Chasing Gold Read Free

from Chincoteague. The four of them might never have met except for one thing—they all loved and rode Chincoteague ponies. The Pony Post was a place where they could share that interest, along with photos and stories about their ponies and the rest of their lives.
    When Haley logged on to the Pony Post, she found several new posts from the others. She skimmed them as she pulled on her socks. Most were just the usual chitchat about the other girls’ ponies and such, but a few were aimed at Haley.
    [MADDIE] Hey Haley, thought of u today—Ms. Emerson offered to take some of us from the barn to watch a big local three-day event as a field trip! I told everyone I know someone who events, and they were all totes impressed!
    [NINA] Sounds fab, Mads! Just think—somedayit’ll be Haley riding in those big events. We can say we knew her when!
    [BROOKE] Have u saved up enough for the ZC clinic yet, Haley? I know u were worried about that. It’s coming up pretty soon, right?
    [NINA] But we know you can do it! You’ll make it to that clinic and blow ZC away! She’ll probably want to hire u as her groom and apprentice.
    [MADDIE] & she’ll prolly be so impressed w/Wings that she’ll try to buy him so she can ride him in the next Olympics!
    [BROOKE] But Haley will never sell—she & Wings are a team!!!
    [MADDIE] Of course she won’t sell. I’m just saying. Anyway, Haley, check in when u can and let us know what’s up and how we can help!
    Haley smiled. Maybe nobody around here understood how excited she was to ride with Zina Charles. But at least her Pony Post friends were just as thrilled about it as she was!
    She clicked open a text box, thinking about how to respond. Just then she heard her aunt hollering her name.
    Oops. Haley realized it was time to go. Writing back to her Pony Post friends would have to wait a little longer.
    â€œComing!” Haley shouted, tucking the laptop under her arm and heading for the stairs.

CHAPTER
2
    HALEY YAWNED AS SHE SPUN the combination lock on her locker. She was so tired that she had to do it three times before it clicked. As she swung the locker open, she glanced at the collage of pictures she’d taped inside the door. There were several photos of Wings. Her favorite one showed him wading in the farm pond, which reminded her of his Chincoteague heritage. There were also a couple of pictures of her and Wings jumping various things, including her aunt’s favorite garden bench. Danny had taken that one—he was actually a pretty good amateur photographer.
    More recently, Haley had added a big picture of ZinaCharles that she’d clipped out of a magazine. It showed Zina aboard one of her horses, a big bay with a wide blaze and a bold expression. The two of them were jumping an impressive-looking trakehner at last spring’s Rolex Kentucky Three-Day, the most prestigious event in the United States.
    â€œI’m getting there, Zina,” Haley murmured, brushing her fingers across the picture. She couldn’t wait to meet Zina and soak up everything she could from her. All she needed was a little more money to pay the clinic fee. Then she and Wings would be on their way to moving up the levels. And maybe someday it would be them jumping a huge obstacle in some important competition. . . .
    â€œYo, Duncan,” a voice interrupted Haley’s daydreams.
    Blinking, she turned and saw Owen Lemke standing there, grinning at her. “Oh,” she said. “Hi.”
    She’d known Owen for as long as she could remember. Not only were they in the same class at school, but he was a rider too. Haley often competed against him when she took Wings to local play days and team pennings. It wasn’t eventing, but it was still fun—especially whenshe and Wings beat out Owen and his fancy registered quarter horse.
    â€œWhat’re you doing?” Owen leaned past her, peering at the pictures in her locker.