SANDY LANE STABLES, BOOK 5 - DREAM PONY

CHAPTER 12 JESS HAS DOUBTS

Jess didn't feel as comfortable riding at Rychester any more. With Amy gone the stables took on a different feel. Amy's replacement, a sour-faced girl called Mel, was hard and unhelpful. Amy had always had an encouraging word for Jess or an easy smile. Jess missed her friendly face. No one seemed to know where she had gone to, although Jess had asked. One day the postman pulled up at the stables with a registered package addressed to Amy. Jess was the only one around at the time and, as she turned the package over in her hands, she noted the sender's name - Barry Watkins. Why did that sound familiar? She shrugged. "I'm sorry, I can't help you," she said to the postman. "Amy's moved on and no one seems to know where she's gone." "Oh well." The postman took the package and went off whistling. 

Meanwhile, lessons for Ash Hill continued apace, and Jasper, when he wasn't at work, made sure he was in attendance to give his opinions. Martin Jennings was still training them once a week, but now Mel was around as well, adding her opinion. She always backed Jasper up so any criticism felt doubly harsh. The Ash Hill team were all capable riders but, anxious to get into Jasper's good books, an uneasy feeling of competitiveness had crept its way between them. Only Camilla seemed oblivious to it all. She was her father's daughter when it came to her obsession with success. All her talk was of winning this show, or that show, of how Apollo was bound to jump really well at Ash Hill and bring home a load of rosettes for Rychester. Jess hoped so too, but Skylark's winning potential wasn't the only reason she loved her pony. "I wish you'd get your act together, Jess," Camilla snorted after one particularly bad lesson the Saturday before the show. Skylark had refused twice and finally run out at the second to last fence. "I'm beginning to think you'll be more of a liability than an asset at Ash Hill." Jess was furious. "Skylark and I would be fine if people like you and your dad would lay off us for a while." Camilla shrugged in an off-hand manner. "Fair enough. But if Apollo showed me up like that, I would think about selling him on." "Selling him on?" Jess gasped in disbelief. "But Camilla, you... you couldn't part with him, he's perfect." "The only perfect ponies are prize-winning ponies," 

Camilla said airily. "That's what Daddy always says." Jess heard that message again the same afternoon when Jasper met her as she walked Skylark across the stable yard. "Off for a spot of jumping?" he demanded, stopping Jess in her tracks. "No, I think we've jumped enough times this week." Jess climbed into the saddle. "I was going to take Skylark out for a hack." Jess was nervous, but determined. She wouldn't let Jasper bully her. "I don't think that's such a good idea," Jasper said sternly. "You should be cramming in the jumping practice, you know. I hope you realize, Jess, that all the horses at Rychester have won plenty of competitions before. Skylark's the only one without a rosette for us yet. And remember Jess, a perfect pony is a prize-winning one. There's only room for winners in my stables." Jess waited for him to smile in jest - he couldn't be serious could he? But with that, Jasper was gone. Jess looked after him in stunned silence. What was he saying? That Skylark wasn't any good because she hadn't won anything yet? Jess was amazed that anyone could be so heartless. She arrived. Sometimes Jasper's words frightened her. 

"Oh Jess, she's fantastic. A real dream to ride." Rosie grinned broadly at Jess as she drew Skylark to a halt at the edge of the field. Jess leaned forward in Minstrel's saddle and smiled back at Rosie. "She's lovely, isn't she?" And then as Minstrel snorted loudly, Jess laughed and patted the piebald's shaggy neck. "You're lovely too, Minstrel - in a riding school type of way!" "Speaking of which," Rosie said reluctantly. "We ought to head back to Sandy Lane. It's getting late." As two girls rode the ponies across the fields towards Sandy Lane, Jess felt happy - really happy - for the first time in ages. The Wednesday evening light was fading and soon she would have to head back to Rychester to stable Skylark. In the meantime, it had been excellent to share her new pony with Rosie at last. And it had been comforting to ride Minstrel again, whose familiar gait and steady ways inspired a nostalgic feeling for her old stables. As they clattered into Sandy Lane, they saw Tom leading Chancey into his stable. He gave Jess and Rosie a friendly wave as he went. Alex and Kate, who were arguing over who's turn it was to sweep the yard, looked up and greeted Jess. "Skylark's lovely, Jess, you lucky thing," Charlie called as he unchained his bike. Jess tethered Skylark to the yard rail and followed Rosie into Minstrel's stable to untack the pony. "We've been really busy training for the Ash Hill show," Rosie said conversationally as they worked. "How are Rychester doing?" "Oh, they're all pretty determined," Jess said quickly. She didn't feel much like taking about

Rychester at the moment. She was more interested in Sandy Lane. "What's the news here then?" she asked her friend. "Oh, the usual, I suppose," Rosie paused. "Tell me the usual," Jess urged. "OK, well, Storm Cloud's still lame, but the next few days," Rosie began." And Izzy and I have been practising for Ash Hill together. Pepper and Midnight get on well, so we always try to ride together after school... mind you, we're not very disciplined about it. Izzy's so funny, we always end up having a laugh. Nick gets cross with us. He says Ash Hill's going to be a challenging show and it's the focused and determined riders who'll do best, but we're just having fun really. Um, what else?" Rosie slipped off Minstrel's bridle. "Oh yes, there's a little girl just started lessons. Her name's Hannah. Anyway, she adores Minstrel and has been spoiling him rotten - loading him up with sugar lumps. Minstrel thinks it's brilliant. He's devoted to her." Rosie chattered away excitedly, and Jess felt a pang of envy. They didn't need her here at all. Well, it didn't matter. She had Skylark and that was all that counted, wasn't it? "Oh and listen to this, Jess," Rosie continued. "Nick's having all his Ash Hill riders round for supper on Friday after school. It's sort of to say thanks to all the regulars really. There's been loads of extra work to be there - tons of horribly muddy ponies to groom and leaky stables to clear out and Nick says we've all really pulled our weight and he's proud of us and, oh..." Rosie stopped short as she caught sight of Jess's mournful expression. 

"It's all right, Rosie." Jess gave a little shrug. "I know I'm not a Sandy Lane regular anymore. It sounds as if you're having a lot of fun." "Well..." Rosie sounded apologetic. "It's been all right. Probably nowhere near as exciting as the things you've been doing. We've all missed you Jess, but you're the lucky one, having Skylark and being able to keep her at Rychester. I mean, it's top of the range!" "Nothing but the best for Jasper Carlisle," Jess muttered under her breath. But Rosie, turning to adjust Minstrel's haynet, appeared not to have heard her.