“This stinks,” said Joanna.

Her black lab, Noah, looked up at her and sighed, then turned his patient gaze back to Robbie jumping Silver Sky over the obstacles in the ring.

“It’s not fair,” she said a little louder and kicked the bottom fence rail. Her dad glanced at her from the center of the ring, frowned, then turned back to watch Silver Sky. The white sport pony flew over fences with Robbie perched on his back like the pro he was.

“Just finish this round,” her dad called to Robbie. “We still have Trinket to work today.”

Robbie didn’t acknowledge that he’d heard their dad’s command, but Joanna knew he had. So did their dad. He never repeated anything he told Robbie because he knew his son always listened to him. After all, Robbie was perfect. The perfect rider. The perfect competitor. The perfect son, especially for a man who raised sport ponies for a living. After Jason, Joanna and Robbie’s oldest brother, hadn’t shown an interest in the ponies, then grew up and left home, Robbie was considered even more perfect. Joanna kicked the bottom rail again.

“Don’t you have some homework to do, Jo?” Dad asked, turning to look at her with a frustrated expression.

“Did it already.”

“Then why don’t you go help your mom in the house? She’d like that.” His fake smile seemed stuck to his face.

“I’m sick of being in the house. That’s all you ever want me to do. Why can’t I help with the ponies? Robbie did when he was my age, and so did Jason, and he wasn’t even into them!”

Behind their dad, Robbie pulled the white stallion to a halt and shook his head at her immature whining. He even showed his contempt perfectly.

“Okay, you can ride out to check the fillies,” Dad said. “No one’s been out there since this morning.”

“Can I ride Sky?”

Robbie laughed as he dismounted the magnificent sport pony. “Yeah, right.”

Joanna glowered at him. “I can ride him. I’ve ridden him before!”

“Yeah, around the ring at a walk and trot,” said Robbie.

Their dad looked from Joanna, to Robbie, and back again. “You can ride him, Jo. It’ll be good for him to get out of the ring, and after Robbie’s ride he won’t be too fresh. You should be okay.”

Joanna held back her exasperation as best she could. She could handle Silver Sky, and had said so many times. However, no one ever listened to her.

“Thanks, Dad,” she said, trying to sound grateful. And she was grateful, really. Usually she had to sneak out at night to ride the stallion.

“Just take him slow and easy, a nice trail ride. He needs to relax. And don’t spend too long with the fillies. It’s going to be dark soon.”

“Okay.” Joanna climbed over the fence and hurried to take Silver Sky’s reins. Robbie was already unbuckling the cinch of his expensive jumping saddle.

“Have fun riding a real pony for once,” he said quietly as he pulled the saddle from Silver Sky’s back.

“Robbie! There’s nothing wrong with Joanna’s pony.” Their dad had heard. Good! Maybe he’d realize Robbie wasn’t so perfect after all.

Head high, Joanna led the elegant Silver Sky from the ring. She wasn’t about to let Robbie know his words stung. She loved her dark pony, Raven, with all her heart. He was the kindest sweetest pony she knew and it hurt to hear someone say bad things about him. Especially since he was getting too small for her. Joanna felt her throat close off. If only she could stop growing.

Sneaking out at night to ride Silver Sky only made her feel worse about Raven too, guilty as well as worried. Silver Sky was the farm’s prized stallion for a good reason. Joanna had never ridden a pony with such power, grace, and strength.

If only Raven was more like Silver Sky.

No! She shouldn’t think such a thing!

But on the other hand, she had to be reasonable too. Even if she refused to ride any pony but Raven, no amount of loyalty was going to stop Dad from someday noticing how tall she looked on his back, how long her legs were getting. What would happen to her beloved pony then?

She stopped at a gate near the barn. Both Raven and Trusty, her dad’s big palomino gelding, thrust their heads over the top rail. Raven whinnied to her.

“Sorry, Ravie,” Joanna murmured and stroked his velvet nose. “But Dad hasn’t ever let me ride Sky outside the ring before. We’ll go for a long ride tomorrow, okay?” The pony snuffled her dark brown hair, but then shied away as Silver Sky came too close. Raven was always nervous of the large white pony, though for some reason Trusty never frightened him and he was even bigger.

“I’m sorry,” Joanna said, close to tears as she watched her black pony trot away from the gate, then turn to look at her from a safe distance. How could she do this to her precious Raven?

But how could she not ride Silver Sky, now that her dad had given her permission? Maybe if she spent lots of time with Raven tomorrow, brushing him so that he gleamed like dark satin, then took a long, leisurely ride down to the lake, they’d both feel better. Raven loved going to the lake, and if it was a nice day, they could swim together. And tomorrow was Saturday – no school – so they’d have lots of time.

“You have a good rest today, Ravie,” Joanna added, her voice a little cheerier. “And tomorrow we’ll have lots of fun. I promise.”