The Ghostly Blinkers by Babette Cole

Author:Babette Cole
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781408811610
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 2019-11-23T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIX

The Event

Little Patch loved cross-country jumping. Gilly was very pleased with Penny’s performance. They were heading for a set of two downhill steps and Patch was getting a bit keen.

‘Slow down, Penny,’ advised Gilly. ‘This kind of jump needs to be taken from a trot. Sit back, legs forward, heels down, head up, give him his reins when he pops down. Once his back feet hit the ground at the last step, pick up the reins and head for that water jump over there.’

‘Better trot now, Patch,’ said Penny as they cantered up to the precipice of steps.

‘Oops, can’t!’ said Patch. ‘The ground’s too slippery – I can’t keep my feet!’

Penny had to think quickly as they were about to tumble down the steps head first.

‘Let’s Fly!’ she shouted just in time. Patch took off and flew neatly down, clearing both steps. He landed light as a feather and galloped off towards the water jump.

‘Wheee!’ he said as they leapt over the small log and down into the water.

Gilly Jumpwell stood with her mouth open. She had seen horses leap down two steps at once before but never like that. The little pony had just seemed to vanish for a second and then appear at the bottom of the steps without a jolt. Potty Smythe had been right. Penny Simms was exceptionally talented.

Waggit and Pip were next. Pip trotted neatly up to the steps and gently descended them. Pip did not sit back far enough and lost her balance on the landing.

‘Head up!’ shouted Gilly, but Pip had lost a stirrup. She fished for it as she was galloping on towards the water jump. Waggit did not like this kind of jump. He saw the black water coming closer and thought there was a big pony-eating monster waiting for him in its depths so he stuck his brakes on. He came to an abrupt halt at the log with his head down.

Pip sailed neatly over his head and landed in the water with a big splash. Waggit ran back to the other ponies and Dom caught him.

‘Looks like she’s gone surfing again,’ laughed Sam.

Gilly quickly legged the soaking wet Pip up on Waggit again.

‘OK,’ she said, ‘he’s lost his confidence so let’s see if he will walk gently into the water at the shallow end without a jump.’

Try as they might Waggit was not going in. He would not even follow the other ponies into the water. Gilly was getting slightly annoyed. She was not the kind of lady who gives up easily. She asked Penny if she would mind riding Waggit and having a shot at getting him into the water.

Pip agreed it would be a good idea so she swapped ponies with Penny.

Penny walked Waggit round, away from the other ponies, so she could have a word with him. He told her that his mother had got stuck in the mud on the bottom of a lake in Wales when he was a foal. He was convinced a water monster was lurking under the surface and was dragging her down.

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