Stable Groom Read Online Free Page A

really excited to be working with you, Denise. I’m sure we’re going to learn a lot. If there’s anything I can help you with, let me know.”
    “Thank you, Veronica. That’s very nice of you,” said Denise, obviously pleased at the warm welcome.
    Stevie glanced sharply at Veronica, hoping for some kind of clue as to why she was acting so unlike herself. Veronica, however, was gazing happily at Denise along with the rest of the group, as if her behaviorwere completely normal. Come to think of it, Stevie thought, her behavior
was
completely normal—just not normal for Veronica.
    When it was Stevie’s turn to introduce herself, Betsy Cavanaugh had to nudge her twice before she snapped back to attention. “Oh! Sorry! I’m Stephanie—Stevie for short—Lake,” she said.
    “The one with all the brothers, right?” Denise said.
    “Yup.” Stevie nodded, pleased that Denise had remembered.
    As the meeting went on, it became clear that Denise was a great teacher. She knew all the stable management techniques cold. What was more, she was patient and funny, and she kept everyone interested in the topic. She made sure that they all participated, which wasn’t easy with Stevie and Veronica vying to answer all the questions first. Stevie had decided that whatever Veronica’s purpose in wanting Denise to like her, she had better outdo Veronica—just in case.
    After a detailed discussion about feeding a whole stable as opposed to one or two horses, Denise gave everyone pencils and paper. She told them to write their guesses as to how much hay and grain twenty horses would consume in a month and to sketch out a feed chart.
    Stevie whipped off her answers and then sat puzzling.The only idea she could come up with to explain Veronica’s politeness was that maybe Denise was very wealthy. Veronica always turned on the charm for rich people. Stevie looked surreptitiously at Denise. With her well-worn jeans and paddock boots and her United States Pony Club T-shirt, she certainly didn’t
look
as if she had tons of money, but then again, you could never tell.
    Just then Veronica looked up. “I’ve finished my chart, Denise, so I’ll just study the Pony Club manual until everyone else is done. I always like to brush up on horsemanship,” she said.
    Stevie almost gagged. She noticed a couple of other riders shooting Veronica surprised looks. Nobody had seen Veronica put on this much of a show in a long time. But why? Stevie wondered again. Maybe if Denise wasn’t rich, she was well connected in social circles. Veronica was certainly not above getting to know a person in the hope of meeting other people worthy of herself. Stevie took another good look at Denise, considering the idea. Finally she had to admit that seemed even less possible than her being rich. Why would somebody from Indiana be a big society person in Willow Creek, Virginia? Besides, Denise didn’t act snobbish at all, the way you would expect someone like that to behave. If she was well knownanywhere, Stevie was sure it was among horsey—not society—people. She certainly had the credentials to be accepted among riders anywhere.
    Then suddenly it hit Stevie. Of course! Why hadn’t she thought of it right away? The reason Veronica was on her best behavior was that Denise had credentials, pure and simple. With an “A” Pony Club rating, a certification as a riding counselor, and a major in equine studies at Virginia’s prestigious university, Denise had won Veronica’s respect. She had also won everyone else’s respect. Everyone knew that getting an “A” was excellent proof of riding skill and horsemanship. The difference was that for Veronica, credentials were the
only
thing that mattered. In her opinion, if you didn’t have the credentials, you couldn’t possibly have the knowledge.
    Red was the perfect case in point. As Max or anyone at Pine Hollow could have attested, Red O’Malley was as skilled a horseman as any “A” Pony Clubber. He was