Back in the Saddle (8 page)

“Thanks.” Andrew traded a look with Kyle. “And don't worry, Haley. You and Wings will get 'em next time.”

Haley nodded, her chin jutting out with determination. “I know we will. Definitely.”

By nine o'clock that evening Haley was so exhausted that she could hardly keep her eyes open. She ignored a couple of e-mails from Tracey, deciding she could wait until
tomorrow to hear all about her friend's trip to the big city. But she stifled a yawn and logged on to the Pony Post, knowing her friends there would be waiting eagerly for an update on her event.

[HALEY]
Hi, guys. Well, today didn't go quite like I'd hoped. . . .

Her fingers raced over the keys as she poured out the whole story. Well, the important parts, anyway. She figured she could fill in the details tomorrow.

After she finished and posted the message, she scrolled back to see what the others had posted that day. Only a few seconds passed before she heard the ping of a new message posting.

[MADDIE]
O, Hales, sorry about the E! Total bummer. But it happens, right? Just do what I did the time I accidentally scored for the other team in a soccer game—put it behind u and pretend it never happened, ha ha!

[HALEY]
Lol. But ur right, I already have a plan to put it behind me.

[MADDIE]
Good! What's the plan?

[HALEY]
That girl Riley I mentioned? She said she'll be back in this area in 2 wks. There's an unrecog. event where she's going to try moving up a level. Said she wants an easy first course before she tackles novice at a recog. one.

[MADDIE]
2 wks? That seems soon!

[HALEY]
Ya, her horse is rly fit tho. And Wings will be fine too, since he barely even did anything last time.

[MADDIE]
Wait, what??

[HALEY]
Ya, that's what I was gonna tell u. I already e-mailed in my application for the BN division at the
same event. That's when Wings and I are going to show everyone what we can RLY do!!!!

She smiled as she hit the button to post the message. Yes, that was her plan, all right. At least she'd only have to wait a couple of weeks for her redemption.

CHAPTER

HALEY LEANED ON
the stall door watching her pony eat his breakfast. Behind her in the barn aisle a chicken squawked loudly, and Wings lifted his head and stepped to the door, dribbling grain over Haley's arm as he stared out.

Haley frowned, glancing from Wings to the grain raining down onto the floor, and back again. “Hey,” she said. “I just realized you haven't had your teeth done in a while. How long has it been, anyway?”

By then the pony had lost interest in the action in the aisle and returned his attention to his bucket. But Haley wasn't really watching him anymore. She was staring into
space, trying to remember the last time the equine dentist had visited. Last year around Memorial Day, was it? Or had it been longer than that?

She spun on her heel and hurried down the barn aisle, dodging the cat lounging in the middle. Bandit had been sniffing around the feed alcove, but he barked and dashed after her as she raced across the barnyard.

“Sorry, boy. Can't come in,” Haley said breathlessly, nudging the dog back with the toe of her boot as she let herself through the white picket gate leading into the backyard.

Moments later she was in her aunt's home office at the back of the house looking through the little book of addresses and phone numbers she kept in her desk. Living out in the country as they did, her aunt and uncle insisted on having all important numbers written down on paper in case they needed them in an emergency when the power was out and computers and cell phones couldn't help. Haley was glad, since her own laptop was all the way upstairs and she didn't dare touch Aunt Veronica's computer without permission.

“Equine dentist, where is it?” Haley muttered, paging past numbers for various relatives, neighbors, and farm-related business contacts.

Finally she reached the page where her uncle had scrawled numbers for various vets, farriers, and other professionals who worked on their animals. Halfway down the list was Steve Harasta, the local equine dentist.

Haley grabbed the phone and dialed the number, then tapped her foot impatiently as she listened to it ring. Moments later a groggy voice answered with a mumbled “Hello?”

“Oh.” Haley gulped as she realized it wasn't quite seven a.m. yet. She was so used to farm life—getting up early, doing chores, and riding before school—that she hadn't stopped to think that not everybody woke up with the sun. “Um, sorry to call so early. This is, um, Haley Duncan? From out on Dairy Road?”

“Mmpf. Right. How are you, Haley?” The dentist sounded slightly more awake with each word. “How can I help you?”

“It's Wings.” Haley clutched the phone, glancing
toward the window, which had a view of the barnyard. “I think his teeth might be in pretty bad shape.”

“Oh yeah?” Now Steve sounded fully alert. “What happened? He have an accident or something?'

