Hummer

They called her Hummer because she did: all the time. At least whenever she was thinking of horses, which is pretty close to saying all the time. However, there was one thing she desperately didn’t want to think about. Why did her father sleep in the barn? And why didn’t Hummer’s mother come out of the house anymore–or even bathe? Every time Hummer goes in, she holds her breath to avoid the smell of garbage.

Twelve-year old Hummer is friendless, shy, and skinny. But put her on a horse, and she’s unstoppable. Her pony has gotten old; however, one night Hummer catches an escaped Arabian mare. When the owner, Old Man Riley, turns up, he lets Hummer borrow the horse–call it a loan–and it is about to change Hummer’s life.