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The Horsecatcher
Praised for swift action and beauty of language, The Horsecatcher is Mari Sandoz's first novel about the Indians she knew so well. Without ever leaving the world of a Cheyenne tribe in the 1830s, she creates a youthful protagonist many readers will recognize in themselves. Young Elk is expected to be a warrior, but killing even an enemy sickens him. He would rather catch and tame the mustangs that run in herds. Sandoz makes it clear that his determination to be a horsecatcher will require a moral and physical courage equal to that of any warrior. And if he must earn the right to live as he wishes, he must also draw closer to family and community.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published October 28, 1957
About the author
Mari Sandoz
55 books53 followersMari Susette Sandoz (May 11, 1896 – March 10, 1966) was a novelist, biographer, lecturer, and teacher. She was one of Nebraska's foremost writers, and wrote extensively about pioneer life and the Plains Indians.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
August 26, 2015
When I picked up this book, I didn't realize it was written for kids, nor did I know that it was one of the Newbery Honor titles. I wanted to read it because of the author, Mari Sandoz. From my rating, it's obvious that I really liked the story, but I bet that most young readers would find it 'slow' or 'boring.' This is so different from the books that are currently hits with young adults. (Exception: any young adult who likes horses will appreciate the descriptions of the horses' behaviors and the importance of horses to this tribe.) I'd like to think that every American would pick up a book such as this and let themselves be carried into another world, a world where people are aware of the environment in which they live.
The detailed descriptions that some reviewers have found tedious are part of the fabric of the early Native Americans' lives. Their survival depended on knowing how to "read" the world in which they lived. If I were a life science teacher from that part of the country, I'd assign this text and have kids list the plants, animals, and geological features that are mentioned. This would provide a solid base for looking at an ecosystem.
The detailed descriptions that some reviewers have found tedious are part of the fabric of the early Native Americans' lives. Their survival depended on knowing how to "read" the world in which they lived. If I were a life science teacher from that part of the country, I'd assign this text and have kids list the plants, animals, and geological features that are mentioned. This would provide a solid base for looking at an ecosystem.
September 19, 2007
It addresses the question of fulfilling honor. It asks whether honor comes from living up to the expectation of family/tribal tradition. Or does it come from the less glorified route but staying true to the desires within? Can honor be achieved through the eyes of the family with the alternate route?
January 23, 2019
Newbery Honors 1958
The Horsecatcher is a coming-of-age story of Young Elk who follows his calling as a horsecatcher. Like all of these stories, they transcend time and place, for the challenge of a youth to recognize and follow his true calling contrary to expectations is as old as mankind. Mari Sandoz puts us into the Cheyenne warrior culture of the Great Plains in the 1830s, their love for horses, which carries on to the present day. For without the horse these vast expanses of undulating grasslands were not nearly as accessible.
Young Elk isn't born with the warrior instinct of the male culture of his people. His love is for horses, and especially catching wild mustangs. He spends months alone away from his people following, capturing, gentling, and bringing back spirited horses to his people.
The story is largely written in a narrative style with much less dialogue than expected. The focus is on Young Elk, and he spends much of his time alone, while the life of the tribe goes on without him. This gives the story a very atmospheric feel as we watch this young man mature.
The Horsecatcher is a coming-of-age story of Young Elk who follows his calling as a horsecatcher. Like all of these stories, they transcend time and place, for the challenge of a youth to recognize and follow his true calling contrary to expectations is as old as mankind. Mari Sandoz puts us into the Cheyenne warrior culture of the Great Plains in the 1830s, their love for horses, which carries on to the present day. For without the horse these vast expanses of undulating grasslands were not nearly as accessible.
Young Elk isn't born with the warrior instinct of the male culture of his people. His love is for horses, and especially catching wild mustangs. He spends months alone away from his people following, capturing, gentling, and bringing back spirited horses to his people.
The story is largely written in a narrative style with much less dialogue than expected. The focus is on Young Elk, and he spends much of his time alone, while the life of the tribe goes on without him. This gives the story a very atmospheric feel as we watch this young man mature.
