The Homecoming Horse

Since Kennedy’s father Josh was forced to sell their farm, and her mother Crystal left to make a new life in Byron Bay, they’ve been ‘out bush’. Josh works as a foreman running camps for mustering teams, and Kennedy studies via Distance Education on the work site with him. Everything is run by the Book: Josh’s ledger, where he records his efforts to save enough money to buy another farm.

When a stockman offers Josh an unloved grey horse in lieu of payment for board, Josh is forced to take his offer—it’s better than nothing, and at least he can sell the horse at auction and get some money back. But when they return to their hometown of Lantern to stay with Aunty O while Josh’s shoulder injury heals, Kennedy sets her sights higher. There’s a draft competition coming up with a prize of $150,000. Kennedy hopes she can win it, keep the horse—who she has named Douglas—and make enough to buy a permanent home for herself and Josh in one fell swoop. There’s a lot riding on this opportunity—if her dad doesn’t buy a farm, she’ll be forced to live out the next year with her mother in Byron Bay. And the horse is green. She’ll have to train him herself.

As Ken works with Douglas, she finds that he has great drafting instincts—but that only drives his price up, and her father is set to sell him to a cruel girl who has bullied Ken for being poor. She opens up to Josh and Aunty O about the horrible things the other girls have said to her, and Josh gets a new idea: sell Ken’s mother’s old saddle to buy a place in the upcoming competition and give her a chance to prove Douglas’s worth.

Ken doesn’t have high hopes. She’s up against seasoned riders with a horse she’s only just started training, who’s never seen competition before. But they manage to get a place in the finals against all the odds. And while at the draft, they run into Douglas’ breeder: an old man called Dennis who is extraordinarily proud to see Douglas ridden so well.

Kennedy places 12th in the finals, dashing her hopes of keeping Douglas—or so she thinks. Dennis offers Josh a job as his head stockman, a position that comes with a house and the resources and space for Douglas to live comfortably. Against all the odds, Kennedy’s dream has come true.

A sweet story about horses, family, and chasing your dreams. Kennedy is a hard worker, but her incredible optimism means that she sets her sights high and works to achieve things no-one would expect of her. This book offers an authentic insight into life in rural Australia, and the struggles with poverty that drought has brought to many Australian families. A sweet horse story with a strong emotional core.

horses, drafting, stockmen, rural Australia, family, homelessness, farm life, poverty, bullying, bravery, chasing dreams,

 Not applicable.