A Good Horse, by Jane Smiley, is a fictional book about two horses and a girl. This book is a sequel to the book The George's and the Jewels. The book takes place in in the 1960's of California. Abby Lovitt is in grade eight and lives on a farm with her parents. The girl has many chores but grooming horses has never been one of them. Abby has been taking care of Black George and Jack for a while now. When young Black George does well in the arena, potential buyers start paying attention and Abby is in danger of loosing a horse that she loves. When it is discovered that Jack's mother is a stolen mare, the girl is in danger of loosing the other horse that she loves. I recommend this book to horse lovers. The author knew the subject that she was writing about and it is an enjoyable read. My favorite character is Black George because he reminds me of the pony that I ride with his attitude. Loved this book. It's a sequel to "The Georges and the Jewels" and continues the story of Abby Lovitt who lives on a horse ranch in California in the 1960's. She is now 13 and in 8th grade and continues her barn chores as well as daily riding the horses. She's decided to name one of the geldings Black George and he turns out to be a natural jumper. Her parents have decided to ask Jem Jarrow, a man who works with horses in a gentler, more intuitive way, to give her lessons. You might say Jarrow has even gentled her father! Jarrow tells Abby that horses are naturally curious and you can use that curiousity to get them to do the things you want them to do. She and her father take Black George to a big stable on the coast where they get extra training and encouragement. Black George gets entered in some jumping events and Abby has to deal with her own fear of the magic number, 4 ft. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the little colt born on the ranch gets bigger and stronger and Jem advises Abby to put him in with the Geldings, (the Georges) in order to teach him some manners. They receive a letter from an investigative agency who is searching for 4 mares who were in foal and stolen. The thieves abandoned them and it's thought Jack's dam may have been one of those mares. She died shortly after Jack's birth and is buried on the ranch. Unfortunately, she was brown with no special markings, so without a record of her lip tattoo, there is no way to prove she was or was not the thoroughbred dam of Jack. She was a valuable broodmare, covered by the famous stallion Jaipur, so her foal would be expensive. How the story works out is a charming example of Jane Smiley's great use of plot, character and plce.
What do You think about Secret Horse (2011)?
This book was really good. I think the author is a good writer.
—Lala