“No, nothing like that. It's just, he's been dropping a lot of grain without chewing it lately. And at our event over the weekend, he wasn't quite himself. I was thinking the bit might have been bothering his mouth.”

Actually, Haley hadn't really been thinking that until about five minutes ago. But the more she thought about it, the more sense it made. It wasn't like Wings to refuse a fence, or to stumble, either. What if he'd been off his game because his mouth was sore? Horses' teeth were always growing, and if the dentist didn't file off the sharp points now and then, it could cause big problems. Sure, Wings had seemed okay on their rides since the event, but it had only been a few days.

“Okay,” the dentist said. “Guess I could come take a look. I think I have some openings week after next, or—”

“No!” Haley blurted out. “I mean, couldn't you fit us in earlier than that? It might be an emergency.”

“Might be?” Steve sounded amused. “Well, all righty then. Let me just check my book and see what I can do. . . .” There was a long pause. Haley held her breath and crossed her fingers until the dentist spoke again. “Okay, hold on. Looks like I could squeeze you in day after tomorrow—Friday. It'll have to be late, though—say, four thirty?”

“Perfect!” Haley grinned with relief. She didn't want to think about how she would have managed to deal with an appointment during school hours. “We'll see you then.”

Two days later Haley watched as the dentist finished his work. Steve was a big man with broad shoulders and huge biceps, but he had a light touch with horses. As usual, Wings had been suspicious at first when the dentist had brought out the speculum, an enormous, shiny metal contraption that held a horse's mouth open so the dentist could reach to the back teeth without risking a bite. Haley had been ready to step forward and help, but Steve had talked softly to the pony until Wings had let him slide the speculum into place.

After that, Steve had pulled out various files and other instruments, humming cheerfully as he'd worked in the pony's open mouth. Haley had been surprised at how quickly the dentist worked. Before she knew it, he was carefully pulling the speculum back out, to Wings's obvious relief.

“How were his teeth?” she asked. “Pretty bad?”

“Nope. Pretty good, actually. Wasn't much for me to do.” Steve dropped the speculum into a stainless steel bucket and swished it around in the cleaning solution. He winked at her. “Definitely not an emergency.”

“Oh.” Haley glanced at her pony, feeling sheepish. “Well, it just seemed like maybe the bit might be bothering him.”

“Doubt it, unless there's something wrong with the bit.” Steve peeled off his gloves. “His teeth are fine.”

“Oh.” Haley's heart sank. She looked over all her tack every time she cleaned it, so she knew there was no problem with her bit. So if it hadn't been the pony's teeth, that meant she still needed to figure out the reason for their poor performance.

“Always good to keep on top of things, though,” Steve added with a smile. “Just call if you need me again.”

“Okay. Thanks.” Haley handed him the check her uncle had left, then watched him hurry back out to his truck.

When he was gone, she gave Wings a pat and a couple of carrots. Hearing a flurry of barks from the tack room, she remembered that she'd locked Bandit and one of the other dogs in there to keep them out from underfoot. When she released them, the big yellow Lab immediately trotted off toward the food dishes farther down the barn aisle. But Bandit rubbed against her legs like a cat. Then he dashed over and grabbed the knotted rag Haley had given him as a toy. He dropped it at her feet, wagging his fringed tail hopefully.

“Sorry, boy,” Haley said. “No time to play today.”

She rubbed the dog's head, then let Wings out of his stall and led him outside. Halfway across the big pasture the family's other horses were already grazing on the first soft shoots of spring greenery poking up from among
brown winter-killed grass and patches of lingering snow. Letting out a whinny, Wings took off as soon as Haley released him, throwing in a couple of playful bucks as he ran toward the little herd. Chico kept eating, but Rusty and Jet looked up at the pony's approach, and Rusty even snaked his neck and ran with Wings for a few strides before returning to grazing.

Haley smiled as she watched her pony play. “Guess you're feeling pretty good after your dental appointment,” she murmured.

Back in the house she went upstairs, planning to get a head start on her homework before it was time to set the table for dinner. When she opened her laptop, though, she couldn't resist checking in on the Pony Post first. There were a couple of new messages:

[MADDIE]
Study hall check-in! Ugh, why do Fridays seem to last twice as long as any other day? Well, the school part anyway, lol! B, cute pix of Foxy, she sure is furry! Cloudy doesn't grow that much of a
winter coat, maybe b/c Ms. E puts a blanket on her whenever it goes below like 50 degrees, ha!