Chapter Seven
The day after her cousins' visit, Maggie went out to the pasture again. The horses were standing head-to-tail under a large oak tree. Polly was keeping the flies off Molly's nose, and Molly was returning the favor.
Maggie looked around the pasture for some way to get on Molly. The rock Dad had used was too short for Maggie. The barbed-wire fence around the field was high enough, but she couldn't crawl up on that. If only their farm had wooden fences.
Then Maggie remembered a wooden gate at the far end of the pasture. That might work, she decided. She went off to check it out.
Yes, there was the old gate nearly hidden by tall grass and low-hanging branches. Maggie stepped on the gate to see if it was strong enough to hold her, and it was.
Maggie hurried back to the horses and grabbed the halter Molly was wearing. At first Molly refused to move, but Maggie picked some clover from the other side of the fence. Then Molly was willing to follow.
Finally Molly was standing next to the gate. Maggie climbed up and prepared to slide on the horse. But just as Maggie was ready to jump, Molly swung her rump away. Maggie got down. She pushed and pulled until Molly's rump was again next to the gate. Maggie crawled up, and again she got ready to slide on. But Molly moved again.
After five or six tries, Maggie was finally able to leap on. But just as she did Molly stepped aside. Maggie grabbed at the mane and managed to stay on.
"Whew! I did it!" Maggie crowed. "I'm riding all by myself. Giddy up, Molly."