The Free Rein series is for 8-12 year old readers. Each book focuses on a horse topic and solves a problem relating to horse care or management. They also explore a faith concept that often ties in with the horse learning. These books are available in a series.
So this means there is ongoing content for horse fans that are voracious readers! Know of a young horse fan? Why not secure them a copy of the Free Rein series?
1. Purchase paperbacks of the Free Rein Series
2. Purchase Kindle versions of the Free Rein Series
3. Use Kindle Unlimited? All of the Free Rein books are free to read on KU!
Christine has written the Free Rein series for 8 – 12 year olds. It focuses on three young girls, Jacqui King, Geordie Smith and Hannah Johnstone. The girls love ponies and in time learn about caring for their own, how to ride and how to navigate through life together. There is a lesson learned in each novel and the Christian faith is incorporated. There are currently 18 books in this series – view them all on Amazon.
Below are blurbs from the Free Rein Series books.
1. New Beginnings
A job transfer for Jacqui King’s father means that the 10 year old and her family have moved interstate. Jacqui is excited that the move has allowed her family to take up a lease on a large property.
Since she could remember, Jacqui King has had a love for horses. Now with the family’s move she wonders if her dream to learn to horse ride could come true. Jacqui’s mum Kate plans to turn the property into a place where they can offer horse agistment, only concreting Jacqui’s desire to have a horse of her own.
On a property titled Genesis, it does indeed seem that the new beginnings for the King family are looking promising.
2. In Pursuit of a Horse
Jacqui King has settled in well at her family’s new property Genesis. She has even made some horsey friends.
Jacqui’s two close friends Hannah Johnston and Geordie Smith have been told by their parents that they are allowed to each get a pony. It so happens that Hannah has an Aunt Jan who breeds and trains ponies for a living.
An invitation is extended to the girls to come to Jan’s place for a short stay to ride her ponies and find two to buy. Jacqui is thrilled at the idea of learning to ride better.
Even more exciting is the fact that at the end of their stay, her two close friends will be bringing their ponies back to agist at Genesis. Even if she isn’t getting her own pony, Jacqui is delighted for her friends and eager to help them each find their perfect first pony.
3. Free Reign
Jacqui is having a ball with her two closest friends Geordie and Hannah. All three have ponies that they are keeping at Jacqui’s parents’ property, Genesis. Over the school holidays they’re taking advantage of opportunities to spend as much time in the saddle as possible.
After a growth spurt, Jacqui is amazed to find that her teenage instructor Kara suggests that her pony Matty may be too small for her. Jacqui is devastated to think she may not be able to ride for much longer.
An unexpected announcement from her parents brings more bad news. Jacqui is sad and confused. Why would God have the family move interstate where they could set up a horse property and then take it all away?
4. Learning to Fall
Jacqui is struggling to cope with the return of Matty and not having a pony. As she comes to grips with this, her friend Hannah plants the seed of asking to lease another pony.
As Jacqui battles to find the courage to ask her parents, she finds God has already provided a means for her to secure a dream pony. But is it still a dream if you keep falling off and lose your confidence?
Jacqui King finds that getting her dream pony isn’t all she expected and now she has to learn persistence. That’s not all she’s learning with her new pony, learning how to hit the ground and get back up is also necessary. Does she really want this?
5. A Dollar Goes a Long Way
Jacqui, Geordie and Hannah are off to visit Hannah’s Aunt Jan again, this time to help her with a horse show. Dollar, a chestnut mare with a flaxen mane and tail needs a smaller rider for the show she’s been entered into and the three girls are only too eager to help get her ready and present her in the show.
The girls find their efforts rewarded with a monetary gain. Pleased that a little mare named Dollar also resulted in them getting some money, where their new found riches should be invested comes into question.
God teaches us to give a small amount from the multitude He’s blessed us with. As Jacqui learns about this concept, she realises it’s not only her finances that she can invest to reach out to others.
6. Contagious
Not everything that can be caught by another person is a bad thing. As Jacqui, Geordie and Hannah learn about managing the health of their horses and avoiding contagious germs, they learn that their attitudes can be contagious, too.
