The Horse Dancer by Jojo Moyes is great

Booklist Reviews 2017 April #1

Originally published in the UK in 2009, The Horse Dancer differs sharply from Moyes' later works (Me before You, 2012). Fourteen year-old Sarah cares only about her grandfather and her horse, Boo. She spends all her time at a London urban stable, training with Boo to follow in her grandfather's footsteps in joining an elite French equestrian academy. When an accident turns her world upside down, Sarah's care falls to Natasha, a lawyer who works with children, and her Natasha's ex-husband, Mac. Sarah is determined to reach the academy, but unless she can share her secrets with Natasha and Mac, she may lose not only her dream of being accepted at Le Cadre Noir, but Boo as well. Alternating narration between Sarah and Natasha, this somewhat bloated novel shines a light on a unique kind of dressage, urban stables, and the love of a girl for her horse. The exposition is a bit drawn out, and Sarah and Natasha come across as unlikable at times. Yet, with a touch of adventure, Moyes offers a lovely comment on the importance of discipline, love, and persistence in our relationships.