《小马俱乐部历险记》中英双语版·13
2月24日，星期天 【本书已在亚马逊上架】
小马俱乐部真是棒极了！！！
今天一大早，汤姆就和雪莉与凯特过来了，因为要把他们的马儿先装上拖车。他给爸爸演示如何正确地把拖车挂上，接着爸爸就坐进他的车里跟他学。他们到了小马俱乐部，把那两匹马儿卸下来以后，爸爸就把拖车拉回家来接我和火花。幸好俱乐部离我家只有15分钟车程，所以用不了多少时间。我牵着火花，带着骑马的全副装备，站在我家的车道上等着，兴奋异常地等着！
爸爸妈妈在一旁帮忙，我让火花走上拖车。幸运的是，她毫不犹豫，第一次就成功了。汤姆说，有些人很难把他们的马儿弄上拖车；不过，因为我们观察过他是如何把米粒和露露弄上去的，而且他还给我们说过一些注意事项，所以我们也不算是完全的外行。
到了俱乐部，我们卸下了火花，把她牵到栅栏边拴在那儿——雪莉和凯特在那儿给我们留了一个很棒的拴马位，就挨着她们的。她们说，那是她们的，她们一直就是拴在那儿的；不过现在也是我的啦！
我加入了俱乐部，她俩高兴得不得了，迫不及待地领着我四处参观，见人就给我介绍。我也为自己第一次穿上俱乐部的马球衫，并且有雪莉和凯特这两位朋友而深感自豪。她们对我真不错，什么都帮着我。其他的女孩儿们看起来也很不错。带着自己的小马来到了这样的场所，真让人兴奋不已！那儿也有几个男孩，但不多。( 文章阅读网：www.sanwen.net )
训练开始了。首先，我们得在赛场排成一列，教练要检查我们是否正确地穿戴好了骑马的装备，还有肚带是否系得够紧。然后，教练根据我们骑马的熟练程度，把我们分成几个小组。我和其他几个与我同龄的女孩分在了一个组。令我高兴的是我不必从头学起。
我们在那儿待了一整天，轮换着尝试了所有的活动，练习了许许多多不同的动作。我发现，我的骑术已有所提高。训练障碍赛[1]时，教练的指导很有效，我非常喜欢。尽管今天我只跳过了一些较小的障碍栏，但也真的是其乐无穷！
最最激动人心的时刻，还是下午练习的一些比赛项目。在计时绕桶赛[2]中，火花得了第二名，我高兴极了！还练习了连跳[3]和绕杆赛[4]，她也差一点儿就赢了。教练说，火花真是马术运动的好苗子。
结束时，雪莉和凯特把她们的马儿装上拖车，汤姆先把他们拉回家。我们只得等着他把拖车拉回来。他家很近，所以他不在乎这点儿麻烦。他依然把拖车借给我们用——我好幸运！要不然，我根本无法参加俱乐部的训练。阿里、凯米和格蕾丝当时也想走，可没有拖车，她们还走不成。我运气真好！
不过这一次，火花就是不肯走上拖车。难道她因为疲惫不堪，突然间决定要耍耍性子？我们不停地尝试各种方法，但她就是不动。还不知道马儿的脾气也会这么犟！
幸好有一位教练过来帮忙。他指导我们，由两个人一人拿着绳子的一头，稍稍把绳子绕在马背上，同时由我牵着马儿往拖车上走。这一招还真灵——反正她就直接走上去了。总之，在小马俱乐部里，人人都不错，个个都乐于助人。
车子刚刚启动，就把全家人吓了一大跳——至少把爸妈吓得够呛！原来才是小车正要驶出去走上大路时，就碾上了减速带！突然间“砰”的一声巨响。幸好爸爸立刻下车查看，结果才是装载马儿的拖车从我家小车的拖车杆里脱钩了，此刻连着拖车的只有那条铁链。
爸爸挂好了拖车，并且再三查看，确保挂得十分牢固；幸好这以后再也没有脱钩！因为一出去上了大路，就要爬一座较大的山坡。要不是重新挂好，拖车绝对会脱落；拖车一脱落就会滑下去，撞上我们后面的车辆。其后果真不敢想象！不仅我那可怜的宝贝马儿会惨遭不幸，就连车里的人恐怕也不能幸免于难。
那当然会是一场灾难！我们好幸运！妈妈至今都还在说会有什么什么后果啦，我们的运气多好啦，我爸以后要怎么仔细啦，必须确保把拖车挂得如何牢靠啦，等等等等！
不过爸妈不希望我把这事儿说出去；因为，要是汤姆知道了，也许不会再把拖车借给我们用了。
可这事儿我连想也不愿再想。
小马俱乐部好棒好棒！这是我最棒的一天！！！
下一次去是两个星期以后——可我怎么才能等到那一天！
现在我每天下午都要骑着火花——练习、练习、再练习。这也会锻炼她的肌肉张力。她会越来越棒！
我就爱小马俱乐部！那儿太爽了！！！
[1]障碍赛：马术项目。要求骑手与马匹默契配合，齐心协力跳跃10-12道障碍，其中包括一道双重障碍和一道三重障碍
[2]绕桶赛：马术项目。3个油桶置于沙地的三角形的三个角，骑手驾驭马匹围绕这3个油桶绕一圈且不碰倒桶，计时最短者获胜。
[3]连跳：马术项目。骑手需要让马连续跨过六个栏板，速度最快者为胜。如果跨栏时马踢倒了栏板，则该选手出局。
[4]绕杆赛：马术项目，又称穿桩赛。骑手驾驭骏马在场地内按规定路线跑完直线排列的6根立柱，计时最短者获胜。
Sunday 24 February
Pony Club is AWESOME!!!
