content: I first picked up this book as a child, thinking it would be another great horse story. Although it does have merit as a novel, this is not a book for a child, especially one who loves horses. The death of the pony is horrific and traumatic and thinking about the book still gives me a very unpleasant feeling, even 20 years later. This book is not in the same category as other 'sad' children's books - The Yearling, Old Yeller, Black Gold - which made me cry (a lot!) but I still enjoyed. Please, don't give this book to your horse-mad child.