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Old Bones, the Wonder Horse
This is the story of the great horse Exterminator, affectionately known as Old Bones. An unknown in 1918, he won the Kentucky Derby. He went on to become the top winner of cup races and, many claim, the greatest thoroughbred ever developed in this country. Retired in 1924 at the age of nine, when he pulled up lame in his 100th race.
119 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1955
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April 25, 2021
My children love horses, and my middle-grade daughter especially loved reading about horses when she first started chapter books. When I found this at a used book sale, I couldn't pass it up. What a beautiful copy! The condition is like new, for the most part, with only some minor wear to the outside cover.
Our copy is a 4th printing paperback published in 1965. The original was published in 1955. It's pretty thin and only about 95 pages total. Wikipedia lists this book (Scholastic) as a reprint from 1983, but I can't confirm the actual year.
Old Bones: The Wonder Horse is the true story of Old Bones (Exterminator), a horse that, aside from a few people, nobody believed in. When Old Bones was born, he was quite gangly, and most folks didn't think much of him.
"Old Bones was used to being told he was ugly, homely. For almost three years now--since the day he was born--he had been called ugly.
The people who came to look at him when he was only a few hours old talked about it.
"How," they asked, "how in the world could a dam as beautiful as Fair Empress and a sire as handsome as McGee produce this scarecrow of a foal?"
"Looks like he's built of kindling wood--nothing but bones!"
Not long after, Old Bones is purchased by Mr. Kilmer—a well-known man who works with horses and trains them for big races like the Kentucky Derby. Old Bones is expected to be a workhorse for training only. Mr. Kilmer has his hopes set on Sun Briar, and he'll do whatever it takes to get that horse fast and prepared to win the Kentucky Derby that year. During workouts, Old Bones seemed to want to spring ahead but learned to fall back and 'work' Sun Briar into shape.
Sun Briar wasn't doing well; something was off, and Mr. Kilmer wasn't going to be happy about it. Mr. Kilmer is encouraged to enter Old Bones in Sun Briar's place, and reluctantly he agrees to do so. The results are nothing short of astonishing.
Did we ever love reading this beautiful story! The author did such a wonderful job writing it and seems to have all the facts straight. The story keeps you on the edge of your seat too, and we experienced many emotions while reading. The charcoal illustrations by Wesley Dennis give this book the perfect touch too.
Sadly, it took so long for people to see Old Bones for his true potential. The sadder parts of the story for me were reading about how people called him ugly and worthless. This story is a perfect example of how looks don't mean everything.
If you have children reading chapter books who love horses, go grab this one. It would even make an excellent read-aloud for younger kids. Some of the vocabulary is more challenging, but it's not hard for younger kids to figure out the meanings of the words during the reading. I highly recommend this one.
5*****
This book is featured on Shabby Sunday @www.readrantrockandroll.com
Our copy is a 4th printing paperback published in 1965. The original was published in 1955. It's pretty thin and only about 95 pages total. Wikipedia lists this book (Scholastic) as a reprint from 1983, but I can't confirm the actual year.
Old Bones: The Wonder Horse is the true story of Old Bones (Exterminator), a horse that, aside from a few people, nobody believed in. When Old Bones was born, he was quite gangly, and most folks didn't think much of him.
"Old Bones was used to being told he was ugly, homely. For almost three years now--since the day he was born--he had been called ugly.
The people who came to look at him when he was only a few hours old talked about it.
"How," they asked, "how in the world could a dam as beautiful as Fair Empress and a sire as handsome as McGee produce this scarecrow of a foal?"
"Looks like he's built of kindling wood--nothing but bones!"
Not long after, Old Bones is purchased by Mr. Kilmer—a well-known man who works with horses and trains them for big races like the Kentucky Derby. Old Bones is expected to be a workhorse for training only. Mr. Kilmer has his hopes set on Sun Briar, and he'll do whatever it takes to get that horse fast and prepared to win the Kentucky Derby that year. During workouts, Old Bones seemed to want to spring ahead but learned to fall back and 'work' Sun Briar into shape.
Sun Briar wasn't doing well; something was off, and Mr. Kilmer wasn't going to be happy about it. Mr. Kilmer is encouraged to enter Old Bones in Sun Briar's place, and reluctantly he agrees to do so. The results are nothing short of astonishing.
