True Riders (6 page)

Brooke clicked on the attachments, bringing up the photos. She couldn't help smiling at the sweet, patient look on Foxy's face in all of them, no matter what the twins were doing up on her back.

Remembering that she'd promised her Pony Post friends some pictures of the pony rides, she uploaded Adam's photos to the site as soon as she logged on. Then she settled down to see what her friends had posted since she'd checked in last.

The first post was from Nina, just telling them all about a movie she'd seen last night that had a horse in it.

The second post was from Maddie. And when Brooke scanned it, she gasped out loud.

“Oh no!” she murmured, wondering if she was reading it wrong. But when she read it again more slowly, it said the same thing.

[MADDIE]
You guys aren't going to believe this—I was snooping in my parents' office on Mon. and I saw something I wasn't supposed to. It was 6 plane tix to London. As in England. I think the air force is transferring Mom again—all the way overseas this time! She hasn't breathed a word yet, but what else could those tix mean?!?!?!? Am I going to have to leave Cloudy behind in just a couple of months?!?!?!?!?!?!!?

There was more, but Brooke could hardly take in the details. Maddie was moving to London? A whole ocean away from her favorite pony? Brooke opened a new text box and typed quickly.

[
BROOKE]
O wow, M, I'm so sorry! I can't believe this! Are you sure about what u saw? What did your parents say when u asked them about it? Is the move definite, or is there any possibility it might not happen?

She pressed enter, and her post appeared on the screen. Brooke just sat there staring at it for a moment, wishing she could talk to Maddie right now. But it was early, which meant the other Pony Posters were all probably still sound asleep—especially Maddie, who was three whole hours behind East Coast time.

Then again, I'd probably never be able to sleep again if I found out I had to move and leave Foxy behind,
Brooke thought.

The very idea made her shudder—and not only because of Foxy. Brooke had lived in the same house since she was five, and the same county even before that. She couldn't imagine moving far away—especially to a whole other country!

Maybe having to deal with the twins riding Foxy isn't the worst thing in the world after all,
she thought.

Just then the alarm started beeping loudly, making her jump. Time to get ready for school. She'd have to check in on Maddie later.

Later that day Brooke was walking to the cafeteria with a couple of friends when she noticed Kiersten getting a drink at the water fountain nearby. Brooke paused, wondering if she should invite the new girl to sit with them at lunch. Maybe that would give Brooke a chance to ask about Kiersten's experience with horses, since she'd been too busy talking about Foxy to ask her anything yesterday.

“Brooke!” Adam's excited voice interrupted her thoughts. He was racing down the hall toward her, dodging clumps of wandering students. “Hold up!”

“Go on. I'll catch up in a sec,” Brooke told the other girls, who nodded and continued toward the cafeteria.

When Adam reached her, he was grinning. “Listen, I have a great idea.”

“What?” Brooke was more focused on the fact that he was actually talking to her at school than on whatever he wanted to tell her.

He rubbed his hands together. “I heard about this horse show,” he began.

“Horse show?” That got Brooke's attention.

“Yeah. It's a week from Saturday. I guess it's, like, the final local show of the season or something. You know, because it's almost winter? But it'll have tons of classes for beginning horses and ponies and riders and stuff. Plus it's at that farm over on Creek Road. Really close, right?”

“Oh.” Brooke was vaguely aware of the place he was talking about. It was a small boarding barn a couple of miles from her house that sometimes hosted little shows and playdays. Brooke had gone to watch a few shows with her parents when she was little. “So do you want to go watch the show?” she asked Adam.

“Watch?” His grin widened. “I want you and Foxy to
enter
!”

“Enter?” Brooke blinked at him.

“Yeah. It's open to whoever wants to do it. I figured you could sign up for some of the beginner horse classes, since Foxy's still young and all. There's also something called equitation, which I think is, like, a contest for who rides the best or something?”

“Yeah, equitation is judged on the rider only, not the horse.” Brooke gulped. “But listen, Foxy and I aren't really ready to show right now. I mean, we just started jumping again—you know, yesterday. And besides that, we've only ever done one show together.”

“The one at camp, right?” Adam nodded. “And you told me you guys totally rocked that one!”

“We did.” Brooke shrugged. “But that was different. I'm just not sure—”

Adam glanced down the hall, where several of his basketball buddies had just appeared. “Look, just think about it, okay?” he interrupted. “But you have to decide soon. Like I said, it's Saturday after next.”

He started to hurry away. “Okay. I'll let you know after school,” Brooke called after him.

When she got home, Brooke headed straight upstairs to check the Pony Post. Haley and Nina had added worried comments about Maddie's big news, but there were no updates yet from Maddie herself.

“She's probably still at school,” Brooke murmured, remembering the time difference.

Her hands hovered over the keyboard as she wondered whether to tell her friends about the show Adam wanted her to enter. But she ended up logging off without posting anything at all, deciding that news could wait. For one thing, she didn't want to take away from Maddie's big problem. Besides that, she still hadn't decided whether to do the show or not. If she didn't, why even mention it at all?

Feeling oddly guilty, she hurried out to the barn. Foxy was nibbling at some leftover hay right outside her shed, so Brooke just let her stand there loose as she groomed her, knocking some dried mud off her fuzzy coat and picking out her hooves.

By the time she had the pony saddled, Adam had showed up. “Well?” he said expectantly.

Brooke turned away to slip the bridle over Foxy's head, still not sure what to say. A show could be fun, and this one was close enough to ride to without even needing to ask her stepfather to hook up the trailer. How often did a chance like that come along? And Adam was so excited about it. It could be a fun way to spend more time together.

Then again, she and Foxy didn't have much experience with showing. Hardly any, really. Even the thought of it made butterflies dance in Brooke's stomach.

“I'm not sure yet,” she told him at last. “Ask me again after we ride, okay?”

“Sure.” He looked slightly impatient but didn't argue. “I'll go set up the jumps while you get on.”

Brooke mounted and rode out toward her makeshift arena. This time Foxy barely glanced at the jumps as Brooke walked and trotted her around to warm up.

“Looking good!” Adam called as she passed at a brisk trot. “When are you going to jump?”

“I guess we're ready now.” Brooke brought the pony to a halt. “Can you put that second one a little lower?”

Adam obeyed, and when the jump was ready, Brooke trotted Foxy toward it. The pony hesitated slightly when she got close, but Brooke thought back to the day before and urged her forward. The hesitation made the pony's jump a little awkward, and her hind hoof clunked on the rail, sending it clattering to the ground. But when Brooke aimed her at the other crossrail, the pony jumped much better, clearing it with room to spare.

“Great!” Adam said. “You know, my buddy said he's watched his sister at a couple of these shows, and most of the people there look like they can hardly ride.” He grinned. “You and Foxy will probably clean up. You know—if you do it.”

“Yeah, okay.” Brooke urged her pony forward again. “I should probably canter her before we try the coop. . . .”

The ride went well after that. Foxy spurted forward at the canter, tossing her head a little, but then she settled down and loped in a big circle around the jumps. It felt natural to turn her toward the coop when they passed it—and for Foxy to clear it with at least half a foot to spare.

“Whee!” Brooke exclaimed, laughing as they landed and cantered away. “Okay, that felt more like some of the jumps we did at camp.” She brought the pony back to a walk and patted her. “I guess it's all coming back to you now, huh, Foxy?”

“That looked awesome!” Adam was grinning as he hurried over. “Seriously, Brooke. You have to do this show. I'll come and coach you and stuff if you want. It'll be a blast!”

Looking down into her best friend's smiling face, Brooke felt her worries melt away. It was great to see him so excited about doing something together. . . .

“Okay, I'll do it,” she blurted out before she could change her mind.

“Really?” He laughed, then lifted one hand for a high five. “Awesome! This is going to be epic.”

“Yeah.” Brooke smiled too, though anxiety was already creeping back into her mind.

But she did her best not to let it take hold. They weren't entering the Olympics, after all—just a tiny local fun show. And Adam would be right there helping her, just like he'd helped her get Foxy past her nervousness about the new jumps. What was the worst that could happen?

CHAPTER