Casey dreams of competing in the Badminton Horse Trials. But she lives in London, her Dad is just out of prison and without a job, her Mum is dead, and Casey doesn't have a horse. Yet one day a runaway crosses her path. This wild, half-starved grey is destined to be put to death, wanted by no one, but Casey persuades her Dad to let her take the horse, in return for a token one dollar payment to the owner.

Casey, with the help of her good friends at the riding stables, nurses the horse back to health, discovering that he has huge potential. Her dreams may not be unrealistic, after all.

This is a classic girls' story of overcoming the odds, with perseverence and hard work, to realise your dream. There are lots of tips about looking after your horse and improving riding technique, while not once losing sight of the pace of the plot and the integrity of the characters. It's a great book, and there are more in the series to follow from this versatile author.