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The Promise Horse
This engaging story about a girl and a horse who form an unlikely bond is perfect for middle-grade readers.
Harry is tired of being the tall new kid with red hair, big feet and freckles; the one with the dead sister whose voice follows her wherever she goes. Everyone says she’s imagining it, but she knows they’re wrong. If she was making Sissy up, wouldn’t she make her less of a pain? When Harry’s wish for a horse comes true and Marksman comes into her life, she isn’t sure that the impressive horse is the one for her. She doesn’t need another challenge. But could he be just what she needs to learn the difference between standing out and standing up? This fantastic story for middle-grade readers will tug at your heartstrings.
Harry is tired of being the tall new kid with red hair, big feet and freckles; the one with the dead sister whose voice follows her wherever she goes. Everyone says she’s imagining it, but she knows they’re wrong. If she was making Sissy up, wouldn’t she make her less of a pain? When Harry’s wish for a horse comes true and Marksman comes into her life, she isn’t sure that the impressive horse is the one for her. She doesn’t need another challenge. But could he be just what she needs to learn the difference between standing out and standing up? This fantastic story for middle-grade readers will tug at your heartstrings.
272 pages, Paperback
Published July 1, 2018
19 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 20, 2018
The horse-mad tween in me absolutely adored this one! I loved the friendship between Harry and her horse, and the way this helped her confidence in other parts of her life. The gymkhana scenes were so spot on!
July 7, 2025
god i adored this book - what a heartwarming read. returning to horse books is really healing my inner child lol. this is a middle grade read but still really enjoyable and touched on some important topics - particularly grief, abusive parents, feeling like an outsider, appreciating people/horses for who they are and not what they look like
- “harry realised how important it was to lizzie that harry see this horse through the eyes of love that she saw him”
- “when she was riding, marksman was all she was aware of, all she focused on. she thought she had him to all to herself. it might be selfish, but she didnt want to share him. she wanted him to be something of her own”
- “she felt a nuzzle on her arm, as if marksman wanted to remind her he was there. harry turned into the big horse and buried her face in his neck, breathing in the beautiful smell of him. there the two of them stayed, the big horses’s head across her shoulder, until her breathing returned to normal”
- “you can’t stay here with me. i promise i will always be with you in your heart. but you can’t be afraid, and you have to live your life. not for me, for you… life has to go on… you have to trust yourself”
- “she felt the rush of freedom of having nothing to lose; being here with her horse and not pulled between the present and the past. here she wash tall, red-headed, freckly kid with bare legs and big feet on a huge spotted horse. they were a team and no one could take that away… she felt his hairy warm belly on the gap between her boot and her cuff. it was beautiful”
- “harry realised how important it was to lizzie that harry see this horse through the eyes of love that she saw him”
- “when she was riding, marksman was all she was aware of, all she focused on. she thought she had him to all to herself. it might be selfish, but she didnt want to share him. she wanted him to be something of her own”
- “she felt a nuzzle on her arm, as if marksman wanted to remind her he was there. harry turned into the big horse and buried her face in his neck, breathing in the beautiful smell of him. there the two of them stayed, the big horses’s head across her shoulder, until her breathing returned to normal”
- “you can’t stay here with me. i promise i will always be with you in your heart. but you can’t be afraid, and you have to live your life. not for me, for you… life has to go on… you have to trust yourself”
- “she felt the rush of freedom of having nothing to lose; being here with her horse and not pulled between the present and the past. here she wash tall, red-headed, freckly kid with bare legs and big feet on a huge spotted horse. they were a team and no one could take that away… she felt his hairy warm belly on the gap between her boot and her cuff. it was beautiful”
November 26, 2018
Harry wasn’t happy about moving away from all her friends, pony club and all the memories she had made with her older sister Sissy before her illness. The one thing that eases the move (besides being closer to her loving grandparents), is the promise of a horse of her very own.
Little do her parents know, but Sissy has come with them, even if only in spirit. Harry has been to therapy about ‘hearing voices’ so now she keeps Sissy a secret. After all, if she was just imagining her older, bossy, strong sister’s voice, wouldn’t she make her less annoying?
When an impressive Appaloosa called Marksman is offered to her in her new town, Harry isn’t sure she can handle such a big horse. But with Sissy’s constant pushing, and her grandparent’s support, maybe it is something she can achieve for herself. If only Mum didn’t regret the promise made in the first place.
This story isn’t just about horses, pony club, friendship and family. Harry’s family is still dealing with their grief at the loss of Sissy, but all in their own way. A boy called Billy from school has his own problems, and Harry has to find her own courage (without Sissy) to hold onto what she loves.
Little do her parents know, but Sissy has come with them, even if only in spirit. Harry has been to therapy about ‘hearing voices’ so now she keeps Sissy a secret. After all, if she was just imagining her older, bossy, strong sister’s voice, wouldn’t she make her less annoying?
When an impressive Appaloosa called Marksman is offered to her in her new town, Harry isn’t sure she can handle such a big horse. But with Sissy’s constant pushing, and her grandparent’s support, maybe it is something she can achieve for herself. If only Mum didn’t regret the promise made in the first place.
This story isn’t just about horses, pony club, friendship and family. Harry’s family is still dealing with their grief at the loss of Sissy, but all in their own way. A boy called Billy from school has his own problems, and Harry has to find her own courage (without Sissy) to hold onto what she loves.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews