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It was also possible that her career in professional competition could take off, once it got started. Either way she was sure that she would be working with horses. She didn't need English, or Science, or PE to do that. She would need some Maths, but she was pretty sure she already had enough to get by.

At least with History she could find out things that were interesting, if not exactly useful. Horses had played a big part in history, right up until the last century, which was why she found modern history (with the exception of the part about Phar Lap) a big bore.

When they studied the Anzacs Shelby focused on Simpson's donkey – not a horse, but equine nonetheless. This year she'd already done an assignment on Genghis Khan, with a big section dedicated to Mongolian horses.

Shelby was pretty sure that the Vikings travelled by boat, so they weren't likely to take horses. She didn't think the Aztecs had them either, otherwise the Spanish might have had a bit more trouble with them.

'Did the Medieval Japanese have horses?' Shelby asked her mother.

'I think the Samurais did.'

Shelby rested her chin on her hand. 'Hey, Mum, do you remember how you said the other day that I was being more mature?'

'Mmmm,' her mother murmured.

'Well, I was thinking that, now I'm making good decisions, and working . . .' She pointed her pen at her mother. 'I haven't missed a single day – did you know that? And I'm doing all my schoolwork, plus Blue's agistment is free at the stables, so . . .'

Her mother picked up one of the textbooks, tilting it forward so that it caught the overhead light. 'No, Shelby.'

Shelby continued. 'Maybe it's time to talk about perhaps getting another pony?'

Shelby's mum snapped the book shut. Her mouth was pursed and she frowned.

'Aren't you even going to think about it? Even if I got a little cheap one? Only one hundred dollars, and then we could sell her for three times as much later.'

'Shelby!' her mother warned.

'But you haven't listened to the whole plan! See, at the sales they're really cheap and you can train them and then sell them for more. You can't possibly lose. It's not even like a hobby, it's an investment. I could do a spreadsheet and show you.'

'Investment my eye, Shelby Shaw. I knew going to the sales was a bad idea. I knew it!' Her mother grabbed the tea towel from her shoulder and flicked it at Shelby's arm. Shelby caught it in midair.

'If you're not going to do your homework then you can get up there and dry the dishes!'

'I'm doing it already,' Shelby said. She picked up the textbook and held it close to her face, then put it down on the table again. 'See? Nose-in-book! Jeez Louise!'

Shelby sighed, pushed the tea towel aside and leaned over her books again. It was worth crossing off the list of possibilities, anyway.

16 Erin's Longest Friend

Shelby tossed her school bag down on the asphalt next to Erin's and sat on the seat. There was a chill on the morning breeze and she was glad she had brought her jumper. She tucked her hands inside the sleeves. It wouldn't be long before she would need to start wearing long pants to school, instead of her summer shorts.

She kept her eyes fixed on the girls playing netball on the other side of the quadrangle. Up at the other end of the quad a group of older boys played handball.

'I'm sorry your mum had to pay three hundred dollars for the broken saddle. I can't pay you eightythree dollars thirty-three, which is a third of that minus the fifty dollars that was your share to start with, because I don't have it. I admit that I have been a bad sharer, and I agree that we should sell Hot . . . I mean, CC.'

She paused. Erin didn't say anything.

'I think we should try to get four fifty when we sell her. That way you can get your three hundred back, and Lin can have her hundred and I can have my fifty, and then we'll all go back to our ordinary lives. But to make up for now, I bought you a Redskin.' Shelby thrust the lolly at her friend.

Erin took it from her and twisted off the