Enter the politically fraught world of hunter/jumper competitions, where profits and prizes are top priority and values like justice, kindness, and hard work are ignored.
Echo is the fictional tale of a real-life horse, whose story begins in Germany, under the care of Paul Doberstein. Echo catches the eye of the rich, greedy American trainer, Darla Davidson, who will do whatever it takes to make a buck, and she convinces Paul to sell the horse to her.
En route to Florida, Echo's health is jeopardized due to Darla's thoughtless shortcuts, which result in an injury that makes him tough to ride even after he's settled at her farm, Bristol Acres. Echo is no longer considered an asset, so Darla begins contemplating other ways she can profit from him.
Meanwhile, fourteen-year-old Elizabeth Tuttle, an equestrian competitor from the neighboring Haversham Farm and a part-time employee of Bristol Acres, is the antithesis of Darla. Gently and patiently, she works with Echo and begins to earn his trust. But is it too late to save him?
Celebrating good relationships over blue ribbons, Echo gives you an honest view into the horse show world and sheds a glimmer of hope on a darkening industry.
About the Author: Elsie Haversham is an ardent equestrian and a fervent advocate of the time-honored traditions of the hunter/jumper sport. For more than forty-one years, she has contributed to the industry as a competitor, riding instructor, and trainer. She currently lives in Florida, where she operates a successful farm that is home to eighteen horses. Many students, from toddlers to seniors, train at her farm to compete in small local shows all the way up to the national AA competitive circuit.
Exchanging her equestrian helmet for her writer's pen, Haversham created the young adult series Horses of Haversham to share her love of horses and good, clean competition. These fictional adventures are all based on real-life horses that Haversham has worked with over the years.
