For those unfamiliar with “Smoky,” the story follows a horse named Smoky, who was born in the country, wild and free. His early years are spent frolicking with his mother and other horses in his herd. From defeating aggressive old horses to escaping from hungry wolves, Smoky has many experiences that help shape him as a horse and make him a strong horse who knows how to survive.
Aside from being captured as a youngster with the rest of the herd so that all the foals can be branded with the Rocking R ranch brand, Smoky has no contact with humans until the time comes to “break” him into a true cowboy. . . Country horse “Sunday” is tough and eventually wears Smoky down, so he can be ridden, but only by Clint, the man who broke him and who rides/breaks all the young horses on the ranch. Clint and Smoky come to an understanding, and though Smoky frequently bucks, and bucks so hard no other man can ride him, Clint likes the horse’s combativeness. Smoky also has strange cow abilities and quickly proves invaluable to Clint and Rocking R.
Each fall, after the annual roundup is complete, all of the cowboy ponies are released to roam the countryside until spring. It is during one of these winters that Smoky and the gang of horses he is with are stolen by someone from south of the border. Lost in the Rocking R, Smoky proves that he can’t be ridden and is eventually sold to a rodeo team. It is here that Smoky is known as “The Cougar”, a wild horse that no one can ride. As Clint searches for his beloved horse, Smoky goes through a series of races and owners.
Smoky is a classic in the world of horse books and if you are a fan of this genre, you really should read this book. There’s a reason it was made into a movie (twice) and also won the Newbery Award. The only caveat is that because it was written by a real cowboy, way back in the 20’s, it is dated in the way the horses are handled, the way different people are treated, and the “cowboy talk” which uses mixed tenses, bad grammar, and misspellings (crethure for creature; eddication for education), which are frequent, but at least consistent. It takes a few chapters to get used to the unusual language, and if you stick with it, the reward will be well worth it. The story is interesting and will often touch your heart.
Quill Says: A true classic that every horse lover should read.