. You’re her official owner.”
Melanie turned to Lily and patted the little mare, her face thoughtful. “Well, I’ve always trusted you, Georgia,” she said finally. “If you think it’s the right thing to do, then I’ll be behind you.” She looked at her watch. “What do you think, Sophie?” she asked her daughter. “Can we spare a couple of hours to watch the lesson this afternoon?”
“Defo,” Sophie grinned. “I was only going to go to the library … although I promise I’ll make up for it another time, Mum!” she added hastily as her mum raised an eyebrow.
“Great!” Georgia said. She hoped that once Melanie and Sophie had watched Jodie ride, they would agree that Georgia was doing the right thing. For just a moment, she hesitated. If she let Jodie take the ride tomorrow on the assessment day, there was no going back. But Georgia felt happy with her decision not to take Lily further. All Georgia had ever wanted was her very own pony, and Lily had fulfilled that dream and more.
Melanie placed her hand on her arm, sensing Georgia’s hesitation. “Are you sure? You have thought about what you’re giving up, haven’t you?” she asked quietly, her tone serious.
Georgia nodded her head vigorously. She had never been more certain about anything. Now all she needed to do was convince Jodie!
“Lily?” Jodie was as surprised as Georgia thought she would be when she, Melanie and Sophie went to find her in the main tack room on the yard, where she was sharing a cup of tea with her mum. “You want me to ride Lily?” she repeated slowly.
“Yes,” Georgia said, nodding, “but only if you want to.”
Jodie just stared at her. “But if I ride…” she said finally, “that means you give up your chance?”
“Yes,” Georgia repeated, smiling. “I’ve thought it over a million times, and I just don’t want to go any further with Lily. I love the showing, I really do, but all I ever wanted was a pony to call my own, and that’s Lily.” She shrugged helplessly as she continued. “I never set out to get to Olympia; it just sort of happened. Honestly, I’d rather take Lily back home tomorrow and just go for a hack.”
“Wow.” It was clear from Jodie’s face that she was still trying to process Georgia’s offer.
The two girls were silent for a minute as Jodie fiddled with the mug she was holding, before her face dissolved into an ear-to-ear grin and she leapt up to hug Georgia. “Well, if you’re quite sure then I’d be honoured,” she said laughing. “Thank you so much!”
Once Jodie had agreed to ride Lily, things started to move quickly. Melanie and Sophie stayed at Rosefolly for the afternoon. Georgia couldn’t be more pleased to have them there with her but she still wasn’t sure how Melanie really felt about Georgia not riding in the assessment. What if Melanie thought Georgia was being ungrateful, after all the help she had received at Redgrove? Lily had so much talent, and yet here was Georgia saying that she just wanted to take her home for hacking and Pony Club!
When Daisy came to take Jodie and Lily for one last lesson, Sophie told Georgia all about Santa, and Callie’s latest escape into the tack room back at Redgrove. It made Georgia laugh out loud. She really did miss everything and everyone back home.
“Has Dan been around much?” Georgia tried to ask as casually as possible.
“Dan?”
Was it Georgia’s imagination or did Sophie look slightly startled for a second? “Um, I don’t think so,” Sophie said finally. “I’ve hardly seen him at all.” She furrowed her brows as if trying to remember if she had actually seen Dan at all in recent days.
Georgia felt her heart sink. Dan had told her he was hanging out with Will loads, and Emma had said this too. Ben had said he was working on the farm, and now Sophie said she hadn’t seen him at all! There was definitely something going on. There was no point ringing or texting; she may as well wait until she was home to find out.
Sophie quickly changed the subject, confirming Georgia’s fears. Dan was definitely up to something.
After a quick lunch with Mel and Sophie, Georgia leaned on the arena fence, feeling the weak sunshine warm her face. At least Mel had seemed happy with the way Jodie had ridden Lily, but it was hard to know what she was really thinking about Georgia’s big decision. For Georgia it had been the strangest thing ever, grooming and tacking Lily up as normal, but then handing the reins over to someone else.
