Sapphire: New Horizons by Heather Brooks

Author:Heather Brooks
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780061971754
Publisher: HarperCollins

12

It wasn’t Sapphire who was hurt, she realized with a sob of relief.

Sapphire was standing over a dark bay horse that was on his belly. The injured horse had his front legs out in front as he tried to pull himself to his feet. He had a big blaze down the front of his face and two white rear socks.

Aunt Debby was holding the injured horse’s halter, and her dad was shoving at his butt, both of them trying to help the horse stand.

Mystic thundered down the hill just as the horse managed to stagger to his feet, rocking dangerously back and forth once he made it.

Aunt Debby shouted, and Emily’s dad brought his horse, which she realized was Moondance, around to the side, using her as a brace to hold up the other horse. Moondance planted her feet and leaned into the injured horse, clearly accustomed to being used to do exactly that.

“What’s wrong?” Mystic skidded to a stop and Uncle Rick vaulted to the ground, yanking his medical kit out of his saddlebag.

“Bad leg. Deep wound on his side—” Aunt Debby stopped talking suddenly and looked at Emily. “Go back to the top of the hill and wait for us. I don’t want you to see this.”

But Emily didn’t move. She was too shocked by the sight of the injured horse. He was so thin she could see all his bones, and his head hung low with exhaustion. She slid off Mystic and hobbled to the injured animal, hugging his face to her belly and patting him.

He let out a huge sigh that made him shudder, then pressed his head into her. Sapphire lowered his head, and she kissed his nose, so relieved to see him.

Emily wrapped her arms around both the injured horse and Sapphire and looked at the adults, who were ignoring her again, clustered around the injured horse’s back left side, all of them looking really, really serious. “Is he okay?”

Emily’s dad finally looked at her, and his face was grim. “He’s hurt badly, Em, and no one took care of him.”

“Well, why not? Who was supposed to take care of him?”

Aunt Debby turned her head and gave Emily a thoughtful look. “Now that is a very good question.” Her eyes narrowed. “I intend to find that out.”

Emily’s dad glanced at Aunt Debby. “I’ll head back to the barn and pick up the trailer. He’ll never make it back there on his own.”

Aunt Debby nodded as Uncle Rick bent over, inspecting the wound. “Hurry.”

Emily’s dad gestured at Emily. “Ride Mystic. I’ll take Sapphire.”

“Sapphire? But—” Emily paused as her dad gave her a leg up onto Mystic, then she watched her dad swing onto Sapphire’s back and grab the tattered reins to turn him back into the woods. The stirrup banged against her ankle and she flinched, so she quickly flipped the stirrups over Mystic’s withers, crossing them so they’d stay out of the way while she rode. There was no way she’d be able to ride with her feet in the stirrups.

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