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Treasured Horses Collection
Riding School Rivals
As rich girls accustomed to getting their way, Cassie and Hillary become rivals for a regal Lipizzaner horse named Majesty that has recently arrived at Birchwood Stable. Original.
120 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 25, 2020
An hour on the couch this afternoon and I knocked this out. I know I enjoyed these books when I was younger, but can't remember any other specific details about them. I feel this wasn't as good as 'Kate's Secret Plan' in this same series (which I read two days ago) but still has a nice message about being kind to people and also your horse!
Will continue to work through the other books I read as a kid and hopefully will find the rest of the Treasured Horses Collection soon!
Will continue to work through the other books I read as a kid and hopefully will find the rest of the Treasured Horses Collection soon!
January 23, 2026
Riding School Rivals, very nicely written by Susan Saunders, surprised me by being one of the best entries in the Treasured Horses Collection, with an excellent protagonist and a strong, well-paced storyline. Though it’s a little less exciting than some of the historical fiction stories, this book not only stresses the importance of being a good match with your horse but also showing compassion, kindness, and patience even to those who are purposely obnoxious.
Eleven-year-old Cassie Sinclair lives to ride the horses at Birchwood Stable in Baltimore, Maryland, where she and her friends are instructed in hunter dressage and jumping by their champion instructor Trisha Prescott. Cassie’s life would be perfect if not for one person: Hillary Craig, a snooty, newly-arrived California girl who seems to have it out for her rival Cassie. Cassie soon gets the opportunity to begin training with a beautiful Lipizzan gelding named Majesty, which enrages Hillary and ignites a fierce rivalry between the two girls. What they soon learn is that their feuding interferes with their ability to ride, but that their first impressions of each other may not be as accurate as they thought.
Riding School Rivals gives the Lipizzan horse breed the center stage; Saunders provides some interesting facts about the Lipizzan’s origins in Austria at the Spanish Riding School and in World War II, as well as information about the breed’s temperament and style. Saunders also focuses on a more formal discipline with English hunter dressage and jumping, featuring the girls in private jumping lessons, group dressage lessons, and hunter jumping horse shows. There’s plenty of other information about equitation, group riding etiquette, jumping skills, and Saunders includes some important concepts for young riders to master — taking care of your horse after riding, ensuring that you’re a good match for your horse’s temperament, learning and taking signals from your horse, etc. Saunders has a simple but very solid writing style that can appeal to horse-lovers of all ages. As always, I love Sandy Rabinowitz’s simple black-and-white sketch illustrations — they illustrate emotion and action equally well and are the perfect companion for the stories.
Cassie (who is subtly portrayed as a POC protagonist) is one of the best heroines in the Treasured Horses Collection; she’s an excellent rider because she’s willing to work day and night to become so, and she takes special time to care for her horse, exercise him, and get to know him. Majesty, in turn, is powerful, regal, and intelligent, quick to respond to his rider and portrayed as a perfect match for Cassie. What makes Cassie such a strong protagonist, however, is her self-control and realistic emotions. Hillary treats her like a hated enemy, but Cassie (despite her feelings of anger and jealousy) always strives to do the right thing. She shows humility, patience, and a ton of self-control when dealing with Hillary. Even when she slips up and loses her temper, she’s quick to admit her mistakes and is willing to work on herself for the better. We catch snippets about Hillary’s inner struggles throughout the story, but even when her spiteful actions are explained, Saunders is careful to never condone them. Hillary and Cassie are excellent foils to each other, but Saunders especially knocks it out of the park by providing a great role model for young girls through Cassie.
Set in the modern era, Riding School Rivals lacks the unique historical setting that usually gives the Treasured Horses Collection some extra pizzazz, but its setting at a modern riding school is perfect for girls who may be experiencing drama at their own riding stables; it’s inevitable in any kind of sport. This book could easily have been a basic story of petty drama and rivalries, but Saunders shows depth and understanding by making it a story of self-control and reconciliation. She illustrates the importance of not letting personalities get in the way of riding, since it always affects performance negatively and generally disrupts the vibe of what should be a relaxed, inviting atmosphere. Saunders also includes some good concepts about how children will never do well in a sport that they are not personally passionate about, and the instructor Trisha demonstrates good leadership by not tolerating bad behavior among the students but encouraging them to work things out on their own.
