Daisy and Dancer (2 page)

I already felt extra-nervous riding in front of a new instructor and new girls, as well as on a new pony, so it was good to know she wasn’t expecting to see anything amazing straight away!

Saying that, Isabel and Rosie looked really elegant and effortless on their ponies from the moment they got on. They both have really good seats and seem to change pace and direction without even
doing
anything. I can’t believe they’ve only been riding for six months – I would never have guessed if they hadn’t told me. I’ve been riding twice as long and I don’t look like that!

It was really exciting when we all got to have a canter to the back of the ride. Dancer did a big plunge into it and I nearly came off again, but I grabbed the pommel and managed to steady myself and we made it round.
She was so graceful when she got going. Pity I was bobbling around on top, trying to get my balance – oh well!

Oh, hang on, Sasha and Libby are showing everyone this cool routine they performed in their dance school show. Isabel and Rosie want us all to go and join in with it. I’m AWFUL at dancing so I’m kind of pretending I’m too busy concentrating on writing in here to notice, but – EEK! – they’re
making
me! Gotta go!

Me, Isabel and Rosie are in the same group – hooray! We’ve just been messing around in our room after our showers and they’ve been trying to teach me how to do a cartwheel. (I can
sort of
do one, but I can’t get my legs to stay straight up in the air.) Theirs look brilliant because they go to gymnastics every week. That also explains why they’re such good riders after only 6 months and why they were so quick at picking up Sasha and Libby’s dance routine, when I couldn’t get it at all. Honestly, my feet were going everywhere (not that I minded ’cos it was still loads of fun anyway!).

Before our lesson, we had a talk about tack and tacking up from Lydia, and then we
practised on our own ponies in the barn. Millie tacked up Magic in about one minute, and then went round and helped everyone else – she’s probably done it about two thousand times in her life! I always get to my stables a bit early so I can tack up Bailey, so I was pretty confident too. Dancer wasn’t that keen on standing still, though, so I gave her lots and lots of fuss and cuddles to keep her calm! And she really jumped when the girth strap accidentally slid off the saddle and swung to the ground, poor thing, so I had to give her another big stroke after that. She’s so gorgeous, I could just stay in the barn and make a fuss of her all day! It’s fantastic that I’ve got her for a whole week, and that we really do get to do
everything
for our ponies here, like tacking up, grooming, mucking out and refilling their water buckets – just as if they were our own.

At Isabel and Rosie’s stables the tacking up’s all done before they arrive, so they’re not that confident about it. They did really well, but Isabel wasn’t sure about getting the bit in, so I showed her this thing where you put your thumb in the corner of the pony’s mouth.

“Wow, thanks, Daisy, that’s a cool trick,” she said, and I felt really pleased. And when Rosie got the throat lash twisted round the cheek piece on Amber’s bridle, I just helped her undo it and start again.

The lesson was fab. Us three and Libby and Sasha are Group A, and we’ve got Jody teaching us. She makes things really fun and says “well done” a lot, so that’s good! I’m glad she’s not too strict because although I’m more used to Dancer being flighty now, I was still having some problems. Like, this gate clanged somewhere
when we were trotting a twenty-metre circle and Dancer went skittering across the manège. I slid sideways and had to grab on to the pommel and pull myself up, which made me feel a bit flustered, especially because everyone else was still gliding round in these lovely flowing rising trots as if they hadn’t even
heard
a noise!

Luckily, Jody just smiled and got me to trot Dancer round the manège to the other end, and then turn off the track at B to join the others. She reminded me to keep a really good contact through my outside rein and leg too, to keep Dancer on the circle and show her that I was in charge. That way if there was another noise, she’d be less likely to bolt off. I’ve never had to think about anything like that before, because Bailey tends to follow the track or the pony in front, but I will from now on, because I really want Dancer to feel safe and have confidence in me!

I tried really hard, and although Jody had to keep reminding me to sit up tall and look straight ahead (I think I was hanging on to the reins a bit and looking down at my hands too much), things definitely got better. By the end of the week, me and Dancer should have it sussed, but still I’m glad we’re having the barbecue party rather than a gymkhana or anything because I don’t fancy trying to concentrate on all these new things while riding in front of a crowd!

It was so much fun in the barn after the lesson, because we got to give our ponies a really good groom down and get them fresh water and skip out the pens and sweep the walkways. Me, Isabel and Rosie made up this game where we pretended we were at pony
boarding school, and Libby and Sasha joined in after a while, too. It was really fun and I wish it was true life!

After tea and clearing up we all went swimming (Millie’s so lucky to have a swimming pool and her own pony!). Us lot carried on playing the boarding school game then too, pretending we had to practise for the school swimming gala. We put on posh voices and it was
so
funny!

Right, my eyes are almost closing, so I have to stop writing now. I can’t wait for our trip to the horse show tomorrow!

What an amazing day! Our trip to the horse show was fantastic! We've been so busy I haven't had a free minute to write in here.

This morning after breakfast we got our ponies in from the field. I was so happy when Dancer came to me as soon as I called her, and stood nicely while I put her head collar on. When we'd tied our ponies up in the barn, Lydia showed us how to check them over in case they'd got any cuts or bruises in the field overnight. Then she demonstrated how to give them a really thorough groom, using Lucky as the model. When it was our turn to have a go, I spent ages making Dancer's mane totally knot-free
and shiny (while telling her how gorgeous she is, of course!).

I helped Rosie pick out Amber's feet because there was a big stone right by the frog and she was worried about accidentally hurting her. Then Isabel was scared of brushing Monsoon's tail because she thought she might kick out, so I showed her how to put a straw bale behind her pony's hind legs, just in case.

“Thanks, Daisy,” she said. “Where did you learn that?”

“Oh, just at my stables,” I told her.

“You know loads about looking after ponies,” Isabel said then. “You could be a stable girl when you leave school.”

I grinned at her and said, “Wow, do you think so? I'd love that!”

Then it was time to get on the minibus to go to the horse show (we were having our lesson when we got back). On the way, we were all really excited, but we didn't know quite what to expect. We parked and walked across to the showground. It was a much bigger event than I'd imagined. There was this massive outdoor arena with seats all around it, and vans selling drinks and hotdogs and things. I thought we'd just be having home-made sandwiches or something, but Jody surprised us by treating us all to lunch. It was only half eleven, but we were hungry already. I had a burger and a fresh strawberry and banana smoothie that the lady whizzed up right in front of me. Delicious!

As we found our places, more and more people were pouring in, until almost every seat was taken. Isabel sat on one side of me and Rosie was on the other. It was so cool because
Brooke had some money with her and she bought two big packets of sweets (one jelly bears and one cola bottles), which she passed down the rows for all of us to share.

Well, the show was completely amazing! First a master horse trainer came on with four loose horses. The beautiful palominos (which looked like bigger versions of Dancer) were walking round him in a circle. Then he'd call one into the middle to do a trick like bowing, or even kneeling and then lying down and rolling completely over! The crowd loved it and the horses got treats from him after each trick, so they were happy too! When they all trotted out of the arena we gave them a huge clap, but we didn't know that the most amazing part of the act was still to come. One of the horses came back at a canter, reared up and twirled round and round!

It was so amazing, we all gasped and Rosie accidentally spat out a cola bottle!

After that, there was this really cute funny bit where a lady danced with her dog, then a showjumping demo, and some freestyle dressage and then, just when we didn't think we could see anything MORE amazing, the announcer said, “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the West Country's most daring duo, Kate Emerson and Starlight!”

That was Sally's friend! We all went wild, whooping and cheering when Kate came out on this beautiful white horse with a lovely flowing mane and tail. She was wearing a spangly white leotard and ballet shoes, and Starlight had a feather headdress and a special saddle.

We could hardly believe our eyes as we watched their display. It was like gymnastics, but actually on a cantering horse! I didn't even know it was possible to do that! I've drawn some pictures so I can remember a few of the amazing moves!

The announcer was right – they really ARE a daring duo. As well as all the breathtaking gymnastics, there were funny bits where Kate walked alongside Starlight and they both pointed their toes as if they were dancing.

And they crossed their legs over in time to the music, like this.

Then Kate ran next to Starlight and vaulted on for an incredible finale of Round the Worlds (not like the ones we do, but just on her arms with her legs flying in the air not even touching the saddle). Well, the whole audience went crazy after that, clapping and whistling. Kate took a bow in every direction (and Starlight bowed too – how sweet!).

Then she turned to Sally, waved
and did a bow especially for us, and everyone looked over! I felt so cool, being with someone who knows an actual famous person.

We didn't think the day could get any better, but something even more fantastic happened after that. As everyone started leaving their seats, Sally ushered us down too. We were expecting to go straight back to the minibus, but when we reached the front row she told us to go into it and sit down!

“Won't we get in trouble for sitting here?” said Sasha.

“What's going on?” asked Lara.

But Sally and Jody just grinned at each other, and Sally said, “Wait and see.”

Then, would you believe, after a few minutes Kate and Starlight came back out again! We ducked under the barrier to make a big fuss of Starlight and told Kate how talented she was (well, the others did, I was a bit star-struck and
nothing would come out of my mouth!). Of course, we all had loads of questions to ask her, and Sally got us to sit back down and stop talking over each other so Kate could actually hear what we were saying!