A Pony Called Secret: A Time To Shine E-Book

Olivia Tuffin

• Herausgeber: Nosy Crow
• Kategorie: Für Kinder und Jugendliche
• Serie: A Pony Called Secret
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 165

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019

Beschreibung

The fifth in a fantastic series of perfect pony stories about Alice and her spirited young pony, Secret, from Olivia Tuffin, author of the much-loved The Palomino Pony series. Alice and Secret are back home after their eventful trip to Olympia - and Secret is now one of the best-known ponies in the country! After all the excitement of London, Alice is looking forward to a peaceful summer full of relaxing hacks and pony club fun. But with a major competition on the horizon and new girl Mia to mentor at Park Farm, the school holidays look set to be both busy and bittersweet... Check out Alice and Secret's other adventures: A New Beginning, A Friend In Need, A Ride to Freedom and more!

Leseprobe

For Florence

PROLOGUE

The girl angrily slammed the magazine shut and flung it on her bed. Suddenly she felt eleven years old again, and it all came flooding back to her. Not that she’d ever really forgotten. She’d wanted to ride so badly, to see those beautiful ponies every day. She’d been desperate to learn, and she would have tried her best, if they’d just given her a chance. And all it had taken was a phone call lasting barely thirty seconds to crush her dream. There hadn’t been another opportunity after that. She remembered sitting on the steps at home, still in her riding boots, crying like she’d never stop. She couldn’t stop thinking about the girl, the way she’d looked at her like she was nothing and couldn’t even be bothered to talk to her. She got a rush of anger when she thought about the girl’s dismissive expression. She hated her.

Picking up the magazine again, she studied the photo and felt the same rage start to build up. The other girl’s popularity kept growing. But one day soon, she’d pay…

Chapter 1

There she was again.

Alice Smalley just had time to make out the bright pink of a T-shirt before the girl flew back round the corner, peering out from behind the old wall next to the shop. Her big dark eyes gazed at Secret as Alice checked the traffic ahead and pushed Secret into a trot to make it round the parked cars before the oncoming tractor met them. When she glanced back, the girl had gone. Alice had seen her nearly every time she’d ridden out for the past few weeks, but by the time she was in a safe position to stop the girl was out of sight.

Reaching the drive back to Park Farm, where she lived with her mum and dad, Alice kicked her feet out of the stirrups and gave Secret a loose rein as he headed happily back up to the yard where the cool of his stable awaited, away from the relentless heat that gripped the country. As they headed into July, all the weather reports predicted the hottest summer on record, which was fine, Alice thought, if you didn’t have yard jobs to do and a pony to keep fit for a busy summer of showjumping! She’d taken to setting her alarm early and getting out on Secret long before breakfast, which is why she’d been surprised to see the girl also up and about.

A beep from her pocket broke through her thoughts and, pulling her phone out, she smiled as she opened a picture message from her friend Finn, who was spending the summer in Spain as part of the Rebel Riders stunt team, training with them at their base in Andalusia. Finn and Alice, who’d met when Secret had bolted out across a showground, had been through a lot and he was still one of her closest friends. But now he wasn’t around and so even with her busy training schedule it could get a little lonely in the yard. Alice’s mum, Josephine, one of the country’s top showing producers, had also lost Finn as a rider, but Alice knew his heart belonged with the display riding and not in the show ring. Just as hers belonged in the showjumping arena.

“Nice ride?” Alice’s mum greeted her with a smile as she led her own mare, Ella, back up to the yard after a night out in the fields. Ella was a rescue pony, brought back from Spain by Finn and his dad, Angus, who was Alice’s showjumping coach at Hilltops pony club.

“Great.” Swinging lightly off Secret, Alice chuckled as he rubbed his head against her. Despite the high temperatures, Secret, who was in peak condition, had barely broken a sweat.

“Alice!” her mum chided gently. “You know you shouldn’t let him do that. Bad manners!”

“I know,” Alice grinned. “But it is Secret.” Then she remembered what she had been meaning to ask her mum. “Did anyone move to the village recently?”

“I wouldn’t know.” Josephine shrugged. “Why do you ask?”

“Oh,” Alice said. “No reason really.”

They’d reached the stables now and Alice’s mum had put Ella into her stable, slipping off her head collar as she gave her neck a stroke. Alice thought back to the girl and wondered who she was. She’d try to stop and say hello next time she spotted her.

“Hey, Alice!”

Amy, one of Alice’s friends at the Hilltops pony club, bounded over. Alice was at the equestrian centre for her weekly team training with Angus. When she wasn’t riding she often hung out at the café on site with other members. Hilltops had almost become a second home. The café had cosy sofas covered with Newmarket blankets, and having a hot chocolate there with friends after lessons had become one of the highlights! Hilltops was close enough to home that Alice could ride over during the summer months, and she had enough time before her lesson to give Secret a break and get herself a cold drink.

Amy fell in step with Alice as she headed back over to Secret in the shade.

Amy grinned and pulled out her phone. “I’ve had over a hundred messages today asking how Secret is. Everyone loved that picture of him opening the gate!” She passed the phone over. “Here, have a read.”

Alice took the phone, scrolling through the comments. It was a particularly cute photo of Secret, catching him at his cheekiest, his eyes full of mischief as he fiddled with the gate latch.

Just then a new comment flashed up at the top of the screen. Alice could only read the first few words.

Bet she thinks…

Alice frowned, passing the phone back. She didn’t want to accidentally see any of Amy’s messages; perhaps it was a school friend.

“Think you have a message,” she said. “It just came up.”

Amy took the phone, and then paused, peering at the screen with a frown.

“What’s up?” Alice looked over at her friend curiously as Amy squinted at her phone and then tapped it a few times, before giving Alice a bright smile.

“Oh,” she said in a cheerful voice, “nothing. Just get some weird spammy messages sometimes. Here, look, you can read the rest!”

Alice skimmed through some more of the comments.

You’re my favourite, Secret!

Aw, adorable.

Love that pony!

They were from all over the county, girls and boys who followed Secret’s every move via his very own account. Using Alice’s photos and Amy’s witty captions, Amy had unofficially appointed herself as president of Secret’s fan club, something Alice was both grateful for and baffled by! When Amy had first suggested they set up an account just for Secret, Alice had been sceptical, but her friend had been so insistent that she’d given in. Alice barely had enough time to reply to Finn half the time, let alone respond to hundreds of messages from strangers. Ever since his big win at Olympia Horse Show and his heroic antics during his stay in London, Secret had become quite the celebrity. His win had been enough to catapult him into the spotlight, but he’d also gained thousands of fans for his bravery during a kidnapping, where he had not only saved two other ponies, but also helped to uncover a fraudulent pony-selling ring. He’d taken part in a parade with the mounted police at the big Christmas show, and in the months since Alice felt as though life had been a whirlwind.

“That’s nice.” She smiled and handed the phone back to Amy, and started to tack Secret up. “Sorry for all the work.”

“Are you joking?” Amy grinned, her eyes sparkling. “I LOVE it. And look, another interview request from Pony mag, and someone asking if Secret can open the new saddlery in Matterley. You’re in demand!”

Alice shook her head, totally bemused by it all. Although she had to admit it was kind of cool too. Secret’s cheerful and cheeky personality combined with his winning ways had gone down a storm. Alice still couldn’t believe how far they’d come.

Secret had always been special. He had helped Alice find her way again after her beloved first pony died, when she hadn’t wanted to see another horse ever again. First she’d tried showing Secret, as her mum had wanted her to, and it had been a total disaster. So they’d turned their hand to showjumping, which had always been Alice’s dream, and after a rocky start Secret was now tipped to be one of the country’s leading pony showjumpers. What a feat for the pony who’d famously once refused to trot in a ring, and who’d thrown Alice at her very first ridden event with him! Secret adored jumping – he was fast and nimble and his scope knew no bounds. Now that Alice had learned to cope with his strength and enthusiasm, they were unstoppable. Secret gave her the confidence she lacked in day-to-day life, and Alice knew she owed him everything.

“Anyway, you’d better get on, Angus is here.” Amy gave her friend a quick hug. “Word going round is there’s something exciting he wants to talk to us all about. Something about a big show. I’d better get tacked up!”

Alice was up and in the saddle in an instant, hugging Secret before gathering up her reins and heading towards the indoor school, eager to hear the news.

