Story-wise, this book was okay, and the writing was pretty good. Crudeness and more than a few instances of using the Lord's name in vain was very off-putting to me. Strong language is never necessary, in my mind. The only reason it got 3 stars instead of two, was because the topic is very close to my heart: rescuing abused, neglected and misused horses. I very much liked that side of the story, but if you want to learn more about that, you are better off reading Kim Meeder's Hope Rising

Overall, a disappointment. Not necesassarily a bad book, but not for me. ( )

When Hannah's dad comes home from serving in the military, he is different than she remembered. Watching people die can really change a person. Hannah resorts to visiting a local farm and helping with the horses, even though she hasn't had any horse experience herself. All of the bad things that happen to Hannah are realistic in my opinion, which makes the story a great book to read. I loved it, and I didn't hesitate to rate it 5 stars. Worth anyone's time, whether you're a kid, teenager, or even an adult. ( )

Outside of a Horse examines a girl's relationship with her father, both while he is serving in Iraq and after he comes home, wounded and mentally damaged. Left behind with her stepmother and baby brother, she finds solace working at a local stable, learning to earn the trust of horses rescued from abuse, and watching the birth of one very special filly. When her dad returns, damaged, lost, and angry Hannah has only the horses to turn to for help.

Give me a book about a horse crazy girl any day! I loved the strength, work ethic, and morals Hannah learns from the women she meets and the way they take her under their wing. However, the soap box the author gets on about the horse industry, racing and meat pcking plants especially was a real turn off. It felt like she was intent on pushing her agenda and the story suffered for it. She got back on track with the rehab Hannah's dad goes through and that part felt very authentic and touching.

I listened to The Outside of a Horse on audio, narrated by Emily Bauer. She has an amazingly convincing, little-girl voice. The transitions to adults are not as convincing, but given that the story is told in Hannah's voice that seems realistic. ( )

I really loved this book. I thought it was really interesting that hannah liked horses because it made her feel closer to her dad. I felt sorry for hannah and what she had to go through with her dad. ( )