Meghan Callahan never wanted to learn to ride English. She had loved riding Western and helping on cattle drives when she lived in Colorado. But Dad's job has taken the family to Nevada, where her new instructor, Jeannie, insists she learn to ride one of those "wussy" (as the kids on the high school rodeo team call it) English saddles.

Riding English on her reining horse, Freckles, proves to be more physically challenging and emotionally rewarding than Meghan ever dreamed. To her surprise, her new skills deepen her bond with her horse, with Jeannie, and with her riding buddy Autumn Rose, a Navajo girl who helps Meghan regain her balance when chaotic emotions begin to overwhelm her.

During the summer before her freshman year, Meghan discovers the thrill of jumping, competes in horse shows, and learns the fundamentals of barrel racing. When Jeannie is hurt in an accident, Meghan's newfound self-confidence enables her to help Jeannie fulfill her obligations to clients as Meghan and Autumn Rose become assistant trainers, working with the clients' horses every day. Best summer job ever!