Did we ever love reading this beautiful story! The author did such a wonderful job writing it and seems to have all the facts straight. The story keeps you on the edge of your seat too, and we experienced many emotions while reading. The charcoal illustrations by Wesley Dennis give this book the perfect touch too.
Sadly, it took so long for people to see Old Bones for his true potential. The sadder parts of the story for me were reading about how people called him ugly and worthless. This story is a perfect example of how looks don't mean everything.
If you have children reading chapter books who love horses, go grab this one. It would even make an excellent read-aloud for younger kids. Some of the vocabulary is more challenging, but it's not hard for younger kids to figure out the meanings of the words during the reading. I highly recommend this one.
5*****
This book is featured on Shabby Sunday @www.readrantrockandroll.com
October 22, 2014
This is an old favorite that I loved when I was 8 or so. My battered old paperback edition & another both gave up the ghost when my kids read them, so I've been without for years. Can't recall the last time I read it myself or to/with one of the kids. Then I won an Ebay auction & the seller couldn't find the book she sold me, so let me choose another from her offerings. I found this, an old hard back lacking the dust cover.
It was a very quick & easy read with quite a few excellent charcoal sketches by Wesley Dennis. (He is best known for his sketches in Marguerite Henry's books such as King of the Wind: The Story of the Godolphin Arabian.)
Pace tells the tale of Exterminator (aka 'Old Bones') one of the best race horses of the early 1900's. He won the 1918 Kentucky Derby which is only for 3 year olds at 30-1 odds since he only raced twice as a 2 year old &, unsurprisingly, didn't do well.
If you don't know anything about Thoroughbreds or racing, the impact of some of the facts surrounding this upset will probably escape you. He was born 30May1915, so was a late foal & grew to 17h. 2 year old horses, especially the big ones, often have soundness issues racing because they have a lot of growing left to do. They're like very young teens & racing is very hard on them. Also, being a late foal meant he was racing against others that were months older - a big difference at that age - since all TB's have Jan 1 as their birthday for racing purposes.
Anyway, he was a dark horse & went on to be one of the best. Unfortunately, he was a gelding, so kept racing until He won over $250,000 over his career. For more details & spoilers, Wikipedia has a short article on him here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extermin...
Pace does anthropomorphize & cutsey up the story a bit, but she pretty much has all the facts right, at least the Wikipedia page & the book are fairly close. It was a great read, although I'm not much for the cutsey treatment.
He was a great horse that is still remembered fondly by those who love horse racing. In May of this year (2013) Eliza McGraw did a piece on him for the New York Times Horse Racing Blog & this book is one of her fond memories of him.
http://therail.blogs.nytimes.com/2013...
He even has a Facebook fan page.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Old-Bo...
I guess that says it all. If you get a chance, take an hour or so & read this book. You won't regret it. If you need an excuse, buy it for a kid since it's perfect bed time reading material.
Warning: May cause horse craziness, a very expensive habit.
;-)
Additional note: I gave 'Old Bones' to my boss to read. He's very into horse racing & also liked the book. He said the differences in racing really made an impression. He's about the last person anyone would think of to like a kids book, too. I could tell he didn't really want to read it, but he said once he started, he blew right through it & didn't want to put it down. I doubt any book has received higher praise than that.
It was a very quick & easy read with quite a few excellent charcoal sketches by Wesley Dennis. (He is best known for his sketches in Marguerite Henry's books such as King of the Wind: The Story of the Godolphin Arabian.)
Pace tells the tale of Exterminator (aka 'Old Bones') one of the best race horses of the early 1900's. He won the 1918 Kentucky Derby which is only for 3 year olds at 30-1 odds since he only raced twice as a 2 year old &, unsurprisingly, didn't do well.
If you don't know anything about Thoroughbreds or racing, the impact of some of the facts surrounding this upset will probably escape you. He was born 30May1915, so was a late foal & grew to 17h. 2 year old horses, especially the big ones, often have soundness issues racing because they have a lot of growing left to do. They're like very young teens & racing is very hard on them. Also, being a late foal meant he was racing against others that were months older - a big difference at that age - since all TB's have Jan 1 as their birthday for racing purposes.
