Astra

Riding Astra makes Lily feel closer to her mom—even if Lily’s dad blames horses for her mother’s death

At thirteen, Lily O’Neil dreams of riding Arabian endurance horses in the Sierra Nevada foothills like her mom once did—before her fatal accident. Now, Lily’s father has forbidden her from going near horses ever again—he’s even sold her beloved pony, Domino. But Grams understands that horses are Lily’s life, just like they were for her mom.

Astra Atomica is Lily’s favorite, a graceful gray Arabian mare with the potential to become a great champion. Lily’s mom saw it too—she rode the spirited animal to several victories—and Lily knows that the freak accident wasn’t Astra’s fault any more than it was her mother’s. Lily’s secret dream is to ride Astra all the way to the Tevin Cup, like her mother had planned to do. If only she can make her father see how much her bond with Astra means to her, and how much riding meant to her mother.