The Palomino Pony Wins Through (10 page)

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“I
’m really sorry,” Georgia said later to Dan just as they were leaving Redgrove.

After an enjoyable day spent mucking out and grooming the ponies, they had decided that as the evening was still light they would walk back together, cutting across the fields towards Dan’s dad’s farm.

“What for exactly?” Dan asked cheerfully,
standing still and turning to face her.

“For being so busy these holidays and not having time to, um, you know – go to the cinema with you.” Even saying the words caused Georgia to blush crimson with embarrassment! She concentrated very hard on her boots, not wanting to look Dan in the eye.

He chuckled good-naturedly. “Georgia, it’s fine. The truth is that every time I’m with you it just feels right, even if we haven’t seen each other for a while.” Now it was his turn to blush. “I love helping you here, and going to shows, and just hanging out.”

Lightly, Dan touched her arm, and Georgia felt her skin tingle all over.

“Tell you what,” he grinned, unzipping his rucksack and producing a bag of crisps and a fizzy-drink can. “Let’s have a date right now!” And with a flourish he placed them on the grass
and laid out his wax jacket for them to sit on.

They both giggled a bit as they sat down next to each other, a little awkward about their close proximity. Luckily, Lily chose that moment to canter up to them from the other end of the paddock where she had been grazing. She nudged Dan hard in the back until he laughed and offered her a crisp. Then he stroked her muzzle as she chewed.

“Now, this is my kind of date,” Dan said, putting his arm around Georgia and drawing her in close.

Nestled close to him, with Lily beside them, Georgia had to admit it was her kind of date too, and after the drama of the last few days she couldn’t think of anywhere she would rather be.

“It’s quiet out here,” said Emma a few days later as she helped Georgia sweep up the yard after school. Now that the evenings were getting lighter,
Emma had resumed her lessons and was enjoying spending time with the ponies. She had always joked that she was a “fair-weather rider”!

Georgia leaned on her broom. Emma was right. It was quiet. The three ponies had settled back into their routine really easily, but every now and again they would gaze around the field, as if looking for the bouncy roan colt who used to try and cajole them into playing. Even grumpy old Callie had looked a little forlorn the first night Secret had been gone, despite the fact that now she would be able to graze in peace again! And although Lily clearly missed him, she seemed happy enough to have a quieter time without her boisterous foal.

Thinking about Secret, Georgia felt the familiar lump rising in her throat. She missed him loads, even though she knew he was in the right place. Alice had texted her a photo of him the previous night, all tucked up in a stable. He had apparently
made a new best friend in the form of a young Dartmoor colt and the two of them had already been causing mischief! In spite of a tinge of sadness Georgia couldn’t help but smile when she thought about that.

“Georgia?” Melanie called, walking across the garden, waving a piece of paper. She looked really happy, and excited too. “Georgia, did you win a class on Lily when you were with Josephine?”

Georgia frowned; it seemed like ages ago. “Yes,” she said. “A ridden class, right in my first week.”

“Well,” Melanie said, her eyes shining as she handed Georgia an official-looking letter, “that class was a qualifier, for a Championship. And not just any Championship – the winner of it will qualify for the Horse of the Year Show! Georgia, do you see what this means?”

Georgia did see. She saw very clearly. She felt a bubble of excitement welling up inside her.

“We have to get you registered for that class, Georgia,” Melanie cried. “This could be your and Lily’s big chance!”

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T
he show was scheduled for a week’s time, which wasn’t long to prepare. The post had arrived while Melanie was away and so they had missed the official deadline. However, Melanie put in a late entry and it was accepted due to the circumstances.

After that, the week had been filled with frantic practices and extra grooming, with Georgia schooling Lily in the half-light after school. Dan
and Emma promised to come and watch her class, which was going to be held at a famous county showground. It was the biggest event Georgia would have competed at, bigger even than the hunter championships she had won with Wilson during the previous autumn.

When the day of the competition arrived, Lily couldn’t have looked better. Fit, muscled and shiny, she was in peak condition. Even Melanie had given a little gasp as Georgia had led her into the horsebox earlier that morning. To Georgia’s delight, Sophie had come home from university for the weekend to cheer the team on, so it was a full and happy lorry that wound its way to the show early in the morning.

Georgia thought back to the times she had competed for Josephine. They had been fun, but nothing compared to being able to ride her beloved mare, and be with her best friends too. There was
no Lucy to worry about either, and no pressure to win for Josephine. Georgia was really looking forward to this show!

“You’re so un-nervous!” Dan grinned at Georgia as he patted Lily’s neck.

They were waiting to enter the ring, and Georgia was sitting astride the palomino looking completely relaxed.

“Dan!” Emma laughed. “Is that even a word?”

“No, probably not!” Dan replied good-naturedly. He looked up at Georgia, a genuinely warm smile reaching from ear to ear, his handsome face glowing. Georgia felt her tummy flip over. She wasn’t sure if show nerves had suddenly arrived or if it was Dan that was causing the butterflies to dance!

Sophie and Melanie were standing on the sidelines, paper coffee cups in their hands, giving
her a thumbs-up sign. Sophie, more glamorous than ever, had seemed thrilled to come and cheer Georgia on. “Good luck!” she called as Georgia rode into the ring.

It didn’t matter how they did, Georgia thought to herself, she was just going to enjoy it. She had Dan, and Lily, and anything else would be a bonus!

