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The Dark Horse
Sent away as a colt because his color didn't reflect his fine racing lineage, Colonel, the Dark Horse, finds himself in a strange land thousands of miles from home. Charro, born in the badlands of the arid West and orphaned at a few months of age, is rescued from starvation by a cowboy named Brad. At the Hip-O Ranch on the edge of the badlands, fate brings the two colts together to form a bond that cannot be broken. With 40 line drawings and colorful prose, Will James renders two weak-kneed, green colts who become the best of their breeds: Colonel, a race-winning champion, and Charro, the wiliest wild mustang the West has ever seen.
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1939
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About the author
Will James
111 books39 followersWill James, artist and writer of the American West, was born Joseph Ernest Nephtali Dufault. It was during his creative years everyone grew to know him as Will James. During the next several years, he drifted, worked at several jobs, was briefly jailed for cattle rustling, served in the army, and began selling his sketches and in 1922 sold his first writing, Bucking Horse Riders. The sale of several books followed.
An artist and author of books about the American west and, in particular, horses, Will James wrote the 1926 book "Smoky the Cowhorse". It was awarded the John Newbery Medal in 1927, and remains in print to this day. Several movie adaptations of the story have been created, including a 1933 version that included Will James himself as the narrator.
His fictionalized autobiography, Lone Cowboy, was written in 1930. He also wrote Home Ranch (1935) and he wrote his last book, The American Cowboy, in 1942. In all, he wrote and illustrated 23 books.
In 1991, Will James was named a member of the Nevada Writers Hall of Fame.
An artist and author of books about the American west and, in particular, horses, Will James wrote the 1926 book "Smoky the Cowhorse". It was awarded the John Newbery Medal in 1927, and remains in print to this day. Several movie adaptations of the story have been created, including a 1933 version that included Will James himself as the narrator.
His fictionalized autobiography, Lone Cowboy, was written in 1930. He also wrote Home Ranch (1935) and he wrote his last book, The American Cowboy, in 1942. In all, he wrote and illustrated 23 books.
In 1991, Will James was named a member of the Nevada Writers Hall of Fame.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 18, 2025
This is a review of the 2003 Mountain Press edition, which has an added introduction and biographical material about James, who died three years after this was first published in 1939. The 2003 edition was supposedly all cleaned up of any racist slang, but the term "Indian giver" somehow slipped by.
I made the mistake of reading four or five Will James books in a year, so I am now thoroughly sick and tired of Will James.
This was the worst Will James books I've ever read (I've only read six.) He just rambled, with unnecessary backstory here and not enough detail there. For example, a Thoroughbred filly is found wandering the range that becomes the mate of our colt, and then she suddenly vanishes from the story. Although this was edited to make it more politically correct, there seemed to be zero editing for story content. This book really needed to be cut in half.
The story is ridiculous, even for a Western. Set in the 1930s, a blue-blood Thoroughbred colt is sold for chump change to a cowboy because he's the wrong color. There was no prejudice against dark brown Thoroughbreds in America, but there was against greys and any horse with white stockings that went more than halfway up the legs. There's a bit about how cowboys cheat in bush track or rodeo races, but there is a $50,000 unidentified stakes race that would not have happened in the 1930s. 1830s, yeah -- but after WWI, Thoroughbred racing had standards.
And let's not get into James' opinions of men's jobs and women's jobs. So, let's get back to horses.
James was of the opinion that Thoroughbreds couldn't make good cow ponies, nor could ever survive with Mustangs. There are plenty of Thoroughbreds who were excellent cow ponies. The most influential stallion in three stock horse breeds -- Quarter Horse, Paint, and Appaloosa -- was Three Bars -- a bay Thoroughbred. Quarter Horses were derived from mostly Thoroughbreds, and are still regularly crossed with them. I could go on for ages, but you get the point.