Chapter 2

“Ok, everyone, listen up!”

Angus leaned against one of the jump wings as he addressed the three pony clubbers gathered before him, Alice, Amy and Jordan, one of the few boys in the branch. Hilltops was a small club, and with everyone interested in different things – cross country, dressage, the Prince Philip Cup – it had been hard at times to get enough people interested in pure showjumping. For a while it had become really popular, but exams and school and other hobbies had started to crop up and numbers had decreased. But they’d had some good results as a pony club so far, and despite their small size the branch was starting to make a name for itself.

“I thought we all needed something to focus on this summer,” Angus continued as everyone glanced at each other. “What do you say to putting forward a team for the pony club competition at Hickstead?”

Alice sat up a little straighter in her saddle, feeling a jolt of excitement at the mention of one of the most famous showjumping arenas in the world. “Hickstead?” she repeated, grinning.

Alice knew that on the final day of Hickstead the pony club held a competition for branches, with the qualifying teams on the day getting the chance to jump in the main arena.

Angus nodded with a smile. “That’s right. The very one! I think Hilltops as a branch should take it up a level, don’t you? We might be small, but we’re more than capable!”

Alice grinned. “For sure!”

Jordan, next to her, whooped in delight. “So cool!” he said enthusiastically. “I did have football trials that week, but I’d rather jump.”

“Great! I’ve got to send in all the paperwork this week before the closing date,” Angus continued. “Alice, are you going to be at Hickstead for the showing classes?”

Alice nodded. “With Porridge. We’re hoping he’ll be in the junior ridden class. But that’s only if Mum can find someone to ride him.”

Porridge was her mum’s Shetland pony, who’d qualified in the junior class with the daughter of one of Josephine’s clients. But the little girl had also qualified her own pony and she couldn’t ride both. Alice’s mum was really hoping to find a young rider for the class. Alice loved Porridge, and would have ridden him herself had she not been too old for the class … and far too tall for Porridge!

“But who else will be on the team?” Amy asked. She was next to Alice on her gorgeous grey pony Whisper. “Don’t we need four?”

Angus smiled. “That’s another thing I was going to talk to you about. We’ve actually got a new member; she’s just transferred over from Pembroke North. You may have jumped against her a few times. Chloe Williams?”

Alice frowned. The name was vaguely familiar but Alice tended to keep herself to herself at shows, either waiting in the lorry with her mum or concentrating on Secret. Quite often the effort of keeping the little red gelding focused and controllable meant she missed the comings and goings of the warm-up ring and walking around on a loose rein chatting with the others in her classes. She’d never been to a social afterwards either, as Josephine liked to get straight home afterwards to sort out the ponies on the yard.

“Sounds good,” Alice said. “Has she tried out?”

“Not exactly,” Angus replied, “but she’s got good results. I met her mum last week and we agreed she could transfer over and join the team.”

Amy grinned. “Bring it on!”

Alice smiled too, caught up in her friend’s enthusiasm. She couldn’t picture Chloe Williams but she sounded like she had good form. And Hickstead was going to be amazing!

Angus soon had the riders trotting and cantering over a grid as he put the pony club members through their paces. Secret surged forward; his small stature never held him back even as Angus raised the last jump higher and higher. Secret whisked over it, his tail streaming behind him, his small pale feet tucked right up as he gave the jump plenty of space.

Alice could probably count on one hand the times Secret had knocked a pole from the wings; he was as careful as he was powerful, and so far she hadn’t found the limit to his scope. The Festival of the Horse, Olympia and now Hickstead on the horizon – it felt like nothing could stop him. And it would be even better jumping as a team with her friends! Alice thought back to the day her mum had let her join pony club. It had been the best thing for Alice and Secret, and now they were all set to represent the branch at one of the biggest shows in the country!

Alice was still thinking about the Hilltops showjumping team as she passed the whitewashed row of cottages on the corner of the road that led back up to her house after her lesson. Secret seemed to enjoy admiring his reflection in the windows as he passed and Alice chuckled, kicking her feet from her stirrups and stretching her ankles. In a world of her own, she was totally unprepared as Secret spooked dramatically, his head shooting up as he snorted like a dragon. Alice, not concentrating, tumbled neatly off him, landing on her hip in a patch of bleached grass, still clutching the reins. She jumped up, relieved she wasn’t hurt. That will teach me, she thought grimly.

