The fourth book in the award-winning 'Morgan Horse' series.
Robin, the fourth book in the Morgan Horse series, introduces the character of Karen Greene and her Morgan, the lovable Robin. An avid horse-lover, Karen is traumatized by a traumatic riding accident. Can Heather, Nicholas, and the horses of Gallant Morgans help Karen overcome her fear so that she can once again enjoy her horse? This story also introduces Robin's sidekick, the adorable gray and white pinto Miniature Horse Rerun, and Champ, the small Dachshund puppy with a big attitude. Robin won the Adding Wisdom Award given by Parent to Parent for excellence in children's products.
Excerpt
Karen clucked to her mare. Robin took two steps forward and then stopped. “Robin? What’s wrong? Come on, we need to get going!” Karen clucked a second time but the mare refused to walk. “Robin! Move!” This time Karen kicked her horse but still the animal didn’t budge. “Robin!” ordered Karen in a harsh voice, trying to get the Morgan to behave. “What’s wrong with you? You never disobey me. Now come on!” Karen kicked harder. Robin pawed at the frozen ground.
Karen, who was getting scared, was also becoming frustrated. The last thing she needed was a horse that wouldn’t listen. In irritation, she kicked her horse several times. Robin backed up. “No! Bad horse!” scolded Karen. But Robin wouldn’t listen.
In desperation, Karen got off her horse and slipped the reins over the mare’s head. “I guess I’ll have to lead you for a while,” scolded the girl. Turning her back to the horse, Karen took a few steps but was then pulled back by the reins in her hands. Robin, who normally followed along easily, hadn’t moved. “What is wrong with you?” asked Karen again. “Come on!” she ordered as she tugged at the reins.
The confused mare reluctantly followed behind her owner. Karen, leading the way, walked confidently into the field. “See? There’s nothing here!” she told her horse. Robin slowly followed, trying to stay as far back as possible.
Karen continued crossing the open area, pulling at her horse’s reins the whole time. “Why are you so stubborn?” she asked in irritation.
All of a sudden, Karen’s right foot slipped out from under her. Her hands flew up into the air as her other foot went flying. She fell hard onto her fanny. “Oww!” she cried out as her body hit a patch of ice. The force of the fall made the ice crack and Karen heard a strange sound, not realizing what it was at first. As she sat on the snow-covered ice, she felt the ground around her. There was ice everywhere. Why was it so icy?
The sound of cracking ice continued and in an instant, Karen realized they were in the middle of a huge lake. “Robin?” she asked in terror. Now she understood why her mare had refused to follow her. The clever Morgan knew there was danger ahead and was trying to keep her owner from getting hurt. “Robin?” she asked again. “What do we do?”
Karen tried to think fast. She needed to get off the ice before they fell through into the cold water beneath. She let go of Robin’s reins fearing that the horse’s added weight would make the ice break. “Go, Robin, go!” she pleaded. But the faithful horse, not understanding what was happening, stood beside her friend. Karen had to get off the ice fast. She was about to stand up when she suddenly remembered something about laying flat on ice to spread out the weight of your body.
Looking around, Karen saw that the closest trees and therefore, land, was straight in front of them. “We better go in that direction,” she told Robin. Sliding on her stomach, the girl slowly made her way towards the trees, hoping that the ice would hold her weight. Because the area was so open, the wind had blown away most of the snow, exposing the ice below. Karen now felt foolish for not realizing that the field was actually a lake.
As the trees grew closer, Karen turned her head to look at Robin. She assumed that Robin was following her but she saw with horror that the mare was still standing in the place where Karen had fallen. “Robin! Come on, girl!” But the mare only looked at her in confusion.
Karen knew she couldn’t stop so she kept moving towards the shore. At the embankment, Karen got up on her knees and crawled several feet. Then she jumped up and dashed to the closest tree. Hugging it as if it were a long lost friend, Karen felt a great weight lift from her shoulders. But then she turned to see her mare still standing out on the lake. Robin had put her head down and was eating some of the snow.
“Robin! Please! Come here!” pleaded the girl. She knew it was too treacherous to go back out on the ice but her horse was in danger. What could she do?
Robin, unaware of the hazard, took a step forward as she continued to sniff the ice. The reins, still dangling on the ground, were right next to one of Robin’s hooves. It looked as though the horse would step on them at any moment. “Robin! Come on!” But still the horse ignored her.
Then Karen had an idea. Heather always told her that the way to a Morgan’s heart was through food. What if she pretended she had something good to eat? “Robin! Look what I have!” said Karen as her hand slipped into her jacket pocket. Finding an old sandwich bag, Karen took it out and made it crinkle as loudly as possible. “Look! Food!” she repeated. The sound of a feedbag grabbed the horse’s attention and Robin raised her head. She stared at the bag in Karen’s hand, trying to figure out if there was something edible inside.
As the mare looked, Karen heard the familiar sound of ice cracking...
Professional Reviews
A Must Read!
"Feld's work continues to incorporate true horse facts and life lessons that every young adult faces during the toughest years of growing up. It's a must-read for the teenage equestrian!" - Just About Horses
Put Down The X-Box
"Ellen Feld's newest book in her Morgan Horse series, Robin: The Lovable Morgan Horse, is just that - lovable...While there is no shortage of horse books for kids, this one stands out because it not only entertains but also educates. Robin draws its story from realistic events that any rider can relate to, such as a bad fall or the excitement of a horse show. Feld scores big points for cleverly using the book as a way to teach kids about horse health, riding safety, and general equine knowledge. Her highly descriptive style paints a vivid picture of each event, with bits and pieces of horse knowledge woven in, so that readers learn along with the young characters. This is a book that horse-crazy kids could easily get lost in. Bottom line: Robin just might give young horse lovers a reason to put down the X-Box on a rainy day." - Horsemen's Yankee Pedlar
Excellent Educational Values
"Robin: The Lovable Morgan Horse is a great book for both girls and boys. In a nutshell, it's about a young rider who has a terrible riding accident and the friends and special horse who help her overcome her fears. We love the way it accurately portrays the responsibilities involved in caring for a horse, as well as the lessons we all learn in life with making not so right choices, and learning from our mistakes. Our Family Testers found the book to be a wonderful display of excellent educational values...should be in all libraries and homes." - Jodie Lynn, syndicated parenting/health expert, Parent to Parent, CEO/Founder of www.AddingWisdomAward.com
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