Luckily, because Jodie had stabled Jackson next to the little mare throughout the week, Lily was familiar with Jodie’s gentle voice and had stood quietly as Jodie lightly swung herself into the saddle and adjusted the stirrups, her legs far longer than Georgia’s.
She trotted Lily forward and Georgia felt a lump rise in her throat. Jodie rode so beautifully – together the two of them made a perfect picture. For just a second Georgia wondered if Lily would be better off with someone else – someone who would take her further. But deep down, she knew Lily loved life at Redgrove as much as she did, and that ponies didn’t need glory and applause to be happy. They didn’t mind if they were trotting up the centre line at the Olympics or just riding around the village once a week, so long as they were loved and well looked after.
As Georgia watched, she found herself enjoying the lesson a lot more than she thought she would. There was something very rewarding about watching Lily perform a perfect extended trot with another rider, knowing it was Georgia’s own hard work that had got her to that point.
She was so totally transfixed watching the little mare that she didn’t notice the look of fury on Serena’s face at first. Serena dug her heels into the handsome chestnut’s sides, clearly frustrated that Jodie was outriding her. As Georgia caught Serena’s gaze from across the arena, it was as if the sun had gone behind a cloud. Serena shot her a look of such hatred that Georgia shivered. Jodie and Lily were completely oblivious, riding in a little bubble of happiness, but Georgia had a very bad feeling in her stomach…
“Georgia, wow, she’s amazing, brilliant!” Jodie was bubbling with excitement as she untacked the palomino outside her stable. For a minute as Jackson hung his handsome black head over the stable door, watching his young mistress with interest, a look of sadness crossed Jodie’s face. She reached over to give him a pat. “Although I wish I was still riding you.”
“I know how you feel.” Georgia understood completely. She would feel the same way if it was the other way round. “But Richard saw Jackson in action during the week, and his competition record speaks for itself,” she reasoned. “It’s your riding they’re judging. If you get the place then you’ll ride Jackson going forward.”
Jodie smiled. “I know. Thanks again, Georgia.”
The two girls were silent for a minute while Jodie stroked Jackson’s nose thoughtfully, then she brightened. “Oh, I forgot to tell you something,” she grinned. “Mum says I can stay here tonight, because it’s the last night and everything. Which means that we can make sure Lily looks her best for tomorrow!”
“Great!” Georgia was over the moon. With only Serena and Sebastian around for company, it would be good to have a friend about the place. From the way Serena had looked at her earlier, Georgia wanted to stay as far away from her as possible!
Once Melanie and Sophie had left Rosefolly, the rest of the evening passed happily. The only niggle for Georgia was how Melanie was really feeling. Ultimately, Lily was owned by Melanie. Uneasily Georgia wondered again if the owner of Redgrove was more disappointed than she was letting on.
Georgia was grateful to have Jodie with her as s
he joined Serena, Sebastian and Daisy for the last team meal before the assessment day. Together the two girls had given Lily a bath in the plush washroom on the main yard, helped by Amanda, who was thrilled Jodie was getting the chance to ride.
“It’s better than a spa!” Georgia had exclaimed in amazement as she had examined the hot-water shower, the solarium light to dry the horses off and the massage devices for tired pony backs.
Lily had revelled in the luxury, used to the yard hose at Redgrove, which Georgia only ever used in the summer if it was warm enough. Now, basking in the heat from the lamps, Lily’s golden coat shone and her mane dried into strands of fine silk. It wasn’t a showing class tomorrow but Georgia loved to turn Lily out to the best of her ability.
Now, with Lily tucked up in her stable, munching on a hay net and wearing a clean woollen rug, Georgia wanted to spend a few minutes with the palomino before supper. Quietly, she stood with her arms round her neck, hoping her positive thoughts somehow got through to Lily. “Someone really depends on you tomorrow, sweetheart,” she whispered. “Just try your best, for me.”