May 25, 2012
I am a Nebraskan and was ashamed that I hadn't read any Mari Sandoz yet and a friend recommended "The Horsecatcher". I feel bad writing this, but I had a very hard time getting through this book! It was very dry with hardly any dialogue. I appreciated the story of Elk and his resistance to killing and also his quest to catch the great white horse, but oh boy, it was a struggle. It is only 192 pages but took me forever to finish. The "exciting" moments in the story did not seem exciting, there was no build-up. I guess I will have to read another Mari Sandoz book to find what I was looking for.
August 14, 2011
Booorrrrinngggg...
The book is about a Cheyenne boy, probably an older teenager, who loves horses. He made his life about catching horses (hence the title). He travels up and down through what is now Wyoming, Montana, Alberta, Colorado, New Mexico, and possibly even some of Mexico and Arizona. Along the way he meets many friends and enemies. He wants to impress a cute girl. He gets captured and becomes parts of wars with the Comanches and Kiowas.
In short, it could be an interesting and even exciting book. But it isn't. It is a very slow read. I wish someone else had written it instead.
The book is about a Cheyenne boy, probably an older teenager, who loves horses. He made his life about catching horses (hence the title). He travels up and down through what is now Wyoming, Montana, Alberta, Colorado, New Mexico, and possibly even some of Mexico and Arizona. Along the way he meets many friends and enemies. He wants to impress a cute girl. He gets captured and becomes parts of wars with the Comanches and Kiowas.
In short, it could be an interesting and even exciting book. But it isn't. It is a very slow read. I wish someone else had written it instead.
November 20, 2023
I've been wanting to read something by Mari Sandoz, a Nebraska author, for years. I've collected a handful of her books but decided to start with her Newbery Honor winner, "The Horsecatcher." I really enjoyed her prose in this coming-of-age story and look forward to reading more.
I don't consider myself a "horse person" but I enjoyed reading about the different wild horses that Young Elk caught and tamed. The ways of the Cheyenne were interesting to learn about but, most of all, I loved reading about the sacrifices that Young Elk made and the message of peace.
I don't consider myself a "horse person" but I enjoyed reading about the different wild horses that Young Elk caught and tamed. The ways of the Cheyenne were interesting to learn about but, most of all, I loved reading about the sacrifices that Young Elk made and the message of peace.
November 3, 2026
Nebraska Library Commission Book Club Spotlight, November 3rd, 2026
Born just south of Hay Springs, Nebraska in 1896, biographer and historian Mari Sandoz had a unique upbringing, living amongst storytellers as the last of the “new west” settlers descended upon the region. Best known for the biography Old Jules about her father, and her 1942 biography Native American Heritage Month, we take a look at her first fiction novel that focused on the Native American tribes that she spent her life studying and writing about. A Newbery Medal Honor, and Vermont Golden Dome Book Award Nominee, The Horsecatcher follows a young Cheyenne boy in the 1830s as he finds his place in the world and his society.
Young Elk, the son of Elk River, and nephew of the great warrior Owl Friend, is hunting alone across the ridges and plains of the Black Hills. He tracks along carefully, using the wisdom of his people to outrun his quarry until they have no chance but to surrender. But it is not the surrender of another warrior, nor an enemy camp. It is the surrendering of a young colt, who carries the symbol of a bear on its side. A worthy companion for the young Cheyenne boy. But not a worthy enough prize for Elk’s family who had worried about his safety since he disappeared to chase down the colt. His youthful exploits threaten his future in the warrior clan, as Young Elk dreams of becoming a Horsecatcher like the much respected Cheyenne who holds that name. To earn his place and his title, Young Elk must journey across the land, make home with different peoples and find the courage to defy tradition.
Last year we read Fools Crow by James Welch, and while it also opens with a horse hunting party that is where our two stories diverge. Enjoyable by audiences of all ages, The Horsecatcher is a coming-of-age story that many young readers will relate to despite living in starkly different times. For Reading Groups of older children through teens, Young Elk’s great journey as he searches out his identity and transitions from childhood to the responsibilities of an adult will mirror their own experiences. Elders, both then and now, put a lot of pressure on the youth to live up to their expectations and get frustrated when their dreams take them far from that traditional path. Young Elk is growing up in a warrior society and is expected to join his family in that tradition, but choosing the non-violent path of the Horsecatcher risks ostracizing him from his community in a way that can threaten his future. But no matter where his journey takes him, his courage and gentle nature will bring him home again.
