For Sale or Swap - Alyssa Brugman [54]
Mrs Crook examined the program and flung it over her shoulder into the back of the car. 'This is not good for us, girls,' she commented.
A few more floats and trucks rumbled down the gravel driveway. Hayley recognised Monica's float, and also waved to a few other girls who Shelby had never seen before.
After they had finished eating, Mrs Crook reached into the back of the four-wheel drive for Hayley's coat bag. She unzipped it. 'Blue or brown today, Hales?'
Hayley tilted her head to the side. 'Brown. The blue one is getting a bit tight across the shoulders.'
Mrs Crook held up the blue material and rubbed it in her hands. 'I think we've already let it out as much as it's going to go. We'll have to get you another one.'
Shelby watched for a response from Hayley. There was none. She simply threaded her arms through the brown jacket and shrugged it into place. If Shelby's mother said she could have a new show jacket she'd jump around for a whole day. Hayley hardly even noticed.
It was nine o'clock and Mrs Crook, Hayley and Erin led their horses into the ring. Shelby walked with them as far as the fence line, and then she leaned against it to watch.
There was a sharp echoing click as the showground loudspeakers switched on. A few of the horses jumped at the sound, but they soon settled down. On the other side of the ground the Ferris wheel music started again and this time it stayed on. The Tilt-a-Whirl and Rock-and-Roll started up too, each with their own loud music blaring out. Shelby saw a few of the early show-goers walking along the aisles between the marquees and caravans, clutching show bags and fairy floss.
She looked back at the ring and saw that all three of the horses had been called in to the centre. Erin gave her a big wave, throwing her hands in the air and startling the horse next to Bandit. Shelby could see Erin apologising to the girl and she grinned. It was just like Erin to do something stupid with the very best of intentions.
Shelby turned her attention back to the sideshow. Pete had unloaded his ponies and they milled around with their heads down in a makeshift yard – all wearing oversized stock saddles, so big that they almost wrapped around their bellies and met at the bottom.
Most of them were Shetlands, but there were paint ponies amongst them. Shelby's heart started to race as she made out the patchwork shapes of one after the other. Could it be Blue? She couldn't tell from this distance. This is exactly the sort of place she imagined he would end up – tied up and hobbled, giving ride after boring ride to beginners, and then shoved back on some rusty old truck for a long, windy trip back to a loveless home.
Shelby watched as a small girl tugged at her mother's sleeve and pointed to the ponies. The mother reached into her pocket and pulled out some coins. The little girl skipped over to the rope barrier and handed the money to the man.
Shelby shuddered to think that this was where her interest in riding had begun. It was at a school fete four years ago. She'd ridden a pony just like these ones – small, shaggy and broken – and when the ride was over she begged her mother to let her go again. After three rides her mother stood with her while she patted the ponies for the next hour.
Can I have a pony, Mum?
No, Shel. You can have a goldfish or a budgie. Would you like that?
Shelby watched the man pull a tiny black Shetland out of the little yard and lift the girl onto it by her underarms. He led the pony around the front of the barrier. The girl waved to her mother. Then they disappeared from view behind the clown caravan.
Back in the ring the judge was looping prize ribbons around the horses' necks. Ditto and Echo had won their classes, while Bandit had come third in the led Galloway class.
As they headed back, Shelby ran her eyes over Pete's ponies again. There were two paints that were tall enough to be Blue, but they were tucked in behind the others and she couldn't see their faces or markings from where she was standing. She decided to go and investigate later.
Erin, Hayley and Mrs