There seemed a lot of things to know about before Becky and her classmates could ride Sam. They learned to brush the mud from his legs, dig out the stones from his hooves and comb his mane. They found out that he loved peppermints for a treat.
At last, at the beginning of the second week, Mrs Bates said they could have riding lessons.
First they had to put on Sam’s bridle. Gary had the first go. He dropped the reins over the pony’s neck. Then he tried to get the bit – a shiny metal bar – into Sam’s mouth at the same time as lifting the bridle’s leather headpiece over the pony’s ears. It all seemed very difficult!
“Oops!” blew Sam, yanking his head backwards. “Hold on a minute.”
“Just let him open his mouth for you,” said Mrs Bates.
“It’s only because I wasn’t ready,” whickered Sam. He opened his mouth properly and Gary pushed the bit comfortably behind his teeth.
“You use the reins and your legs to direct him,” said Mrs Bates. “It sounds difficult, but you’ll soon get the hang of it.”
Then the children had to put the saddle on. Sam stood completely still while they tightened the girth around his tummy.
“You’ll deserve two peppermints after this,” whispered Becky.
“How about the whole packet?” neighed Sam hopefully. He bent his head and shook the bridle until it jingled.
At last all Sam’s tack was on. He was really looking forward to a good ride. He threw up his head and neighed. “Come on, then. Are you first, Becky?”
“Stand still, Sam,” said Mrs Bates. She was making sure the stirrup was long enough to enable Becky to mount.
“Please, Sam,” said Becky. “We won’t be long now. It’s just that we don’t know how to do things and we’ve got to learn.” She patted his neck. “And then you can have your peppermint.”
Mrs Bates showed Becky how to fit her boot into the stirrup and pull herself up into the saddle. She thought it was funny to have to start by facing the pony’s tail!
All the time Sam stood stock-still, but he was beginning to feel a little bored. He shook his head and pawed the ground gently to attract Mrs Bates’s attention.
“Can’t we do something interesting now?” he snorted as Becky settled herself in the saddle and Mrs Bates checked the stirrups. “Can I start walking?”
Mrs Bates patted his neck. “Well done, Sam. You’ve been very patient. Now, Becky, tap with your heels so that Sam will know you want him to walk.”
Becky nudged him with her heels, and Sam walked on, with Mrs Bates holding a leading rein attached to Sam’s bridle.
“Doesn’t it hurt him if I tap his sides?” asked Becky.
Sam turned his head and whickered, “No, you’re very gentle. Great! We’re on the move at last!”
Becky felt fantastic up there on Sam’s back. She held the reins in just the way Mrs Bates had showed her. Then she eased her right leg into Sam’s side and gently felt the right rein – and Sam started bending to the right. Becky was thrilled! Sam knew exactly what she wanted to do.
“Well done,” snorted Sam. “You’re a natural!”
All too soon though Becky had to get off and let someone else have a turn.
In the end only a few of the class decided that they wanted to ride. Tom and Gary preferred football. Julie liked to groom Sam but she was a bit frightened when he was a little frisky. She preferred to dig up the ragwort from the field.
Becky was the first to ride on her own, without the leading rein. Soon she began to learn to trot and canter. But there were still six people who wanted lessons, and even with Mrs Bates coming along twice a week it seemed such a long time before it was her turn.
“One lesson every two weeks isn’t nearly enough,” Becky told Sam before school one day. Today it was her turn to collect manure in the school wheelbarrow instead of having a lesson. That was OK, but not as much fun as sitting on Sam’s back and imagining herself as a champion rider.
“Why don’t you stay on after school and ride me then?” he whinnied. “We could have a lot of fun together. You’re doing really well and I love it when you come to visit me.”
“Oh, well, it’s great I can ride you a little,” sighed Becky. “Anyway, even if I’ll never be able to take you for a proper ride at least I can stay after school to talk to you.”
That afternoon, after lessons, Becky went to the field as usual. “Hey, Sam!” she called.
But Sam didn’t trot over to the gate to meet her like he usually did. He stood over by the white tape fence, panting. He looked ill. What was wrong?