Stable Groom Read Online Free
Author: Bonnie Bryant
“Just making sure,” she said. The three of them slipped back into the grain room, where Veronica was droning on about Red’s shortcomings.
Finally, Max started to protest. “If you have some specific complaints about an employee of mine, fine. But I hardly think—”
“I’m not finished,” Veronica snapped. “It’s clear Red doesn’t know what he’s doing. The bit is only one example. I’ve seen manure stains on Garnet’s socks after Red’s finished grooming her, I’ve caught him leading horses without their halters on.…”
With a look of disgust on her face, Carole turned to Stevie and Lisa. “She probably caught him patting ahorse on the wrong part of his neck,” she whispered sarcastically. She could hardly believe how totally ridiculous Veronica’s complaints were—except for the fact that they were so typical of Veronica. Everyone knew that it was impossible to brush manure stains off white markings. Everyone had seen Red loop his belt around a docile broodmare’s neck to guide her in at night. Sure, if you looked up those things in a book, it might say they were signs of bad horsemanship. But real life with horses was different. Some things were understandable or permissible depending upon the situation. Red was completely trustworthy.
Max folded his arms over his chest and gave Veronica a bored look. “Anything else, Veronica?” he asked, stifling a yawn.
Veronica’s eyes flashed angrily. “Yes! There is! Red used a riding crop excessively on Garnet when he was exercising her.”
A murmur went through the group. That was a serious complaint. Red started to speak, then stopped himself. His face was a mixture of anger and anxiety.
“Why do you think that, Veronica?” Max inquired patiently.
“Because the next time I rode Garnet, she shied when she saw the crop,” she said triumphantly.
The Saddle Club stared at Max to see what hisreaction would be. In their opinion, Veronica was desperate to make an accusation that would carry some weight with Max. But if anyone was known for using a crop too much, it was Veronica herself. It was no surprise that Garnet would be crop shy around her. Making up charges against Red was just too much.
“Well discuss this later, Veronica,” Max said firmly, unable to keep the irritation out of his voice. He glanced at Denise McCaskill. The Saddle Club knew how much he hated anyone to think badly of Pine Hollow. Unfortunately, given the chance, Veronica never failed to give a terrible impression. “For now, I want you all to split up into groups to devise feeding charts for a small stable, a medium one, and a large one.”
I N A MATTER of minutes, Max had the Pony Clubbers separated into three groups, headed by himself, Denise, and Red. He seemed to have concluded that keeping Veronica away from Red would provide a temporary solution. He put her on the team working with Denise. To Stevie’s dismay, she was placed on that team, too. Normally, she would have jumped at the chance to work with Denise, whom they had all taken a liking to. But she was sure that Veronica would ruin everything. At the least, she would probablybe incredibly rude to Denise. Stevie looked enviously at Carole and Lisa as they worked with Red.
“All right, why don’t you all tell me your names again, so I can start learning them for real,” Denise said when her group had gathered in a circle in one corner of the grain room. “You start,” she added, pointing at Veronica.
Steve gritted her teeth. Veronica was one of the few people she knew who could turn a simple introduction into an offensive remark. Veronica smiled sweetly at Denise. “I’m Veronica diAngelo, and I’m very pleased to meet you,” she said.
Stevie could hardly believe her ears. Veronica diAngelo was being friendly to an outsider? That was very strange. Usually, the only outsiders she bothered to talk to were horse-show judges. Stevie was even more shocked when Veronica continued. “We’re all
Finally, Max started to protest. “If you have some specific complaints about an employee of mine, fine. But I hardly think—”
“I’m not finished,” Veronica snapped. “It’s clear Red doesn’t know what he’s doing. The bit is only one example. I’ve seen manure stains on Garnet’s socks after Red’s finished grooming her, I’ve caught him leading horses without their halters on.…”
With a look of disgust on her face, Carole turned to Stevie and Lisa. “She probably caught him patting ahorse on the wrong part of his neck,” she whispered sarcastically. She could hardly believe how totally ridiculous Veronica’s complaints were—except for the fact that they were so typical of Veronica. Everyone knew that it was impossible to brush manure stains off white markings. Everyone had seen Red loop his belt around a docile broodmare’s neck to guide her in at night. Sure, if you looked up those things in a book, it might say they were signs of bad horsemanship. But real life with horses was different. Some things were understandable or permissible depending upon the situation. Red was completely trustworthy.
Max folded his arms over his chest and gave Veronica a bored look. “Anything else, Veronica?” he asked, stifling a yawn.
Veronica’s eyes flashed angrily. “Yes! There is! Red used a riding crop excessively on Garnet when he was exercising her.”
A murmur went through the group. That was a serious complaint. Red started to speak, then stopped himself. His face was a mixture of anger and anxiety.
“Why do you think that, Veronica?” Max inquired patiently.
“Because the next time I rode Garnet, she shied when she saw the crop,” she said triumphantly.
The Saddle Club stared at Max to see what hisreaction would be. In their opinion, Veronica was desperate to make an accusation that would carry some weight with Max. But if anyone was known for using a crop too much, it was Veronica herself. It was no surprise that Garnet would be crop shy around her. Making up charges against Red was just too much.
“Well discuss this later, Veronica,” Max said firmly, unable to keep the irritation out of his voice. He glanced at Denise McCaskill. The Saddle Club knew how much he hated anyone to think badly of Pine Hollow. Unfortunately, given the chance, Veronica never failed to give a terrible impression. “For now, I want you all to split up into groups to devise feeding charts for a small stable, a medium one, and a large one.”
I N A MATTER of minutes, Max had the Pony Clubbers separated into three groups, headed by himself, Denise, and Red. He seemed to have concluded that keeping Veronica away from Red would provide a temporary solution. He put her on the team working with Denise. To Stevie’s dismay, she was placed on that team, too. Normally, she would have jumped at the chance to work with Denise, whom they had all taken a liking to. But she was sure that Veronica would ruin everything. At the least, she would probablybe incredibly rude to Denise. Stevie looked enviously at Carole and Lisa as they worked with Red.
“All right, why don’t you all tell me your names again, so I can start learning them for real,” Denise said when her group had gathered in a circle in one corner of the grain room. “You start,” she added, pointing at Veronica.
Steve gritted her teeth. Veronica was one of the few people she knew who could turn a simple introduction into an offensive remark. Veronica smiled sweetly at Denise. “I’m Veronica diAngelo, and I’m very pleased to meet you,” she said.
Stevie could hardly believe her ears. Veronica diAngelo was being friendly to an outsider? That was very strange. Usually, the only outsiders she bothered to talk to were horse-show judges. Stevie was even more shocked when Veronica continued. “We’re all