Carole Hanson joked breathlessly. It was a brisk Saturday afternoon in early December, and Carole and her two best friends, Lisa Atwood and Stevie Lake, were hiking in the state park just outside their hometown, Willow Creek, Virginia. “You think everything would be more fun on horseback,” Lisa joked back. That was true. But it was also true that Lisa and Stevie felt exactly the same way. The three girls loved horses and riding so much that they had formed The Saddle Club. Their club had only two rules: Members had to be horse-crazy, and they had to be willing to help each other out. “Hold on a second. I’ve got another pebble,” Stevie said. She sat down on a large boulder and removed one of her shoes. “We told you not to wear sneakers,” Carole said, leaning against a tree trunk to rest. “What happened to the new hiking boots your grandparents gave you for your birthday?” Stevie shrugged. “They’re in my room somewhere. I think.” Carole and Lisa laughed. Stevie’s room was famously messy, and it didn’t surprise them that their friend had lost her hiking boots in the clutter.