Born just south of Hay Springs, Nebraska in 1896, biographer and historian Mari Sandoz had a unique upbringing, living amongst storytellers as the last of the “new west” settlers descended upon the region. Best known for the biography Old Jules about her father, and her 1942 biography Native American Heritage Month, we take a look at her first fiction novel that focused on the Native American tribes that she spent her life studying and writing about. A Newbery Medal Honor, and Vermont Golden Dome Book Award Nominee, The Horsecatcher follows a young Cheyenne boy in the 1830s as he finds his place in the world and his society.
Young Elk, the son of Elk River, and nephew of the great warrior Owl Friend, is hunting alone across the ridges and plains of the Black Hills. He tracks along carefully, using the wisdom of his people to outrun his quarry until they have no chance but to surrender. But it is not the surrender of another warrior, nor an enemy camp. It is the surrendering of a young colt, who carries the symbol of a bear on its side. A worthy companion for the young Cheyenne boy. But not a worthy enough prize for Elk’s family who had worried about his safety since he disappeared to chase down the colt. His youthful exploits threaten his future in the warrior clan, as Young Elk dreams of becoming a Horsecatcher like the much respected Cheyenne who holds that name. To earn his place and his title, Young Elk must journey across the land, make home with different peoples and find the courage to defy tradition.
“I will warm to the sight of you on the hillsides, and you will come to my call, and if I am hurt you will not leave me, as I shall pursue anyone who steals you to the ends of the horizon. We shall harm no living thing, but together we shall be one, a tall man-horse, or, better, a horse-man, for there will be much more of you, Bear Colt, my brother, than of me.”
– Mari Sandoz
Last year we read Fools Crow by James Welch, and while it also opens with a horse hunting party that is where our two stories diverge. Enjoyable by audiences of all ages, The Horsecatcher is a coming-of-age story that many young readers will relate to despite living in starkly different times. For Reading Groups of older children through teens, Young Elk’s great journey as he searches out his identity and transitions from childhood to the responsibilities of an adult will mirror their own experiences. Elders, both then and now, put a lot of pressure on the youth to live up to their expectations and get frustrated when their dreams take them far from that traditional path. Young Elk is growing up in a warrior society and is expected to join his family in that tradition, but choosing the non-violent path of the Horsecatcher risks ostracizing him from his community in a way that can threaten his future. But no matter where his journey takes him, his courage and gentle nature will bring him home again.
August 4, 2020
5 stars. While this book is not going to be to everyone's taste, I enjoyed it. It made me happy on several levels: it had horse and it was totally immersive in a nearly unknown culture. Sandoz was a white author who wrote accurately and fairly extensively about the Plains Indians; she is the author of a biography of Crazy Horse. Here, her focus is on a young Cheyenne man (mid-late teens) as he comes of age in a warrior society. Except young Elk has no desire to be a warrior; while he'll kill for food and in self-defense of himself (and his "clan") if he absolutely must, he wants to be a horsecatcher. This isn't an easy path since it's the warriors who are acclaimed and with whom the young women flirt. There isn't much dialogue, the book is mostly description of journeys, Cheyenne life, and, of course, horse catching and taming. This is horse-whispering Cheyenne style. It is a brutal life filled with violence and danger, and not all of the horse catching is gentle. I read this for my 2020 Reading Challenge (PopSugar "bildungsroman") and my Newbery Challenge (Honor 1958). I want to read more of her books.
February 16, 2024
I don't know why this relatively quick read took me so long, but I had to keep walking away from it and coming back to Young Elk's adventures after a brief break. I really love Mari Sandoz' writing style: it's simple and spare, but somehow perfectly captures the straightforward beauty of our hero's connection to the land, to his peoples' traditions, and to the horses he loves. And, despite knowing almost nothing about Cheyenne tradition when I picked up this book, I was surprised at how relatable I found Young Elk to be in balancing the desire to live worthily of his proud heritage and be a pride to his families while still seeking to follow his own path and his true heart's desires. I really enjoyed how much this book taught me about one indigenous tribe through this brief vignette.
