OK So I did not care for it..

[Sannois]

Think of this as a public service announcement!
If you are thinking about reading the book, Riding Lessons, save yourself. This is one of the worst books I have read in a long time, and I have almost finished it. I kept thinking it would get better! Seriously the "Heroine" in this story is one big disaster after another. there is not one uplifting moment. From the very start, she is supposedly a Grand Prix rider, but then they say shes an eventer, Anyway shes over the last jump and suddenly shes got a broken neck and her horse has to be destroyed. They fast forward several years, shes married works for an I dont know what kind of firm, HAs a teenage daughter, She gets fired from her job, comes home, Husband is divorcing her, and her mother calls to tell her her dad has ALS. The book spirals on down, She single handedly destroys her parents farm, Loses boarders, Fires the help, All because she is obsessed with this horse her ex beau of many years ago has as a rescue, Her dad dies, here daughter runs away, Her mom hates her, I had to stop reading, I mean I have read cheesy novels that were at least interesting, Any of us could have done better, and not been one long downer. http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif Read it if you must, but dont say I did not warn you! http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/no.gif Title edited because I realise that it is my opinion, and MAybe It was to show that some people never learn.

[Sannois]

Think of this as a public service announcement!
If you are thinking about reading the book, Riding Lessons, save yourself. This is one of the worst books I have read in a long time, and I have almost finished it. I kept thinking it would get better! Seriously the "Heroine" in this story is one big disaster after another. there is not one uplifting moment. From the very start, she is supposedly a Grand Prix rider, but then they say shes an eventer, Anyway shes over the last jump and suddenly shes got a broken neck and her horse has to be destroyed. They fast forward several years, shes married works for an I dont know what kind of firm, HAs a teenage daughter, She gets fired from her job, comes home, Husband is divorcing her, and her mother calls to tell her her dad has ALS. The book spirals on down, She single handedly destroys her parents farm, Loses boarders, Fires the help, All because she is obsessed with this horse her ex beau of many years ago has as a rescue, Her dad dies, here daughter runs away, Her mom hates her, I had to stop reading, I mean I have read cheesy novels that were at least interesting, Any of us could have done better, and not been one long downer. http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif Read it if you must, but dont say I did not warn you! http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/no.gif Title edited because I realise that it is my opinion, and MAybe It was to show that some people never learn.

[cornbread]

Thank you for the heads up! http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[86]

Gee, I liked that book. Read it in two hours and then read the sequel in another two hours. Had a headache after, but that's what I get, I suppose. I've also liked angstily cheesy novels.

[chai]

I just finished Light on Snow and I'm desperate for a good book. Thanks for the heads-up so I can avoid this one. Don't you just hate it when you keep plodding along hoping the story will get better?

[jetsmom]

Horseplay is excellent...by one of our COTHERS...avail in Target.

I didn't like Riding Lessons, but the sequel "Flying Changes" was better. I wanted to slap the heroine in Riding Lessons!

Get Horseplay. (I think Beam me up is the COTHER that wrote it.) Very funny book, with excellent descriptive writing. She definitely has a way with words!

[Sannois]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I didn't like Riding Lessons, but the sequel "Flying Changes" was better. I wanted to slap the heroine in Riding Lessons! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
More like beat the crap out of her Jetsmom! http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif Nothing went right for here! I suppose I can avoid finishing the last few chapters and GUESS what will happen! LOL

[maxiford812]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Sannois:
Any of us could have done better... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Uh, didn't "one of us" write it?

Just sayin'...

[bird4416]

Read "Horse Play" It was great. The writer has a gift with words. I laughed out loud several times as I read the book.

[Sannois]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Uh, didn't "one of us" write it? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
If I am not mistaken, Horseplay is written by a COTHER! http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/yes.gif

[Sannois]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Uh, didn't "one of us" write it? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Horseplay is excellent...by one of our COTHERS...avail in Target. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I am going to look for it tomorrow! Jetsmom, has she revealed heerself to us yet??? http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gifhttp://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[stephjm]

Interesting you should say this, Sannois (now aren't you glad you didn't pay for this book? http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif). I enjoyed the book to a point, but yes, I did feel like the heroine needed to get a grip. Flying Changes is better, she is getting a grip, but clearly still has problems from her accident, divorce, etc. Both were not my favorite books ever, but I read a lot of different stuff anyway.

And I agree, Horseplay was definitely a great book, very descriptive, and you won't want to slap the heroine! http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[HopelessHunter]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by maxiford812:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Sannois:
Any of us could have done better... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Uh, didn't "one of us" write it?

Just sayin'... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I think she's implying that the author of Riding Lessons and Flying Changes posts on the boards. She posts under her own name (Sara Gruen).

I've read Horseplay as well and it was excellent! Definitely worth the money if you decide to buy it.

