Full Gallop by Bonnie Bryant

Author:Bonnie Bryant
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781497654150
Publisher: Open Road Media Teen & Tween

EIGHT

“Good job today, boy,” Callie said, patting Scooby on the shoulder as she brought the reins forward over his head. “Come on, let’s see about getting you a nice warm sponge bath and maybe some carrots.”

Scooby cocked an ear at the word carrots, then followed obediently as she led him toward the stable building. Callie was feeling good—she had decided to do about ten miles that day, mostly at a medium trot, and Scooby had gone along with the plan willingly. They had worked hard until the daylight started to desert them, when Callie had reluctantly headed in at a walk, cooling him out as best she could while they were still out on the trail. Now she was looking forward to spending the next hour or so pampering her horse, giving him a good grooming and then bedding him down for the night.

As they walked into the entryway, Callie brought Scooby to a halt to avoid running into Ben, who was just leading a school horse named Diablo out of the indoor ring.

“Hi,” Ben greeted her. “ ’Scuse us. Oh, and the farrier’s in there if you need him.” He gestured toward the indoor ring.

“Thanks. I think we’re okay for now.” Callie waited as Ben turned Diablo toward the stable aisle. “How’s his foot?” she asked, remembering that the bay gelding had been slightly lame after a lesson a couple of days earlier.

“So-so,” Ben replied. “Dr. Barker and the farrier both think it’s just a minor sole bruise, but we’re keeping an eye on it.”

Callie nodded, knowing that it probably wouldn’t be easy to keep Diablo quiet for too long. The spirited gelding’s unflagging energy was part of what made him an ideal horse for intermediate riders. He was well trained and athletic but could also be restless and headstrong when the mood struck him.

“Good luck,” Callie told Ben. “Hope he’s okay.”

She waited until Ben and the gelding were out of the way, then continued toward Scooby’s stall. Leading her horse in, she quickly untacked him.

“Be right back,” she promised, closing the stall door and hoisting the saddle and bridle. Heading for the tack room, she thought back over that afternoon’s ride.

For once, I can’t think of anything that could’ve gone better, she thought, a bit surprised to realize it. Scooby was great. I did okay. We accomplished what we set out to do and did it well. We’re quite a team!

She smiled, thinking how lucky she was to have found such a great partner in Scooby. The most amazing thing about it was that she’d almost missed him. The first time she’d gone to see him, she had been so distracted by other things going on in her life that she’d barely noticed what he was like. If she hadn’t decided to make a second visit, she might never have realized how well he fit what she was looking for.

But I guess that’s the way things go a lot of the time, she thought as she set her

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