First Friends and Queen of Sheba: Bridle Path Farm Horse Lover’S Series

By Roberta Smith Kroll

Bob and Bernice Smith and Grandpop Schmidt taught Roberta all the lessons a young girl wanted to know about animals and nature. Things changed a bit when Grandpop died and the family farm was sold. The small family then searched for a place to relocate. Their friends, the Newharts, found a place in Buckingham Township, which they felt would fit the Smiths needs. This farm was directly over the hill from her best friend, Sallys, home.

The purchase was made and named Bridle Path Farm. Roberta Smith, aka Rachel Snyder, and Sally Newhart, aka Sara Newman, became best of friends and spent many years doing fun things. The Smiths and Newharts became best friends for life also.

Roberta trained her animals and was a big help curing Brownie from his laminitis (founder).

Sheba was the Smiths first horse. Robertas dream of making the United States Equestrian Team was shattered when Sheba was injured and wasnt able to be ridden. The Smiths went in search of a young horse to raise and train for Robertas future.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Dec 12, 2014
• ISBN: 9781503522817

Roberta Smith Kroll

Roberta Smith Kroll was raised in a loving family in Lahaska and Mechanicsville, Pennsylvania. She was an only child but was never bored or looking for ways to spend time. Her mother, Bernice Smith, did the daily farm chores of the family farm, which was located in what is now known as Peddlers Village. The original house and barn, where Roberta's grandparents lived, still stands today.

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Copyright © 2014 by Roberta Smith Kroll.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 12/11/2014

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Contents

FIRST FRIENDS

(Book One)

In The Beginning

Dreams Come True

The New Arrival

Life On Her Grandparents’ Farm

Brownie’s Ornery Side

A New Friend And Founder

Dr. Ellery’s Treatment Plan

Homestead Sadness

Bridle Path Farm

Brownie Settles In

The First Riding Lesson

Moving Up?

QUEEN OF SHEBA

(Book Two)

Better Dapples For Sheba

Two Are More Fun Than One

Gone Skunking

Buttercup

The Run-Away

Horse Show Plans

Maiden Equitation On The Flat

13&Under

Bucks County 4-H Horse And Pony Club

Bucks County 4-H Horse And Pony Fall Round-Up

Bucks County’s Rep. Is Injured

Sheba’s Scar Tissue

4-H Meeting At The Horse Auction

FOREWORD

What a treat to have Brownie and Sheba both within the covers of a book. It’s like having them tucked safely into their stalls for the night, realizing that they’ll always be ready to take us on yet another adventure. Roberta Smith Kroll knows her horses. In First Friends and in Queen of Sheba she makes them and their owner, the wonderfully irrepressible Rachel, come alive. These two young adult novels, bound together, do what we count on from the books we love. They create a world the reader is reluctant to leave, and the reader does not have to be a kid to delight in this world. I am not sure which I enjoy more: reading my favorite authors or re-reading them. The joy of Roberta Smith Kroll’s horses finding their way into print is that now we can, whenever we wish, saddle up Brownie and Sheba and they will take us places we need to go, places that will teach us not just about horses but also about life, places that will remind us to emulate Brownie’s and Sheba’s owner and, like Rachel, to make the most of every ride.

Christopher Bursk, author of The First Inhabitants of Arcadia

DEDICATIONS:

My first books of the Bridle Path Farm Horse Lover’s Series are dedicated to all the readers finding joy and knowledge about equines as they read these pages. First of all I want to thank the following people for support with my lifelong love of animals and most especially horses and ponies.

Bob and Bernice Smith (aka Mr. & Mrs. Snyder) who are now deceased but who always helped me learn and care for all the creatures in our family. I hope this book shows them the respect and honor they deserve because without them there would have been no fodder for my books.

Chuck Kroll - my husband who was the person God chose for me. He has always cared for our animals even after I became disabled. He has also always tried to supply whatever was needed and was always patient with me in listening over and over to my writing.

Devin, Charles, and Bryn-Lea our children who suffered through hundreds of rewrites. I would ask them to listen to every change.

Professor Christopher Bursk - a well published, well loved, and terrific Professor of literary works at Bucks County Community College.

Doctor John G. Emerson- (aka Dr. Ellery) a most fabulous Veterinarian who saw us through some of the best and worst days of the small and large animals in our lives.

Mr. & Mrs. George Finnie- (aka Mr. & Mrs. Findley) the world’s most terrific 4H leaders and parents of Carol, Rachel’s best 4H friend. Myself and the other club members learned a great deal with the Finnies.

Sally Newhart -(aka Sara Newman) she and her parents became life long friends of the Smith (aka Snyders) family.