Anyway, he was a dark horse & went on to be one of the best. Unfortunately, he was a gelding, so kept racing until He won over $250,000 over his career. For more details & spoilers, Wikipedia has a short article on him here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extermin...
Pace does anthropomorphize & cutsey up the story a bit, but she pretty much has all the facts right, at least the Wikipedia page & the book are fairly close. It was a great read, although I'm not much for the cutsey treatment.
He was a great horse that is still remembered fondly by those who love horse racing. In May of this year (2013) Eliza McGraw did a piece on him for the New York Times Horse Racing Blog & this book is one of her fond memories of him.
http://therail.blogs.nytimes.com/2013...
He even has a Facebook fan page.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Old-Bo...
I guess that says it all. If you get a chance, take an hour or so & read this book. You won't regret it. If you need an excuse, buy it for a kid since it's perfect bed time reading material.
Warning: May cause horse craziness, a very expensive habit.
;-)
Additional note: I gave 'Old Bones' to my boss to read. He's very into horse racing & also liked the book. He said the differences in racing really made an impression. He's about the last person anyone would think of to like a kids book, too. I could tell he didn't really want to read it, but he said once he started, he blew right through it & didn't want to put it down. I doubt any book has received higher praise than that.
May 4, 2021
"“Mr. Kilmer, you don’t know the horse. He has strength, and speed, and —”
“And as much class as a rail fence,” Kilmer roared.
“Forget his appearance for a minute. He may not look as if he has any class. His class is where you can’t see it — inside. He’s honest and intelligent. And he’s got plenty of heart in that big ramshackle body of his. I won’t say he’ll win the Derby for you. But I will say he won’t disgrace the Kilmer colors if you run him.”"
But this is getting ahead of the story.
Exterminator (his real name) was a very lucky horse. The book relates how he transitioned from an ungainly foal to an “ugly” young horse with little future, to a “work horse,” and then to a golden opportunity.
He was acquired to help get the beautiful horse, Sun Briar, into form for the Kentucky Derby.
"At first Old Bones did not understand his workouts with Sun Briar. It was different from anything he had done before. Though he was running with another horse, it was not racing. For, he soon realized, nobody cared whether he finished first. In fact, sometimes his exercise boy held him back so that Sun Briar could run ahead. No, there was none of the exhilaration of the race in this. Neither was it exercising as he had known it before. And in the workouts — when they ran against time — nobody seemed to care how fast or how slowly he had run the distance. It was puzzling."
As I read this book, I could just about hear Rex Allen’s voice narrating the story, just as he did for many of Disney’s True-Life Adventures.
Sun Briar didn’t make it to the Kentucky Derby but Old Bones (yes, he was called that before he turned 3 years old) did, and he won it all. He was, according to Pace, a very engaged and perceptive horse. "All he required was a track to run on, horses to race with, an excited crowd watching from the grandstands, and he was happy."
He ran for more years than most horses can and carried top weight (140 lbs.) most of the time. He won 99 races and lived over 20 years after retirement. It’s an easy-going narrative that can be set aside at a convenient spot or read straight through in less than a day.
I have read, but not reviewed, Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand. This is a similar but simpler story. My thanks to GR friend Mischenko for making me aware of this classic.
“And as much class as a rail fence,” Kilmer roared.
“Forget his appearance for a minute. He may not look as if he has any class. His class is where you can’t see it — inside. He’s honest and intelligent. And he’s got plenty of heart in that big ramshackle body of his. I won’t say he’ll win the Derby for you. But I will say he won’t disgrace the Kilmer colors if you run him.”"
But this is getting ahead of the story.
Exterminator (his real name) was a very lucky horse. The book relates how he transitioned from an ungainly foal to an “ugly” young horse with little future, to a “work horse,” and then to a golden opportunity.
He was acquired to help get the beautiful horse, Sun Briar, into form for the Kentucky Derby.
"At first Old Bones did not understand his workouts with Sun Briar. It was different from anything he had done before. Though he was running with another horse, it was not racing. For, he soon realized, nobody cared whether he finished first. In fact, sometimes his exercise boy held him back so that Sun Briar could run ahead. No, there was none of the exhilaration of the race in this. Neither was it exercising as he had known it before. And in the workouts — when they ran against time — nobody seemed to care how fast or how slowly he had run the distance. It was puzzling."
As I read this book, I could just about hear Rex Allen’s voice narrating the story, just as he did for many of Disney’s True-Life Adventures.
Sun Briar didn’t make it to the Kentucky Derby but Old Bones (yes, he was called that before he turned 3 years old) did, and he won it all. He was, according to Pace, a very engaged and perceptive horse. "All he required was a track to run on, horses to race with, an excited crowd watching from the grandstands, and he was happy."
He ran for more years than most horses can and carried top weight (140 lbs.) most of the time. He won 99 races and lived over 20 years after retirement. It’s an easy-going narrative that can be set aside at a convenient spot or read straight through in less than a day.
I have read, but not reviewed, Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand. This is a similar but simpler story. My thanks to GR friend Mischenko for making me aware of this classic.
January 13, 2020
This was a cute little book. I would've appreciated it more if I'd read it as a child, because I would have noticed the blatant attempts to emulate Marguerite Henry a lot less, I think. As it is, I'm an adult, and it felt like a pale imitation.
I would recommend this for children; for adults who, like me, didn't read this as a kid and therefore lack nostalgia goggles, I would recommend the Thoroughbred Legends book about Exterminator.
I would recommend this for children; for adults who, like me, didn't read this as a kid and therefore lack nostalgia goggles, I would recommend the Thoroughbred Legends book about Exterminator.
January 3, 2014
Added 1/3/14.
Jim of my GR group recommended this story as one of his childhood favorites. I bought it "used" online and enjoyed it very much. It's a warmly told story about a real champion horse named "Exterminator", and affectionately called "Old Bones". It was published in 1955 and is about 94 pages long with enjoyable illustrations.
The book won the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award (1957).
I liked it so much that I searched our local library catalog and found another good young adult book by the same author, Mildred Mastin Pace. The title is: Home is Where the Heart Is (published in 1954; about 191 pages). I enjoyed that story too. See my review at:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Jim of my GR group recommended this story as one of his childhood favorites. I bought it "used" online and enjoyed it very much. It's a warmly told story about a real champion horse named "Exterminator", and affectionately called "Old Bones". It was published in 1955 and is about 94 pages long with enjoyable illustrations.
The book won the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award (1957).
I liked it so much that I searched our local library catalog and found another good young adult book by the same author, Mildred Mastin Pace. The title is: Home is Where the Heart Is (published in 1954; about 191 pages). I enjoyed that story too. See my review at:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
June 8, 2011
I read this book when I was a young girl and loved every horse book I could get my hands on. I still remember how admirable this horse's temperament and will were. I think I might read it again!
April 8, 2016
This was one of the most beloved books of my childhood. I think I stole a copy from my fourth grade class library (although I placed four or five of my old books out of guilt.) I either stole it or managed to convince my blood-sucking harridan of a teacher to manage a trade of my four books for one battered paperback.
However, in recent years I bought a more factual and less sentimental book on Exterminator (Old Bones) and this story suffered in comparison. Wesley Dennis' illustrations are magnificent. He is able to make horses' expressions more vivid than his humans' expressions.
Even though the story is not entirely true, it's still enchanting. And Exterminator really was the surprise winner of the 1918 Kentucky Derby. That part (a main part) was true!
However, in recent years I bought a more factual and less sentimental book on Exterminator (Old Bones) and this story suffered in comparison. Wesley Dennis' illustrations are magnificent. He is able to make horses' expressions more vivid than his humans' expressions.
Even though the story is not entirely true, it's still enchanting. And Exterminator really was the surprise winner of the 1918 Kentucky Derby. That part (a main part) was true!
August 10, 2023
Historical fiction about Exterminator who won the Kentucky Derby in 1918. Delightful read with illustrations. Horse-loving kids will love this chapter book.
September 10, 2017
The story is based on Exterminator, an exemplary race horse that lived from 1915-1945.
I liked the underdog theme. Exterminator was homely. " He was an awkward looking animal, with bones jutting angularly under his chestnut coat...". p. 6 Not many people looked past that first impression to see "the strong lines in his well-shaped head, the wisdom and understanding in his wide set eyes". p. 6
Exterminator, whose nickname was Bones/Old Bones saw himself differently. Bones "talks" from his heart. "Oh this is why he had been born - to run like this!" p. 11 "They couldn't see the joy that had been building up since midmorning when he had known he would race that day." p. 38 It reminds the reader that it is what is inside that matters. This quote from p. 29 sums it up. "Forget his appearance for a minute. He many not look as if he had any class. HIS class is where you can't see it - inside. He's honest and intelligent. And he's got plenty of heart in that big ramshackle body of his".
