Pony Rebellion (12 page)

“Of course,” I nodded, reaching into my pocket and wrapping my hand around Epona. Making sure James was between me and the rest of the team, so that no one could see the swap, I carefully handed her to James, who zipped her up into his jacket pocket.

“Thanks,” he said. “That should help. Henry won't be so cocky when I can hear him and know what he's planning!”

“Now I've got to get Sophie to swap Tiffany for Bluey,” I told him. “Bluey's more Henry's size so it will be an even match. You'll be riding with Katy as your partner if all goes well.”

I marched over to Sophie, hoping my positive stance would help me persuade her. As it was, she didn't need persuading.

“I think you're right, Pia,” Sophie nodded. “Bluey and Henry would look better together, with the two mares, Dolly and Tiffany, bringing up the rear. We'll try another run-through and hope that sorts things out. If not, I don't know what we're going to do. Honestly, this activity ride is turning into a nightmare. I've organized several of these, and this one has been the most difficult to get through. I'm beginning to wonder whether we're just not meant to do it.”

“Oh, don't say that!” I begged. “It's really fun and everyone is enjoying it. Except for Henry!”

Bean was delighted to be swapping places with Katy. “Thank goodness,” she sighed, easing Tiffany along beside Dolly. “I'm fed up with James bossing me around.”

“Hummph!” Katy snorted. “He won't boss me around!” She never would let James intimidate her. Bluey looked resigned, knowing he'd have more work to do in his new position.

Before I mounted Drummer, I whispered in his ear so he knew I couldn't hear him. Everything was strangely silent. It was weird not being able to hear the ponies. I'd got so used to listening to their arguments and comments that, without Epona, it was as though I had lost one of my senses. And, in a way, I had.

Knowing what the ponies had planned, I could see exactly what they were doing. Henry didn't stand a chance.

Every time the chunky black pony slowed down, Dolly bared her teeth and nipped the top of his tail. If Henry tried to kick out, James legged on like a madman, his teeth clenched in determination. Every time Henry tried to go too fast behind Drummer, I felt Drummer's back come up as he threatened to kick him. Bluey kept him straight on one side so that James only had to concentrate on riding the other side of him, and with everyone working together, Henry, somehow, got through the routine. He even stood stock-still, sandwiched between a threatening Drum and Bluey so that James could perform his backward roll off him at the end, and we all stood in line in triumph. Henry looked mutinous, the other ponies like butter wouldn't melt in their mouths.

Success!

“Phew,” panted James, bent over double, his hands on his knees. “I'm exhausted.”

“Oh, James!” squealed Mrs. Bradley, rushing up and patting Henry's furious face. “You were wonderful. My darling Henry is a star!”

Without Epona, I could only guess at Henry's reply—and was rather glad, for once, that I couldn't hear what he was saying.

It's time to sort out what everyone will be wearing,”

Sophie declared, having called a meeting in the barn.

“Can we all dress up like cowboys?” asked Bean.

“No, Arab sheiks,” shrieked Dee, bouncing up and down on Dolly's hay bale.

“Absolutely not!” said Sophie firmly. “We want to give the impression that we're serious riders, not circus clowns.”

“Thank goodness!” said James, frowning.

“I really like costumes though,” mumbled Katy.

“Does everyone have a navy or black jacket?” Sophie asked.

“Yes,” chorused Dee, Bean, Cat, and Katy.

“My show jacket is gray,” I said. I'd bought it with my Sublime Equine Challenge prize money and loved it to bits.

“I only have a tweed one,” said James.

“OK, let's think,” said Sophie, pursing her lips. “You don't all have to wear black or navy, but I think it would look best if we matched in our pairs—so Cat and Pia need to have the same color jacket, so do James and Katy, and Dee and Bean. Both Dee and Bean have blue jackets, so that's all figured out…”

“Leanne's got a gray jacket,” said Cat. “I bet she'll lend it to me for the extravaganza so that I match Pia.”

“That's fantastic!” said Sophie. “Now we've just got to sort out Katy and James.”

