Hobbyhorse by Bonnie Bryant Read Free Book Online

would expect you to show more patience toward your own cousin.”
    “I didn’t ask for her to come here this week,” Lisa said.
    Max sighed. “As for Carole,” he said, continuing as though Lisa hadn’t spoken, “it bothers me that she left without talking to me first, especially after I asked her to stay. When you next talk to Carole, tell her that if she still wants to be an assistant instructor this week, all she has to do is apologize to Amelia, and we’ll consider this whole incident over.”
    “Apologize to Amelia?” Stevie was astounded. “Max, you’ve got to be kidding!”
    “Do you really mean Carole can’t be an assistant instructor anymore?” Lisa asked. “That’s not fair!”
    “What if one of you kids had gotten hurt when the horses stampeded?” Max asked in return.
    Lisa opened her mouth to protest further when Amelia’s sweet voice trilled down the aisle: “Lisa? Can you help me? I found Delilah’s saddle, but it’s on one of the top racks and I can’t reach it.”
    “Go on,” Max said, with a wave of his hand. “Help her, and then you two tack up, too. We’ve had enough discussion. I’d like for you kids to ride sometime today.”
    Stevie let the door slam behind her as she and Lisa walked out. “I can’t believe it!” she said.
    “Neither can I,” Lisa said. She was so upset that she was trembling. How could Max doubt Carole? It wasn’t fair that Amelia should always get her own way! “I’ll see you outside,” Lisa told Stevie. “Tack up fast.”
    Stevie nodded. Every problem looked better from the back of a horse.
    “H ERE ,” L ISA SAID , pulling Delilah’s saddle off its rack and thrusting it roughly into Amelia’s arms. She grabbed Prancer’s bridle and slung her saddle over her arm.
    “I found Delilah, and I groomed her and got her all ready except for the saddle,” Amelia said cheerfully, following Lisa down the aisle. “She’s very pretty, just like Max said.”
    Lisa didn’t respond. She went into Prancer’s stall and hugged the mare hard, breathing in her delicious horsey smell.
    “Max said Delilah was every bit as good as Prancer,” Amelia prattled on. “I agree. In fact, I think Delilah’s better-looking.”
    Lisa began to curry Prancer with big, sweeping strokes. “Oh, certainly,” she said, her voice heavy with sarcasm.“Delilah, she’s the number one horse in the stable. The absolute best. In fact, I’m sure she’s a lot like Star the Wonder Horse at your stable. I can’t believe Max is letting you ride her. You’re really lucky, Amelia.”
    Delilah was a good mare with a lovely disposition, but she certainly wasn’t the best horse in the stable. Thinking about it, Lisa realized that there probably was no “best” horse at Pine Hollow. They were all good at different things. Starlight could jump incredibly well, Calypso and Prancer both had fine pedigrees, Topside excelled at dressage. Tiny Quarter, one of the ponies, could jump a fence higher than his height, and he absolutely loved to be ridden cross-country. Old Patch was so sweet and careful that sometimes it seemed as if he, not Max, were teaching people how to ride. All these qualities were valuable. There was no one best horse any more than there was one best person at Pine Hollow.
    Lisa leaned down until she was looking Amelia right in the eye. “If you don’t tell Max the truth about that bucket, you’re going to have a very long week,” she said. “Now go tack up your horse, and leave me alone.”
    Amelia gave Lisa a small, slightly nervous smile. “But I did tell Max the truth about the bucket,” she said. She trotted off to Delilah’s stall. Lisa shook her head and turned back to Prancer.
    *   *   *
    O NCE SHE WAS in the saddle, Lisa’s day started to improve. Prancer seemed to sense Lisa’s mood and even seemed to be trying to cheer her up—the mare was being sweet and responsive. By the time they had jumped their first fence, Lisa felt much better.