Bones only had two people that believed in him going into his first race, his trainer and his soon to be hired stable boy. The second message in the story is everyone likes a winner. "Now there were plenty of men eager to clean the mud, sponge him, rub him down, cool him out." p. 44 after he wins the Kentucky Derby. Chapter 8 is titled, Friends, Fame and Fortune. People who didn't really know him are Bones' friends. Bones reserves his true friendship to those who support and trust him. He shows different levels of friendship in the story. He remembers people who were nice to him and he goes out of his way to say hello when he sees them again.
The story has good times and bad times in Bones's life. It deals with his injury as a nine year old and the death of his pony friend Peanuts.
This book could be used as a lesson for grades 5-7 about what makes a person beautiful or about true friendship. It could be used in high school as a reflective piece.
Judgements about yourself and others, friendships and relationships are a huge piece of middle school and high school. There is a a lot of growth in these areas at this time. How do the scenes in the story reflect in life? Are there different layers to friendship? Do you judge others on what is on the outside, inside or both?
I liked the underdog theme. Exterminator was homely. " He was an awkward looking animal, with bones jutting angularly under his chestnut coat...". p. 6 Not many people looked past that first impression to see "the strong lines in his well-shaped head, the wisdom and understanding in his wide set eyes". p. 6
Exterminator, whose nickname was Bones/Old Bones saw himself differently. Bones "talks" from his heart. "Oh this is why he had been born - to run like this!" p. 11 "They couldn't see the joy that had been building up since midmorning when he had known he would race that day." p. 38 It reminds the reader that it is what is inside that matters. This quote from p. 29 sums it up. "Forget his appearance for a minute. He many not look as if he had any class. HIS class is where you can't see it - inside. He's honest and intelligent. And he's got plenty of heart in that big ramshackle body of his".
Bones only had two people that believed in him going into his first race, his trainer and his soon to be hired stable boy. The second message in the story is everyone likes a winner. "Now there were plenty of men eager to clean the mud, sponge him, rub him down, cool him out." p. 44 after he wins the Kentucky Derby. Chapter 8 is titled, Friends, Fame and Fortune. People who didn't really know him are Bones' friends. Bones reserves his true friendship to those who support and trust him. He shows different levels of friendship in the story. He remembers people who were nice to him and he goes out of his way to say hello when he sees them again.
The story has good times and bad times in Bones's life. It deals with his injury as a nine year old and the death of his pony friend Peanuts.
This book could be used as a lesson for grades 5-7 about what makes a person beautiful or about true friendship. It could be used in high school as a reflective piece.
Judgements about yourself and others, friendships and relationships are a huge piece of middle school and high school. There is a a lot of growth in these areas at this time. How do the scenes in the story reflect in life? Are there different layers to friendship? Do you judge others on what is on the outside, inside or both?
August 28, 2020
Good book about a racehorse. Underdog story.
April 15, 2019
Based on the true story of Exterminator, one of the greatest race horses of all time, Old Bones the Wonder Horse tells its tale from Exterminator's point of view. Beginning with a summary of the lackluster early career of this surprising horse, the reader meets "Old Bones" as he was affectionately known, before his dark-horse Derby win. Soon, though Exterminator's rewards those who retained faith in him, as he begins to win race after race. Coupled with his easy-going manner and personality, his wins rocket him to national stardom for years after he retires from racing. He lived to a ripe old age, and this short but sweet book follows him there.
Though Old Bones is a children's book, it is wonderfully well-written and really flushes out the story behind this spectacular race horse. Told from his point of view necessitates literary licenses must be taken, but the framework holds true as Exterminator stunned the world with his first memorable win, at the Derby no less. It's a charming book; young horse lovers will love it for the character of Old Bones, and they'll learn an important part of horse-history to boot.
