Horse Mad Forever by Kathy Helidoniotis

Author:Kathy Helidoniotis [Kathy Helidoniotis]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780730492450
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

‘Is polocrosse as posh as polo? You know I’d never heard of it before you came along.’ Dad squinted up at me and smiled and took a huge bite of his sausage, onion and sauce roll. ‘I’ll never understand why you complain so much about the food here.’

‘In the whole time I’ve been here, this is the first time I’ve seen a sausage anywhere near the polocrosse field, believe me.’ I sighed.

Dad held his half-eaten roll up to my face. ‘Want some?’

I shook my head, feeling sick. All the good that I’d done on that trail ride had been ripped away. I was as raw as a peeled avocado.

‘Nervous, poss?’ Mum rubbed at my knee and I nodded.

‘Just go out there and have fun,’ she said. ‘We don’t care if you win, lose, draw…whatever!’

I nodded again just as Maryanne James hollered from the other side of the pitch for her teams to marshal themselves.

‘Good luck, Ash!’ Dad grinned and popped the last of his sausage into his mouth. I shook my head, wondering where he managed to fit it all.

The Linley Juniors Polocrosse Team—India, Katie, Stephanie, Sarah (the only left-handed player), Cleo and I—gathered together for a pre-match strategy talk. India, Katie and Sarah would play the first of the eight six- to eight-minute chukkas and Cleo, Stephanie and I would play the alternate chukkas. We quickly slipped our numbers into the plastic sleeves on the back of each other’s shirts. (I was Number Two and India didn’t miss her opportunity to make a number two joke.) Our horses’ legs were bandaged, their tails were tied up securely, they were warmed up and were all wearing tough bell-shaped petal boots that would protect their feet. We were ready for anything!

The Seniors team—Maryanne, Alysha, Bridget, Eden, Lily and a new player called Jessica D (there were three other Jessicas in Year Ten!)—were in a huddle at their goal end of the field. I loved playing them. They’d taught me the game and I was in awe of their moves. To get a goal against them would be completely mind-blowing!

We filed out onto the field, all twelve of us, and stood the horses in one long straight line while we sang the school song (only on Parents’ Day!). There was a huge crowd. It seemed like all of Linley had come out to watch. I could see Mum and Dad waving to me frantically from behind the fence. I wanted to ride well and play well and make them proud. I wanted to make them feel that they’d made the right decision to let me come back to Linley Heights. The school song was over and the two teams rode past each other, holding their racquets high and tipping each opponent’s racquet with their own. Cleo, Stephanie and I rode back to the marshalling area. The first eight minutes were out of our control. All we could do was keep our horses warm, watch the game and hope!

One of the mums was given the horn and the honour of starting the game.

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