Free Horseflies by Bonnie Bryant

the right lead half the time and the wrong lead the other half of the time. It’ll feel weird to you at first, but it’s an excellent way to keep both you and your mount supple and in tune with each other. Understand?” All the riders nodded.
    “Okay. Lisa, would you lead off, please? Just ride through this zigzag course and keep giving the signals for a left lead.”
    Carole guided Starlight to a place at the end of the line and watched as Lisa and Prancer led off the exercise. Moving at an easy canter, Lisa worked her way down the ring, Prancer always leading with her left foreleg.
    “Good!” Max called when they finished. “Okay, next rider, follow her!”
    The next rider was Stevie on Belle; then the third rider joined in. By the time Starlight and Carole joined the line, most of the other riders had finished and were waiting to see what she and Starlight were going to do.
    “Okay, boy, here we go,” Carole said softly.
    At first Starlight lurched forward in a bounding canter. Carole reined him in, and he continued in a more collected gait. His canter was smooth, and though he wanted to change his lead, he obeyed her signals to maintain it. Carole felt a warm glow of pride as they zigzagged perfectly down the length of the ring. She had been right about what was wrong with Starlight all along, and she had also been right about what to do about it. It was just the way Max said: A good horse owner knew what was best for her horse.
    Max finished the lesson by having them ride in large circles to practice a turn called the volt. Then he had them cool their horses down. Carole guided Starlight over beside Lisa and Stevie.
    “Hey, you looked great out there,” Carole said to Lisa.
    “Thanks,” Lisa said. “I was kind of nervous. I kept hoping I would remember how to ask for a left lead.” She laughed and gave Prancer a pat on the neck. “I guess Prancer knew what I was asking for.”
    “Phew!” Stevie exclaimed. “Don’t you guys think it’s hot today?” She pulled her shirttail out and fanned cool air on her stomach.
    “Not really,” said Carole. “But mostly I’ve been flying around the paddock on Starlight.”
    Stevie wiped the sweat from her forehead. “I’ve got a good idea. Why don’t we untack everybody fast and call an emergency Saddle Club meeting at TD’s? Wouldn’t a lime sherbet freeze with coconut and chocolate taste good right now?”
    “Well, I could maybe go for a plain old hot fudge sundae,” said Lisa. “But what’s our emergency?”
    “Uh, we can dream up alternative air-conditioning plans,” Stevie suggested with a grin.
    “Huh?” said Carole.
    “You know. Ways The Saddle Club can stay cool this summer. Lots of swimming, wading in the creek …”
    “Trips to TD’s?” Carole laughed.
    “Right,” said Stevie.
    “Sounds good to me!”
    “Great!” Stevie turned Belle toward the stable. “Last one ready to go to TD’s is a rotten egg!”
    Though of course the girls dismounted and walked their horses back into the stable, they moved as quickly as they could. Carole could hear Stevie whistling as she untacked Belle.
    “I promise I’ll give you a bath and the grooming to end all groomings tomorrow, Starlight,” Carole vowed as she pulled the saddle off her sweaty horse. She put up his tack and quickly curried him, running a brush over him just enough to get the sweat off his skin. She filled his water bucket with fresh water and gave him two armloads of hay. He nickered with contentment as he settled down to munch his snack.
    “It won’t always be like this, Starlight,” she said. “Just assoon as everything settles down and I finish with my Pegasus project, I promise you’ll be the only horse I think about for the rest of the summer!”
    “I’m almost ready,” Stevie taunted from Belle’s stall.
    “Bye, Starlight.” Carole rubbed him gently behind the ears before she hurried out of the stall. “I’ll see you tomorrow!”

“A HHHHH !” S TEVIE