Born to an unhorsy background, Janet Rising was always determined to include horses in her life. She learnt to ride at the age of nine and, in her teens, spent every spare moment at the stables where she eventually worked full time.

Her work with horses has included working at a donkey stud, producing show ponies and teaching both adults and children, with a special interest in helping nervous riders enjoy their sport, as well as training owners how to handle their horses and ponies from the ground.

Always passionate about writing, Janet's first short story was published when she was 14, and for the past 10 years she has been editor of PONY, Britain's top-selling horsy teen magazine.