Tom came over early this morning with Shelley and Kate to load their horses onto his float. He showed Dad how to hook it up properly and Dad followed him in his car. When they got to pony club and unloaded the horses, Dad brought the float back to our house. It’s lucky we only live about 15 minutes away so it didn’t take too long. I was standing in the driveway with Sparkle on a lead rope and all my tack, ready to get going. I just couldn’t wait to get there!
I walked Sparkle onto the float with Mom and Dad helping me – luckily she went on first go and didn’t even hesitate. Tom said that some people have trouble getting their horses on floats, but we watched him load Millie and Lulu. And he gave us some tips as well, so we kind of knew what to do.
When we got there, we unloaded Sparkle and tied her up to the fence with some bailing twine. Shelley and Kate saved me a spot next to them which was so cool. They said that’s their spot, where they always tie up – and now it’s my spot too!
They were so excited that I was there and couldn’t wait to show me around and introduce me to everyone. I felt so proud wearing my new pony club shirt and being friends with Shelley and Kate. They were so nice to me and were helping me with everything. All the other girls seemed really nice too and it was just so exciting to be there with my own pony! There’s a few boys who go, but not many.
First of all, we had to all line up in the arena and the instructors came around to check that we were tacked up properly and that our girths were tight enough. Then we were put into groups depending on how good a rider we are. I was with some other girls my age. I was so glad I didn’t have to go with the beginners.
We were there for the whole day and rotated around all the activities. We practiced so many different things and I can tell that my riding has improved already. I loved it when we did the jumping and the instructors were so helpful. I only did small jumps but it was really fun!
The best part was when we did sporting events in the afternoon. They were timing us and Sparkle came second in the barrel racing. I was really happy! We practiced bounce pony and bending as well and she almost won those too. The instructors said that she’s a great sporting pony!
Then at the end of the day, Shelly and Kate loaded their horses onto the float and Tom took them home. We just had to wait for him to bring the float back for us. He lives really close by, so he doesn’t mind. I’m so lucky that he’s letting us use his float or I wouldn’t be able to do pony club at all. Ali, Cammie and Grace all want to go as well. But they don’t have a float so they can’t. I’m so lucky!
When we tried to load Sparkle this time though, she just wouldn’t go on. Maybe she was tired and suddenly decided to be naughty? We kept trying and trying but she just refused. I didn’t know horses could be so stubborn!
Luckily one of the instructors came and helped us. He showed us how to use a rope with 2 people holding each end and sort of wrapping it around the back of her while I led her on with the lead rope. Anyway, it worked and she went straight on. Everyone at pony club is really nice and helpful.
Just as we were leaving though, we got the fright of our lives – or Mom and Dad did anyway! When we were about to drive out onto the main road, we went over a speed bump and all of a sudden, there was a loud thumping noise. It was so lucky that Dad decided to get out and check because the horse float had come unhooked from the tow bar on our car. All that was keeping it attached was the metal chain.
Dad was able to get it hooked up properly so that it was all secure but it was so lucky that it came unstuck right there! If we’d driven out onto the main road, we would have had to go up a really big hill. And Dad said that the float would definitely have come off the car. If this happened, the float would have rolled down the hill into the cars behind us. Imagine that!!! My poor baby could have been killed and even the people in the cars as well.
That would have been a disaster! We were so lucky! Mom is still talking about what could have happened and how lucky we were! Dad’s going to have to be so careful in future. He has to make sure the float is hooked up properly.
Mom and Dad don’t want me to tell the girls. If Tom finds out, he mightn’t lend us the float anymore.
But I don’t want to think about that!
Pony club is THE BEST and I had THE BEST DAY EVER!!!!
I can’t wait till we go again in 2 weeks’ time.
I’m going to ride Sparkle every afternoon now and practice and practice. This will help to build up her muscle tone as well. She’s going to look so good!
I love going to Pony Club! It’s cool!!!
