Another Kind of Cowboy by Susan Juby

Alex Ford has always loved horses. As a boy, he would ride his bicycle around, pretending that it was actually a horse named Magnifico. In his teens, his father finally gets him a horse of his own, an old paint named Turnip, and signs him up for cowboy riding lessons. While Alex is a natural on a horse, winning many competitions locally, he dreams of another kind of riding. The first time he saw the precision horseriding competitions called dressage on television, he pretended that he himself was the horse and he pranced around the living room in graceful patterns. More than anything, Alex wants to ride dressage someday.

Cleo O’Shea is trying to make a fresh start at an exclusive horse-themed boarding school in Vancouver. Her parents are off making movies in Africa, and she’s stuck with a horse trainer who doesn’t even care about dressage riding.

Alex and Cleo meet at the Fall Fling riding competition, but while Cleo is looking for romance, Alex is completely focused on riding.  Cleo is one of the richest girls at her school; Alex’s dad is living in an RV in front of their house and is behind on the bills. Alex is looking for a good horse and a better trainer; Cleo is just looking for a good time and a better party.They are an unlikely pair, both with secrets in their past and embarrassing families, but they may be able to forge a friendship.

This excellent new young adult novel from Susan Juby, author of Alice, I Think, made me laugh out loud a lot and cry just a little. Plus, I learned a bit about horses as well!  If you want to learn more about this book, watch this book trailer made by the publisher.