Though Old Bones is a children's book, it is wonderfully well-written and really flushes out the story behind this spectacular race horse. Told from his point of view necessitates literary licenses must be taken, but the framework holds true as Exterminator stunned the world with his first memorable win, at the Derby no less. It's a charming book; young horse lovers will love it for the character of Old Bones, and they'll learn an important part of horse-history to boot.
June 10, 2011
Having lived in and around Louisville for a few years, and having many friends from that area, I can't not be aware of the Derby and of horse racing culture in general. So to find this story from when I was a kid and had no idea where Louisville was is delightful; again, the horse phase that didn't die. This is a great, quick read about a horse who is wonderful and people who believe no matter what--really, I'm surprised someone hasn't snatched it up to make the next Seabiscuit or Secretariat (neither of which I've seen, actually, but I really want to). It's a cute story about a surprising horse, and who doesn't love amiable winners?
June 9, 2012
My first book that I fell in love with over 55 years ago. Each year I wrote a book report about Old Bones and I still have the original book.
August 20, 2015
I MUST reread this. I now remember loving it as a young girl; had forgotten it until I went sleuthing through Goodreads' "recommendations" list.
February 27, 2021
A perfectly respectable little book about a famous horse. It falls into the same trap as the rest of its genre - attributing human thoughts and feelings to a horse, and claiming that a racehorse truly loves running and lives for the track. That's something I believed as a kid, reading these types of books, but the older I get, the less enthused I am about the idea of raising and training animals for lifestyles that physically destroy them after only a few years.
Old Bones raced until he was 9, which I think is pretty old for a racehorse. (And of course Pace describes his retirement as a sad thing - something he would not have chosen for himself, despite being injured in his 100th race.) He lived out the rest of his days (until age 30) on a quiet farm, with a series of ponies named Peanuts to keep him company.
At only 94 pages, there isn't a huge amount of substance to this story. You get the history of Exterminator's first trainer and his surprise debut at the Kentucky Derby - which he won, something that'd hardly be believable if it wasn't true. After that, it's basically just a summary of how the rest of his life went, and how well he did in various races, under different trainers - but with the longstanding friendship of a loyal stable boy.
I would've liked this as a horse-loving kid, I think, especially with the as-always wonderful illustrations by Wesley Dennis. But there's nothing about it that makes it hugely memorable, or one I'm likely to crave rereading.
Old Bones raced until he was 9, which I think is pretty old for a racehorse. (And of course Pace describes his retirement as a sad thing - something he would not have chosen for himself, despite being injured in his 100th race.) He lived out the rest of his days (until age 30) on a quiet farm, with a series of ponies named Peanuts to keep him company.
At only 94 pages, there isn't a huge amount of substance to this story. You get the history of Exterminator's first trainer and his surprise debut at the Kentucky Derby - which he won, something that'd hardly be believable if it wasn't true. After that, it's basically just a summary of how the rest of his life went, and how well he did in various races, under different trainers - but with the longstanding friendship of a loyal stable boy.
I would've liked this as a horse-loving kid, I think, especially with the as-always wonderful illustrations by Wesley Dennis. But there's nothing about it that makes it hugely memorable, or one I'm likely to crave rereading.
August 23, 2023
I first came across this book in my public library when I was younger while that particular copy was deplorably horrible while falling to pieces. After talking to the librarian I was able to convince them to uncatalog the book due to irreversible damages while they did allow me to keep it once it had been fully removed.
Old Bones the Wonder Horse is about the true events of a rawboned thoroughbred whose real name was Exterminator who after injury appeared to be at the end of his racing career. Fortunately for him he got a second chance when a well-known horse trainer convinced his employer to pay for an exercise horse for that year's sure contender and after a ridiculous price tag stuck by him. This is the story how that underhorse beat the odds, proved his doubters wrong and charmed the nation.
The story does give some liberty to the gelding himself thus allowing him to have an indirect voice in the story along with the events as they unfolded. Furthermore there is a lot of information included about the racing world, how things were done at least at that time and some stages that a racehorse may face in his life. And then of course the inevitable end as well.
And the book does have a lot of sketch illustrations to help break-up the story but otherwise the writing is quick and easy to understand. The reader who enjoys horses, racing and possibly even some history of the two will definitely enjoy this vintage read with such an unforgettable main character as Old Bones.