This would be a great book for girls who enjoyed The Saddle Club and The Baby-Sitters Club; it emphasizes Cassie’s storyline over her relationship with Majesty, but that is to the book’s advantage. Saunders teaches some great, real-world lessons that any young rider can apply, and the ending is predictable but satisfying. Even with the lack of a distinct historical setting, Riding School Rivals is one of my favorites in the Treasured Horses Collection.
Eleven-year-old Cassie Sinclair lives to ride the horses at Birchwood Stable in Baltimore, Maryland, where she and her friends are instructed in hunter dressage and jumping by their champion instructor Trisha Prescott. Cassie’s life would be perfect if not for one person: Hillary Craig, a snooty, newly-arrived California girl who seems to have it out for her rival Cassie. Cassie soon gets the opportunity to begin training with a beautiful Lipizzan gelding named Majesty, which enrages Hillary and ignites a fierce rivalry between the two girls. What they soon learn is that their feuding interferes with their ability to ride, but that their first impressions of each other may not be as accurate as they thought.
Riding School Rivals gives the Lipizzan horse breed the center stage; Saunders provides some interesting facts about the Lipizzan’s origins in Austria at the Spanish Riding School and in World War II, as well as information about the breed’s temperament and style. Saunders also focuses on a more formal discipline with English hunter dressage and jumping, featuring the girls in private jumping lessons, group dressage lessons, and hunter jumping horse shows. There’s plenty of other information about equitation, group riding etiquette, jumping skills, and Saunders includes some important concepts for young riders to master — taking care of your horse after riding, ensuring that you’re a good match for your horse’s temperament, learning and taking signals from your horse, etc. Saunders has a simple but very solid writing style that can appeal to horse-lovers of all ages. As always, I love Sandy Rabinowitz’s simple black-and-white sketch illustrations — they illustrate emotion and action equally well and are the perfect companion for the stories.
Cassie (who is subtly portrayed as a POC protagonist) is one of the best heroines in the Treasured Horses Collection; she’s an excellent rider because she’s willing to work day and night to become so, and she takes special time to care for her horse, exercise him, and get to know him. Majesty, in turn, is powerful, regal, and intelligent, quick to respond to his rider and portrayed as a perfect match for Cassie. What makes Cassie such a strong protagonist, however, is her self-control and realistic emotions. Hillary treats her like a hated enemy, but Cassie (despite her feelings of anger and jealousy) always strives to do the right thing. She shows humility, patience, and a ton of self-control when dealing with Hillary. Even when she slips up and loses her temper, she’s quick to admit her mistakes and is willing to work on herself for the better. We catch snippets about Hillary’s inner struggles throughout the story, but even when her spiteful actions are explained, Saunders is careful to never condone them. Hillary and Cassie are excellent foils to each other, but Saunders especially knocks it out of the park by providing a great role model for young girls through Cassie.
Set in the modern era, Riding School Rivals lacks the unique historical setting that usually gives the Treasured Horses Collection some extra pizzazz, but its setting at a modern riding school is perfect for girls who may be experiencing drama at their own riding stables; it’s inevitable in any kind of sport. This book could easily have been a basic story of petty drama and rivalries, but Saunders shows depth and understanding by making it a story of self-control and reconciliation. She illustrates the importance of not letting personalities get in the way of riding, since it always affects performance negatively and generally disrupts the vibe of what should be a relaxed, inviting atmosphere. Saunders also includes some good concepts about how children will never do well in a sport that they are not personally passionate about, and the instructor Trisha demonstrates good leadership by not tolerating bad behavior among the students but encouraging them to work things out on their own.
This would be a great book for girls who enjoyed The Saddle Club and The Baby-Sitters Club; it emphasizes Cassie’s storyline over her relationship with Majesty, but that is to the book’s advantage. Saunders teaches some great, real-world lessons that any young rider can apply, and the ending is predictable but satisfying. Even with the lack of a distinct historical setting, Riding School Rivals is one of my favorites in the Treasured Horses Collection.
June 12, 2020
I enjoyed this one better than Kate's Secret Plan, but both are adorable. I'm reading Pride of the Green Mountains next, and I'm sure I have Ride of Courage somewhere but I'm unable to find it. These books just remind me of my childhood and they're a thrill to re-read.
January 17, 2009
Drama drama drama. Wow i didn't know that was going to be so girly. If i was a girl i probaly would have liked it. but since i am not i didn't. I would recomend this to girl horse lovers.
October 27, 2015
I loved these books as a girl
December 19, 2016
It's a great book, couldn't put it down, loved every minute of it, since I am a mad horse lover and this book helps with my passion for the beautiful creatures
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews