Like the movie.â
âYou mean the book?â Paige said. â Misty of Chincoteague . I read that when I was youngerâit takes place near here. And itâs totally based on a true story. Morgan told us she went to watch them swim across the water once, remember?â
Brooke had no idea who Morgan was. Probably another good friend she didnât know. âRight,â she said. âThatâs where I got Foxy. We went to the pony penning and bought her at the auction.â
âReally? I never heard of anyone doing that.â Paige smiled. âWell, except in the book, I mean.â
âChincoteagues are kind of a rare breed, right?â Hannah put in. âWas your pony really expensive?â
Brooke hesitated, not sure how to answer that. Foxy had seemed expensive to her, but she had a feeling these girls might have a different definition of the term.
âUm, not really,â she said.
Luckily, the others didnât seem interested in the details. They headed out of the bunkhouse and back over to the barn, arriving just in time to meet Robin as she led Foxy inside. Brooke was relieved to see that her pony seemed calmer. Foxy was walking obediently at Robinâs side, looking with interest at the stalled horses on either side of the aisle.
âPerfect timing,â Robin said when she saw Brooke. âFoxy is feeling better about things now, I think. You can take her to her stall and let her relax for a while.â Sheglanced at Paige. âShow her the empty stall next to Snow.â
Foxy was going to stay in a stall? Somehow Brooke hadnât been expecting that. She took the lead from Robin, who hurried off down the aisle.
âCool, Snow is my horseâweâll be neighbors!â Paige said brightly. âCome on, itâs this way.â
Brooke bit her lip and glanced at her pony. Foxy had never been shut in a stall in her life. The only time the mare had ever spent the night indoors was the previous fall, when a hurricane had passed over the peninsula and sheâd gone to stay with the neighborsâ draft horses in their big, open barn. How would she handle being stuck in a small stall, all by herself?
Maybe it will be fine, Brooke told herself. She didnât mind being in the trailer, and thatâs even smaller, right?
Paige led the way to an empty stall. Next door was a tall, elegant gray mare with a short mane. âThatâs Snow,â Livi informed Brooke.
âSheâs pretty.â But Brooke wasnât focused on Paigeâs horse. She held her breath as she led Foxy into the empty stall beside Snowâs and let her loose. Foxy stood there for a moment, andBrooke quickly let herself out and shut the door.
âWant us to give you a tour of the rest of the farm?â Paige suggested. âWe could show you whereââ
She was interrupted by a loud whinny as Foxy leaped forward, stopping just short of the stall door. The pony shoved her head out into the aisle, her eyes rolling and her nostrils flared. Brooke reached out to pat her, but the mare whirled away.
âWhatâs wrong with her?â Hannah wondered as Foxy spun in a circle before returning to the door.
Paige shrugged. âSheâs new here, thatâs all.â
âMaybe,â Brooke said. âUm, or maybe itâs because sheâs not used to being in a stall.â
Livi turned to stare at her. âWhat do you mean?â
Brooke chewed her lower lip as she watched her frantic pony. âShe lives in a field with a run-in shed. I never shut her in. I never had a reason to before.â
âReally?â Hannah sounded surprised. âHuh. Vegas would die if I forced him to live outside. He loves his cozy stall.â
Foxy whinnied again and kicked the wall. Several of the other horses nickered or snorted in response. A moment later Robin returned, looking concerned.
âEverything all right?â she asked.
âIâm