Sandy,12, and her brother, Nick, 15. move in with their gruff grandfather after being tragically orphaned. The house is ramshackle. and money is scarce. Sandy struggles with harassment by a group of boys. lukewarm friends and copes with her maturing body without her mother's guidance. Fortunately, Nick looks out for her.
She finds work at a local stable owned by strict, unfriendly Carol, who was not having success training Credo. a scary, unpredictable rescue horse who has a history of showjumping success and tragedy.
Credo is drawn to Sandy and bonds with her during a wild, joyful ride. After that. Credo only works well with Sandy. Together Sandy and Credo find a different path to success than the one expected and become trusted partners even in the face of danger.