War Horse (1982) is a novel by British writer Michael Morpurgo. It tells the story of a horse called Joey who is bought by the army for service in WWI France and the efforts of his previous owner, 15 year old Albert, to bring Joey home safely.

One character in the novel is orphaned Emilie who lives on a farm near the front lines. At a time when Joey and another horse, Topthorn, are being used to by the Germans to pull an ambulance, the Germans allow Emilie and her grandfather to care for them.

After the Germans relocate their hospital, Emilie and her grandfather are allowed to keep the horses. For a while anyway.