Brave Bess and the ANZAC Horses

The true story of the courageous and loyal horses of World War One.


The jet-black mare galloped wildly across the scorching white sands, the guns and shells exploding around her with a deafening roar. Her master spurred her on, his legs tightly gripping her heaving sides. With foam-flecked lips and ears laid flat, she thundered on through the flying bullets and choking dust . . .

Every ANZAC Day we celebrate the brave soldiers who fought and died in World War One, but the story of the loyal horses who carried our troops in the desert war has remained untold until now. This is their story - and the story of Bess, one of only four horses to return to New Zealand.

Bess and her companions overcame their fear, standing by their masters in the battlefield, in harsh desert conditions. Brave Bess and the ANZAC Horses tells the tale of these valiant horses and the essential part they played in the war.

Susan Brocker lives with her husband and many pets, including horses, on a small farm near Tauranga. This is her third novel for New Zealand children, following Restless Spirit and the bestselling Saving Sam.