No Horse Wanted Read Online Free Page A

experienced gaming mounts, so not
my thing. I watched the owner gallop a paint around the barrels and
shook my head. “No way.”
    “Don’t you want to try him?” Felicia asked.
“Jack said that he’s a sweetheart.”
    “He’s too fast,” I said. “I don’t ride fast
horses anymore, and you two can’t make me.”
    Mom frowned at me. “If you just developed
some confidence, you could be a very good rider, Robin. You have a
good seat and good hands. There is no reason for you to refuse to
ride when you’re obviously very talented. That would be like
Felicia refusing to play the piano or your brother throwing away
his paints because his work hasn’t been in a gallery.”
    “I don’t want a horse, and I’m not getting on
one ever again.”
    That got me twin glares, but luckily we were
soon in the truck and headed off to a nearby café for a late lunch.
Felicia pulled out her cell phone. I thought she was texting a
friend, but it turned out she was checking the classified ads in
the local paper. “Hey, Mom. I think I found one.”
    “Really? Let me see.” Mom drew into a parking
lot and reached for the phone. “This does sound interesting. It’s a
trained, registered Morab gelding. Why do they only want
$100.00?”
    “I’ll call and find out,” Felicia said.
    “Don’t,” I said. “Let’s quit wasting time on
this. That price is definitely a mistake.”
    The two of them ignored me. What else was
new?
    Mom called the number and talked to somebody.
In minutes, we were on the way north to Arlington. I stared out the
truck window at the evergreens and alders that marched alongside
the highway. Sunshine danced off the glass.
    “There it is.” Felicia pointed to the next
side street.
    Mom slowed down for the turn. She went to the
third driveway on the left, parking next to another truck, between
the house and a large row of kennels.
    I looked around. I didn’t see a barn or even
a shed. “Where is this cheap horse?”
    “I don’t know,” Mom said. “We’ll have to ask
the owner. She told me someone else was coming to look at it.”
    “Good. Maybe they’ll buy it.” I saw a shape
in the dusty corral behind the house. Was that a horse? I opened
the passenger door of the pickup and slid out. Felicia followed me.
I headed for the corral and stopped when I heard a growl. Did they
have a dog? I didn’t see one. When I scanned the caged runs, I
spotted a giant cat. “What is that?”
    “A cougar,” Felicia said.
    We shared a look. What kind of nutcase would
have a wild animal like that?
    “Lovely,” Mom said. “It’s lucky we left Jack
home. He’d want us to take it, too.” Sighing, she shook her head.
“I’ll go find the owner.”
    “Okay,” I said. “We’ll hunt for the
horse.”
    Mom walked away, and we headed off to the
corral. My breath caught. Felicia grabbed my arm, nails digging
into my skin.
    I just stared at the skeleton pretending to
be a horse. Red brown hide stretched over the bones, and I counted
every rib. He was male, but I didn’t know if he was a stud or
gelding. I hadn’t gotten close enough to see. Hips protruded,
sunken sides, and he was absolutely filthy. Dirt covered his legs,
up past his knees and hocks. Chunks of hair had fallen out of his
mane. Maybe he’d rubbed them out. Half his tail was missing too.
When he shifted, I saw yellow patches on his neck, side and one on
his rump. So, he must have some paint blood too. Why else would he
be a pinto?
    “Let’s go, Robin.” Felicia pulled on my arm.
“It’s hopeless. He’s hopeless.”
    I almost went with her. Then, the horse
lifted his head and looked at me. And I stopped. “No. He’s the
one.”
    “What?” Felicia hissed. “I don’t believe
you.”
    “Well, you should,” I said. “He’s the worst
horse I’ve ever seen, and I’m taking him home.”
     

Chapter Four
     
    Saturday, September 14 th , 4:15 p.m.
     
    Felicia gave me one of her older sister dirty
looks that she’d practiced over the