Pony Club secrets:Star Shine Jenna and the jump off

Chapter one

Issie walked to the chestnut mares stable. Blaze nickered friendlily and nudged her on the shoulder. "Hey Blaze." She said softly to the mare. She ran her hands through her long silky flaxen mane and admired her.

Issie had such a strong bond with this pony. She had been given Blaze from the ILPH and she was in such a wreck less state it was touch and go whether she would survive. But looking at her now she had made the right decision.

Issie slid the bolt on the stable door. Blaze's hooves rustled in the straw bedding as she stepped into the stable. She had hold of a white saddle pad and sleek jumping saddle. She gently placed the saddle pad and saddle on her back before gently easing up the girth and buckling it up. She then slipped on the bridle over the mares dainty face and then she quickly slipped on her own helmet before leading her out ready to mount up ready for her lesson with Avery.

In moments Issie was on Blaze's back. She reined Blaze to the sand school arena where Avery was standing whacking his leather crop against his side. Issie reached down and opened the gate latch and squeezed Blazes sides. Blaze obediently stepped in and to the side as Issie closed the gate. She then squeezed the mare's side and tapped her rump lightly with a schooling whip and Blaze was off. She briskly trotted round the ring. Her paces seemed to float as she posted up and down.

"Ok Issie now I want to do some jumping today and we don't have long as Natasha has booked the ring after us so…I have already got some jumps up at the far end when you feel ready just pop Blaze over the cross pole." Avery shouted out.

Issie sat for a few strides and tapped her leg against Blaze's side. Blaze eased into a canter, as she cantered she arched her neck proudly and whinnied out loudly. Issie looked at the jumps at the far end of the arena. There was a small cross pole jump, a small oxer with the front pole at 70cm and the back pole at 75cm and a brick wall. She hadn't Jumped Blaze in quite a while so she circled Blaze around the jumps before slowing into trot and picking up canter again. .

Clearing her thoughts she faced the mare towards the cross pole. As soon as the mare caught sight of the jump, her canter became unbalanced and it became harder and harder for Issie to get her to slow.

"Circle her away from the jump." Avery boomed. But Issie had other ideas.

Quickly tugging at Blazes reins, Blaze skidded to a halt in front of the cross pole.

Issie flew forward onto Blaze's neck. She wacked Blaze's rump with the whip. Blaze let out a squeal and reared up thrashing her legs. As Blaze landed back on all fours landed she saw Natasha Tucker ride up on her Palomino mare Goldbrush. Issie for a moment couldn't quite see what she was holding but as she strained her eyes she was holding up a hot pink coloured phone and before she realised Natasha Tucker had just filmed her incident. Issie's face filled with rage.

"Issie are you alright would you like to end the lesson now?" Avery asked her. Issie nodded her head. She slid off Blaze's back and marched up to the gate. Natasha's smile faded as she saw her.

"Thought you said Blaze was perfect, so much for a scruffy circus pony, I knew she didn't have that much talent. I bet I can easily jump those jumps." Natasha sneered in a snooty voice. She slipped her phone into her pocket and booted Goldbrush's sides and rode into the sand school. Goldbrush's eyes grew wide with panic as Natasha yanked her mouth in the direction of the jumps. She faced Goldbrush towards the cross pole. As Goldbrush was two strides away Natasha raised her crop and brought it down on the mares golden rump while screaming "Get up." Still the palomino managed a clean take off and tucked her hooves neatly over the jump. As Goldbrush landed she grunted and then fitted in three perfect lengthened canter strides before jumping the oxer clipping the poles ever so slightly. Then Natasha turned Goldbrush towards the biggest jump in the arena, the brick wall. Natasha kicked Goldbrush and brought her whip down making Goldbrush rush in to the fence. Natasha held her hard with her reins and tried to slow her down.

Just as poor Goldbrush was about to prepare herself to jump, a California Girls ring tone went off ringing loudly, it seemed to be Natasha's phone in her pocket. Goldbrush instantly rose up and kicked out her hind legs throwing Natasha clear off her back and dumping her in a crumpled heap on the other side of the wall on the floor. She lay there motionless. Issie dropped Blaze's reins in horror. Goldbrush was frantically galloping around the arena kicking up sand with her reins trailing behind.

