Achieving a top rodeo career was hard enough, but living with the loss of his mobility is many times tougher. Trent Anderson is now in a wheelchair, angrily trying to manage by himself, taking out his resentment on everyone. His career lies shattered, and now all he can do is accede to a family request to spend some time on a guest ranch that caters for people with disabilities. He doesn't want to be there, and doesn't intend to enjoy northern California one little bit. A COWBOY'S PRIDE is important, after all.

Alana is the physical therapist at New Horizons ranch. She lost her cowboy fiancé in a car crash and while she'd been expecting to put her degree to use with professional bull riders, a new start seemed indicated. Usually she works with families and Trent's attitude just gets her goat. The man is good-looking and with an L2S5 injury has partial use of his upper legs; he could be a lot worse off. Rather than let him sulk in his cabin, the first morning they all dare Trent to get up on a horse, with a mounting ramp and supportive saddle, and while he's very reluctant he doesn't back off and finally learns to make the quiet horse move.

A few days of riding make Trent's legs ache and Alana progresses to upper-body exercise and getting the sullen man to support himself and try taking steps. Telling him he could be more able, instead of disabled, seems to help. But when she urges his horse into a trot Trent's furious again. Is there any way to get through to him? "We don't like the word 'can't' around here," she says. And does the girl care more than just about another patient?

The detail of the setting is excellent, from frosty mornings to the barn built of fire-resistant compound that looks like wood. I loved the horseback football. Pamela Britton is a columnist for American Quarter Horse Journal and has written several books about cowboys and rodeos; A COWBOY'S PRIDE must be one of the more unusual. It's also a romance with no easy answers for the people involved.