The Prize Read Free Page A

field, despite being sixteen hands high when most polo ponies were fifteen-two. But Georgie knew that the mare’s special abilities were wasted on chasing a little white ball. Belladonna was bred to jump – plus she had the speed and stamina required to make a great eventing horse. Their comeback in Tara’s class this term wasn’t just about Georgie – it was a chance for Belle to prove herself too.

    The boarders had been trickling back into Blainford all that weekend, returning in time for the start of the new term on Monday. Georgie’s room mate, Alice Dupree, came with the news that she was no longer riding her beloved William. She had brought back a new horse on the truck from Maryland and the Badminton House girls couldn’t wait to get down to the stables to meet him.
    â€œDon’t get too excited,” Alice told them as they walked along the driveway to the stable block. “He’s another hand-me-down – like all of my horses.”
    Alice inherited horses the way most girls got their big sisters’ outgrown clothes. She was the third Dupree sister to attend Blainford. Her eldest sister, Cherry, was now a professional rider on the national showjumping circuit, and Alice’s new horse, Caspian, had belonged to her.
    â€œHe was supposed to be Cherry’s next Grand Prix superstar,” Alice told the others, “but Cherry’s been crazy-busy with work, riding other people’s horses. Mum said since Caspian wasn’t getting ridden, Cherry should give him to me for the term.”
    Until now, Alice had been riding William the Conqueror, a well-bred chestnut warmblood. But over the holidays she had noticed that Will was scratchy on his left foreleg. By the last week of the holiday that scratchiness had developed into a hoof abscess and Will was lame. When the vet was called out to the Dupree ranch to cut out the abscess he did some x-rays and found that the gelding also had degenerative arthritis in his hocks. The abscess would cure – but the hocks were a disaster. It was the end of William’s jumping career.
    The Badminton House girls knew how much Alice had adored Will. But she seemed pretty thrilled with having Caspian as his replacement – and when they arrived at the stables they could see why.
    Caspian was a stunner. A long-limbed Oldenburg, pale grey with dapples on his shoulders and rump, and a steel-grey mane and tail, he stood in his loose box and nibbled blithely on his hay net while the girls admired his beauty.
    â€œHe’s gorgeous!” Emily was wide-eyed.
    â€œI know!” Alice looked at him possessively. “He’s so handsome I just keep staring at him!”
    â€œIs he any good at cross-country?” Daisy asked.
    â€œHe’s never done it,” Alice conceded. “He’s brilliant over coloured poles, but that’s all he’s ever jumped with Cherry. I guess I’ll find out tomorrow.”
    Monday afternoon would be when the eventers had their lesson with Tara Kelly.
    â€œTara might take it easy on us,” Emily Tait said hopefully. “It’s only our first day back.”
    Daisy gave a hollow laugh. “I doubt it!”
    Emily turned to Georgie. “Can she eliminate you a second time? Or do you have immunity now?”
    Alice frowned. “It’s not an episode of Survivor , Emily. No one gets ‘immunity’!” She did air quotes as she said the last bit.
    Georgie agreed. “Just because Tara let me back into the class doesn’t mean she won’t get rid of me again.”
    â€œSomeone’s going to have to go,” Daisy said bluntly. “We won’t all make it through to the second year.”
    â€œCan we not talk about this?” Emily said, getting upset. “I don’t want to lose any of my friends.”
    â€œGeez, Emily, it’s only getting kicked out of cross-country class,” Daisy told her. “It’s not like