Horse Spy Read Online Free Page A

to know that she was succeeding. It seemed such a small thing, but a horse with a longer stride could move more elegantly in dressage and achieve more variation when its rider asked for it.
    “All right, let’s trot these guys to stretch some more before we begin the balance exercises,” said Max.
    Stevie and Lisa began a rising trot, and Carole made more notes on the clipboard. Max was about to give them further instruction when the phone rang.
    Carole sighed. Stevie and Lisa both grimaced. There weren’t a lot of people who could be calling Pine Hollow at 6:45 in the morning. In fact, there were only two choices. It was going to be Mrs. Walker or Mrs. Hatfield. The smart money was on Mrs. Walker.
    Max walked over to the barn door and picked up the phone.
    “Yes, Mrs. Walker,” he said after a few seconds. “Right, uh, Eloise, of course … Just fine, Eloise … We’re working with her now … Right, both of them, of course … Yes, my young riders. The same ones as yesterday. We’re about to begin the balance sequence,” he said. He listened, sighing. Although Max was too much of a professional to let an important owner like Mrs. Walker know that he thought she was a nuisance, it was clear to The Saddle Club that that wasexactly what was on his mind. And the fact was that she
was
a nuisance.
    “Well, I’ve only got limited times when these riders are available to me, Mrs. Walker—Eloise—so I think I’d better get back to work. No, they’re all good riders, Eloise, and they’re taking turns so both the horses have experience with each of the girls. Blue is doing very well. Really … Um, Polaris is, too, of course. Right, well, they’re both getting the same amount … Eloise, I’ve got to go now,” he said firmly. “I’m sure you will. Until tomorrow, then,” and he hung up the phone.
    “She’s going to call again tomorrow,” he explained to the three girls.
    Stevie snickered. Lisa’s shoulders were shaking with laughter. Even Carole, the one most likely to sympathize with an overattentive owner, snorted.
    “Something to look forward to,” Lisa said.
    Max ignored their joking and told them to begin a sitting trot with their feet out of the stirrups.
    There was no doubt about it. Training for a show was hard work for the trainer, the rider, and especially the horse. That was why it was called a workout. Still, even though it was work, it was fun, too, and the girls were very glad they were doing it and not someone else. It was fun to be riding such wonderful horses and to do everything they could to help them get ready for the hardest work they would have to do—the horse show.
    “Tell us again why it is we can’t go to the show,” Lisa said, knowing as she said it that she was nagging.
    “Because the show is sold out,” said Max. “This is the mostprestigious show in the state and it’s been sold out for a month. Believe me, if I’d known when the ticket order form came six months ago that we’d be working with horses that would be vying for blues, I’d have gotten a half dozen seats for us. Now it’s all I can do to get a seat for myself. Fortunately, Mrs. Hatfield has promised me one ticket for Saturday. But just one.”
    “Groan,” said Stevie.
    “Will you videotape it?” Lisa asked.
    “No, but they usually broadcast some of the show. You can watch it on television,” Max said. They all knew that the taped show was typically broadcast when a baseball game was rained out or, more likely, at three o’clock in the morning. As far as they were concerned, horse shows didn’t get anywhere near enough attention on television.
    “Now, are we going to talk, or are we going to work?” Max said.
    “Work, of course!” Stevie said smartly. “Who would ever want to talk when she could be working?”
    Max hid a smile, but they all got back to work.
    When the phone rang the next time, Carole answered it because Max was concentrating on the exercise. It was Lucy Hatfield,