What's the Name of That Book??? discussion

I used to own this book back in the late 90's, but not sure what happened to it. My memory wants to say the title is Jack, but I've had zero luck finding it. It was a large hard cover, pale colored with red binding I think. I don't remember having the cover to it. Very thick book, I want to say close to the size of Sherrilyn Kenyons book Styxx, anywhere from 800 to 1000 pages.
It's about a boy who works on a farm that breeds draft horses for cart pulling, I believe they are Shire/Clydesdale crosses. I think it is set in England, but not sure of the time frame. The story is based around a filly named Bethlehem and a boy, who I think is named Jack. Jack comes from a poor family, with a violent drunk for a father. (view spoiler)[His father ends up going to work at a trainyard(?) while drunk, gets caught between two cars and is crushed to death. Jacks mom is upset, but he is thrilled if I remember correctly. (hide spoiler)] He trains her, spends all his time with her, falls in love with her. The country goes to war, and the owner of the horses sends most of his stock to pull artillery carts for the military, Bethlehem and another mare named Bathsheba among them. Jack finds out, throws a fit and joins the military as soon as he can, to track Bethlehem down. He doesn't find her until nearly the end of the book. (view spoiler)[Jack gets blown up and dies, and Bethlehem gets blinded, by the same blast. She gets sent home, where she daydreams of the boy who loved her. (hide spoiler)]

I remember a particular line, where the boy is talking about Bethlehems "marbled" hide and how beautiful it was. Kind of makes me wonder if they weren't Percheron crosses, lol.

This sounds quite similar to War Horse by Michael Morpurgo, but I've only seen the movie - and the main horse in the novel is called Joey.

Too new, I owned this book back around 1998, but I honestly think it was older than that. I KNOW the mares name was Bethlehem, and that there was another mare called Bathsheba....but I can't remember what war :-( Fairly certain it was set in England, but not positive.

Jack: A Novel

You're right, it's called "Jack." From google books: After his red roan mare, Beth, is requisitioned by the Artillery during the Great War, Jack McKenna, bound by loyalty, follows the animal to battle

http://books.google.com/books?id=4koO...

Good find, Lobstergirl!

By the way, War Horse was first published in 1982. I was just surprised by the similarity based on the movie (e.g., farm boy trains horse, alcoholic father dies, boy and horse go to war and they're separated, sub-plot about two horses, boy and horse reunited at the very end).

They do sound awfully similar. Hmmm....

Thank you very much!! Now I can get my book back :-D Though I do find it odd that I couldn't find it by the title before....