Thoroughbreds have survived and successfully reproduced in Mustang country. Perhaps the most famous Thoroughbred to do so was Black Kettle, who lived in the 1800s. (There was a popular kid's book by Justin Denzel about a wild stallion named Black Kettle, but that's not the same horse.) There was a grey stallion in the 1980s, but his name and story escapes me now.
James was a great artist, but he really didn't know much about horse behavior. His attempts to describe wild horse life, or the thoughts of the horses in this book, get downright embarrassing. He assumed that breeds of horses did things purely by instinct. They don't. For the most part, all horses are alike in that they need to be taught how to live. Just look at the pen and ink illustrations and skip the story.
I made the mistake of reading four or five Will James books in a year, so I am now thoroughly sick and tired of Will James.
This was the worst Will James books I've ever read (I've only read six.) He just rambled, with unnecessary backstory here and not enough detail there. For example, a Thoroughbred filly is found wandering the range that becomes the mate of our colt, and then she suddenly vanishes from the story. Although this was edited to make it more politically correct, there seemed to be zero editing for story content. This book really needed to be cut in half.
The story is ridiculous, even for a Western. Set in the 1930s, a blue-blood Thoroughbred colt is sold for chump change to a cowboy because he's the wrong color. There was no prejudice against dark brown Thoroughbreds in America, but there was against greys and any horse with white stockings that went more than halfway up the legs. There's a bit about how cowboys cheat in bush track or rodeo races, but there is a $50,000 unidentified stakes race that would not have happened in the 1930s. 1830s, yeah -- but after WWI, Thoroughbred racing had standards.
And let's not get into James' opinions of men's jobs and women's jobs. So, let's get back to horses.
James was of the opinion that Thoroughbreds couldn't make good cow ponies, nor could ever survive with Mustangs. There are plenty of Thoroughbreds who were excellent cow ponies. The most influential stallion in three stock horse breeds -- Quarter Horse, Paint, and Appaloosa -- was Three Bars -- a bay Thoroughbred. Quarter Horses were derived from mostly Thoroughbreds, and are still regularly crossed with them. I could go on for ages, but you get the point.
Thoroughbreds have survived and successfully reproduced in Mustang country. Perhaps the most famous Thoroughbred to do so was Black Kettle, who lived in the 1800s. (There was a popular kid's book by Justin Denzel about a wild stallion named Black Kettle, but that's not the same horse.) There was a grey stallion in the 1980s, but his name and story escapes me now.
James was a great artist, but he really didn't know much about horse behavior. His attempts to describe wild horse life, or the thoughts of the horses in this book, get downright embarrassing. He assumed that breeds of horses did things purely by instinct. They don't. For the most part, all horses are alike in that they need to be taught how to live. Just look at the pen and ink illustrations and skip the story.
February 13, 2022
On a whim I pulled this book off my shelf. It was with a small collection of my mother's books that I still have.
I would call this good young adult fiction. For me, the plot lines were utterly predictable and the author's attempt at old-timer vernacular was inconsistent and distracting. Aside from those issues, the story moved along and the characters were reasonably well developed. A quick, neat read.
What I found most pleasing were the many illustrations, drawn skillfully by the artist, that peppered the pages and started each chapter.
I would call this good young adult fiction. For me, the plot lines were utterly predictable and the author's attempt at old-timer vernacular was inconsistent and distracting. Aside from those issues, the story moved along and the characters were reasonably well developed. A quick, neat read.
What I found most pleasing were the many illustrations, drawn skillfully by the artist, that peppered the pages and started each chapter.
January 15, 2019
A fancy bred thoroughbred and a wild mustang don’t seem like a likely pair, but they are best of friends. Each with its own hardships and yearnings. While reading I saw the difference in nature of a horse raised in the wild with instinct and fight and of one raised with humans near by, fresh hay and water.
Such a great book! Will James kept me on my toes the whole time and longing for more when it came to the end. If you are looking for a book about the “good ole days” look no further!
Such a great book! Will James kept me on my toes the whole time and longing for more when it came to the end. If you are looking for a book about the “good ole days” look no further!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews