Jill is sunk in gloom. All her plans have been utterly ruined. She cannot ride at Chatton Show because she has hurt her wrist swinging the hen bucket. But although she has to miss the show, Jill doesn't remain downcast for long, because the summer holidays stretch before her and her friends. They'll help organise the fete at Blossom Hall, for a start. Then Dinah Dean appears: a neglected child who is desperate to ride, and who produces some very conflicted emotions in Jill. Jill's conscience tells her to help Dinah, but Dinah is, frankly, embarrassing. But despite herself, Jill helps Dinah, which results in some very unexpected events.

"Other people make a success of riding clubs and I don't see why we shouldn't. It's about the only thing we haven't tried in Chatton." Ann Derry, Jill's greatest friend, has a bright idea. They need something to do in the summer, so why not start a riding club? Or, to be more accurate, why doesn't Jill start a riding club? Jill is not keen to start with but with typical Jill verve, start a riding club is exactly what she does. Not everything goes to plan: it's much harder work corralling a load of riders you don't know than Jill thought, and her ghastly cousin Cecilia turning up doesn't help either.