Sea Horse Read Free Page A

have waited in the stable, but it was clear the woman didn’t trust her, and shewanted to get off on the right foot with the riding instructor.
    Lisa sat on a rattan chair in the office and waited for the instructor to return. She suddenly felt very lonely and somehow out of place. She’d always felt as if she belonged at Pine Hollow once she’d made friends with Stevie and Carole. How could it be so different on San Marco? She realized with some dismay that she’d only been out of Willow Creek for about six hours and she was already homesick.
More like stablesick
, she told herself, and smiled at her own joke. It made her feel a little better.
    After a few minutes, the riders dispersed, some on foot, headed for the pool, others on horseback, going out on the trail. The instructor entered the office.
    “Well, what can I do for you?” she asked.
    “I want to sign up for a ride,” Lisa began.
    The woman, whose nametag introduced her as Frederica, just half grunted in acknowledgment.
    “I’ve been taking lessons for about six months,” Lisa continued. “I can walk, trot, canter, and have begun jumping.”
    “Six months? Then we’ll put you on the beginner trail ride tomorrow at eight-thirty,” Frederica said.
    “I’m an intermediate,” Lisa said a little impatiently. She was surprised to hear herself contradict Frederica. It really wasn’t like her to stand up to an adult, but she knew that if she got into the beginners’ group, she’d never go faster than a walk.
    Frederica frowned. “You’ve only been riding six months—”
    “But I ride a lot—twice a week. And I went to riding camp. I’m in a Pony Club.”
    Frederica shrugged. “Okay, I’ll let you try the intermediate ride. That’s at ten o’clock. Here, fill this out. Get your parents’ signatures, too.”
    She handed Lisa a registration card and then abruptly left the office.
    Lisa glanced at the card, decided to fill it out later, stuck it in her pocket, and left the office. She had the feeling that a swim in the pool would feel really good about now. At least, it was certain to feel better than sitting in the office at the stable, trying to convince Frederica that she actually knew which end of the horse went first!
    As Lisa walked back along the roadway, she spotted the first genuinely friendly face she’d seen since she’d arrived at the stable.
    “Hi, my name’s Jill. Are you a rider, too?” the girl asked. She looked about eleven years old, a little younger than Lisa. She had bright red curly hair and a cluster of freckles sprinkled across her nose and cheeks.
    “I’m Lisa,” she replied. “And yes, I am a rider. I’m going on the intermediate ride tomorrow at ten. What about you?”
    “Me, too. Great,” Jill said. “Are you pretty good?”
    Lisa thought for a second. If Jill had asked her that question an hour ago, she wouldn’t have hesitated to sayyes, but now, Frederica’s doubt seemed to have affected her.
    “I don’t know,” she said. “I’ve only been riding less than a year, but I do ride a lot.”
    “Like once a week?” Jill asked.
    “No, more like twice a week, and then there’s my Pony Club. But when I was at camp last summer, I guess I rode about every day. I’m learning to jump, too.”
    “Wow! You really know your stuff, don’t you?” Jill said, clearly impressed. “You’re just going to love this ride. Tomorrow will be my third time. Frederica leads it. She’s really strict, but it’s great and you won’t have any trouble at all.”
    Somehow, Jill’s confidence was infectious.
I do really know my stuff
, Lisa thought. She knew how to ride. Equally important, she knew how to take care of horses. She knew how to feed them, groom them, even how to take care of them when they were sick. She was good. She’d learned a lot in six months. It didn’t matter what Frederica thought. She’d show that woman how good she really was!
    The two girls walked back toward the hotel and fell into an easy