Beware the Mare

Experienced rider Lily is ready for a real horse - will Beware the mare bring her good or bad luck? The bright-eyed bay mare in the truck looks very small. Lily's grandfather brought her home to their Vermont farm as a present for Lily. She's shaggy, her mane is tangled, and she looks as if she hasn't been brushed in a long time. To Lily, she's beautiful. But Lily has to solve the mystery of her name. Why is she called Beware? And why did Gramp get her so cheap? Is something wrong with her? Lily can't imagine what - she's already crazy about the little bay. The test will be when Lily takes her out for her first ride. What will happen then? This charming story of a girl and her pony will capture the hearts of horse-crazy young readers everywhere.

In the first horse show with her new mare, Lily competes against her best friend for the blue ribbon. Today's the big day. Lily and her horse, Beware, are going to compete in the junior horse show. Lily's best friend, Mandy, is also in the competition, riding her horse, Shane. When Lily and her mother and grandfather arrive, Mandy looks so grown up, like a rider in a magazine. And with his shining copper coat, Shane looks just like a show horse. Worried that Beware looks shaggy next to Shane, Lily brushes her until she's sleek and polished. Then it's time for Lily to get ready. She puts on her breeches and boots and tries to remember everything her grandfather taught her about riding. Will Lily and Beware walk away with the blue? And will Lily and Mandy still be best friends when it's over?

Lily's beloved horse Beware is sick - can Lily save her? Something's wrong with Beware. Lily knows the minute she spies the mare standing under the trees, the way Beware does in summer to get away from the heat. But today there's no shade beneath the bare branches, and it's freezing out. When Lily calls for her, Beware doesn't come trotting over. She doesn't move, even when Lily offers her an apple core. She isn't injured, because Lily can't find any cuts or bruises on her. But when Lily tells her to walk, Beware's back legs buckle and she nearly falls down! Beware is sick, but she has no fever and is still eating a little bit. The vet makes a diagnosis, but the treatments don't help. Surgery may be the only answer. But it's expensive - and dangerous. Will Beware survive? Lily needs more than hopes and prayers - she needs a miracle: Somehow, she has to find a way to save her.

An untamed horse has run away - can Lily and Beware find him and bring him home? After a storm scatters all the livestock on her grandparents' farm, Lily discovers that Gramp's wild black Morgan is missing. Stogie's a horse with a mind of his own, and when he runs, no one can ever catch him. Stogie may be boss of the other animals on the farm, but he's afraid of people. And a frightened horse is a dangerous one. Lily's determined to find the black Morgan and bring him home before he ends up getting hurt - or shot. Since no one can catch Stogie, no one can lead him. But Lily brings a rope anyway. As she and Beware set off on their search, she tries to put herself in Stogie's shoes to figure out where he would go. Then she gets an idea... Can she and Beware find and catch Stogie before it's too late?