Horses Nine

City traffic looks different through the eyes of a horse learning his new duties. In Sewell Ford's collection of nine stories, horses take the leading roles in scenes of work, training and life with their human companions. The opening follows Skipper, a farm-raised horse who joins the mounted police. With Officer Martin in the saddle, he learns to stand on duty, respond to quiet signals and help stop runaway horses in the park.

Other stories turn to the varied demands of harness and saddle. Chieftain, a seasoned draught horse, shares the daily strain of trucking with his driver Tim. When Tim falls ill, an inexperienced replacement puts the team at risk, showing how much skilled handling matters. Published in 1903, the collection gives its animals thoughts, preferences and tempers while describing the practical realities of horse-powered work. Readers interested in animal fiction or the working life of horses will find both close companionship and demanding labour in these stories.