Free Puzzle: The Runaway Pony by Belinda Rapley

Puzzle. Charlie had happily agreed, and Rosie had legged her up onto Puzzle’s broad back. Charlie felt the warmth of his sturdy body as she wrapped her legs around him. He was a hand taller than Pirate at 14.2hh, but Puzzle felt much bigger because he was very chunky and cobby and her legs had to stretch much further to get round him.
    Charlie squeezed Puzzle. That would’ve been enough to send Pirate into an immediate speedy jog, but Puzzle took a moment longer to respond. After a second or two’s delay, he walked steadily out into the muddy ring in the schooling paddock behind the stables. Charlie walked him on both reins, making sure that he was warmedup before squeezing him into a trot. At first nothing happened, so Charlie asked again, this time more firmly, and he popped into a slow, comfortable trot. His ears flickered back and forward as he listened to Charlie. She smiled, thinking how short-striding and speedy Pirate’s trot was compared to Puzzle’s.
    She asked him for a canter and he bobbed forward. Charlie sat easily on his broad back as he cantered steadily and slightly lazily, his pink nose poking out just a bit. Then after a circuit of the ring Charlie squeezed on the reins and he fell back into a trot. She re-balanced him and rode him over to the others, who were sitting on the fence huddled up in their jackets as they watched.
    “He’s so sweet!” Charlie beamed, patting Puzzle. His ears pricked, and he got mints offered from all sides. “He didn’t put a hoof wrong. He’s a bit stiff at the moment, but that’s not surprising. I reckon he hasn’t been ridden for a while, but he’s been nicely schooled in the past – it wouldn’t takelong to get him going really well again. Daisy, Pixie, do either of you want to have a go on him?”
    Pixie almost fell off the fence as she pushed Daisy in front of her, and Daisy almost fell off in her eagerness to have a go. Charlie legged Daisy up while Puzzle stood quietly, looking round as she landed gently on his back. She walked him round and even tried a little jog, but then started laughing and nearly slid off, so she brought him back to the fence.
    “Come on, Pixie,” she said, “even I felt safe up there, and that’s saying something. He really is lovely to sit on.”
    Pixie didn’t look convinced, but the others persuaded her and she suddenly gave in.
    “Okay, okay!” She smiled, and hopped off the fence. “I’ll do it!”
    Charlie gave her a leg-up and stood beside her to begin with. Pixie looked anxious and jittery, tipping forward and holding her reins far too tight, so much so that Puzzle raised his head, a confusedlook on his big, honest face. Pixie squealed nervously, looking as if she was going to get off. But Charlie just told her to ease up on the reins and, when she did, Puzzle dropped his head and stepped forward. It wasn’t long before Pixie started to radiate happiness as sunny as her yellow raincoat as she went round. Once she’d relaxed and realised that Puzzle wasn’t going to do anything scary, it became clear that she was actually a good rider, just like her dad had told Mrs Millar.
    Pixie rode over to them, beaming.
    “So, all set for the ride to the field tomorrow, then?” Rosie asked, jumping off the fence and patting the contented cob. Everyone looked at Pixie expectantly, including Daisy, who was having to miss the ride.
    “Er… I guess I am!” She laughed, leaning down along Puzzle’s neck and putting her arms around him. He pricked his ears as everyone gave him lots of fuss, and Rosie was convinced that he was smiling as they led him back to the stables.

    On Sunday morning the heavens opened, and it wasn’t until nearly lunchtime that it finally eased up and the five could set out under a sullen sky. They agreed to ride at a walk the whole way to the field as Pixie didn’t have a saddle. After her trial ride the day before she looked totally relaxed from the start. As Puzzle strode happily along, his fluffy