Free Back in the Saddle by Catherine Hapka Page A

hunting. “Oh,” she said. “Uh, okay.”
    â€œGlad we have your permission.” Owen grinned. “By the way, how was that sissy English show thingy of yours? You and the runt win a fancy blue ribbon, or what?”
    â€œNo,” Haley said bluntly. “Speaking of horses, where’s Chance? I thought you said you’re going riding.”
    â€œPop said he could ride Chico,” Danny replied, waving a hand toward the pasture where the family’s three quarter horses were grazing.
    â€œGood, he’s about Owen’s speed,” Haley snapped. “Nice and slow and boring.”
    â€œOoookay.” Owen traded a look with Danny. “Whatever, Haley. See you later.”
    Bandit dashed after the boys as they headed into the barn. Haley took advantage of his departure to shove the wheelbarrow out through the gate, and dumped it with a little more force than absolutely necessary.
    Stupid boys, she thought. Why can’t they ever take anything seriously?
    By the time she returned, the boys had gone off to the pasture to fetch their horses. Haley hurried to Wings’s stall, and was relieved to find that he was finally dry beneath his cooler. She yanked it off and hung it on the stall door, then went to turn him out.
    On her way to the pasture, the boys passed her, leading Chico and Jet, but they just nodded and continued their conversation. Haley and Wings continued to the pasture, where Rusty was standing forlornly at the gate calling for his herd mates. He stretched his head over the fence when Wings approached, seeming relieved.
    â€œOkay, go on in, boy.” Haley patted the pony on the rump as he stepped through the gate. “And rest up—we have that lesson tomorrow, remember?”
    That made her feel a little more cheerful. Jan was great at helping her students pinpoint problems and then solve them. She’d be able to help Haley and Wings regain their mojo, if anyone could. Jan would help make sure that next time Haley and Wings really would come home with that fancy blue ribbon.

CHAPTER
7
    SUNDAY WAS WARM and still, with a hint of the pleasant spring weather that would be arriving before long. Haley leaned forward in the passenger seat of her uncle’s truck as he pulled up to Jan’s modest clapboard barn, set in the midst of stubbly winter fields that would soon be sprouting with corn and hay and soybeans. Andrew was already grooming his horse in the outdoor wash rack between the barn and the outdoor ring.
    By the time Haley had unloaded Wings and led him over to the tie ring beside Turbo, Kyle and Augie had arrived too. Andrew had Turbo tacked up before the others, but he stood nearby and let the thoroughbred grazeon the wispy bits of early spring grass while Haley and Kyle finished getting their horses ready.
    â€œSo,” Kyle said. “I talked to my parents, and I’m going to do that event next weekend too.”
    â€œCool.” Haley looked up from trying to brush a manure stain out of the white part of her pony’s coat. It was still too cold for a proper bath, so keeping him clean was a constant challenge. “Guess we’ll all be fighting for that blue ribbon again.”
    Andrew laughed, but Kyle shook his head. “Nope, I’ll leave that to you two. I’m going to drop back a level.”
    â€œReally?” That made Haley look up again. At unrecognized events it was common for there to be levels well below beginner novice, which was the lowest recognized level. She and Wings had done their first competition at something called mini-amoeba level, over a cross-country course that had been totally enclosed in a large fenced field, with obstacles ranging from small logs on the ground to railroad ties and simple flower boxes.
    Jan appeared at the end of the barn aisle just in time to hear Kyle’s comment. She was leading a tall, elegantdapple-gray gelding. The horse was fully tacked up in Jan’s jumping