Smoky the Cowhorse

First published in 1926 and awarded the Newbery Medal in 1927, “Smoky the Cowhorse” is the heartfelt and dramatic tale of a horse in the final days of the Old West by Will James, a French-Canadian artist and author of numerous cowboy stories. Based loosely on the author’s own horse named Smoky and his days spent cow wrangling in Saskatchewan before moving to the United States, “Smoky the Cowhorse” follows the titular horse through his life from birth to old age. Smoky is born a wild horse, but is captured and tamed by a cowboy named Clint. Under Clint’s kind guidance, Smoky leads a peaceful life and becomes known as the best cowhorse around. However, Smoky soon experiences great hardship when he is stolen by a cruel horse thief and beaten when he refuses to be ridden. Smoky becomes violent and grows to hate people, a situation made worse when he is forced to work in a rodeo as a bucking bronco. Fortunately, Smoky is eventually rescued by Clint and lives out the rest of his life under Clint’s gentle care. This timeless story of kindness and devotion will be cherished and enjoyed by all those who love horses and cowboy tales.