War Horse

Joey is a horse and the narrator of War Horse. He is described as a “bright red bay with a black mane and tail. He has a white cross on his forehead and four white socks that are all even to the last inch” (126). Not long after he is born, Joey is bought and moved to a farm, where he meets the only person he’s ever considered his master: Albert. Joey and Albert grow up together, and their loyalty to each other transcends the years that pass between them and the grim realities of their lives during the war.

Loyalty is one of Joey’s primary qualities, evident not only in his relationship with Albert but in many of the relationships he makes throughout the novel. Next to Albert, the best friend Joey makes is with another horse he meets in the war, “a tall, shining black stallion” named Topthorn. The two pass from owner to owner together, and their friendship deepens over the years. When Topthorn dies, Joey refuses to “abandon him” (104), remaining faithfully by his side.

Though Joey is a loyal friend and “the best listener [Albert’s] ever known” (144), he is also a spirited fighter. It takes Albert some time to train Joey as a farm horse, but once he does, everyone who meets him can see what a fine horse he’s become.