father said Solana can be ridden with a rope rein Here slip this on her He removed a handmade rope rein from a nail next to Solana's stall Mandy opened the stall door slipped the gear over Solana's head and led the horse out side Dr Wilson gave her a leg up and Mandy sat tall on Solana's bare back Go on Mandy Give her her head Mandy clucked softly and Solana began a smooth natural relaxed gait As Mandy rode around the yard she marveled at how comfort able Solana's gait was There was no teeth jarring bouncing like other saddle horses just a smooth flowing ride Suddenly Mandy saw the familiar form of her friend Laura hanging over the pasture fence She tugged slightly on the left of the rope rein Solana responded instantly and headed toward the fence Mandy pulled her to a stop in front of Laura Well what do you think Isn't Solana just beautiful Mandy asked eagerly She s okay Laura offered Kind of a runt though don't you think 12
Too 66 HAT do you mean Mandy asked She felt her cheeks become flushed with anger Oh nothing Laura shrugged She seems so much smaller than Diablo Well she is a lot smaller than Diablo W said Mandy Pasos only stand about thirteen to fifteen hands high Laura eyed Solana mentally measuring the distance between the ground and the top of her shoulders I guess she's less than fourteen hands she said Diablo measures in at sixteen Do you want to ride with me Mandy asked changing the subject 13
Sure Let me saddle up Mandy watched Laura trudge off toward Diablo's stall Mandy still felt a little hurt by Laura's attitude After all the times they'd taken turns riding Diablo Mandy thought that Laura would be thrilled that Mandy had her own horse Why would Laura act this way Mandy wondered She again turned the prob lem over and over in her mind Mandy remembered all the summers she and Laura had groomed Diablo together pre paring him for the fall circuit shows And she remembered how proud she had felt when they had brought home the coveted blue ribbons She also remembered how tall Laura sat on Diablo in the shows how smoothly he went through his classic gaits how thrilled she felt whenever the judges called out Diablo's name as Best in Show Her thoughts were interrupted by Laura riding up on the big red gold stallion He snort ed and pawed the ground restlessly Solana responded with her own soft whinny 14
Laura looked good sitting high in her Plantation saddle Mandy felt a little dwarfed on Solana's bare back But she clucked loudly and the little Paso Fino responded at once Together the two girls rode their horses around the Callahans front yard The Walker shifted into his distinctive running walk and the Paso into her smooth flowing gait Mandy felt her spirits soaring She was certain that this was the happiest moment of her whole life She was riding her own horse chasing the wind through a sunlit June afternoon When they finally reined in their mounts Mandy turned excitedly to Laura Isn't this wonderful Mandy asked But Laura seemed distant Of course she said Yet Mandy couldn't help but sense that something was wrong Listen said Laura meet me back at the house in a few minutes She dug her heels into Diablo's side and galloped off Mandy felt hurt and bewildered Later back at Solana's stall Mandy groomed 15
