This was a good-quality example of the kinds of "horse stories" I loved as a kid. It's a bit more well-written than many of the others I've read, and there are some lovely illustrations as well. Robin Forrest has dreamed, as many young girls, of having a horse of her own, and is elated when she finally gets one: with a twist. She decides to adopt a wild mustang from the government's Adopt-A-Mustang program, and, although she's learned about horse care from her 4-H group, she quickly wonders whether she's in over her head. I think it's a good cautionary tale in that regard! Her similarly horse-crazy best friend got a horse before Robin, a flashy, show Thoroughbred, which is stabled at an illustrious show barn where her friend schools with a very preeminent, but prejudiced, trainer, and neither thinks very much of Robin's short, shaggy mustang.

In her struggles to train her new partner, Robin calls on the aid of her former riding instructor, who made a business of training retired racehorses. Robin also befriends a young man who also adopted a mustang, in fact, Robin's first choice, a golden stallion she saw in the paddock the day she chose Breezy. Through many trials, and a few twists and turns, the pair prove themselves, showing that hard work, patience and love pay off in the end. I enjoyed this short young adult book as a kid, and it's still quite enjoyable now as an adult. Highly recommended, and fairly accurate, if a bit outdated, for horse aficionados young and old!

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