11-year-old Polly wishes for nothing more than her own pony. Finally, it seems her dream is coming true: Polly is overjoyed when she receives the jet-black pony mare Smoky for her birthday. However, Smoky is unfamiliar with a saddle or bridle, as she has been trained using the principles of Natural Horsemanship. The dream of pony happiness seems to be slipping away - Polly is heartbroken. She can't imagine riding without a saddle at all. But Polly wouldn't be Polly if she didn't come up with a solution...