Rob has endured illness and operations and now suffers from having one leg shorter than the other and an obvious limp. He tends to stay on his parents' farm and be something of a loner, but the taunts of children at school hurt. When he finds a sick, neglected pony, he brings him home, in spite of the knowledge that the pony belongs to a drunken brute of a man who will have the right to take him back. Rob and his parents slowly restore the pony to health, and with the help of his new friend Sarah, Rob learns to ride and joins the pony club. However, all is not straightforward for Snowman's owner demands him back and while Rob is in hospital recovering from a fall, the pony is taken away. Thanks to Sarah and his parents, Snowman is returned, and Rob learns to accept himself as he is. Rob is very obsessive about the pony, and the importance of proving himself with Snowman's help is clear. The book could do with some judicious editing, but it is a good yarn, and Rob is believable.