Mel cantered Shadow away from Twilight and turned him towards on of the fences. He slowed to a trot and then to a walk. Mel kicked his sides but it made no difference. He stopped a metre away from the jump.
‘He does it every time,’ Mel said, riding back to Lauren. ‘And I don’t know what I’m going to do. There’s another mounted meeting this Saturday and Jade Roberts and her friend Monica were really mean about him when he wouldn’t jump last time.’
‘Maybe he’ll follow Twilight over a jump,’ Lauren suggested.
But even when Twilight jumped, Shadow refused to follow. As soon as Mel turned him towards the fences, he slowed down, his ears back.
‘It’s no use,’ Mel sighed. ‘He’s not going to do it,’ She patted Shadow. ‘It doesn’t matter, Shadow,’ she said. ‘I love you whether you can jump or not.’
Although Mel tried to smile, Lauren could see the sadness in her new friend’s eyes. ‘I’ll try to think of some other way to help,’ Lauren promised. ‘If I come over tomorrow, maybe we could try again then.’
‘That would be great,’ Mel said, looking more cheerful. ‘Between the two of us we must be able to think of something.’