'In this story, Molly takes Norton to the Riding School where lessons have just begun. Molly offers to help the others while she is in the beginner's class, but the teacher doesn't seem to want her help. When the group goes to the cross country course, Norton really shines. He baulks at the first tiny jump, will not cross over the ditch, skirts around the apex, and dumps Molly when they approach the water jump.
'Molly wants to give up, but Mrs Withers insists that she teach her naughty horse some manners, and so Molly persists. As they approach the fence at the show jumping ring, Molly slides underneath her horse and could have had a nasty accident, had Norton not stopped for an apple he spied on a tree. Molly is congratulated by everyone, as is seems that her efforts in training the horse, have resulted in his obeying her command to stop, but the reader is very aware of just how this all really happened.'
Source: Teachers' notes, Black Dog Books website, http://www.bdb.com.au/
Sighted: 18/06/2008