November 20, 2017
Getting used to the scalp-thirsty culture of the Cheyenne, Comanche, and Kiowa tribes portrayed took some getting used to, but it served its purpose as the predominant warrior culture that leaves Young Elk on the fringes and struggling to find his path in life. It was really interesting to see all the creative methods these people may have used in secondary families and personal relationships. The challenges and journeys Elk goes on are woven nicely together masterfully to create an immersive sense of place.
February 6, 2022
Despite knowing of the author for a while, at least by name, this is the first work of hers I have read. I really enjoyed it, due to my interest in horses and Indigenous Americans. It was a very simple style but vivid and intriguing. I wonder how accurate it is but it seems to really be knowledgeable as far as customs and interactions between different tribes. The action was always moving forward and kept me engaged. Pretty neat read!
November 23, 2023
If we're going off of my enjoyment of this book, then really it's two stars. But bonus star because this is actually not racist. It is appropriation, but the author was a woman who lived a hard, hard life. I found this book extremely boring, though it picked up a lot in the last third. I don't see anyone who doesn't like horses finding this book interesting, but a lot of horses are hurt or killed, so be warned.
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July 15, 2026Picked this one because it is a Nebraska author and I am trying to feature some Nebraska influences. My kids enjoyed it. Tells the story of a Native American boy who catches horses I believe before any settlers were in the area. Covers the tribe interactions in the central plains, general survival and the incredible about of miles they covered as a normal practice. It is a bit violent but not gore-y.
April 19, 2022
Historical Fiction
5th -6th grade
I personally did not like this book very well. The plot line was okay but it wasn't very engaging. I did like that the central theme was about being yourself, which I think is good for upper elementary students. Overall, the book just wasn't as interesting as I thought it would be.
5th -6th grade
I personally did not like this book very well. The plot line was okay but it wasn't very engaging. I did like that the central theme was about being yourself, which I think is good for upper elementary students. Overall, the book just wasn't as interesting as I thought it would be.
June 26, 2019
Good but slow, VERY slow.
October 10, 2020
This was an interesting read! It took me some time to get through, but it was very beautiful.
October 3, 2021
I technically didn’t finish it as the writing was poor that I couldn’t really tell what the plot was, it seemed like a good story idea but not well executed
Read
March 5, 2024I can’t finish this book. It’s well written and I understand that different cultures have different attitudes about things but I can’t get past the casual animal abuse.
November 8, 2017
Read the full review here: http://newberyandbeyond.com/newbery-r...
July 30, 2011
The idea behind The Horsecatcher really is a good one. There's a lot of promise to this story about a Cheyenne Indian boy whose pacific nature and spirit run contrary to the ideas of his people, and how he stands by what he feels and believes despite the scorn of everyone around him. Many people today from any culture will recognize a bit of themselves in the person of Little Elk, a burgeoning adolescent just trying to find his place in this world when doing so seems to be so unfairly difficult.
Author Mari Sandoz is unquestionably knowledgeable about the Cheyenne Indians and their history, and uses that insider's touch to tell this story about life as it may have been many years ago on the open range of the old west. Surrounded by the myriad wonders of nature, Little Elk clearly feels that he doesn't want any part of the future that his tribe wants for him, that he become a warrior who can protect his people from their enemies by the sheer force of his courage and weaponmastery. Little Elk's true natural expertise is in the catching and taming of wild horses, and it is this life-affirming work, no less crucial to the survival of his tribe than that of the warriors who take up arms to defend it, that makes Little Elk happy and gives him a sense of purpose and contentment. No one in his tribe except perhaps the wise man known as The Horsecatcher can understand Little Elk's feelings at all, however, and so he must try to establish himself in the eyes of his brethren by way of his less glamorous line of work as pronouncedly as do the warriors that his people commonly celebrate. As Little Elk comes to find, a life of non-violence and determination to follow the deepest yearnings of one's heart can take a lot of hard work. It also calls for some big sacrifices along the way.