When Captain and Jaq fall ill, Jacqui questions what else she can do instead of riding. The timing couldn’t be worse – she needs to practice for her upcoming dressage test.
Unexpectedly finding herself spending time with Jared, Jacqui is surprised when he declares he wants to learn to ride. And he wants her to teach him. Should she say yes?
7. Broken
Hannah is devastated to learn that she may lose her beloved pony Jasper. Her parents are struggling financially and conclude that a pony and its associated care, cost too much.
As Jacqui learns about her friend’s sad news, her eyes are opened to the concept of something that is broken. She observes Hannah’s personality change as she focuses on her disappointment and anger at losing something she loves.
Jacqui and Geordie work hard to find ways for Hannah to keep Jasper. As they do this, they learn about the broken spirited who are comforted by God. Jacqui questions if her God can help to comfort her friend and ultimately turn the situation around. If not, she fears her friendship with Hannah will be broken. But can God comfort Hannah when she doesn’t know who He is?
8. Courageous
Jared is learning more about this Christian thing. He is surprised to find that they seem to go against what others consider typical but he is drawn to them.
As he learns about courageously responding in love to those who hurt you, he is given plenty of opportunity to practice what he’s being taught. A persistent bully at school isn’t helping him to enjoy high school.
Add this to the family’s financial troubles and a lack of friends and Jared finds solace in the King family’s horse property. At first it’s just in helping out in the garden but as Jacqui, Geordie and Hannah start to include him, Jared realises he may have finally found some friends. Putting himself out there to befriend the girls may require just as much courage as befriending his bully at school.
9. Chairo
Jared is pleased to be able to call Jacqui, Geordie and Hannah his friends. As his horse learning journey continues, a malnourished grey gelding becomes a part of his learning experience. Jared realises that it’s not only people that can hurt other people – they can hurt horses too.
Jared’s life is suddenly filled with his new friends, including Peter who used to bully him. Jared is pleased to be able to introduce Peter to the people at church who encouraged him to befriend the young boy. Whilst there, he learns about a Greek word that describes the joy Christians can find in God.
The new word somehow seems fitting for the new horse and Jared questions how he can joyfully work to restore the trust that the grey gelding seems to have lost.
10. Selah
The school year is fast drawing to a close for Jacqui, Geordie and Hannah. As Jacqui King looks ahead to high school, she finds herself worrying about what the New Year will bring.
Jared is learning to pause and reflect on God at church. As his friendship with Peter grows, he suspects something isn’t quite right with his friend. But instead of worrying, he learns that he can pause and pray.
Jared shares with Jacqui about the word selah in the bible and how focusing on God’s qualities can take away worry. Jacqui is surprised, but thankful to learn that Jared’s discovery of the Christian faith is also building on her learning. When she puts aside her worry, she realises that God is at work in every situation.
11. Context
The school holidays have started. Jacqui, Geordie and Hannah are looking forward to a lot more horse time. Jared is excited to be included in those plans. Jared’s friend Peter invariably becomes a part of those plans, too.
Peter attends church with Jared, keen to talk with Tony King about an idea he’s had. Attending the teen’s bible study with Jared helps Peter to consider the bigger picture. It seems putting his life into context can help him to ignore previous slights to him and his family. As Jared learns of his friend’s revelation, he marvels at the fact that church and God can help even a friend who doesn’t believe in God.
12. Stepping Out
Christmas is just around the corner. At church Jared is learning about the birth of Jesus and why God sent his son to Earth. He is finding that as he learns one more thing about the Christian faith, it opens up a multitude of questions!
Jared’s learning journey with horses continues as he has more sessions with the grey gelding named Chairo. Jared finds some interesting parallels between his horse sessions at the Kings and the Christian faith he is learning about. It seems that stepping out of your comfort zone although uncomfortable at times, is the way to grow and benefit others.
13. Discernment
The New Year is fast approaching. Jared is learning that he doesn’t need to wait until a New Year to set resolutions. Instead, each day he can make choices to improve and help others. He plans to continue learning about horses and the bible as much as he can.
