The Horses of Saddlers Ranch: Golden Haze

“I can’t believe you’re boarding Tammy’s palomino for a whole month!” Lexie Howard exclaimed to her friend, rather breathlessly.

“Neither can I,” Coral Johnson laughed in response to her eager enthusiasm. “But my cousin is going away for a while, and unfortunately, she couldn’t take Golden Haze with her on holiday.”

“Unfortunate for who?” Lexie grinned. “I thought you’d be delighted to have such a pretty horse staying at your ranch…”

“I am!” Coral playfully shoved her friend on the arm, amused by her good-natured teasing. “But I’m still surprised that my dad said yes when Tammy called to ask.”

Alison has been writing short stories to share with friends and family for many years and always enjoys exploring her creativity when putting pen to paper, so she is excited to have the opportunity to share her love of writing with others. Alison grew up around dogs, first Mila and then Smoky, who each went on many wonderful adventures and lived to a good old age, and she especially loves including 'man's best friend' or some other favorite animal throughout most of her stories.

Alison has been playing trombone since about 2010, euphonium from mid-2019, and always likes getting together with a few friends to ‘make a joyful noise’ sharing music. Alison also enjoys a bit of freelance photography when she gets the chance, especially if it involves taking pictures of sunsets.

Both The Bronson Escapades and The Wolf Cub are Silver Recipients of the Mom’s Choice Awards® honorary seal of excellence, with the latter being a 2nd place winner of the Royal Dragonfly Book Award Competition of 2024 in both the ‘Education’ and ‘Coffee Table & Gift Books’ categories, in addition to obtaining an Honorable Mention in several others: Best Cover Design, Children’s Chapter Books, Middle Grade Fiction, and Animals/Pets. More recently, The Wolf Cub also received a Bronze Medal in the 'EBook Pre-Teen Fiction' category in the 2025 Moonbeam Book Awards competition. Her 2024 trilogy titled Whisper, Lucas, and Escape have also been presented with the NAPPA Award winning seal.

Customer Reviews

5.0

2 reviews

FALCON REVIEW by Printed Word Reviews, 2026

In the second installment of the “Saddlers Ranch” series, Alison Bellringer delivers a wholesome adventure that sits perfectly in the "pony book" tradition. “Golden Haze” is a story about a beautiful Palomino mare, yet readers will find it is a grounded exploration of the grit, anxiety, and ultimate rewards of ranch life. The story finds best friends Coral, Lexie, and Tilly immersed in the rhythmic, hardworking life of a Kentucky cattle ranch. The excitement peaks with the arrival of “Golden Haze”, a placid Palomino belonging to Coral’s cousin, Tammy. However, the idyllic summer takes a sharp turn after a stormy night when the girls discover the horse’s stall empty with nothing but a rattlesnake where the horse should be. What follows is a high-stakes search as the girls grapple with the guilt of a potentially unlatched door and the ticking clock of Tammy’s return. Bellringer balances the "mild peril" of the missing mare with the realistic logistical hurdles of ranching, from calling neighboring properties to trekking out to Rainbow Ridge. The heart of the book lies in the dynamics between the three protagonists. Bellringer captures the authentic voice of 11-to-12-year-olds: their shared humor, their frantic worry, and their burgeoning sense of duty. The narrative doesn't shy away from the less glamorous parts of horse ownership. The girls learn that caring for an animal is a responsibility and commitment that requires attention to detail. In addition, watching the girls navigate their fear of both the rattlesnake and of admitting their mistake to Tammy provides a great blueprint for young readers on how to handle crises with maturity. With a Lexile-friendly vocabulary and brisk pacing, “Golden Haze” is an accessible read for the core middle-grade bracket. The chapters are punchy and often end on "hooks" that will keep even reluctant readers turning pages. The resolution, while gentle, provides a humorous twist that reinforces the unique personalities horses can have. Bellringer creates a world that feels both safe and adventurous, teaching empathy and animal husbandry without ever feeling like a textbook
The Children’s Book Review, 2026

The Saddlers Ranch books are all about horses, friendship, and the special sort of hard work that goes into running a cattle ranch, and readers will love meeting new friends and catching up with old ones (both human and equine) in this latest installment… Coral and Lexie once again have a whole summer to look forward to with the horses on Saddlers Ranch (and Tilly too, once her studying is out of the way)—and this summer, there’s a special new horse for them to spend time with. Coral’s cousin Tammy has left Golden Haze at the ranch, and both girls are in love with the new horse’s beautiful palomino looks and placid nature… Lexie, Coral, and Tilly are all a year older, but age hasn’t diminished their friendship or their love for the ranch. As well as exploring the themes of friendship, responsibility, and hard work, the story offers a rich glimpse of what life on a working ranch looks like, from the mucky work of washing down working horses to the heartbreak of saying goodbye to beloved animals when it is time for them to move on. Whether they are fans of the series as a whole or just lovers of all things equine, readers are sure to love this heartwarming story grounded in the realism of the ranch.

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Customer Reviews

2 reviews

FALCON REVIEW by Printed Word Reviews, 2026

The Children’s Book Review, 2026

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