The Secret Horse

Nice little book about a girl who wants a horse more than anything, but of course her parents say no. They've no place to keep a horse, for starters. She makes friends with a girl who comes to say with her grandmother next door, and does some painting on their rebuilt front porch to earn a little money. Her parents take her to the animal shelter to get a kitten, and while there she sees a thin, neglected-looking horse standing out back by a shed. She immediately makes plans to take this horse home, assuming it's unwanted and will be euthanized. Sneaks out in the middle of the night and leads the horse back, where she and her friend hide it in a derelict stable next door, hidden by overgrown shrubs and poison ivy (on a grand estate owned show more by an old wealthy man, who only lives there part of the year). Kind of appalling the the kids stole a horse, and took it home without having plans how to feed it or even bring it water, but luckily they figure that out the next day. Their earnings go a little way at a time, and luckily the horse is well-behaved and gentle. But eventually you know they're going to get found out- and then what will happen? I'm glad it had a good ending, although the last two chapters feels rushed, and I was rather surprised the book cuts short right before she tells her parents. I would have liked to see their reaction!

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