Between Jed and Jacqui, the teenage boy is also learning how to pay attention to his feelings about other people. Some negative feelings about Jed leave Jared questioning how he can determine if his feelings are worth paying attention to. With the help of his horsey friends, Jared goes on another learning curve. This leads to a study on the word discernment. Jared finds the Christian faith is once again teaching him some important lessons about life and friendships.
14. Belonging
Jared is pleased to find himself welcomed into the ‘horse riding family’ by Jacqui King, even if he doesn’t like the way it came about. This event causes him to question when the grey gelding Chairo will settle into the herd. Although Chairo is now paddocked with the other horses, he doesn’t seem to have bonded with any of them. Jared is keen for his favourite horse to truly settle in at the Kings’ property.
As Jared continues to learn about horses, his youth leader Jed Hansen teaches him about becoming a part of the Christian family. The thirteen-year-old goes on a journey, thankful to find that he and Chairo seem to have found a place to belong.
15. Fifteen
Jacqui, Geordie and Hannah find that time is short as the first year of High School is fast approaching. Jared has asked for their assistance regarding Peter’s upcoming surprise birthday party. The girls are eager to help, but find their attention taken by a sudden invite out to Hannah’s aunt Jan’s place.
It seems she has a young mare that is close to foaling and would love the girls’ help. With Peter’s party less than a week away, will the girls be able to help aunt Jan and solve Jared’s problem?
16. Made by Design
Jacqui King is preparing for a new start with High School just around the corner. Whilst accepting the fact that she will be starting Year 7 without her two closest friends Geordie Smith and Hannah Johnston, the young blonde is also considering how she may share her faith with Hannah.
A recent discussion between Geordie and Hannah has opened a possible way to share about God’s design of the world. Jacqui is eager to find examples in the bible that she can share with one of her closest friends. Can she find horse examples that show Hannah how the world is made by design?
17. Angles
Jacqui King is amazed to find that it is time to start high school. Without her two closest friends alongside her, she is stepping into a new chapter of her life. As Jacqui learns to settle into the new routine that high school brings, she hopes she can establish new friends, perhaps even one or two that love horses.
This year Jared has a school assignment focused on angles that requires Jacqui’s help. And the best bit? She can use her horse riding knowledge to assist him. As she does so, Jacqui goes on a journey, learning to look at things from God’s angle.
18. Fireproof
Summers in Australia can be incredibly hot and windy. Although Jacqui is settling into the rhythm of high school, she is dismayed by the heat and fires that are travelling across the state.
The warm weather and increasing fires are threatening her family’s property and the horses living there. The King family work to protect themselves if fires do come. Jacqui learns that alongside the practical tasks they carry out, one spiritual act can truly make them fireproof.
19. Ride and Tie
Jacqui is surprised to learn about a different horse riding event at this month’s riding club. The Ride and Tie event involves two people and one horse. They make up a team of three, rotating between riding the horse and running to cover a long distance.
The riders are introduced to this new event at Riding Club and told they will be partnered up to compete against each other. Who will she be paired with? And whose horse should they ride? With this last-minute declaration, which team will win?
20. Hurdles
Jacqui King is excited about an English essay that she gets to complete in class. She’ll be able to focus on her favourite people and things in life! But as she considers whether she should share about her faith in the essay, she has doubts. How will it be received?
A youth group lesson at church reminds Jacqui that she will have many hurdles in life. Some she will be able to get over, other she may have to go around. Will she be able to overcome this hurdle?
21. Christmas in July
Jacqui, Geordie and Hannah are excited to help with Peter’s upcoming Christmas in July event. The girls are eagerly thinking about how they can contribute. Jared Watson is also keen to help.
Used to a typically hot December for celebrating Christmas, Jacqui has fun navigating wet weather, muddy paddocks, and a crippling hoof abscess with Jaq. Geordie finds herself battling with jealousy as Peter works closely on his project with a classmate. Jared feels that the dynamics of his family are changing as his mother starts to embrace going to church. It seems that Christmas in July is bringing to light a lot of challenges.
