Ellen and Ned Books in Order

The Ellen and Ned books return to the same California landscape as the Horses Of Oak Valley Ranch novels, but from the point of view of a younger rider. Ellen is an energetic, sometimes impulsive fourth grader who lives for her weekly lessons with Abby Lovitt and dreams of having a horse of her own.

In Riding Lessons, Ellen meets Ned, a retired racehorse with a bad leg and a calm, attentive mind. She discovers that she seems to understand him in a way she cannot quite explain, as if horse and girl are speaking in a language only they share. At the same time she is juggling school trouble, shifting friendships, and the news that she is adopted and that her parents are bringing home a new baby.

Saddles & Secrets deepens those threads. Ellen is still fascinated by Ned, but most of her day to day riding happens on a steady pony named Hot Potato. Around the barn and at home, she starts to notice how often adults and kids keep quiet about things that matter, from family decisions to friendships, and how heavy it can feel to carry a secret alone.

By Taking the Reins, Ellen’s family has moved to a new town, and she finally has her own horse, Tater. A new boy from a riding family pushes her to take risks, and the routines at a different stable force her to ask what kind of rider and what kind of friend she wants to be. Ned is still in the background, a reminder of how earlier choices and connections never fully disappear.

Although there is a light thread of magic in Ellen’s sense that she can hear Ned think, the books stay grounded in the practical details of lessons, tack, and barn chores. Much of the drama comes from familiar childhood worries, like whether a friend is drifting away, whether parents are being honest, or how to apologize after a mistake.

Taken together, the trilogy reads like a bridge between realistic horse stories and more introspective middle grade fiction about identity, adoption, and belonging. Young readers can grow with Ellen across the three books, watching her learn that bravery often looks less like a big jump and more like telling the truth.