The supper turned out to be a lot of fun, with both Daisy and Sebastian in high spirits. Serena was the only cloud on the horizon. Barely talking to Sebastian, and replying in monosyllabic answers when anyone tried to include her in the conversation, she was clearly still furious about Jodie riding Lily. As the evening wore on, Georgia felt her fears grow. She still thought Serena had put the flint in Jackson’s stable. Would she try to harm Lily to improve her chances? Georgia felt herself shiver as Serena stalked away from the table. She felt as though she didn’t want to let Lily out of her sight, just in case her suspicions were confirmed.
Jodie listened quietly as Georgia whispered her idea to guard Lily that evening on the way out to the dorm rooms. “You might think I’m crazy.” Georgia pushed the hair back from her face. “But I’m not leaving Lily’s side tonight.”
“OK,” Jodie said slowly, pondering what Georgia was proposing. “But if you’re camping out with Lily then so am I!”
Georgia smiled gratefully at her new friend, glad that she understood. She had spent a few evenings in the stables with Lily – the first night that she had arrived in Redgrove, then the night that Lily’s foal Secret had been born, and finally on Christmas Eve when Lily had kept watch over Dan’s orphan lambs. Georgia wasn’t taking any chances where Lily was concerned. The little palomino was too precious!
After the evening meal had been tidied away, the students were free to come and go as they pleased, as long as they stayed within the estate and were not on the yard after nine p.m. Georgia normally gave Lily some extra grooming or went up to her little dorm room and read. Most of the time she had been so tired after the intensive lessons that she was crashed out on her bed before the yard curfew. She always called or texted Dan in the free time after supper but, frowning, decided not to this time. She was going home tomorrow anyway. That didn’t mean he couldn’t contact her, and for a minute she smiled as she read a good-luck text from him. He didn’t know yet that she wasn’t riding, but it showed he still cared. Sighing, she put her phone back into her pocket. She had enough to think about for now.
Wrapped in pony rugs and sharing a bag of crisps, Georgia and Jodie sat opposite the pony boxes, watching Jackson and Lily as they dozed in the stables. Jodie knew the last check on the yard was done by the staff at ten o’clock, and so once this had been done the two girls had crept out of their dorm room, dressed in their warmest clothes. Georgia had a pair of tracksuit bottoms over her thermal leggings and a bobble hat on top of her blonde curls, whereas Jodie was wearing an all-in-one spotty fleece suit.
“Don’t laugh,” she’d grinned as Georgia had giggled at the sight of her onesie. “It was the warmest thing I could find!”
It was now half past midnight and the air was still, apart from the odd snort from the stables and the sound of munching on hay nets. “Does your mum know you’re here?” Georgia whispered to Jodie, who was half dozing, the hood of her onesie pulled up over her dark hair.
Jodie shook her head. “No,” she murmured, “and we probably shouldn’t tell her. I don’t want to risk any trouble, not until I know her job is completely safe.”
The girls were silent for a while. “What was he like? Your mum’s horse?” Georgia asked, hoping it wasn’t a sensitive subject.
Jodie gave a small, sad smile. “The best,” she said quietly. “Mum could have gone right to the top on him.”
“Do you know where he ended up?” Georgia asked curiously, and Jodie shrugged sadly. “He could be anywhere by now.”
Georgia thought about this. There was just one thing she had been pondering while lying awake the previous night, and she had to ask Jodie. “If it hadn’t been for what happened to your mum,” she ventured carefully, “would you still want the squad place as badly?”
Jodie nodded her head vigorously, her dark hair rippling under the hood. “One hundred per cent,” she said firmly. “I want to succeed.”
