The Outside of a Horse

The stories Hannah’s father told her of breaking wild horses in Nevada one summer when he was her age have captivated her. After her dad is called to fight in Iraq, she often stops to watch the horses at the nearby stable to feel closer to him. Finally, she gathers the nerve to ask for a job. There she helps bring a rescued mare back from the brink, takes her first riding lesson, and witnesses the birth of the filly who steals her heart. When her dad returns from war, Hannah soon realizes her family’s fight is just beginning. His nightmares rock the household, so Hannah turns to the horses for comfort. Can they help her teach her dad the lessons of survival and hope they’ve taught her? Based on a patchwork of true stories, this is a heartbreaking story about the rehabilitative power of animals and the depth of the human capacity for hope.