Chapter 1

Goodbye, Lease Pony

“COME ON, BOY,” VICKI WHISPERED to her pony, Cardiff. “If it’s our last show together, let’s make it a good one.” Tears shone in her blue eyes as she groomed his sleek white coat, braided his mane and oiled his hooves. She’d washed him three times to get the stains out and he’d never looked better.

She couldn’t believe, after just one year together, his owner had sold him. Vicki had always hoped the owner would see how much she loved Cardiff and let her keep leasing him forever. She knew one day soon she’d outgrow the 12.2-hand pony — since she was already nine years old — but she’d imagined her little sisters, Kelly and Amanda, taking over the reins so he could stay in the family.

“Vicki, can you help me brush Charlie?” asked four-year-old Amanda, her youngest sister. Vicki glanced over to where Amanda sat balanced on a feed bucket, carefully picking out Charlie Brown’s hooves. The flea-bitten grey pony was still covered in bits of hay and dirt, and they were due in the ring for Best Groomed in less than ten minutes.

With a sigh, Vicki turned to help, but seven-year-old Kelly beat her to it. “I’ll help her,” she said. “Twinkle’s all ready, and anyway, you should be spending every second with Cardiff.”

“Thanks,” Vicki said, grateful for her sister’s understanding. She returned to her pony and gently brushed his tail, careful not to pull out any of the precious strands of hair.

Soon all three ponies were bridled and ready. Although they were all grey and sized between 11 and 12.2 hands, that’s where the similarities ended. Cardiff was a chunky gelding who’d quickly earned the paddock name ‘Fatso’ when he’d first joined their family. In comparison, Kelly’s pony Twinkle was a pretty mare with delicate features, and Amanda’s pony Charlie Brown, who both Vicki and Kelly had ridden when they were younger, was cheeky in both looks and personality.

Mum and Dad arrived back from the show office just before the Best Groomed class started and helped to tie the entry numbers onto the girls’ arms.

“Enjoy today, kiddo,” Dad said as he hugged Vicki good luck. “I’m sorry we couldn’t afford to buy Cardiff for you, but don’t let it take away from enjoying your last day together.”

As Vicki waited in line for the judge to look over her pony, her mind wandered. She knew how stressed her parents were feeling, trying to work out a way to afford a new pony. Twinkle had cost just $75 and Charlie had been $250, but trying to scrape together even that much money was a struggle at the moment. There was no way they could have paid the thousands of dollars that Cardiff’s new rider had paid for him.

Vicki thought back to when she’d first been given Cardiff. She’d felt so lucky when she’d been offered him on a free lease — she could never have had such a nice pony otherwise. In the year they’d been together, she’d enjoyed lots of success with him at Ribbon Days and in Pony Club events.

But now he was leaving, and Vicki desperately wanted a new pony so she could keep riding. Her sisters were being very kind and had offered to let her borrow their ponies, but Twinkle and Charlie seemed much too small now. Besides, Kelly and Amanda loved riding as much as she did, so she didn’t want them to miss out. Her parents had told her that the right pony would come along — she just hoped it would be soon. She had dreams of being one of the best riders in the country but she knew she had lots to learn before that could ever become a reality.

“Vicki, stop day-dreaming — the judge is coming,” whispered Kelly.

Shaking away her thoughts, Vicki turned to check Cardiff was standing with his legs square, then smiled as the judge approached. Carefully the judge ran her hands over the pony’s coat, then picked up his hooves to check they were clean. With a satisfied smile, she turned to Vicki and said, “You’re a lucky girl — he’s a beautiful pony. You’ve done a wonderful job presenting him.”

As the judge moved along to Kelly, then Amanda, Vicki turned to Cardiff with a wobbly smile. She whispered in his ear, “I have been lucky — thank you for the best year ever.”

Soon the judge was finished and called the winners forward. Vicki was in first place, and she proudly led her pony to collect his red ribbon. Neither of her sisters placed, but Vicki wasn’t surprised. Although they loved their ponies, they didn’t take their riding as seriously as she did. Unlike her, they hadn’t spent hours polishing their boots and cleaning their gear in preparation for the show, nor had they washed their ponies, who were more yellow than white. Their mum said it was because they were younger than her and weren’t used to competing, but Vicki just thought they were lazy.

For the rest of the day, Vicki and Cardiff continued their winning streak. By the end of the show he’d won so many ribbons that they didn’t fit on his short, stocky neck. Trophies spilled out of Vicki’s arms, and rosettes hung off Cardiff’s bridle. It was the perfect last ride on her special pony, and that night she dreamed of what her next pony might look like.