The Race...

             Sophie, Benny, Yarra, Pippin and I broke into a gallop as soon as the starting words came out of Fiona’s mouth. Sophie was in the lead with Pippin following closely behind. I was coming third. Yarra, like a typical pony, only galloped for the first quarter of the race and then spectated. Benny was coming last by a lot.

I was at first surprised at the speed I was going. I was only a little bit behind Pippin, which was very fast for me since I didn’t do as much racing around the paddock as the other foals did.

Benny tripped over his own hooves, as Yarra predicted, and then claimed that racing was a stupid game anyway. Sophie was concentrating too hard on winning to notice.

Then suddenly Pippin was in the lead! Sophie, frustrated, galloped harder and faster. I could see the perspiration dripping from her shinny black coat.

         Out of the corner of my eye, I could see my dear Mother watching me with an expressionless face. I felt guilt and dread wash over me.

Annie was also watching and chatting to mother, she looked nasty, and ill tempered. I guessed that she was blaming Sophie’s behaviour on me. I could just about hear her bragging to Mother about what a bad example I was on her precious Sophie. Even though Annie knew as well as I did that Sophie was no more innocent then I was, in fact, she was a lot more guilty then I was.