Leah Unger - A reading specialist and friend who guided my pen.

I wish a heartfelt thanks for all the support for the Bridle Path Farm Horse Lover’s Series - 1st two books. Without all of you, these books would not have become such a happy place for myself and others … Happy riding and reading.

FIRST FRIENDS

(Book One)

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IN THE BEGINNING

Rachel Snyder had begged for a pony forever. Now it seemed, her pestering had paid off.

Dad had always been more receptive to the idea of a pony than Mom had been. Rachel smiled as she remembered her dad scowling the day her mom said, Get a goat, Rachel. We can make tiny harness and hitch the goat to a wagon.

One late summer day, as the Snyders sat down to dinner, Rachel looked at her dad and noticed that he had a twinkle in his eyes. As she shook her checkerboard cafe napkin onto her lap, she asked, What’s up, Dad? You look really happy about something.

Mom said, Yes, you surely do, Bob. Did something happen at work today?

Dad finished spooning a mountain of mashed potatoes into the center of his plate. Yep. In fact, my secretary Kate told me something today that I know at least you’ll be interested in, Rachel. She told me about a pony farmer that one of the people boarding at her stable knows. The farmer is called Big Frank. Apparently he’s such a huge fellow that folks are usually quite surprised that his business is raising ponies, and not some big old Draft breed. He’s a local man - just up in Dublin.

Rachel thought Mom looked stunned. What’s wrong, Mom?

Nothing really, Rachel. I’m just a little bit upset that your Dad didn’t run this by me, before getting your hopes up. I didn’t think we were going to consider ponies anymore until we saw how your schoolwork was this fall.

Well, Kate said that she heard the fellow has a very good reputation with breeding Shetlands and Welsh Mountain ponies. And, she was also told that he had some great prices placed on some of his ponies, so that he could reduce his stock before winter. Besides, wouldn’t it be fun to go to a farm that just raises horses?

Boy! I think it would be a lot of fun! Rachel said as she sat there moving peas from one spot on her plate to another. She was so happy that she and her mom had made Dad’s very favorite dinner tonight: roast beef, mashed potatoes, baby peas, and a tossed salad with a hot bacon and vinegar dressing.

No surprise there, Mom teased. I still think we ought to really consider a goat first, but I guess it would be kind of fun to go see this Big Frank fellow.

Rachel knew that things didn’t happen within the small family without Mom’s blessing, or at the very least, her okay. One Mother’s Day, Dad and Rachel had found a tiny framed needlepoint that said, If Mom’s not happy, ain’t nobody happy. They couldn’t quite read Mom’s reaction then, but the piece was displayed over the kitchen sink for all to see.

Thank you so much, Mom. Thank you, Dad. When can we go up to the farm? Do you think we could go tomorrow, as soon as you get home from work, Dad?

Hold on, Rachel. I have the man’s phone number. I’ll call him tonight, but I don’t think it’s good to go up at night. I want to see if we could go up on Saturday as soon as the chores are done. Is that okay, Bernie?

Yes, that sounds like a good idea. I will need help with the farm chores though, before we can go. You’ll help, right, Rachel?

You know it, Mom. I can take care of a lot of stuff by myself now. Anything you want me to do, I’ll do.

Rachel could hardly sit still. She asked, May I be excused?

Sure, but don’t forget to clear the dishes, Mom said with a smile.

Rachel gathered the dinnerware from the table and dumped all of it quickly into the dishwasher. She hurried out back to see Lassie, the Snyder’s collie dog, to tell her about Big Frank. When she climbed onto the rope swing hanging from the huge maple tree, Lassie trotted over to her.

From the kitchen window, Rachel heard her mother call.

If you aren’t more careful with our dishes, Rachel, we’ll have to go look for plates instead of ponies.

I’m sorry, Mom, I just wanted to tell Lassie what we were talking about. I also wanted to swing and think about going to that farm—maybe on Saturday! I guess I really did throw them, didn’t I? I promise I’ll do better next time, Mom.

Okay, see that you do. It’s almost time to feed Lassie, so don’t stay out there swinging for too long. Mom dropped the curtain back down across the window.

Rachel always found herself on the rope swing whenever she wanted to think about things. And this was one of the best things she ever had to think about! She pumped hard on her legs and pretty soon was swinging as high as the branch that the swing rope was attached to. Whenever she sailed this high, Lassie would run around the base of the old maple and bark! Rachel had a thought.

Hey Lassie, guess what? We are going to go to a farm that ponies are raised at. The farmer’s name is Big Frank. How’s that for a curious name? If things go the way I hope they will, I may have a pony soon. When we go in, how about we go up to my room and look up some breeds of ponies in that book I got for my birthday from Mom and Dad? With that, Rachel slowed pumping her legs, and soon came to a stop, where Lassie stood looking at her with wide and soft brown eyes.

