This is an unusual story, one of a deep friendship between a boy called T-Bone and his horse, Gander. Interestingly, the story includes the horse's point of view. The unique perspective made me smile, and it put a lot of what happened between the humans, T-Bone and his new lover, Jess, as well as the actions of T-Bone's arch enemy, into a slightly different light. I've always thought horses are very clever, and while his part in the story was only imagined, it rang true and I loved that.

T-Bone is the rancher's son, and while he feels different and apart from everyone for several reasons, he loves horses and can’t imagine living anywhere else. His best friend is Gander, the horse who almost didn’t survive his birth, and T-Bone defends him against anyone who thinks he is ugly. T-Bone isn’t exactly a catch himself, so he has that in common with Gander and it clearly strengthens their bond.

Jess is a new hand on the ranch, and he has some secrets himself. He's a nice man, accepts both T-Bone and Gander, and loves helping out when Gander participates in the county fair. That is also when he has his first physical encounter with T-Bone, and they become even closer. When disaster strikes, he suffers, but being the man he is, he never gives up.

I have to admit I love horses, and the things Gander has to suffer made me cry. Having his "thoughts" added to what he goes through just made it all the more poignant. If you like horses, if you enjoy stories about the cowboys who work with them, and if you're looking for some heart-wrenching drama before the author lets you off the hook, then you will probably like this short story. I think it's touching, pretty unique, and really loved it.
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