Chapter Six

I didn’t mean to make Kate chase me last night – I just couldn’t resist the sight of all that lovely, long grass. Kate was really cross with me afterwards, though, and now Daisy’s been telling me off too. The cheek of it! She’s four years younger than me and yet she’s bossing me around!

I look up and Oskar is heading in my direction with some yummy carrots. I thought he’d already gone home.

‘Here,’ he says, holding them out. ‘For you.’

‘Well, I don’t mind if I do,’ I neigh back. He feeds me four big, juicy carrots and I’m beginning to think that this boy might be all right. He rode me quite well in this evening’s lesson and he was definitely keeping a tighter grip on my reins. Then I see Gizmo’s rider, Claire, coming towards us.

‘Hello,’ Oskar says to her. ‘Want to give some carrots to your pony?’

Oskar shares them with her and I’m not pleased. ‘I thought those were for me!’ I whinny.

‘You rode really well today,’ Claire is saying to him. ‘You’re always so calm. I seem to be in a permanent fluster.’

‘I just like to take my time,’ Oskar says to her. ‘My grandmother always tells me not to wish my life away. I can’t help wishing that I could have a proper birthday party this year, though. My friends are all in Poland, so I don’t really know who to invite.’

‘Haven’t you made friends at school?’ Claire asks. Oskar blushes a bit and looks away.

‘Not really … I don’t like to talk in class. Sometimes I forget words, and I am afraid no one will understand me.’

‘I think your English is very good,’ Claire says and, for the first time, Oskar gives a big, cheerful smile.

‘I am very happy that I have found the Pony Palace,’ he says. ‘I have wanted to ride since I was a little boy. It is so good here.’

‘I know, it’s so much fun,’ Claire says. ‘Mind you, I still wish our lessons were more exciting, and that we could jump bounce fences or something.’

‘I just want to get the basics right first,’ Oskar answers. ‘My father always says it’s important to learn the basic skills before you try more challenging things.’

Claire is nodding and looking at him as if he’s got a point, but then Mark arrives to get us ponies ready for the last ride of the day and Claire turns her attention to him. Oskar looks a little disappointed, so I rub my head into his chest to make him feel a bit better.

‘It’s okay,’ he says. ‘I am used to being left out. I know people in Northern Ireland find me hard to understand sometimes, but I am trying really hard, Tonto. I hope I will make some friends here soon.’

‘I’ll be your friend,’ I neigh, and I nuzzle him a little bit more to prove it.

‘Hey, what’s going on, Tonto? You are being so nice to me today! Maybe you aren’t such a naughty pony after all.’

Naughty? Me? Well, maybe a little – when there’s yummy food around. I let Oskar stroke my nose and hope that he will start to feel like he fits in here. So what if his voice sounds a little different? So what if he comes from a different country? As a wise horse once neighed, ‘Why fit in when you were born to stand out?’