Once Upon a Horse

Trendsetter is a horse destined to fly—in more ways than one. Sarah is a horse-loving seventh grader who has a secret and a fear of losing the one thing she loves most in the world. Separated by an ocean, a horse and a girl’s parallel struggles to be their best include lots of luck and grit, some stubbornness, and a few failures. It is only when they find each other that the two kindred spirits find themselves. Together they learn that what’s important in life isn’t greatness—it’s being great at being you.

Cheryl loves horses. She’s been studying thoroughbreds at her family’s horse racing stables since she was old enough to ride on the shoulders of her father, a famous horse trainer. Cheryl wants to be a jockey. One problem—she is a girl, and there has never been a Black female jockey in history! Jetolara is a young thoroughbred finding his place in the herd. When Cheryl literally falls onto his back, and Jeto sprints off across the pasture, Cheryl discovers that she doesn’t just want to be a jockey, she is a jockey—and she and Jeto were born to race.

Billy is a Norwegian Fjord horse—short as horses go, but with the natural star power of a Hollywood celebrity. Lori Allegria is a horse-loving seventh grader as awkward as she is tall for her age, who finds refuge from her shyness on her family farm with her best friend: Billy, the Fjord. Their peace is shattered when Billy is “discovered” by Marlowe Narang, superstar kid actor, and given the opportunity of a horsey lifetime—to star in a film!