“No problem,” sniffed Katy, grinning. “I've got a tweed jacket too. I can wear that. It's probably a bit short in the arms, but it still fits for the most part. No worries.”

“Well, that was easy,” sighed Sophie. “Now we all need to wear a white shirt—you've all got white dress shirts, I take it—and the same color tie. I'll get some. Cream, beige, or white riding pants—and do you want to wear short or long boots?”

“Long!” everyone yelled.

“OK, well, that was easier than I thought it would be. But I was thinking that for the ponies…”

“Won't they just wear their saddles and bridles?” interrupted Bean.

“Of course,” agreed Sophie. “But I was thinking of leg bandages, just for the front legs. They always look great.”

“Let's all have different colors,” said Cat. She would. She always wears lots of clashing colors together. “Or even a different colored cloth on each leg!”

“That's going too far,” said James. “The different color idea is OK, but let each pony have the same color on their legs. We don't want to look like clowns.”

“OK,” nodded Sophie, “different colors. Who wants what color? What color leg cloth do you all want?”

“Purple!” said Katy. Everyone groaned.

“We know that!” said Dee-Dee.

“I don't care,” said James.

“I call green. Drummer looks cool in green,” I said.

“Blue,” said Bean.

“I call the yellow ones,” offered Cat.

“I could wear any color,” Dee told us.

“Good, I can borrow two of yours,” said James.

“Let's recap,” said Sophie, counting on her fingers. “Bambi in yellow, Drummer in green, Bluey in purple—of course!—and Tiffany in blue. Dolly can wear pink, and how about Henry in red? That would work really well as all the pairs will tone nicely—yellow and green, red and purple, and blue and pink. Sounds great!”

“Henry will look ridiculous in leg cloths,” said James. “He has so much hair.”

“Not after tomorrow, he won't,” Sophie told him darkly. “I've persuaded Mrs. B. to let me clip him. He's having a hunter clip, and I'm taking off his feathers. I'm also looking forward to tackling that mane and tail with the pulling comb. You won't recognize him tomorrow evening.”

“Thank goodness!” said Katy. “He was totally ruining the whole ride with his wild pony look.”

“I've got an idea,” said Bean.

“Let's hear it, then,” Sophie said.

“If we're all having different colored leg cloths, and you're going to buy some ties, why don't we match our ties to the bandages? So I'll have a blue tie to match Tiffany's legs.”

“That's a perfect idea!” cried Katy. “And I already have a purple tie!”

“No? Really?” James asked sarcastically. Katy slapped his arm.

“Mmmm, that's a good idea, Bean,” said Sophie. “It will lift the whole ride.”

“Won't Bean look extra blue?” asked Cat. “Blue jacket, blue bandages, blue tie?”

Sophie frowned. “Yes, you will a little, Bean. What if you wore pink, instead?”

“Yuck, pink will look awful with Tiffany's golden coat.”

“How about if you have the red and James has the pink?” asked Dee-Dee.

James shook his head. “I'll tell you right now, I am absolutely not wearing pink!” he said firmly.

“OK, we've got some turquoise bandages. They would look better than blue and really lift Bean's blue jacket. And the color will suit Tiffany,” said Sophie.

“That's fine,” agreed Bean. “I like turquoise.”

That was settled. In fact, I thought, everything was settled. Moth's substitute, the unwilling Henry, had knuckled down, accepting that he had little choice in the matter, and everyone knew what they were supposed to be doing, in what order, and when.

Every time we saddled the ponies for a practice, poor Moth gazed out of her stable longingly, neighing as we all clip-clopped our way to the school without her. She was getting better every day but was still lame. There was no way she could have done the ride—even if her cut healed by the weekend, we couldn't chance the wound opening up again. And Henry was transformed by Sophie and her clippers: from chubby, hair-smothered black hillbilly look-alike to a sleek, clean-legged, chunky riding pony. His mane and tail were neatly pulled, revealing a small white star under his forelock. The hunter clip suited him, and with his beard clipped off, and his legs clean and featherless, he looked more like a miniature warm blood than the hairy Dales pony we were used to.

“Wow!” James said, when Sophie stripped Henry's rugs off in a big reveal. “Is that my new charger?”

