Paul Bagdon

"Jake Walters and his pal Armando talked for years about owning their own horse ranch. But it was just talk until Jake inherited a thousand acres in West Texas. He's got the land, the money, and the experience to make his dreams a reality. The final thing he needs is that perfect stud stallion to sire the Busted Thumb breed--and now he's found it. But word travels fast and it isn't long before rustlers set their sights on the stallion and his foal....

Lee Morgan dreams of raising the ideal ranch horse-one that has speed, stamina, and heart. On her Texas spread near the town of Burnt Rock, the high-spirited woman heads her own horse ranch operation. It's an unusual occupation for a female in the 1870s, but as an expert horsewoman and a crack shot with a rifle, she's quite adept at taking care of herself. Determined to gain fame for her fine horses, Lee agrees to enter her magnificent coal-black...