National Velvet

Velvet Brown, a twelve-year-old horse-crazy girl, lives with her family in Sewels, a small village in Sussex, England. After winning a spirited gelding in a raffle, she dreams of training him for the Grand National steeplechase. Penniless young drifter Mi Taylor, who discovered Mrs. Brown's name and address among his late father's effects, arrives at the Brown farm. Hoping to profit from the association, Mi accepts an invitation to dinner and a night's lodging at the Browns' home. Mrs Brown is unwilling to allow Mi to trade on his father's good name and remains vague about their connection. Nevertheless, she convinces her husband to hire Mi as a store helper, over his better judgment. It is eventually revealed that Mi's career as a steeplechase jockey ended in a collision which resulted in another jockey's death. The accident left Mi fearing riding and hating horses.