Rachel rumpled the collie’s full mane of hair. Come on, girl, I’ll give you your dinner, and then you can come to my room when you are done. The two went into the house, walking side by side. When they got to the kitchen, Lassie trotted to the old tin pretzel can where her dog chow was kept.

I’m going to look up some ponies in the book you gave me, Rachel said. What kind did you say were at the farm, Dad?

Oh, what did I say, Bern?

I think you said Shetlands and Welsh Mountain ponies and some cross-breds, didn’t you?

Yeah, that’s right, Mom. That’s what Dad said, Rachel was already half way up the stairs to her room.

Rachel had already looked up Shetlands by the time Lassie came to help with the research. She helped by resting her chin on Rachel’s leg.

I can’t wait to see all of the ponies, girl, but it sounds as though Shetland ponies are pretty small. They’re strong, but small. I wouldn’t want to get something I’d outgrow pretty quick, don’t you agree? Let’s see what this book says about the Welsh ones.

While Rachel flipped pages to find the other breed, Lassie lay flat out on the rug by Rachel’s bed. Come on, Lassie, this one sounds good, I want to tell my parents about it.

Mom and Dad, the book says Shetlands are pretty small, but Welsh Mountain ponies could carry me around for a long time.

Don’t be getting your hopes up, young lady, I said we were just going to look. I called the fellow, and he said Saturday would be fine, Dad said, trying to sound firm.

Oh, I know, Dad, I just wanted to tell you and Mom what the book had to say.

Saturday morning finally arrived. If we drive over to do the chores, then we can go right up to the pony farm when we’re done, Dad said as he placed his fork on his now empty breakfast plate.

The Snyders all drove the short distance to the family farm where Mom Snyder’s parents, Louis and Bertha Schmidt, lived. Mom had always been the Schmidt daughter who took care of the farm chores. After marrying, the five Schmidt girls all moved to nearby homes to raise their families. Mom and Dad Snyder enjoyed continuing the caretaking of the small farm.

I’ll go give the chickens their mash and water, okay? You know that I can take care of them myself, right? Rachel questioned as she sprung out of the car. She hardly ever waited for answers to questions that she asked.

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Mom, Dad, and Rachel, quickly did the morning chores. Rachel was very careful with taking care of the chickens. She didn’t want to be responsible for any delay in the trip to the pony farm.

After all of their chores were done, they drove the few miles to Big Frank’s pony farm. I’ve never been to a farm where just horses or ponies were raised, Mom said.

Me neither. Dad slowed the car as it bounced down a long dirt and gravel drive. As they approached the end of the driveway, a well-kept farm came into view.

DREAMS COME TRUE

Rachel held her breath and thought that this farm resembled the farm she had often pictured in her dreams. There were ponies everywhere—of every size, shape, and color.

A large gently rolling pasture wrapped around the green ranch—style house. Several turnout sheds, three sided and opened to the south, dotted the acreage. There was a pretty frame barn to the right of the house. The barn seemed small to Rachel. After all, she had been told that thirty five ponies lived at this farm. Some must live outside year round, she thought.

Six Dutch doors, along the barn front faced the house. The barn sat perched on a tiny knoll, and each opened top door had a pony face in it. Some pasture ponies were grazing right up to the barn. A small pinto was nipping the bay face in the center stall.

Dad parked the car between a stock trailer hitched to a pick-up and a new model luxury car that seemed out of place. A happy looking brown and white dog came dancing down the walk. Her flag-like tail waved hello, but when she reached the closed gate, she began barking at the top of her lungs.

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Before the Snyders could decide how to let Big Frank know that they were there, the front door opened and out stepped the largest person Rachel had ever seen! He turned sideways a little and ducked his head in order to fit through the doorway.

The family got out of the car and watched Big Frank lumber down the walk toward the gate pushing three ponies out of his path. The smallest was the most difficult to move away. He pushed on her round butt and seemed to press her with much of his bulk. The dog obviously enjoyed Big Frank’s walk-clearing techniques, and she twirled and yelped at the pony’s heels.

Move it, little lady, huffed the pony farmer. As soon as Big Frank spoke, the dog stretched down low and nipped at the fetlock of the pony. Suddenly, activity was playing out everywhere in front of the Snyders’ eyes.

The family stood there watching with wide eyes the interaction between the large man and his animals. Two of the three problem ponies trotted off toward the stable while the spunkiest of the trio gave a half-hearted buck which finished with a kick toward the farmer and his dog.

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