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True Horse Stories
Gunner: Hurricane Horse
Each book in the True Horse Stories focuses on a contemporary horse from a different part of the world, and each animal is, in his or her own way, a hero.
PBJ Decks Smokin Gun (Gunner) is an American Paint Horse, one of the many of Heather Lott Goodwin's herd, and a valuable show animal that won the World Championship Paint Horse title. When Hurricane Katrina passed over the Goodwin property, it took with it the fences, the cattle, and several horses. Heather and her family lived in their horse trailer for six weeks and considered themselves lucky to have safe, comfortable shelter. After the storm, they searched for the animals and recovered many of them. But three months passed before they located Gunner, a hundred miles away. They were told he was in terrible shape and should be put down. Nevertheless, Heather drove on washed-out roads to bring him home, starving, dehydrated, and blind in one eye. With the help of a vet and her mother, she nursed him back to health. Amazingly, nine months later, he was well enough to compete again in the World Championship Paint Horse Show. Gunner's story is a testament to love and to determination.
PBJ Decks Smokin Gun (Gunner) is an American Paint Horse, one of the many of Heather Lott Goodwin's herd, and a valuable show animal that won the World Championship Paint Horse title. When Hurricane Katrina passed over the Goodwin property, it took with it the fences, the cattle, and several horses. Heather and her family lived in their horse trailer for six weeks and considered themselves lucky to have safe, comfortable shelter. After the storm, they searched for the animals and recovered many of them. But three months passed before they located Gunner, a hundred miles away. They were told he was in terrible shape and should be put down. Nevertheless, Heather drove on washed-out roads to bring him home, starving, dehydrated, and blind in one eye. With the help of a vet and her mother, she nursed him back to health. Amazingly, nine months later, he was well enough to compete again in the World Championship Paint Horse Show. Gunner's story is a testament to love and to determination.
- GenresAnimalsHorsesNonfiction
95 pages, Paperback
First published July 21, 2010
31 people are currently reading
253 people want to read
About the author
Judy Andrekson
10 books6 followersTundra author Judy Andrekson grew up in Nova Scotia with a pen in one hand and a lead rope in the other. At the age of twenty, she moved to Alberta, where she could pursue her great love of horses, and there she found her dream job managing a thoroughbred racing/breeding farm. By her thirties, Judy had also begun to write seriously. Now she combines both of her passions in her new series for young readers, True Horse Stories. Judy also works as an educational assistant. She, her husband, John, and their daughter, Kate, live in Sherwood Park, Alberta, along with a constantly changing assortment of animals.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
October 20, 2010
Each book in the True Horse Stories focuses on a contemporary horse from a different part of the world, and each animal is a “hero.” This is the sixth title in the non-fiction series and reads like a novel.
When Hurricane Katrina passed over Heather Goodwin’s ranch, it took with it the fences, the chickens, and several horses. For weeks, Heather and her family sheltered in their horse trailer – and considered themselves lucky for the housing. As they re-built the property and their lives, they searched for their missing animals and recovered many of them.
Heather especially worried about her favorite horse, PBJ Decks Smokin Gun (Gunner), a valuable show animal that won the World Championship Paint Horse title. He hadn’t always been her favorite. In fact, when her husband brought the little Paint home, she wondered why he’d bothered. The horse was sassy, mischievous, headstrong, and bad-tempered. But in time, she came to love and appreciate Gunner and his unique personality.
It was three months before they located the strayed animal. Found more than 100 miles from home, Gunner was in terrible shape. He was starving, dehydrated, and blind in one eye. He could barely stand. The veterinarian recommended that he be put down.
But Heather drove over washed-out roads and swollen rivers to bring him home and nursed the horse back to health. In a remarkable recovery, Gunner was well enough to compete again in the World Championship Paint Horse Show. Gunner's amazing true story is a testament to love and to determination.
While the writing is a trifle pedantic and the vocabulary is a bit challenging, the subject matter is sufficiently compelling to snag and hold a middle school student’s interest. Gunner: Hurricane Horse fills a gap in many library collections: true stories that bring recent historical events to life and in focus. Readers will gain an appreciation of the devastation that was Katrina’s aftermath, the grit of an unquenchable family dealing with disaster, and learn about the Paint breed in the process.
When Hurricane Katrina passed over Heather Goodwin’s ranch, it took with it the fences, the chickens, and several horses. For weeks, Heather and her family sheltered in their horse trailer – and considered themselves lucky for the housing. As they re-built the property and their lives, they searched for their missing animals and recovered many of them.
Heather especially worried about her favorite horse, PBJ Decks Smokin Gun (Gunner), a valuable show animal that won the World Championship Paint Horse title. He hadn’t always been her favorite. In fact, when her husband brought the little Paint home, she wondered why he’d bothered. The horse was sassy, mischievous, headstrong, and bad-tempered. But in time, she came to love and appreciate Gunner and his unique personality.
It was three months before they located the strayed animal. Found more than 100 miles from home, Gunner was in terrible shape. He was starving, dehydrated, and blind in one eye. He could barely stand. The veterinarian recommended that he be put down.
But Heather drove over washed-out roads and swollen rivers to bring him home and nursed the horse back to health. In a remarkable recovery, Gunner was well enough to compete again in the World Championship Paint Horse Show. Gunner's amazing true story is a testament to love and to determination.
While the writing is a trifle pedantic and the vocabulary is a bit challenging, the subject matter is sufficiently compelling to snag and hold a middle school student’s interest. Gunner: Hurricane Horse fills a gap in many library collections: true stories that bring recent historical events to life and in focus. Readers will gain an appreciation of the devastation that was Katrina’s aftermath, the grit of an unquenchable family dealing with disaster, and learn about the Paint breed in the process.
March 24, 2020
I love this book and its characters especially Gunner he is very cheeky and serious at times. I love this book to me Gunner is like a role matter never give up and continue in your dreams no matter what life throws at you. It touched my heart to see a small ugly colt grow to be handsome and sedulous. I hope I made up your mind about this wonderful book! :)
September 14, 2016
Having a horse as a friend is something every little girl asks for, but even though she wasn't a little girl anymore, Heather would have never wished for this horse. As he walked off the trailer with his mother, Profit, as he would be named, would come up to Heather and bite her on the bum. Heather wanted him gone, but her husband, E.W., knew that she would soon come to love him. Heather and new name PBJ Decks Smokin’ Gun (Gunner) would go on to compete in many high end shows for the All Around Paint Horse title. Then hurricane Katrina hit and Gunner was nowhere to be found. To know what happens, check out Gunner at your local library.
I wanted to read this book because I love Judy Andrekson's writing and all of the different horses she's wrote about. This book is my favorite now because it is a great book for horse lovers and animals lovers that anyone could relate to. The book was better than I imagined it. I was guessing it was going to be very sad and depressing, but at the end of the book, you have to think everything happened for a reason; Hurricane Katrina hurt Heather's whole family, but they all learned to cherish what they have. Just remember, you probably thinking of a different reason than what happened in the book, so go read it! I hate reading, but this book kept me interested and I wish it was longer so it told me more of the story.
Anyone who likes stories about animals, not just horses,would really like this book. I definitely recommend it to anyone that wants to read a shorter book because it is short, but it is packed full of stories and events. If you like to know everything that happens in a book and not left hanging, you might not like it because it never tells what the family did after, even in the epilogue. Once you get in the saddle and start riding, you won't want to get off. This book isn't one you can put down. Gunner by Judy Andrekson is a book that will stay in your mind and heart forever.
I wanted to read this book because I love Judy Andrekson's writing and all of the different horses she's wrote about. This book is my favorite now because it is a great book for horse lovers and animals lovers that anyone could relate to. The book was better than I imagined it. I was guessing it was going to be very sad and depressing, but at the end of the book, you have to think everything happened for a reason; Hurricane Katrina hurt Heather's whole family, but they all learned to cherish what they have. Just remember, you probably thinking of a different reason than what happened in the book, so go read it! I hate reading, but this book kept me interested and I wish it was longer so it told me more of the story.
Anyone who likes stories about animals, not just horses,would really like this book. I definitely recommend it to anyone that wants to read a shorter book because it is short, but it is packed full of stories and events. If you like to know everything that happens in a book and not left hanging, you might not like it because it never tells what the family did after, even in the epilogue. Once you get in the saddle and start riding, you won't want to get off. This book isn't one you can put down. Gunner by Judy Andrekson is a book that will stay in your mind and heart forever.
January 20, 2023
Oh my heart! I experienced so many different emotions while reading this book.
PBJ Decks Smokin Gun (Gunner) was a mischievous and naughty little colt who kept everyone on their toes. I laughed many times at his shenanigans. But just as quickly as he grew and weaseled his way into the hearts of the people around him, I too quickly fell in love with Gunner’s wild but gentle spirit.
Anyone going into this book already knows that it is a firsthand account of how Hurricane Katrina forever changed so many lives. Heather Goodwin was a nurse who worked in a New Orleans hospital the night Katrina made landfall. She stayed there for a week with no running water, no electricity, and no way of contacting her husband or mother who lived further inland. But this monstrous hurricane left no one untouched. It destroyed her house, left many animals deceased, injured, or missing. The farm was unrecognizable.
This book is about resilience, survival, hope, and staying strong through the darkest of times. It is about humanity coming together to help rebuild and move forward one step at a time. And it is about a beautiful unconditional love between a woman and her horse.
This is a book that touched my heart and I won’t soon forget Gunner with his striking blue eyes. Nor will I forget him biting Heather on the rump on their first meeting.
I will mention there is a situation at the end of the book that is tough to swallow.
PBJ Decks Smokin Gun (Gunner) was a mischievous and naughty little colt who kept everyone on their toes. I laughed many times at his shenanigans. But just as quickly as he grew and weaseled his way into the hearts of the people around him, I too quickly fell in love with Gunner’s wild but gentle spirit.
Anyone going into this book already knows that it is a firsthand account of how Hurricane Katrina forever changed so many lives. Heather Goodwin was a nurse who worked in a New Orleans hospital the night Katrina made landfall. She stayed there for a week with no running water, no electricity, and no way of contacting her husband or mother who lived further inland. But this monstrous hurricane left no one untouched. It destroyed her house, left many animals deceased, injured, or missing. The farm was unrecognizable.
This book is about resilience, survival, hope, and staying strong through the darkest of times. It is about humanity coming together to help rebuild and move forward one step at a time. And it is about a beautiful unconditional love between a woman and her horse.
This is a book that touched my heart and I won’t soon forget Gunner with his striking blue eyes. Nor will I forget him biting Heather on the rump on their first meeting.
I will mention there is a situation at the end of the book that is tough to swallow.
December 15, 2022
Gunner: A Shot to the Heart
It seems like all animal stories start sweet and end up breaking your heart. This story has a slightly different twist. However, do not be surprised if this story both makes you smile and cry.
It seems like all animal stories start sweet and end up breaking your heart. This story has a slightly different twist. However, do not be surprised if this story both makes you smile and cry.
December 22, 2022
I found this book when I recognized the horse on the cover and saw his name! A book about Gunner?! SIGN ME UP! :) This was a great story. Interesting, touching, exciting, sad, and hopeful too. Wonderful. Funny, I thought he was kept as a stallion but he was a gelding!
March 6, 2024
Had to read it since my dream is to own a Gunner bred colt. The ending is devastating to learn, being a parent and knowing she lost her son after everything she went through breaks my heart. Profit is nothing short of amazing and inspiring to read about.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 17, 2018
Wonderful telling of the story of Gunner, Hurricane Katrina Survivor.
October 24, 2019
Very, very good!!!!!!!!!!
February 20, 2021
Non-Fiction 798.2 - Had It - Read It - 2010 Canada - Trade
May 4, 2021
Although this story is based on a true story, I found the surprise ending a little too adult for the reading level. The story about the horse was nice.
February 21, 2023
Wow! I read this book before giving it to my third graders. It had me in all kinds of emotions! Great story!
June 25, 2023
Quick, easy read. Great story of the love and bond between a horse and his people.
September 24, 2023
I liked this book especially because it's a true story. It's almost like a short story because it's under 100 pages. I would especially recommend to animal lovers and younger readers.
December 22, 2023
I would recommend this book to any horse lover😊
July 16, 2024
Gunner was kind a pampered jerk who killed a cat and chickens for sport.
March 17, 2025
The epilogue took my breath away.
March 5, 2011
As a horse lover, I fell in love with this book right from the beginning. The story of Gunner and his owner touched me immensely. I don't want to give away the entire plot behind the story, but suffice it to say Gunner went through more than one ordeal. After reading this, I want to go out and ride through the pastures on a beautiful little Paint horse. This book seems as though it is geared mostly toward children, though I can say that at the age of 25 I still very much enjoyed it.
May 29, 2012
Great story for horse lovers. Was thinking of using this for our book competition for 4th and 5th graders but Gunner kills chickens by rolling on them! Also, the little boy dies in a trailer accident in the epilogue of this true story.
August 22, 2012
This book is about a family that survived Hurricane Katrina. I loved it and I cried happy and sad tears. If you love horses, read it! If you love animal stories, read it! If you love stories about courage and sacrifice and endurance, read it!
May 6, 2014
I bought this thinking it was adult non fiction, only to have a Children's book arrive. Since I had it, I figured I would read it. Quick read, but could have been a bit more entertaining. Felt like I was reading a news article a lot of the time. Still, not a bad way to waste a few hours.
September 1, 2024
This was a good book to listen to. It was a great, non-fiction read if you like horses. I loved that she "saved" him but I understand because of the bond. Really well done.
I received this book free from Libro.fm as part of the Educator ALC program.
I received this book free from Libro.fm as part of the Educator ALC program.
October 2, 2010
More like 3 1/2. Great story but a few parts were a bit too old for a MG book I think.
July 10, 2011
Super short book, kids book but well worth reading for any horse lover. True story.
November 27, 2011
Nice story. So much was left out though it felt shallow.
November 5, 2013
Nice story but didn't like the writing style
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews