Lauren and Lucky (8 page)

I can't wait for the comp tomorrow. I don't think me and Lucky are going to be exactly brilliant, especially not against Paula and Flame, but we're going to try our best and have lots of fun while we're at it!

We're all ready and we're just waiting for the parents to arrive. I'm really looking forward to seeing my bunch again – I've missed them loads (OK, I admit it, even my stinky bros!).

This morning we had our final lesson (boo hoo!). We went over the compulsory movements together as a ride, and then we each tried out our tests to music. I was amazed at how much has sunk in simply by us messing round at the disco yesterday, and I have definitely fixed points 1, 4 and 5 on my list! We had one go each and then Sally said, “That's it, enough, I don't want you to be
over-rehearsed
.” (Like, as if
that
could happen!) Then we got ourselves and our ponies ready, and cleaned our tack until it shone.

Now we look like this:

Oh, hey, that's my parents' car!

I'm going to carry on exactly where I stopped writing so that I don't leave out anything important!

So, all the parents arrived – well, all except Arabella's. I felt really sad for her when everyone was kissing and hugging each other, so I pulled her over to my mum and Nana and they gave her a big hug too, then all my brothers joined in and she nearly got squished (their hugs are more like being hit by dodgems)!

It really seemed to cheer her up and I realized again that I am really, really lucky to have my lot, even if it can get loud and boyish in our house sometimes!

We watched Group A do their gymkhana games and we all cheered really loudly for them. Millie was amazing and would have won everything, of course, if she hadn't
accidentally-on
-purpose let Tally gallop off the wrong way in some of the races! Bea and Jojo both won a race and Polly won two, so they were all really pleased with themselves.

Then it was time for our group to go and get our ponies and mount up for the freestyle dressage – EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!

I offered for me and Lucky to go last, because no one else fancied it, and also because Lucky is the most chilled of all the ponies and he was happy to wait, even with all the noise and kerfuffle going on.

The crowd absolutely loved the dressage and went crazy clapping after each person's turn. Everyone laughed when Marie's “Uh Oh, We're In Trouble” song came on, because it suited
Mischief perfectly! They rode a great test, too, although cheeky Mischief trotted on after the mark where he should have come back to walk a couple of times and did an extra 20 metre circle in canter, just because he was enjoying himself so much!

Paula's Spanish flamenco-themed test was especially amazing – really dramatic with lots of sudden halts and changes of pace, including (can you believe!) halt to
canter
.

Leonie was fantastic! Her entrance was brill – she launched straight into canter in perfect time with her
Black Beauty
music and everyone did a loud cheer! As she prepared for her
counter-canter
we all had our fingers crossed for her that it would go OK, and it did! She got it perfect and she looked just like the pros we'd seen at the county show!

When Arabella's music from the ballet of
Romeo and Juliet
came bursting out of the speakers, all the other girls and my family gave her a massive cheer to encourage her. I think it really spurred her on, because she did a great test. They only had one problem, with getting a canter in the AF corner, so they had to circle round again, but she kept smiling and didn't get stressed about it, so Gracie followed her lead and didn't either.

As Arabella was doing her test, I started feeling really excited, but nervous as well – I didn't want to muck up my routine in front of my whole family. I was getting a bit wound up and then I remembered the advice that I had given Arabella only yesterday, which was to chill out, relax and have fun. So I took a deep breath and forced myself to put on a big smile, and soon I was grinning for real. When it was me and Lucky's turn to go into the arena
I leaned down and gave him a big pat and whispered in his ear, “Let's give it our best shot!”

And, well, we definitely did that!

Everyone loved me twirling my umbrella on the way in and gave a big cheer, which made me feel really confident! (I passed it to Lydia before we started the test, of course.)

It was so brilliant going round to our music with my fab pony – just like we were dancing together. We didn't do enough steps of rein back, I forgot how many it was supposed to be, and I went on to the left rein again at A instead of changing and doing everything like a mirror on the right rein. But I corrected it quickly by doing a loop back in the AK corner and kept smiling, so I don't think anyone noticed – well, except Sally and Lydia, of course!

At the end we got to X and made a square halt (hooray!). Just as the song finished with the words “I'd do anything, anything for you”, Lucky snorted and shook his head like he was agreeing and everyone went “Ahhh!” 'cos he looked so cute. I was so proud of him, of us, that I felt like I might burst. If it had been a comp for the most gorgeous pony we definitely would have won! We didn't, of course – Sally said it was a really close call between Paula and Leonie, but in the end she awarded Leonie first prize and Paula second. Something totally amazing did happen though – me and Lucky came third (and got a gorgeous green rosette)! There wasn't a fourth or fifth place, but Marie and Arabella got these lovely pink rosettes too, for taking part.

I thought Arabella might be a bit moody with me for coming ahead of her, but in fact she gave me a big hug and said well done (and made a fuss of Lucky, too).

When I said well done back to her, she just shrugged. “Not really that well,” she said. “We couldn't get our canter, and I lost the rhythm of the music a couple of times and—”

“But you worked together, and you both looked comfortable and relaxed, and anyone could tell Gracie was really listening to you,” I pointed out. “Those things are much more important than getting it technically perfect.”

“Thanks,” she said. “And thanks for all your help with Gracie. We couldn't have done any of it without you. You'd make a great instructor, you know.”

I couldn't help beaming when she said that. I imagined myself in Sally's shoes in a few years' time. I'd love that more than anything in the world. Well, maybe if I work hard on my riding, and help out a lot at my local stables, and read up on pony care, who
knows, perhaps I'll be able to get into equestrian college, too!

Of course, my dad videoed everything, like he always does, and he said he'll burn a copy of it for Arabella so she can show her parents when she visits them next. She looked a bit upset when he mentioned them, but Mum gave her another hug and said she bet they were really wishing they could be here with us at Pony Camp, and how she was sure they were fed up with being stuck at work far away in another country.

I hadn't thought of it like that before, and perhaps Arabella hadn't either, because she seemed to cheer up even more then.

When it was time to go home I spent ages in the barn with Lucky, making sure he had enough water and checking his hooves for
stones and just giving him loads and loads of hugs and telling him how much I love him. Plus, I said I'll look at his picture every day and never forget him, and try to persuade Mum to let me come back next year. He nuzzled into my shoulder and snorted gently, so I know he felt just like I did.