The poems in Horse with Hat cover family feuds; the familial effects of World War II; and horses, both in general and in poet Marty Smith's childhood experience. Some poems look at the long relationship between horse and man and the thousands of years the horse has stood as an icon of speed, power, and civilization. Her father, who made his children learn to ride bareback, is also the subject of many poems. Her family appears as characters throughout the collection, including her father and grandmother who lived on the same farm but never spoke. Still other poems explore the effects of the gift of silence from the men in her family who suffered the Second World War. Poignant and lyrical, these poems form a fascinating debut collection.