“Who's that and what have you done with Henry?” Katy had snickered.

Mrs. Bradley had been almost speechless when she'd seen her darling Henry.

“Oh, Sophie,” she'd breathed. “He's beautiful!”

“Humph,” Bean had snorted. “He's still got a long way to go to earn that title!”

“She loves him,” I'd said. “It's so nice.”

“I hope she'll be able to ride him OK!” Bean had replied darkly, her eyebrows disappearing into her bangs. “He'll be a bit livelier with his coat clipped off. Mrs. B. had better buy an exercise rug to keep him warm if she doesn't want to have flying lessons.”

“Oh no, what if she can't ride him and we're responsible for her death-by-Henry?” I asked, suddenly worried.

“She's survived this far,” Bean said, “so she must have a guardian angel looking after her.”

“One thing's for sure,” I laughed. “Henry's no guardian angel!”

“Maybe not,” mused Bean, “but he's come to the rescue of our activity ride!”

A pony wants to be tucked in his stable on a freezing night like this, with his blanket, hay net full, and deep bed under hoof,” Drummer complained. “Not gallivanting about the countryside performing to people who should be sleeping in their own beds.”

“It is a bit cold,” I agreed, shoving my gloved hands deep into the pockets of my bright yellow down jacket. “But it's a bit early for people to be in bed,” I added. “It's only five o'clock—they'd more likely be watching the TV.”

“Whatever,” sighed Drummer.

He'd traveled to Taversham in Sophie's luxury horse trailer, together with Dolly, Bambi, and Henry, with Dee, James, Cat, and me in Sophie's motor home. I had heard Drum and Bambi whispering sweet nothings into each other's ears throughout the entire journey, which had bored Henry and made Dolly go all gaga. Truthfully, three miles from home I'd wished I could have put Epona somewhere else so I didn't have to listen to them, but there wasn't anywhere, so I had to listen to all the cooing and lovey-dovey nonsense. It was almost as bad as listening to my dad and Skinny Lynny when they got going. In other words, totally gross!

Henry had protested in the yard about loading, but Sophie already had a cunning plan involving a bucket of feed, and Henry's greed got the better of him, allowing him to be enticed up the ramp. He'd spent the last few practices sullen and sulking, but nobody cared much. We just wanted everything to go as planned. Tiffany and Bluey had shared Katy's trailer, and we'd left in a convoy, Bean and Katy in Katy's dad's car. We could see them in the motor home's side mirrors as they followed us down the drive.

The worst thing had been leaving Moth behind. We could hear her neighing as we drove off, and we'd all felt awful for her. James stuck his fingers in his ears and screwed up his eyes—it was a hundred times worse for him, of course. It just didn't seem the same without Moth.

Now we were actually at the extravaganza I felt a little jittery. Butterflies flew around my stomach, and as soon as we parked, I wanted to go to the bathroom. There seemed to be a steady stream of cars coming through the gate and being directed to one of the frozen fields for parking.
Just how many people were coming to this display?
I wondered.

“I feel so nervous,” Cat said as Sophie switched off the engine.

“Really?” I asked, amazed, thinking I was alone with my fears. “You don't look it. You always look totally composed.”

“Yeah, well, I'm not. It's terrifying being leading file. I'm so scared that I'll forget where to go and what to do.”

“Oh, me too,” I said.

We looked at each other, suddenly shy.
Cat and I are talking
, I thought.
We're having a conversation. We're actually sharing our thoughts and fears instead of insulting each other or being rude
. Cat suddenly leaped into the back of the horse trailer and got very busy checking on Bambi, as though the thought had occurred to her too. James certainly noticed. As Cat disappeared, he gave me a look—you know, raised eyebrows. I just shrugged my shoulders at him. I suddenly realized that Cat and I hadn't been mean to each other for a long time. We'd been working so hard together on the activity ride that old grudges seemed to have faded.
Would they resurface once the ride was over?
I wondered.
Would we go back to Cat calling me the wrong name, and me avoiding her?
I so hoped not. It spoiled things at the yard, and the atmosphere had been a hundred times better since we'd been working on the ride together. It really highlighted how horrible things had been before. As we stepped down onto the concrete, Katy galloped over, waving some paper at us. “Have you seen the program?” she asked, not waiting for an answer. “The activity ride is on last. The RDA riders are performing a pantomime on the RDA ponies first of all, then there's a display by something called Jive Pony, then the intermission. Alex Willard is demonstrating some of his natural horsemanship techniques after that, and finally, it's
us
.”

