The Foal in the Wire

An astonishingly raw and beautiful verse novel about survival, love and the bonds between humans and animals from an important young Australian poet

Sam, a teenager, lives on a farm with his mother and emotionally distant father, a horse trainer.

Haunted by trauma and depression, struggling with school and disillusioned with his home life following the death of his older brother, Sam's life changes when he finds a wounded foal tangled in barbed wire in one of the paddocks at the edge of their property.

In the course of rescuing and caring for the foal he becomes close with Julia, a troubled girl from the next property.

The Foal in the Wire is the deeply moving and inspiring story of Sam, his love for a girl and the horse that brings them together.

Praise for The Foal in the Wire

'Reading The Foal in the Wire, I knew I was in the hands of a trustworthy storyteller whose lyricism and brave honesty seized me from the first page and lasted until the very last words of the final chapter' RON KOERTGE

'The real deal' SONYA HARTNETT

'A tender novel of hope and healing' STEVEN HERRICK

'A heartbreaking novel in verse that explores the redeeming qualities of love and friendship amid a backdrop of family violence and despair. Robbie Coburn's poetry smoulders with pain and grief, love and loss, redemption and hope. An unforgettable story of beauty' SHARON KERNOT

Robbie Coburn is a contemporary Australian poet. His poems have been published widely in magazines and anthologies and his books include Ghost Poetry (2024), And I Could Not Have Hurt You (2023) and The Other Flesh (2019). He has been featured at The Wheeler Centre and La Mama Poetica, appeared as a guest at literary festivals including the Sydney Writers' Festival, Canberra Writers Festival, Newcastle Writers Festival and Perth Poetry Festival, and run poetry workshops for youth mental health organisation Headspace. You can find out more about Robbie at

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.