At the end of the thirteenth century, across the sprawling Asian continent, the laws are clear: All property belongs to Kublai-Khan. Young women are forbidden to carry his talisman and ride in his service. Nor are they allowed to race on the plain, against the swiftest horsemen, or own a horse. But Oyuna has heard the prophesy of her grandmother, that one day she will ride a horse of her own—a milk white horse, swift as the wind—to win honor for herself and her mother and father.

Born on the Mongolian steppes, Oyuna, as an infant, had her foot crushed by a horse. The clan believes she has been touched by bad luck, and she is confined to her family's ger, their tent of heavy felt. But what some see as bad luck may be her birth into the realm of the horse. Oyuna knows that on horseback she can be free—free to ride and to win. Secretly, she seeks out the horses. Nothing—not mountains, soldiers, the expanse of the Gobi desert, or even the great Khan himself—can stop her.

Rich in cultural detail and historical setting, I Rode a Horse of Milk White Jade is an inspired story of courage, faith, and adventure: the gripping tale of a determined young woman overcoming all obstacles in pursuit of her dream.

From the dust jacket