Avery immediately ran over to Natasha. Just then she saw a dazed Natasha rubbing her head. It looked like Natasha seemed ok but Avery was concerned

"You just take Blaze back to her stable." Avery reassured her.

After Issie had groomed Blaze down and had given her feed she went back outside where an ambulance was waiting. Two paramedics were talking to Natasha. Issie could hear what she was saying.

"I am not hurt I am fine for the millionth time I just broke a nail that's all from that dumb stupid horse." She said snapping at them. She got up and left and picked up her half crushed phone. She punched in a number. "Mummy hello, get me a new horse and a phone nowww…and pick me up from this pony club dump!" Natasha screamed down the phone. As Natasha stormed out of Chevalier Point Pony Club, the ambulance and paramedics left.

When Issie walked through the house her mother was in the kitchen preparing Sweet and Sour chicken. She pulled off her riding boots and padded to the kitchen.

"I heard your lesson with Avery was hectic." Miss Brown chimed. Issie nodded. Her mother handed her plate with chicken and Issie took it to the dining table. Her mum joined her.

"Issie I need to tell you something important tomorrow you will be leaving school early…because Avery wants you to help out with Natasha's new horse." Her mother said. Issie gasped. How could she already have a new horse? What's happened to Goldbrush? Issie thought. She got up from the table and carried her dinner plate to the dishwasher and put it in. She then picked up the phone and called Kate.

"Bother they're out" Issie muttered under her breath. She then punched in Stella's number.

"Hello this is Stella speaking." Stella said on the other side of the line.

"It's me Issie, guess what Natasha is getting a new horse and I have to help her tomorrow great…that's gonna be so much fun NOT." Issie groaned.

Stella perked up. "OMG has she told you what this horse looks like?"

"Nope but come down afterschool to the pony club grounds tomorrow and then we could go for a hack." Issie suggested.

"I am definitely coming down I am so dying to see that new horse." Stella said. "Got to go now and finish my English assignment for tomorrow so bye." Stella hung up. Issie thought to herself. She hadn't even started her English assignment which was a creative descriptive task and it was due tomorrow.

"Mum I'm going to bed now." Issie shouted from her bedroom.

"Alright good night Issie" Her mother shouted.

Once alone in her bedroom she got out her pen and lined paper. She turned her lamp on and thought. She lay her head on her desk and closed her eyes. All Issie could see was blackness. Suddenly she heard a faint whinny. Her eyes fluttered open. She got up and pressed her face against the cold glass. It took a while for eyes to adjust as she peered into the darkness but she could make out a grey shape. Suddenly she realised it was Mystic, her beloved grey horse who had been killed in an accident over a year ago. He had thrown her clear of the truck by rearing up to it but unfortunately Mystic wasn't so lucky, but no matter what their bond was so strong he had never really left her. When Mystic usually appeared it usually meant there was trouble. Still in her clothes she had worn she opened her door and tiptoed past her mum's bedroom and down the stairs before pulling on some willies and heading out the door. It was a warm damp night and sure enough Mystic greeted her with a nuzzle. He didn't seem to be in a rush maybe there wasn't trouble after all.

So glad to see him, Issie wrapped her arms round the small dappled grey pony. She then vaulted up lightly onto his swayed back. She wrapped her hands into his coarse silvery mane and trotted up the drive onto the grassy verge. He swiftly began to canter. It felt like a dream. Mystic's hooves pounded quietly on the grass verge as they cantered. He quickened his stride as he headed down past Chevalier Point pony club and down the back road which led to River Paddock but Mystic kept going. Suddenly Mystic broke into a gallop. Issie was losing her grip holding on. Suddenly there was a wide ditch approaching, Mystic jumped and arced neatly before landing hard. Issie clung on to his neck and sat back up as e slowed down to a trot then a walk. He finally stopped back at Issie's house. Issie jumped off and gave him one last hug before she headed inside.

She couldn't understand why Mystic had galloped a circuit. What was he trying to tell her. Suddenly Issie got it. It was an idea for the creative descriptive task. She quickly rushed up to her bedroom and did her assignment. She was sure to get an A for this.