The very first time Meg rode Merlin had been bareback with a bit of rope tied to his head collar to use as reins. That ride had been like a dream come true, Meg remembered. It had felt like the two of them were on the most amazing journey together. It was an adventure, as if they were explorers discovering new worlds.
It felt exactly like that again today. When Dad dropped her off at the field, Merlin knew at once that something exciting was going to happen. He called a happy greeting in Horse and trotted over the grass towards her.
“What’s up?” he seemed to say. “Are we doing something special?”
“We are,” Meg replied.
“Oh! Exciting!”
Meg brushed Merlin down while he pushed her with his head over and over again as if he was trying to hurry her up. He danced on the spot while she tacked him up. He couldn’t keep still while she got into the saddle and the moment her foot was in the stirrup, he moved off.
Most days, Meg rode Merlin across the village green and then along a narrow country lane. After a mile or so, they’d reach an old muddy path that led to the woods. From there they cut across two fields to another lane that led back to Mrs Hill’s house. It was a nice ride, with plenty of places to trot and canter.
But today was different. Today she and Merlin were going to Sam’s house. Meg had never been there before, but Sam had told her the way and drawn her a map. Even so, Meg was worried about getting lost.
They turned in the opposite direction to the one they usually rode and Merlin set off in a brisk, bouncy walk as if he had springs on his hooves instead of horseshoes.
What Sam had said as she had explained the way kept ringing in Meg’s head like the words of a song.
“Left at the far end of the village green. Go along the lane until you get to a crossroads and go left again. And then – about ten minutes further on – there’s a grassy old track on the left with a sign to Westercote. It’s really easy. Left, left, left – that’s all. Our house is at the end of the track. It’s big and pink with white shutters. I’ll be out front waiting for
you, OK?”
“Where are we going?” Merlin asked with every step. “Where? Where? What are we doing? What?”
“We’re going to meet our friends,” Meg told him. “We’re going to have some fun.”
Meg knew Merlin was excited and she knew she had to be super-careful and look out for anything that might scare him.
Merlin saw danger everywhere. A black bin bag stuffed behind a tree was a panther getting ready to pounce. A bit of old rope on the ground was a scary snake. She steered him carefully around both.
But then he spotted a mossy log floating in a ditch at the side of the road. Merlin stiffened, snorted and lowered his head for a better look.
“CROCODILE!” he decided. “RUN!”
Meg felt him tense, but she sat still and kept calm and told him in a steady voice, “It’s a log, Merlin! No need to panic.”
“Is it?” he replied, blowing puffs of air through his nostrils. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. On we go.”
By the time they reached the track that led to Sam’s house, Merlin had met dozens of deadly dangers, and each time, Meg had kept him calm and steady. As they went down the track, Merlin must have smelled Sam’s pony, Alfred. He stopped dead, lifted his head and whinnied such a loud greeting it made Meg’s bones rattle.
A loud reply came back. Merlin took off again, so excited to get to the end of the track that Meg had trouble holding him in.
The moment they reached Sam’s house, the two ponies greeted each other with squeals and snorts and snuffles.
“There you are!”
“Good to see you!”
“Are we going out?”
“Yes!”
“On an adventure?”
“Yes!”
“WOW!”
The two girls made much less noise. Sam’s mother had come out to see them off and there was something in the way she looked at Meg’s scruffy second-hand riding clothes that made Meg feel hot and embarrassed. She felt shy and only mumbled a quick hello. Sam was the same.
“Don’t do anything silly,” Sam’s mother snapped at them. “No mad gallops and don’t push the ponies too hard. If you’re going to be out all day, you must pace yourselves. I expect you back by teatime, Sammy. Don’t be late.”
The girls set off with Sam’s mother watching as they trotted away from the pink house and back onto the grassy track.