“Oh no,” wailed Cat, “my nerves will never last until then. I was hoping we'd be on first and get it over with.”

“We should be flattered,” Sophie interrupted, walking over with a steaming cup of coffee from her fully equipped kitchenette. “The activity ride is the finale. We've got the best spot!”

“Woo-hoo!” said Bean sarcastically.

“Do you hear that, Drummer?” I asked him, leaping up through the groom's door and walking along the aisle to where he stood between Bambi and Henry.

“Yeah. Whoop-de-doo!” Drum said flatly.

“That's fantastic!” said Dolly, her showbiz self kicking in. “Top billing. It's like taking the championship!”

I looked at Drum, and he nibbled Bambi's neck. Bambi squealed quietly, pretending to mind. They were really sweet together. I thought back to when we'd both had to move home when my parents divorced. It hadn't only been me who had left old friends behind in our old lives; Drummer had missed his old equine friends at our last livery stable too. He had settled in almost immediately with all the other ponies at Laurel Farm, but Bambi had taken much longer to win over. I smiled. Bambi was the most important pony there to Drum. He seemed so content now that she loved him as much as he loved her, and I was pleased my wonderful pony was so happy.

“I think we'll leave the ponies in the trailer during the first half of the extravaganza,” suggested Sophie, looking over Katy's shoulder at her program. “They'll be warmer in here. Then we'll get them out after the intermission and warm up while Alex Willard is doing his thing.”

“Oh no,” wailed Bean. “I really wanted to see Alex Willard's demo.”

“Yeah, same here,” complained James.

“That's such totally bad timing!” yelled Dee. “You could have had Linda sort things out better, Mom,” she grumbled.

“I didn't have anything to do with it!” Sophie protested, holding up her hands and almost spilling her coffee.

“But we have to be professional about this,” said Katy, sensible as ever. “We have to warm up, and that's the only time we can do it.”

“Oh, I know, you're right. I just needed to complain,” mumbled Bean.

“OK, are you all done?” Sophie asked.

“Let's go and look around now,” suggested James. “We have until the intermission to do what we want, so why are we all standing around here?”

We went off to look around, and I kept an eye out for Alex Willard, hoping to see the great man again. The arena where the extravaganza was being held was huge, with a vast gallery with permanent seating. There was extra seating in the form of plastic chairs in the top and bottom half of the huge arena, marked off by white poles.

“They couldn't have sold that many tickets,” said Katy, frowning. “There are so many seats.”

“Maybe it's for the other shows they hold,” I suggested. “They can't all be for tonight.”

People were piling in for the extravaganza, and we lined up for hot dogs and hamburgers.

“Oh, look!” said Cat, pointing. “Trade stands. Sometimes you can get great bargains at these things, and I don't have all my Christmas presents yet.” We all made our way over to stands selling horse equipment, magazines and books, and some gorgeous silver jewelry. Behind those were more stands offering handbags, horsey comforters, and cushions, and a tent with a notice declaring that you could have your fortune read by Gypsy Sylvia, fortune-teller to the stars.

“Oh wow, I've always wanted to have my fortune told,” gulped Dee.

“Why does that not surprise me?” groaned James.

“I'm in!” yelled Bean, fishing in her jacket pocket for her wallet and diving into the tent.

“Ooooh, let me come with you,” shrieked Dee, hot on Bean's tail.

“You're just wasting your money!” Katy yelled after them.

“Come on,” said James. “Let's leave them while they do it.”

“No way!” I said. “I'm staying to see what Gypsy Sylvia has to say to Bean.”

“Me too!” agreed Cat.

“Definitely!” nodded Katy.

“But I thought you said…?” began James.

