9781442486065. New condition. Trade paperback. Language: English. Pages: 132. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 132 p. Intended for a young adult/teenage audience. If Wishes Were Horses is Jean Slaughter Doty s story of loss and perserverance--and one not to miss. Thirteen-year-old Stephany Reed and her older sister struggle after their father s death to keep the family horse farm going but are balked by a stable fire and mounting debts.