Emma keeps her Thoroughbred horse, Wisdom, at Blakewell Stables, where Ms Larimar is the barn instructor. But Emma has a major problem. Wisdom rushes his fences, which stands in the way of Emma’s ambitions to compete with him in events one day.<br><br>The other riders at the barn ask Emma and her wild horse to leave their group lessons. Emma is already riding on a shoestring and her finances are severely stretched by expensive private sessions with Ms. Larimar, yet Wisdom doesn’t improve and the instructor gives up on her. Enter horse trainer and television star, Jason Etaloni. Will Jason's knowledge and experience be able to reign in Emma's wild steed? Or will she be forced to put Wisdom out to pasture for good?

Shoestring Rider

Was she struggling under the guilt of leaving Emma in the lurch?


For certain she was having a hard time not being able to attribute one iota of her former student’s jumping success to anything she herself had done. Ms Larimar must be dying for Mr Etaloni to grace the barn with his presence and that of the BBC television cameras. But she was probably miffed to have no starring part in the programme herself.


Why shouldshe get any air time? She didn’t help me at all! Instead, she was thoroughly discouraging!


As if reading Emma’s mind, Ms Larimar said something completely unexpected. “I have to apologize for having doubted your ability to turn Wisdom around. You seem to have worked wonders with him, thanks to your determination to find a solution.


“Perhaps you’d like to share with me what Mr Etaloni advises that worked so well?”


Chapter 8