We all laughed. “No way are we missing this,” Katy said, slowly shaking her head and grinning.

“OK,” shrugged James. “I'm going to find my parents. They should be here by now.”

As James disappeared, Dee emerged from Gypsy Sylvia's tent.

“What's happening?” asked Katy.

“She wouldn't let me stay and listen—she said she can only do us one at a time,” Dee moaned.

“What does she look like?” I asked, imagining a woman with raven hair, hooped earrings, and a scarf around her head.

“She's blond and a little chubby. Not exactly what I was expecting,” Dee explained.

Not very gypsyish
, I thought, disappointed. I'd expected her to be like Jazz, the traveler girl I'd met last year.

We hung around getting cold, and then suddenly, the tent flapped open and Bean popped out. We fell on her like she'd been a missing person.

“What did she say?”

“Are you going to be famous?”

“Or rich?”

“Oh, ha, ha!” said Bean.

“Who's next?” asked Gypsy Sylvia, poking her head out. I saw what Dee meant—she should have made more of an effort in the gypsy wardrobe department—a shawl might have been more convincing than the quilted jacket and polo neck she was wearing.

“Er, I might try it in a minute,” mumbled Dee, chickening out. We all fled to a quiet spot and quizzed Bean.

“Come on, spill the beans, Bean!” insisted Cat.

“She said my favorite color was green…”

“That's not telling your fortune,” moaned Dee.

“And that I had a secret admirer…”

“We all know that!” exclaimed Cat.

“And he's hardly a secret. I mean, everyone knows he really likes you,” said Katy.

“Gypsy Sylvia doesn't!” I said.

“Unless Bean has another secret, secret admirer, that we don't know about,” suggested Cat.

My heart sank. I so hoped it wasn't James.

“What are you all talking about?” asked Bean, confused as ever.

“What else?” demanded Dee, guiding her around the subject.

“She said that my love of horses would help me through any difficulties ahead,” Bean said, narrowing her eyes as she concentrated on remembering, “and that I should always remember that I was strong enough to cope with everything life throws at me.”

“That's cheerful!” said Cat.

“And she said I had to always listen to my instincts because they would help me make the right decisions in my life, and that friendships I make are so strong, my friends always will understand and forgive me when I let them down.”

“Not very upbeat, is she?” asked Dee. “I don't think I'll go for a visit.”

“Are you OK, Bean?” Katy asked.

Bean looked worried. “I think she was trying to tell me something about the ride,” Bean said.

“How did you get that from what you told us?” asked Cat.

“I'm going to mess up, aren't I?” wailed Bean, her eyes suddenly widening.

“You look like Tiffany when you do that,” Cat told her.

“That's completely wrong, Bean!” said Katy. “She didn't mean that. Honestly, you shouldn't have gone in there. It's all nonsense. She can't know anything, and now you're reading tons of stuff into what she said that simply isn't there.”

“What's going on—are you destined for fame and fortune, Bean?” asked James, suddenly appearing out of nowhere.

“No,” cried Bean. “I'm destined to forget the routine of the ride—but you all have to forgive me. I'm so sorry in advance.”

“What?” said James, bewildered.

“She didn't say that. You're not going to mess up!” insisted Katy impatiently.

“Oh look, there's Dec,” said James as Cat's brother waved at us and made his way through the growing crowd of people. As always, Dec's piercing green eyes were glued to Bean's face. And, as always, Bean didn't seem to notice.

“We're going last, buddy, so plenty of time to relax,” James told him as they greeted each other with a high five.

“Cool,” said Dec economically.

“I'm still hungry,” Bean said to no one in particular.

“I'll buy you a hot dog, if you want,” offered Dec, recognizing an opportunity.

“Oh, no thanks,” said Bean, wrinkling up her nose. “I'm all mixed up knowing I'm going to let everyone down.”

Declan looked suitably crushed. Everyone else just groaned.

“Should have been here earlier, man,” James told Dec sympathetically.

No
, I thought,
James can't be Bean's secret admirer if he is sympathetic to Dec's pain
. I sighed with relief.

“You OK?” James asked me.