Old Bones the Wonder Horse is about the true events of a rawboned thoroughbred whose real name was Exterminator who after injury appeared to be at the end of his racing career. Fortunately for him he got a second chance when a well-known horse trainer convinced his employer to pay for an exercise horse for that year's sure contender and after a ridiculous price tag stuck by him. This is the story how that underhorse beat the odds, proved his doubters wrong and charmed the nation.
The story does give some liberty to the gelding himself thus allowing him to have an indirect voice in the story along with the events as they unfolded. Furthermore there is a lot of information included about the racing world, how things were done at least at that time and some stages that a racehorse may face in his life. And then of course the inevitable end as well.
And the book does have a lot of sketch illustrations to help break-up the story but otherwise the writing is quick and easy to understand. The reader who enjoys horses, racing and possibly even some history of the two will definitely enjoy this vintage read with such an unforgettable main character as Old Bones.
December 1, 2022
Perfect book for a school book report
I read this book because my husband had read it in 4th grade and really liked it. I can just see a young child pick this off the library shelf and sit down to read it at a nearby table and getting lost in the story of a great and kind horse. Later I can see him writing a book report about it. The book is fast-paced and interesting, with just enough facts not to overwhelm. It could have been repetitive with all the races Old Bones ran, but the author did a good job of just highlighting the best races. She also highlighted his friendship with humans and his pony friends, which touched my heart.
I read this book because my husband had read it in 4th grade and really liked it. I can just see a young child pick this off the library shelf and sit down to read it at a nearby table and getting lost in the story of a great and kind horse. Later I can see him writing a book report about it. The book is fast-paced and interesting, with just enough facts not to overwhelm. It could have been repetitive with all the races Old Bones ran, but the author did a good job of just highlighting the best races. She also highlighted his friendship with humans and his pony friends, which touched my heart.
August 18, 2025
Old Bones, the Wonder Horse by Mildred Mastin Pace was my favorite book as a young reader, so when I ran across it as I was re-organizing my library, I just had to read it again, and it definitely has withstood the hands of time. More than 50 years later, I still love the story of the horse that looked like a bag of bones, going from training horse to winning the Kentucky Derby and going on to become one of the most successful horses of all time. The book is still charming and gives all the feels. I know it is an oldy, but if you have a chance, give it a quick read. It will brighten your day!
November 13, 2019
Ah, I read it when I was a child, and when I saw it again, I had to read it again. That little horse-crazy girl is not gone - she is just bigger, and less blatantly crazy (sometimes).
Old Bones! Exterminator. He really was a wonder horse.
The drawings by Wesley Dennis also bring back the Flip the foal books, as well as various other great horse books he illustrated.
Old Bones! Exterminator. He really was a wonder horse.
The drawings by Wesley Dennis also bring back the Flip the foal books, as well as various other great horse books he illustrated.
June 15, 2020
I'm not sure how many times I've read this book, but I loved it just as much now as I did when I first read it. The book is based on the true story of Exterminator, a horse that lived from 1915-1945, and who as an unknown won the 1918 Kentucky Derby. He retired when he became lame in his 100th race. Though written in 1955, young people and adults will enjoy both the book and its great sketches.
May 31, 2020
I read this out loud to my stepson and we both loved it. I, as an adult, really enjoyed the story. There were even a couple parts that made me tear up. I highly recommend every child read this. It’s a quick read and truly a great story!
January 2, 2018
Interesting true story of "Exterminator" the Kentucky Derby winning horse.
December 28, 2017
Great story of Exterminator, a horse also known as Wonder bones. Readers follow along as Old bones surprises everyone and comes out a winner.
April 18, 2018
This book is an indelible part of my girlhood, when horses symbolized freedom, independence and grace under pressure.
September 26, 2018
Old Horse uses to be the best horse racer. He Came to a race to win it. Fast and steady breath and after the race. Won hundred of the races before retirement.
March 29, 2019
Delightful book for young readers, but enjoyable for adults
February 8, 2020
I have loved this book since my childhood. Exterminator really was a tremendous race horse.
April 18, 2020
Being a horse enthusiast, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Any information gained is wonderful, and I picked some news in this book!
April 26, 2020
My favorite childhood book! Read it again during the pandemic and fell in love with it again.
September 29, 2020
C. fiction, children's fiction, grade 3, horses, horse racing, from stash, discard
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