Smoky the Cowhorse

Born wild on the open range, Smoky grows from a curious colt into one of the finest cow horses in the country, prized for his intelligence and heart. Will James follows the animal through the full arc of a working horse’s life: his patient breaking by the cowboy Clint, their deep partnership on the roundup, and the darker years after Smoky is stolen and drifts through rough hands until he is worn down to skin and bone. Told in the plain, drawling voice of a cowhand and illustrated by the author, the novel won the Newbery Medal in 1927. It is both a stirring animal story and an authentic picture of ranch life in a fading West. Free to download as a PDF and EPUB.