Lily must have picked up on her happy vibes, because she was cantering beautifully around the arena, ears pricked and mouth soft.

“Go on, Lily; go on, Georgia!” Melanie called.

“Now, that’s a pony destined for the top,” boomed a large lady in a bowler hat, waving a programme.

Several spectators had now stopped by the ring, entranced by the palomino mare and the pretty blonde rider, who couldn’t stop grinning.

Lily performed a foot-perfect figure-of-eight canter before Georgia asked her to gallop the
long side of the arena, her strides eating up the ground, her hooves barely touching the spring grass underfoot.

As Georgia lined up with the rest of the class, bursting with pride at Lily’s performance, she was aware of quite a crowd watching the results. The judge was taking an agonisingly long time to call out the places, and had to call them backwards from fifth place to first. There were over fifteen ponies in the line, all seriously gorgeous, so Georgia sat quietly, just enjoying the moment.

She leaned forward as the judge called out the second-placed rider, a smart chestnut, whose owner looked a little disappointed; no doubt she had wanted to win. A girl on a big bay stallion started to move forwards, and then hesitated as the judge cleared his throat and peered over his spectacles at the waiting line. “Number 474,” the judge said in his clipped tone, but he was smiling.

“Lucky them.” Georgia grinned at the girl next to her who was sitting on a liver chestnut.

The girl just gaped at her. “What are you talking about?” she said. “It’s you! Number 474!”

“Really…?” Georgia looked around her. Everyone was looking at her, smiling and clapping. She glanced over at Melanie and Sophie. Melanie was crying. Dan was jumping up and down with Emma, both hugging each other and punching the air.

Realisation washed over her like a wave, and her face flushed pink before the colour drained away. She had done it; she had qualified for the Horse of the Year Show!

They hadn’t even set out that morning to qualify, and now it had happened. Georgia’s dream had come true! She felt completely overwhelmed and a little bit dizzy as the girl on the liver chestnut congratulated her again.

“Now, go on, walk forwards for your rosette!” the girl urged, laughing.

In a daze, Georgia nudged Lily forwards and the arena burst into wild applause. Melanie was really crying now, and so was Sophie, and to her delight Georgia saw Josephine, Alice and Lucy come to join the group, waving madly from the sidelines.

“Secret sends his love!” she heard Alice call.

“Well done, young lady,” said the judge, removing his bowler hat and handing Georgia the most beautiful red rosette, which she promptly pinned to Lily’s bridle. “I don’t think you’ll forget this day,” he continued, his kindly blue eyes twinkling at her.

Georgia nodded, unable to speak. All of the emotion from the past year rushed back and for a split second she thought she might faint. Lily had changed her life forever – for the better.

Reaching forward and wrapping her arms
around the palomino’s golden neck, Georgia silently thanked her a million times. Qualifying for the Horse of the Year Show was an incredible feat, but she and Lily had achieved it. Together they could do anything!

“Go on.” The judge patted Lily’s neck. “Lap of honour! Give them a good show!”

And so Georgia cantered round, rosette tails streaming along with Lily’s champagne mane, half crying, half laughing, her vision blurred by tears. She felt as if she might just burst with happiness. She and Lily had qualified, Dan was her sort-of-boyfriend and Secret had found the perfect home. Whatever happened, she would remember this moment forever, just like the judge had told her.

Later that evening, wrapped in Lily’s qualifying rug – a rich purple fleece with a gold trim – Georgia smiled as Dan gave Lily yet another mint before
coming over to join her on the hay bale. She still felt positively giddy at qualifying. It would take a long, long time before her feet touched the ground again.

“Is it the best feeling in the world?” Dan asked her, slinging an arm around her shoulder.

“Yes and no,” Georgia said truthfully. “It’s amazing, for sure, but the last few weeks have made me realise how lucky I am just to
have
Lily. I mean, look how easily Alice lost Honey. I’d swap every rosette in the world just to keep her forever.” She looked at Dan. “If that makes sense?”

He grinned and pulled her closer. “Perfectly,” he murmured. “Which is why I like you so much, Georgia,” he said. “You make sense … perfect sense.”

“So you’re not mad that I’m so busy with the ponies all the time?” Georgia asked quietly.

“Never.” Dan smiled gently. “As I said before, if
you were normal, I wouldn’t like you so much.”

“Normal?” Georgia pretended to pout as Dan laughed, before pulling her towards him and gently kissing her, sending a jolt of electricity through her whole body.

Lily whinnied and stomped her feet as Dan broke off and burst out laughing, any embarrassment quickly subsiding as the palomino mare tossed her head up and down. Georgia could have sworn she was smiling!

“I think she’s telling you that
she’s
number one today,” Dan said, laughing and pulling Georgia to her feet. “Go on,” he said, nudging Georgia towards her pony. “This is her moment.”

Georgia smiled gratefully at Dan. She couldn’t imagine that another boy could possibly exist who understood her so well.

Placing her arms around Lily’s neck, she breathed in the palomino pony’s scent, that
uniquely wonderful horsey smell. They had achieved so much together and still had so far to go. Whatever happened at the Horse of the Year Show – whether she was in the spotlight, or stood at the bottom of the line – Georgia would be going home with the best pony ever. And no amount of rosettes and glory would ever top that. As far as Georgia was concerned, she was already a winner!