Satisfied with this answer, Georgia smiled, and the two girls sat quietly as the minutes ticked by. Wondering if she had been totally wrong about Serena, Georgia was half considering calling it a night and going back to the warmth of her dorm bed, when through the gloom she noticed Lily’s ears prick up. Georgia stood upright, her eyes searching in the dark. Nudging Jodie awake, she placed a finger to her lips. Startled, Jodie rubbed her eyes, just as Jackson raised his head and gave a small whicker. Straining to hear, Georgia felt her blood run cold as she heard an unmistakable cry for help…
Both girls were down from the hay bales in a flash. The noise was coming from the second pony block, where Serena and Sebastian’s ponies were stabled. Running down the aisle, their footsteps ringing around the silent barn, Georgia and Jodie rounded the corner, raced across the courtyard and, to Georgia’s horror, quickly discovered the noise was coming from Serena’s pony’s stable. Serena was crying in panic. The stable door was open, and in a couple of seconds Georgia took in the scene before her. Serena’s big chestnut pony, Reggie, was cast, his body stuck against the stone wall of the stable. He couldn’t get to his feet and he’d obviously been thrashing around as his neck was sweaty and his nostrils flared, but he was now lying quietly, as if waiting for help.
Georgia knew from Pony Club stable-management lessons that cast horses could present a huge risk to the people trying to help them, as well as to themselves. “Serena,” she said trying to reason with her, “I need to go and get help from one of the grooms.”
“No!” Serena rasped. “We’ll get into massive trouble for being out here in the middle of the night. Please just help me get him upright.”
Georgia thought quickly. She knew she ought to go and find one of the staff members who lived on site, but then she would need to explain what they were all doing on the yard at one in the morning. She thought about how Jodie was still worrying over her mum’s job. She knew what she and Jodie were doing, but why was Serena down here?
Still, there wasn’t time to think about that now. Serena’s horse needed help. At least the big chestnut was calm, which gave Georgia a moment or two to gather her thoughts.
“Help him!” Serena wailed pitifully. “He’s worth thousands!”
“Oh, shut up!” Georgia turned on her furiously. “It doesn’t matter what he’s worth. He’s in distress and we need to get him up. Didn’t you ever learn stable management?”
Serena glared sulkily at her, which answered that question.
“Lunge lines,” Jodie piped up from Georgia’s other side.
Both girls turned to look at her. “I’ve seen it happen on yards that Mum’s worked on,” she continued. “We need to attach them to his legs and try to roll him back from the wall. Then he can get himself up.”
“OK.” Georgia tried to remain calm. It sounded simple when Jodie put it like that. She had never seen a cast horse, but it had been covered a few times in her Pony Club rallies. There were bound to be some lunge ropes h
anging up in the storage area. Sprinting across from the stables, Georgia used her mobile-phone light to locate a couple of coiled-up lunge lines. She pulled them down and flew back to the chestnut’s stable. Serena was still pacing around, but Jodie had crept inside to sit by the pony’s head, keeping a safe distance from his legs and talking softly to him. Georgia started to uncoil the heavy lunge ropes.
“What now?” Serena asked shortly. “Are you going to get him up?”
Ignoring Serena as best she could, Georgia weighed up the task ahead.
Jodie took charge. “OK. Georgia, can you put the rope over his front leg, the one nearest the wall? I’ll keep him calm. Serena, can you do the same on his back legs?”
Quickly, Georgia looped the lunge line round Reggie’s elegant fetlock. “Done!” she said breathlessly. “What about you, Serena?”
Standing back up, she saw Serena still in the same position, as if frozen, the rope still looped over her arm. “I … I can’t,” she whispered.
“Oh, for goodness’ sake!” Georgia couldn’t keep the frustration out of her voice. Time was ticking and they needed to move fast. Taking the lunge rope from Serena’s hands, she moved forward to place it round the other foot when Reggie, finding a new burst of energy, made a fresh attempt to scrabble to his feet.
“Georgia!” Jodie’s warning cry was a fraction of a second too late.
Just as Georgia reached forward to secure the ropes round Reggie’s fetlock, he kicked backwards, catching Georgia smartly on her thigh. For a minute she couldn’t feel anything at all, and then she was aware of a searing, burning sensation in her leg, which took her breath away and brought tears to her eyes.
Reggie, sensing he was about to get help, stopped struggling and lay quietly once again, all the fight draining out of him. They had the ropes attached now. They just needed to get him up while they had the chance.
The Palomino Pony Steals the Show Page 6