Sundancer by Shelley Peterson

Sundancer is the story of a beautiful high-spirited chestnut horse and the girl who came to care for him. ‘Bird’, short for Alberta, is a girl with a rare gift: although she doesn’t talk to people, she can talk to and understand animals in her mind. When her aunt Hannah has a horse which arrives on her farm acting upset and unreachable, it’s Bird who cares for him and they form a strong bond, performing many unusual feats together.
However, one day, Bird’s mother arrives. At first Bird is excited because she’ll get to see her younger sister. But when her mother is obviously ashamed of her and pretends she is Bird’s aunt, it opens old wounds. Then when the owner of Sundancer arrives and demands to have his horse back, things get more complicated.
If you’re a lover of horses, this is an excellent read for you.