Issie and the Christmas Pony by Stacy Gregg Page A

feels like a rocking horse!” she laughed. “It’s so comfy!”
    Avery nodded. “He has three excellent paces, no stiffness and a solid temperament.”
    Issie pulled Mystic back up to a trot and brought the grey pony over to Avery. “Does that mean we can buy him?”
    â€œIf that’s what you really want,” Avery said. He looked at his watch. “But you need to make your mind up now. Juniper is due to go in the ring at any minute. Do you still want to bid on him as well? If you do, we’ll need to hurry back.”
    Issie shook her head. “No, Tom. I’m sure. I want to buy Mystic.”
    â€œOK,” said Avery, “it’s your decision. But Mystic is old and you don’t want to be buying trouble. At his age, I think it would be wise to get a vet check done first before we bid.” He turned to the man who was selling Mystic. “Is that OK with you?”
    â€œFine by me, mate,” the man shugged. “Like I said, it’s not my horse, so I don’t care whether you buy him or not. But aren’t you cutting it a bit fine for time? The vet’s trailer is at the far end of the field. You can book him in, but you’ll have to be fast if you want to get it done before the auction. This pony is due in the ring very soon.” The man stepped back inside the horse truck and left Issie and Avery alone to talk about what to do next.
    â€œTom!” Issie whispered to her instructor. “Maybe he’s right. We don’t have enough time…”
    Avery shook his head. “There’s enough time.Mystic is lot 99. I’d say that gives us about an hour to get the job done.” He checked to make sure the man wasn’t listening to them and then whispered, “If you ask me, this guy is just trying to put us off getting the vet check. Owners will always discourage a vet check, but I think it’s worth doing one.”
    â€œOK,” Issie nodded, “let’s do it.”
    â€œWe’re going to go ahead with the vet check,” Avery informed the man.
    The man nodded. “Righto, but if you haven’t come back to me in time, I’m taking him into the ring. He has to be sold today.”
    Avery turned to Issie. “Go and get your mum. She and I will sort out the vet. You can wait by the auction ring and keep an eye on the horses. Let us know if we’re cutting it too fine.”
    â€œOK!” Issie said. She left Avery with Mystic and ran back through the barn, searching the stands for her mum.
    â€œWhere have you been?” Mrs Brown wanted to know.
    Issie explained how she had found the grey pony at the last minute. “Avery needs you to come and help him,” Issie said. “He’s organising a vet check.”
    â€œA vet check?” Mrs Brown was confused. “But Ithought you were buying the palomino or the bay?”
    â€œI’ve changed my mind,” said Issie. “Mum, hurry, you need to go now; there’s not much time.”
    There was even less time than Issie thought. She watched as two more horses entered the ring and were sold quickly. Then it was Juniper’s turn. The little bay fetched $900, which was well within Issie’s price range. Issie felt a pang of regret as she watched the bidders battle it out for the bay pony. Juniper could have been hers today. Was she wrong to let him go? Issie felt better about losing him when she saw that the winning bidder was a girl about her own age. Her father made the bid for her and the girl was smiling from ear to ear as the auctioneer’s gavel fell. “Sold to the girl in the blue shirt-happy riding!” the auctioneer said.
    Two more horses came into the ring after that. Issie wondered if Avery and her mum had managed to organise the vet check yet. Never mind , she thought. Mystic was lot number 99. They still had plenty of time.
    â€œNumber 65 is scratched,” the auctioneer called. “Can we