Rating: 3/5 153 pages, 1959
Sep 23, 2020
The Secret Horse
by Marion Holland
Nice little book about a girl who wants a horse more than anything, but of course her parents say no. They've no place to keep a horse, for starters. She makes friends with a girl who comes to say with her grandmother next door, and does some painting on their rebuilt front porch to earn a little money. Her parents take her to the animal shelter to get a kitten, and while there she sees a thin, neglected-looking horse standing out back by a shed. She immediately makes plans to take this horse home, assuming it's unwanted and will be euthanized. Sneaks out in the middle of the night and leads the horse back, where she and her friend hide it in a derelict stable next door, hidden by overgrown shrubs and poison ivy (on a grand estate owned by an old wealthy man, who only lives there part of the year). Kind of appalling the the kids stole a horse, and took it home without having plans how to feed it or even bring it water, but luckily they figure that out the next day. Their earnings go a little way at a time, and luckily the horse is well-behaved and gentle. But eventually you know they're going to get found out- and then what will happen? I'm glad it had a good ending, although the last two chapters feel rushed, and I was rather surprised the book cuts short right before she tells her parents. I would have liked to see their reaction! I was amused to find the story's setting is very close to where I live- one of the places mentioned is only half an hour from here.
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Awww, this sounds so sweet. One of my favorite plotlines in the American Girl books is the first book where Felicity secretly is in love with a mean guy's horse and goes visiting the horse all the time. It's delightful.
ReplyDeleteThis was one of my favorite books growing up! My sister owned an old library copy of it and I must have read it a dozen times during my girl/horse phase. What a happy memory. :D
ReplyDeleteJenny- it really was a nice, quick read. Quite a bit of the storyline also has to do with the main girl's older brother, and her friend's little brother too, which I didn't mention. I never read any American Girl books! Although my youngest has one of the dolls.
ReplyDeleteLark- So glad to remind you of an old favorite! I just discovered this one, and very pleased that it's the type that an adult can enjoy for the first time, too (at least, one who still likes animal stories, as I do).