There's a lot to like in the expressive type of language Mari Sandoz uses in this book. She's trying to paint for her readers pictures of a land steeped in all-natural beauty, and that's not an easy effect to achieve on behalf of people who may not have ever been there themselves. The story being told also has intrinsic merit because of the universality of its ideas, and I can see how that would draw people's interest to this book. The Horsecatcher is a different kind of reading experience, but could work nicely for those who prefer stories with minimal dialogue and a lot of intricate plot detail.
Author Mari Sandoz is unquestionably knowledgeable about the Cheyenne Indians and their history, and uses that insider's touch to tell this story about life as it may have been many years ago on the open range of the old west. Surrounded by the myriad wonders of nature, Little Elk clearly feels that he doesn't want any part of the future that his tribe wants for him, that he become a warrior who can protect his people from their enemies by the sheer force of his courage and weaponmastery. Little Elk's true natural expertise is in the catching and taming of wild horses, and it is this life-affirming work, no less crucial to the survival of his tribe than that of the warriors who take up arms to defend it, that makes Little Elk happy and gives him a sense of purpose and contentment. No one in his tribe except perhaps the wise man known as The Horsecatcher can understand Little Elk's feelings at all, however, and so he must try to establish himself in the eyes of his brethren by way of his less glamorous line of work as pronouncedly as do the warriors that his people commonly celebrate. As Little Elk comes to find, a life of non-violence and determination to follow the deepest yearnings of one's heart can take a lot of hard work. It also calls for some big sacrifices along the way.
There's a lot to like in the expressive type of language Mari Sandoz uses in this book. She's trying to paint for her readers pictures of a land steeped in all-natural beauty, and that's not an easy effect to achieve on behalf of people who may not have ever been there themselves. The story being told also has intrinsic merit because of the universality of its ideas, and I can see how that would draw people's interest to this book. The Horsecatcher is a different kind of reading experience, but could work nicely for those who prefer stories with minimal dialogue and a lot of intricate plot detail.
August 1, 2021
A Cheyenne boy doesn't like killing, so he doesn't go to war like the other young men in his tribe. Instead, he catches horses.
Elk is the only character in the book that vast majority of the time because he goes off among a lot, and there is hardly any dialogue. So you don't get to know any of the other characters very well, and there is practically no character development. I started falling asleep almost every time I read this. I found this to be one of the most boring books I have ever read.
Elk is the only character in the book that vast majority of the time because he goes off among a lot, and there is hardly any dialogue. So you don't get to know any of the other characters very well, and there is practically no character development. I started falling asleep almost every time I read this. I found this to be one of the most boring books I have ever read.
August 22, 2016
This book is an in-depth look into the coming of age of a youth of the Cheyenne people. Details of tribe life, family dynamics, prairie survival, and a love for horses are all contained in this short novel.
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March 5, 2009JAR6-San
January 28, 2010
Story of a young Cheyenne and his exploits of catching horses and shunning killing.
June 30, 2014
Took a while to get through this one. I couldn't get into it. I read it because it won the Newbery Honor award…I've just never enjoyed books about horses, and this was no exception.
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October 23, 2014eb403d79-9aba-4049-b927-48854783dcc8
December 11, 2014
Story placed in the romanticized part of 'indian' history. While I did like much of it, overall I didn't really enjoy reading it.
July 14, 2023
This was amazing! I've never read a story quite like this before
April 3, 2017
Amazing so many said this was a boring book or hard to get through and only giving maybe two stars. I found it very interesting and wanted to know what would happen next. I am not particularly into horses, but I found his life interesting with them. I think perhaps that I am of senior age that I could feel something more now than perhaps I would have if I read this at a younger age.
xx-dnf-skim-reference
January 23, 2019I get it. I'm impressed. Sandoz seems to know what she's talking about. But I'm not enjoying it and there are so many other books begging for my attention, I've decided not to finish. (I did skip to the end, as I usually do on DNFs, and it really doesn't look like I missed any surprising development or anything.)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews