Megan and Mischief (8 page)

When Jody gave me my egg and cress sandwich and Frazzles she winked at me and I winked back – we both knew the secret of how I could turn Mischief and how I could keep him on a circle!

Oh, I’m going to stop writing and watch
Spirit
now because my favourite bit is coming up!

 

Well, we finally had a midnight feast! Millie told us the headless horseman story and it ended with her going “YOU!” really loudly and making us jump and scream. We had to quickly pretend to be asleep after that because Jody heard the noise and came round with a torch, but then we got up again and ate the strawberry bootlaces and said everything in whispers.

 

We had to pack up our stuff this morning after breakfast, so we're all ready to go home straight after the gymkhana, because our parents are coming to cheer us on. I'm so excited, and I'm going to try my hardest to win a rosette.

I'm still a bit worried about Jade spoiling things for me, because she hasn't talked to me or even looked at me since I stood up to her. What if she's planning to do something mean to
me at the gymkhana, like running round with her bright pink jacket flapping open to spook Mischief or swapping my egg and spoon race egg for one that's not hard boiled so that it goes all over me?

I'm probably just letting my imagination run away with me – but still, I wish I could know what she's thinking.

The gymkhana starts in fifteen minutes, and all the parents are arriving now. We’re meant to be getting our final things packed, but I did mine like lightning so I could write in here!

Mischief looks so smart! We had a brilliant time getting ready for the show after lunch, with our ponies tied up in the yard so we could groom them in the sunshine. I didn’t even think a single thought about Jade or what she was doing or whether she was thinking about me. I was too busy getting ready for the gymkhana.

Here are all the things I did:

1. First, we all brought our tack out on to the picnic benches and gave everything a really good clean and polish.

2. I gave Mischief a really good groom, including wiping his bottom bits with the special T sponge (urgh!).

3. I polished his coat with a damp cloth and some conditioning spray until it was really glossy.

4. I combed his mane until it was all smooth and shiny.

5. I tried to plait his tail and weave ribbons into it too, but messed it up, so Lydia showed me how I could just tie some different ribbons round it instead, and that looked really nice.

6. I borrowed some of Millie’s hoof oil to make Mischief’s hooves really shiny. Gabrielle lent me some sequins as well, but just when I was about to stick them on, Mischief leaned down to my ear and I knew he was trying to tell me he didn’t want to look like a girl pony! So I gave the sequins back to Gabrielle and said no thanks after all.

7. I got into my last set of clean riding stuff which I’ve been saving specially, and Gabrielle did a low ponytail for me with matching ribbons to Mischief’s tail.

Even if I don’t win any of the races, maybe I will have a chance of winning something in the tack and turnout comp. Mischief certainly deserves it – I think he’s the handsomest pony in the world!

I am writing this in the car on the way home, because I couldn’t wait one single second longer. I’ll begin where I left off, so nothing gets missed out.

When we were all ready for the gymkhana we took pictures of each other, so I have loads of photos of me and Mischief to treasure and some great ones of me, Millie and Gabrielle too. Then Jody took some of the whole group together, using each of our cameras in turn, so we had to keep smiling for ages and ages. Then—

Oh, I can’t tell things in order – I just have to write down the best bits now! Me and Mischief won two rosettes! We got a third place for tack and turnout and also … a first place for the bending race!

Everything Sally and Jody had taught me about circles and turns really came in useful going round those cones, plus the accidental practice I had on the picnic ride of course! I was neck and neck with Jade and it was really close and before I became Megan the Brave I probably would have let her win to try and make her like me. But not today! I urged Mischief on with my legs and voice, and he seemed to understand my determination and just stepped up the pace a little bit more (without galloping this time, thank goodness). I could hardly believe it when I cantered back over the finishing poles before anyone else.

Millie and Gabrielle and Mum and Dad and Jody and Sally went mad cheering for me. I was so happy I didn’t even wonder whether Jade was angry about me winning!

We had loads of fun in the other games too, and I didn’t care one bit that Mischief did some
excited bucks in the egg and spoon and my egg went flying off to who knows where!

In the Chase Me Charlie I actually got up to the fourth hole before knocking the pole down. Sally shouted, “Oh, Megan, you can jump higher than that!” and everyone who had been on the picnic ride laughed. I knew she was only joking, though, and I was really pleased with getting that far – I’m definitely going to work on my jumping back at my riding school.

When I went up for winning the bending race at the prize ceremony, Sally handed me my rosette and said, “You need speed and control for that race and you and Mischief certainly have both now. Well done!” She shook my hand and Mum was clapping like mad and Dad was snapping away with his camera.

Mum said later that even though her heart was in her mouth (her exact words) watching me do the races she couldn’t believe how confident I’d become. I was going to tell her about what happened on the picnic ride but I’ve decided to wait until she reads this pony diary – she’s probably had enough excitement for one day. And she had a present waiting for me in the car too – the army print half chaps! I gave her a big hug of thanks and said, “But how did you know I’d win a race?”

Mum laughed. “They’re not for winning, Megan!” she said. “They’re for having the courage to go on holiday all on your own.”

That’s when I realized I was already a bit brave to start off with, to come here without knowing anyone and to make new friends and try new things like beach riding and sandwiches with salady things in.

Maybe Megan the Brave was somewhere inside me all along, but a bit hidden!

I was just heading to the house to get my stuff when Jade came up to me. I thought she might be about to say something mean, but she just held out her hand. Before I could think what I was doing, my hand was shaking hers. “Sorry for being weird with you before,” she said. “And well done on winning the bending race.”

“It’s okay,” I mumbled. “And well done in the apple bobbing.”

I don’t know what changed her mind about me. Maybe she realized I’d stopped caring what she thought, or maybe she just wanted to try on my army print half chaps, but I didn’t worry about it. Us girls all said goodbye to each other with lots of hugs, and me and Millie and Gabrielle all swapped addresses and promised to keep in touch. Then I had to say goodbye to the one person (well, pony!) I would miss most of all, my Mischief.

While the parents all had a cup of tea with Jody and Sally, Lydia and Johnny supervised us on the yard. I led Mischief back to his stable and untacked him, and took out his tail ribbons.

I spent ages untying them so we could have as much time together as possible. While I was making a fuss of him, I whispered in his ear that even if I rode, say, twenty-two more ponies in my life, I would never forget him and he’d always be my favourite. That was when he nuzzled my neck in a way that said, “Even though different girls ride me on Pony Camp each week, you’ll always be my favourite too!”

Finally I could hear Dad calling that it was time to go. I gave Mischief one last hug. I felt a bit sad, but mostly I was happy because I had got to meet him in the first place, and because he taught me to be brave. Even though my week at Sunnyside is over, I’ll have my memories for ever – and this diary of course!

When I go back to my riding school next week I’m going to carry on being Megan the Brave and ask to go on Dancer or even
super-fast
Charlie. Well, maybe I’m not ready for
him
quite yet, but one thing’s for sure – no more plodders for me!