The Coco mystery was solved not long after Aidan departed when there was a knock at the door.
“That’ll be Stella,” Mrs Brown said. “I told her you’d be home shortly. She said she was coming over as soon as you were back.”
When Issie opened the door Stella leapt through it and smothered her friend in a mammoth hug.
“You’re back!” she squealed. “Ohmygod! I missed you so much. Heaps of stuff has happened and it’s been awful not having you here…”
“I just went down to the River Paddock,” Issie interrupted her. “Where’s Coco?”
“That’s what I mean about it being awful,” Stella said. Her expression was grim beneath her red curly hair. “Coco is gone.”
“Gone? Where? What do you mean?”
“I sold her.”
“What?” Issie was stunned. “When? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Last week. I didn’t tell you because you weren’t here obviously,” Stella said glumly. “I was getting so big on her—I had to sell her really. Remember how you said my feet were almost dragging on the ground?”
“Did you have to do it while I was away?” said Issie. “I didn’t even get the chance to say goodbye to her!”
“I know, I’m sorry,” Stella said, “but they wanted to take her immediately.”
She looked really miserable. “I wish you’d been here when she left. It was so awful watching them load her on the horse float and drive away. I’ve been crying all week.”
“Who bought her?” Issie asked.
“Do you remember Kitty from the riding school at Blackthorn Farm?” Stella sniffed. “Well, her mum said she could finally have her own pony and so they came and tried Coco out, and Kitty totally fell in love with her.”
“Stella, that’s great!” said Issie. “Kitty is super-nice and she’s a really good rider.”
Stella didn’t seem at all cheered up by this. The idea of her precious Coco being ridden by anyone else, even Kitty, didn’t make her any happier. “She’s all right I suppose,” she agreed grudgingly.
“But what about pony club?” Issie pointed out. “The new season is just about to start. It’s only a week until our first rally. What will you do?”
“That’s my big news!” Stella perked up. “He arrives tomorrow, so I’ll have him in time for the first rally next weekend.”
“Who arrives tomorrow?” Issie was confused.
“My new horse!”
“You’ve got a new horse already?”
“Well, not exactly,” Stella admitted. “He’s just on trial. I had one ride on him to try him out and now they’ve let me take him for a week to see if we get on. His name is Misty and he’s a fleabitten grey.”
“Has Tom checked him over yet?”
Stella shook her head. “He said he’d have a look at him for me this week before the first rally day.”
“I can’t believe it’s the beginning of the season already!” Issie said. “I wish I only had one horse. Now I’m stuck with three of them at once.”
Stella rolled her eyes. “Issie! Just listen to yourself! Complaining because you have too many horses? Most riders would kill to have just one pony and you’re lucky enough to have three.”
“I know,” Issie checked herself. “I mean it’s amazing having three horses, but honestly, how will I cope? I was really looking forward to riding Blaze and Comet this season and now this great piebald lump from Blackthorn Farm has turned up and I have to train him too…”
“So Aidan just dropped him off and left him with you?” Stella said.
“Pretty much.” Issie nodded. She was still thinking about how odd Aidan had been when he’d turned up. Had he been trying to break up with her? If he was, she didn’t feel ready to tell Stella about it. Not yet anyway.
“What’s the piebald like?” Stella asked.
“He’s really tubby with a bit of a Roman nose and he’s got big black and white patches.”
“Does he have a name?”
Issie shook her head. “Aidan says I have to name him.”
“That is so cool!” Stella grinned. “I’ve always wanted to name my own horse.”
“What do you think I should call him then?”
“How about Tonto?” Stella said. “You know, like the Lone Ranger because he’s a cowboy colour?”
“What about Patchy?” Issie suggested.
“You’re kidding, right?” Stella pulled a face. “I tell you what, why don’t you come over to my house with Kate tomorrow night before the AGM. We can order a pizza and come up with pony names together.”
“OK,” Issie agreed.
“It must be awful for the poor piebald,” said Stella. “Imagine not knowing what you’re called! No wonder he’s a bit odd. I’m sure you’ll get on better once you’ve named him.”
Issie hoped Stella was right. Maybe her feelings about the new horse would change once he had a name, but right now the only thing she could think of calling him was a big fat nuisance.
From the very start, the following night was a disaster. First of all, the pizza arrived late and the girls were grossed out when they took a bite and discovered it had anchovies on it. Then the pony-naming session wasn’t a great success either. Stella and Kate’s list of suggestions all sounded like cuddly toys.
“I am not calling my horse Mr Snuggles!” Issie finally snapped.
“Geez, OK!” said Kate. “There’s no need to get grumpy.”
It was at that point that Stella’s mum, Mrs Tarrant, put her head round the bedroom door. “The AGM begins in ten minutes,” she said. “Pile into the car and let’s go!”
By the time Mrs Tarrant and the girls arrived at the Chevalier Point clubroom, most of the rows of fold-out chairs were already filled up with club members and their parents. There were loads of other riders that the girls hadn’t seen since last season and the first person that they bumped into was Morgan Chatswood-Smith.
“You’re back!” Issie said, giving Morgan a huge hug.