“What happened there, boy?” Alice asked Secret, but just then she caught a glimpse of a girl with a mass of curly dark hair racing round the side of the cottages. She didn’t look as old as Alice, perhaps a couple of years younger. Alice heard a shouted apology as she disappeared from sight.

“Sorry, I’m so sorry!”

Alice frowned, realising it was the same girl she’d seen before. She brushed her jods off and stretched her legs. She wasn’t hurt at all, and Secret was nudging her as if asking her what on earth she was doing out of the saddle.

“It’s all right!” Alice called. “I’m fine – I wasn’t concentrating!” She led Secret round the side of the cottages, but the girl had disappeared. Alice wanted to let her know all was OK, but with Secret growing impatient to get back home to his friends Alice had no choice but to swing herself back into the saddle and head off. Glancing behind her as she rounded the corner, she glimpsed a small anxious face in one of the upstairs windows, but it happened so quickly she wasn’t sure if it was just her imagination.

The rest of the afternoon was spent on the yard, with more ponies to ride, fields to be cleared and hay nets to be made up, so Alice had no time to dwell on either the mystery girl or Angus’s news about Hickstead and a new team member.

The sun was still high in the sky as she finished making up the last of the feeds. She decided she would come back later to turn out the ponies for the night. Clipping Secret’s special lock to his stable door so that he couldn’t undo it and cause carnage, she headed towards the house for dinner, hungry after a day’s hard work. Her mum was out judging and her dad was still at work, but Fergus, the head groom, was about.

Suddenly Poppy, the family’s elderly dog, gave a bark, scrambling unsteadily to her feet. Alice frowned at the unfamiliar car heading up the drive, coming to a stop outside the yard gates. Alice usually got to know the cars that belonged to her mum’s clients, who came to visit their ponies at training. Wiping her dusty hands on her jodhpurs, she approached the car as a lady with a slightly worried expression and black curly hair came forward.

“Hi!” Alice said, wondering how she could help. “My mum and dad aren’t in right now…”

The lady smiled. “Actually, it’s you I’m after,” she explained. “Do you ride a reddish-coloured pony?”

“Yes?” Alice replied hesitantly. Secret had once got out and was found munching on prize-winning flowers in someone’s carefully tended garden, so she was always wary when he was mentioned. But she knew he was safely in his stable right now, and he hadn’t escaped the yard for ages!

The lady looked relieved. “Oh! I’m so glad you’re OK!”

Alice must have looked confused, because the lady smiled again. “You fell from your pony earlier,” she said. “My daughter Mia was waiting to see you and rushed out, but she must have scared him.”

Ah, Alice thought. The younger girl she’d seen. It was making sense now.

“Oh, I’m fine! It was my fault really. He spooks easily and I wasn’t concentrating, so please tell your daughter not to worry.”

“Thank you,” she said. “She’s been so upset, you see…” Her smile faded for a moment and then she seemed to shake herself. “Anyway. Sorry for disturbing you!” She started to head back to her car, but Alice frowned.

“Wait!”

The lady turned back to her.

“Does your daughter like ponies?” Alice asked.

The lady nodded and smiled. “Mad about them,” she said. “I don’t know where it came from, certainly not from me or her dad, but ever since she could talk it’s all she’s gone on about. Where we used to live, in the city, she rode every week. She loved it – it was the thing she looked forward to most – but since we moved…” She paused. “I thought we might see more horses, but it’s hard when you don’t know anyone. We asked another lady who rode past once but she sort of dismissed us. Then my daughter saw you. She loves to just watch you ride past. She said your pony is famous!”

Alice felt humble. She knew how lucky she was to have been born into a horsey family. She also knew what it was like to be completely and utterly pony mad, and could only imagine what it must be like not to be able to spend time with ponies. Suddenly she had an idea.

“Tell your daughter to come up!” she blurted out. “She can come and see the ponies, if she likes. I mean, only if she wants to…” Her voice trailed off, and she worried she might sound patronising somehow.