Karen Greene loves horses! She owns and cherishes Robin, a gentle and beautiful example of a special breed of horses known as Morgan. But Karen is about to be pushed too far by her peers who are more concerned about what they want and demonstrate little concern for the well-being of the horses they ride into a terrible situation. Because of her fear of losing these so-called friends, Karen experiences a terrible accident, one it will take her quite a long time to overcome!

As she recovers, she learns and shares the essence of what owning and caring for a beloved horse really means, a special sense vividly portrayed so well that the reader comes to experience the same fondness and care that Karen is learning for her favorite animal and the art of horseback riding and competition.

In the midst of these moving scenes is a deeper mystery! Who is the person or who are the persons who are randomly shooting horses throughout this area? Through another set of dangerous circumstances, it is Karen who will lead the authorities to discover the source of this danger lurking throughout the countryside where these beautiful animals live and practice their skills under the guidance of owners whose sensitivity and deep connection to their animals is vividly portrayed!

For those who remember the story of Black Beauty and other similar tales, this young adult novel is precious indeed! The characters are "real" teens whose need to respond to the safety of both horses and humans develops into a passion that will move the hardest of hearts! In the process, the reader will also learn about the specifics of caring for horses and the exquisite skills required in riding and jumping.

The author's sensitivity to the subjects shines throughout this fourth of a series and this reviewer avidly looks forward to reading the other books soon, as well as following what hopefully will continue in the future with more books in the Morgan Horse series.

Superbly told, Ms. Feld!

Reviewed by Viviane Crystal - March 19, 2006

e-mail to: literarymuse@hotmail.com