Ros falls instantly in love with the beautiful black and white pony that she discovers tethered in a field near her home. She has always longed for a pony of her own. If only he belonged to her . . .

But Badger (as Ros and her friend, Leo, name the pony) belongs to someone else, and Ros watches with mounting horror as she sees the way his real owners treat him. At first it is just neglect, but worse is to come and, as the long cold winter nights draw in, Ros knows that she can no longer bear to stand by and see the once-beautiful pony suffer. Together with Leo she hatches a desperate plan – a plan to rescue poor Badger . . .