I Rode a Horse of Milk White Jade  by Diane Lee Wilson - $12.95

This is a story of Oyuna, a Mongolian girl with a crippled foot, who lived on the Steppes with her tribe at the time Kublai Khan ruled Mongolia and northern China (1200's).   She dreams of riding a swift horse in the race at Karakorum, a seeming impossibility for a girl and a cripple.  Her destiny takes her to the court of the Khan and to a happy ending.  Amazing look at life in the Mongolian tribes, the importance of the horse to them and the power of Kublai Khan.  Ages 11 - 16 yrs 

Note: Part of Mongolian life included the seers or shamans.  This is included in the story (although it is referred to as 'dangerous' and is clearly outside of the life of ordinary people).  A shamaness develops a herbal cure for the Khan's sick horses.  Some may prefer to avoid the book for this reason.