Olivia Tuffin - A Pony Called Secret: A Ride To Freedom

Chapter 1

O K, Mum, just a few more bits to find. Passport, vetting certificate, travel documents and I think thats it! Thirteen-year-old Alice Smalley carefully consulted the list she was holding while her mum rifled through the filing cabinets.

There we are. Josephine, Alices mum, pulled out a stack of paperwork, before smiling at her. Your first trip abroad! And with Secret! Are you sure youll be OK?

Well be fine, Mum, Alice replied, ignoring her nerves. Shed never gone away on her own before. Shed never taken part in school trips, even the one to the Lake District where everyone had got soaked! It had been the talk of the school, but Alice had missed out the ponies and her mums showing yard taking priority. But this was different. Alice was going away with her beloved roan pony Secret, and not just down the road; she and Secret were setting sail and travelling across the English Channel to France!

It still hadnt sunk in that Alice was going. The trip had come about so fast, and with a break in the showing schedule and the summer holidays underway her mum had agreed. The trip was a visit to a beautiful riding stables with other pony club members from all over the country, to take part in the Festival du Cheval Festival of the Horse. On the final day of the festival the pony club members were going to participate in a prestigious showjumping competition against contestants from French clubs. But theyd be able to enjoy the rest of the festival during their stay, with lessons and hacking on the agenda.

When June Darby, the district commissioner of Hilltops pony club, had announced back in March that three members of the branch would be selected at random to go on the trip, Alice had put her name down, not expecting much. But Alice and Secret had been drawn from the hat, along with a boy called Sam and a girl called Holly.

Alice had been very relieved that Hannah wasnt coming on the trip. Hannah, the most popular girl in the pony club, had caused a huge amount of heartache over the winter, coming between Alice and her friend Finn. And on the night of Hannahs fourteenth birthday party Alices mums beloved Highland pony, Lachlan, had been killed in an accident, thanks to the actions of Hannahs friends. The teenagers had accidentally let Ella, a pony Finn had rescued from Spain, escape into a terrible snow storm. During her rescue Lachlan had been hit by a speeding car. Hed suffered catastrophic injuries to his leg and had to be put to sleep.

A whinny from the stable yard brought Alice back to the present, and she smiled. Such an insistent call could only belong to Secret. If he knew Alice was nearby, he would whinny and bang on the door until she came and said hello. Slipping out of the door, Alice crossed the yard, pausing as she always did next to Lachlans stable, which had been left empty. Her mum had folded his navy Olympia rug over the manger, and Fergus, the head groom, had fitted Lachlans horseshoes to the door in tribute. As always, a lump formed in Alices throat as she brushed the horseshoes with her fingertips. She missed the gentle Highland dreadfully.

And there was Secret. In the cool of his stable, trailing his hay over the door, there was a cheerful glint in his dark eyes as he rubbed his head against Alices arm. Haymaking was taking place all over the county, and the sweet scent of cut grass was heavy in the air. Next door to him, Ella, his best friend, popped her head over her door and whickered in greeting.

Hello, you! Alice grinned. She gave the grey mare a scratch on the neck, marvelling as she always did at the change in the pony. She was plump from Alices mums excellent grazing, her coat soft and shiny, her ears forward. It was such a change from the defensive, angry pony who had arrived at the start of the year. Finn and his dad, who together had rescued the mare from Spain, had signed her over to Josephine after she and Ella had formed a strong bond.

Since Lachlans death, Alice had noticed that her mum was somehow softer. She enjoyed spending time with Ella and had even scaled back her showing, taking in a few youngsters, but encouraging Alice more with her showjumping. Back in February, Alice had made the pony club showjumping team as a reserve member, allowing her to train with the team without the pressure of the competitions.

Just then, both Secret and Ella looked up and whinnied in unison, and as Alice turned she felt familiar butterflies in her stomach as Finn approached, riding hat swinging off his arm, dark hair tangled, worn cowboy boots scuffing the yard floor.

Finn was never particularly smiley, but even so Alice noticed he looked especially grim today, a deep frown etched on his face. She rolled her eyes. No doubt hed been arguing with Sasha, his feisty older sister, again. Alice knew things got strained at Finns home, Rookham Manor, especially now his dad had returned from his travels. The siblings were fiercely loyal to each other, but they fell out all the time! Finn and Sasha had a pony display team, the Flying Fillies, which performed locally, and Finn also rode ponies for Josephine.

Whats up? Alice asked. Sash again?

Only yesterday, Finn had been complaining that his older sister had decided to change the music at one of their displays last-minute. Sasha was spontaneous, creative and bursting with a million ideas, and Alice knew it drove Finn mad at times.

There was the smallest of pauses before Finn shook his head, his features softening. For a second he looked completely lost in thought.

Alice gave a little smile. He always looked so much nicer when he wasnt cross.

Sort of, he said. Just some stuff at home. You know, the usual.

Alice nodded, though that could mean anything when it came to Finn and his family. Finn normally talked to her about it when they were out riding. They could talk about anything when out on the ponies, as if being in the saddle gave them both extra confidence. Finn had come over today to school Archie, Samanthas beautiful Fell pony. Samantha was a client of Josephine whod become a good friend of the yard.