Chapter 1

      One of the best feelings in the world is waking up and thinking, Ohmygod, I’m late for school! That isn’t the good bit obviously. The good bit comes in a sudden rush a few seconds later when you realise that you don’t have to go to school after all because today isn’t an ordinary Monday—it’s the first day of the summer holidays!

      Issie was savouring that exact moment right now as she lay snuggled up in bed. She gave her legs a big, wriggly stretch underneath the duvet. There was something so luxurious about lying there, knowing that she didn’t have to hurry up and put her uniform on and pack her book bag. No school for two whole months. And this summer promised to be the best ever.

      Issie had big plans for the holidays. And most of those plans involved Blaze, her chestnut Anglo-Arab mare. Summer meant pony-club season. There would be gymkhanas, ribbon days and one-day events to ride, and Issie had Blaze in perfect condition ready for competition.

      Her pony had been schooling beautifully ever since Issie got her back from Francoise D’arth. They had been having regular dressage lessons with Tom Avery and she was amazed at how responsive and clever her horse was. Now that Issie and Tom knew Blaze’s real background—that she had once been part of a famous troupe of dancing Arabians—they had begun to try new things with her. Under Avery’s tutelage, Blaze and Issie had easily mastered fancy moves like shoulder-ins and piaffes.

      “That mare is the perfect school mistress for you,” Avery told her. “We’re going to make huge strides in your training this summer, Issie.”

      Avery was confident that Blaze was ready to compete in the summer series dressage competitions at the Chevalier Point Pony Club which began that weekend. “You’ll only be in the novice section so there certainly wouldn’t be any piaffes in your dressage test,” he said.

      Still, Issie was nervous. She had never done dressage on Blaze before. What if the mare got all heated up and panicked in the arena? What if she forgot the test and got lost halfway through?

      “Don’t be ridiculous!” Stella had told Issie when she blabbed her fears. “You and Blaze have practised your test, like, at least twenty times! I still don’t know it and Coco is being so stubborn lately she won’t even lead on the correct leg when she canters. She’s being a total nightmare!”

      With