Horse Care Read Online Free PDF

them and their foals—you know, equine influenza, strangles, tetanus, viral rhinopneumonitis. In this part of the country you’d probably need to vaccinate for Potomac horse fever as well, preferably about a month or so before you think she’s most likely to foal, and …”
    He went on, but Carole wasn’t listening anymore. Neither were her friends. They were exchanging amazed glances. It sounded as if Tate were just warming up, as if he could go on about this topic for hours—maybe days. Just like Carole herself!
    After he finally wound down, Carole asked Tate a few more questions. But she hardly needed to listen to his lengthy, precise, and enthusiastic replies. She alreadyhad the only answer she really wanted: This boy knew his stuff.
    Finally, after discoursing for about ten minutes on the benefits of the straight bit versus the eggbutt snaffle in training young horses, Tate glanced at his watch. Then he stood up and brushed a few blades of new spring grass off his pants. “Well, I guess I’d better get going,” he said. “It was really nice to meet you all. I’m sure I’ll see you around real soon.”
    “Aren’t you staying for the jump class?” Stevie asked.
    Tate shook his head. “I wasn’t sure I’d make it to the stable at all today,” he said. “I should be at home helping my parents unpack right now. But Max is going to give me a few private lessons this week after school. I’m sure I’ll be ready to join your riding class in no time at all.”
    Carole was sure of that, too. “That’s great,” she told Tate. “It’s always fun to get a new student in class.”
    “Cool,” Tate said. He gave The Saddle Club a wave and headed down the hill.
    “See you soon,” Stevie called after him cheerfully. “Real soon, we hope!” Then she turned and gave Carole a broad wink. “Definite boyfriend material,” she said under her breath.
    Carole ignored her, hoping that her words hadn’t been loud enough for Tate to hear. Whether he had heard or not, she could still feel herself blushing. All this talk about boyfriends was ridiculous. Her friends knewhow she felt about that topic. She wasn’t ready to start seriously dating yet, let alone getting involved in a real one-on-one relationship.
    Still, she couldn’t help watching Tate as he strolled down the hill toward the stable. Maybe, just maybe, this was the boy who could change her mind about all that.

C AROLE BIT HER LIP and squinted as Stevie rode Belle in front of her. It was the following Wednesday afternoon. It had rained hard for most of the day while the girls had been in school, but now the sun had come out and was shining brightly over Pine Hollow’s outdoor ring. Stevie and Carole were putting in some extra dressage practice with their horses. They wanted to be prepared for Saturday’s Horse Wise meeting.
    Carole gathered her reins and moved Starlight a step forward as Stevie brought Belle to a halt.
    “Wait,” she called to Stevie. “Try that half-pass again.”
    Stevie shrugged and started Belle trotting again. As Carole watched carefully, Stevie gave the signal for thehalf-pass, a common dressage move in which the horse moved diagonally forward and sideways.
    “Well?” Stevie said after a moment. “How was that?”
    “It was better that time,” Carole said, trotting forward to join her friend.
    Stevie frowned a little. “Better?” she said. “What do you mean? Did Belle mess up the first time? I didn’t catch it.”
    Carole shook her head and smiled. “Belle didn’t mess up,” she said. “You did. You were leaning to the side.”
    “Really?” Stevie looked annoyed. But Carole could tell that Stevie’s annoyance was with herself rather than with Carole. “That’s funny. I haven’t done that for ages. It’s a beginner’s mistake.”
    “Don’t worry about it.” Carole grinned. “Or as Max would say, don’t worry about it, just fix it.”
    Stevie chuckled. “You’re right. He
would
say that.” She