Chapter 5

I’d led Crusader about three yards when I heard a scream of surprise behind me. I turned around, horrified to see Smidgy’s horse buckling underneath her. Having had a pony do the same thing to me once, I recognized her mount was sinking to the ground for a good roll, rider or no. And this, right before going into the dressage test!

Luckily for her, Smidgy managed to jump off as her mare groveled round in the dirt, grunting in satisfaction as she rubbed filth into her round and sweaty body…well, the bits of it that weren’t covered in saddle. The last thing we riders need is for our horses to roll completely over with the saddle on their back: it breaks the tree, that very expensive frame on which the whole shebang is built.

Smidgy’s horse didn’t care—she was having fun. Her owner wailed in disbelief and anger, shouting at Pride of Smythe to “jolly well get up, now, this instant!”