First Horse

Do you suffer from “Pony Fever”? Have you been waiting a long time to add a horse to your family? Have you carefully considered a match between you and your new equine buddy? Have you decided exactly where he’s going to live and how you’re going to keep him happy? Do you have moments when the idea of bringing a horse into your life is scary? Horses are unlike any other animal companion. They’re too big to live in your house, so they have to live in specialized homes of their own.

Shopping for a horse is unlike shopping for anything else. Not only are horses very big, but they can be very expensive, too. They have very specific needs and personalities that match their large size. Such a huge investment of time and money needs to be taken very seriously.

Cowboy Elliott Hawthorne has just lost his best friend and cabin mate to the worst thing imaginable—marriage. Elliott would be happy for his friend if he weren’t quite so jealous. When his brother calls about an accident with their father, Elliott rushes down to Gold Valley from the ranch only to be met with the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen. His father’s new physical therapist, Holland Marsh, likes the handsome face and gentle spirit she sees in Elliott too. The spark between them is instant and Elliott’s grateful he’s finally found someone he can connect to.

Lis Hartel became paralyzed after contracting polio in 1944. Her dreams of riding horses and competing in the sport of dressage were shattered. After months in the hospital, doctors told her she'd never ride again. Lis tried anyway. But how do you stay on a horse without using your legs? How do you give the subtle cues needed in dressage with limited mobility? With hard work—and an unlikely horse named Jubilee!