[Reynard Ridge]

Just to temper expectation, Horseplay is a very fun, silly, beach reading book (please feel free to check out my review on Amazon - you will recognize me because I have no imagination when it comes to screen names). I enjoyed it, but if Sannios found Riding Lessons less than enjoyable (tragically flawed?), she might also not love Horseplay. Just my opinion, of course.

Now, Light on Snow, THAT was a lovely, well written book. Really, really depressing, but beautifully written. My book club was split on it - most identified with the daughter, who was deprived of her childhood by selfish father. I, unfortunatly, identified with the dead mother http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif and just kept weeping http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif.

[Astraled]

On the subject of sucky horse fiction, Night Ride Home is utterly contemptible and the only book I have ever thrown in the trash.

[Sannois]

Nothing against the author, I just found that the Heroine kept digging herself deeper and deeper, and for someone her age she sure seemed pretty immature. Just kept making bad choices! And the one big discrepency. Someoen clear it up for me. In the begining, they talk about her riding on the 3rd day, And then going to Rolex Kentucky.. IE thats eventing, Then they call her a Gran Prix rider. Then the supposed brother of the horse she lost was an eventer?? So what was she Eventer or Grand Prix Jumper?? http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

[Aptor Hours]

Oops I really liked it. I thought it was quite good.

[Evalee Hunter]

Sannois - the Grand Prix vs. 3 day event thing was discussed at great length on a thread when the book "Riding Lessons" first came out. Seems to me, if I remember correctly, that some pointed out that using "Grand Prix" was an attempt to show it was the highest level of eventing, for those who might not know & that others indicated that in some places advanced horse trials have been referred to as something along the lines of "the Grand Prix of eventing" or some such thing. Hope I remember what people said as it was probably 2 years ago, maybe 3.

[mcm7780]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Sannois:
And the one big discrepency. Someoen clear it up for me. In the begining, they talk about her riding on the 3rd day, And then going to Rolex Kentucky.. IE thats eventing, Then they call her a Gran Prix rider. Then the supposed brother of the horse she lost was an eventer?? So what was she Eventer or Grand Prix Jumper?? http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_eek.gif </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Duh, she's both! http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif Just like me! But I'm also a Grand Prix dressage rider and won the gold medal in Endurance at the last Olympics. (Never read the book, but had to make a smart @ss comment!)

[Wanderluster]

After reading and loving the silliness of Horseplay I passed it along to a friend who read it on it on an airplane trip. She said that the guy in the seat next to her kept looking at her like she had just been released the asylem because she was laughing so hysterically. I recommend reading Wild Swan- definately a "romance" genre- but full of early horse racing in America. The friend that recommended it to me said it has EVERYTHING: which means sex, intrigue and horses!

[Sarabeth]

Sannois, I agree. The book was awful. One of the few that I threw straight into the recycle bin rather than donate to charity as usual.

Annemarie was still unbearably self-centered, disorganized and helpless - how she will raise a new baby is anybody's guess, even with the help of her new, long-suffering miracle husband to save the day http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif especially seeing as she is still doing a horrible job of PARENTING her existing daughter http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

Disappointing, insulting book. Infers that woman is nothing without her womb, woman is nothing without her man, etc.

And then: the final kicker was the book jacket: "Author lives in an ENVIRONMENTALIST community outside Chicago with her THREE children..." http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif Environmentalist? THREE children? Hello-o? Unless they're adopted, you're just another hypocrite, adding to "the problem".

Then, the book cover has the gall to proclaim "You will love this book" from the wonderful Rita Mae Brown - uh, I think not.

Giant raspberries from me to this book. (& I read anything & everything) Sorry!

[chai]

I loved Horse Play, too. It was laugh out loud funny in some places.

[stephjm]

I didn't think the book was badly written, as such, I just starting wishing that Annemarie would pull herself up a little, and not just be reactionary and neurotic. She seems just crippled by all the things that have happened to her, but I would have liked to see a little more forward progress for a women of the heroine's age.

Anyway, to each their own. I read so many different things, there are good and bad about them all.

[abrant]

Hmmm... there is a book out there...

I loved the first half- 3/4 then it just when crazy. The main character went complete bat-bottom insane and I really lost interest.

I loved the first half - she falls in love with this horse and just 'clicks' with him. The author described it perfectly. I loved it. Then the horse dies, I believe, and she loses it. I couldn't follow http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

I went crazy on e-bay once I bought a series of books that I remembered LOVING when I was a kid... "A Horse Named Bonny" and the sequels. Read it again and realized the (female) main character was stereotypical and nearly unbearable.

What is it with these annoying women in horse books. We're not ALL that crazy! Seriously! Not all of us...

~Adrienne

[greysandbays]

Only once have I torn up a book and thown it it in the garbage.

I do not recall the exact name, but "Gentleman Jim [James?]" comes to mind for some reason. I did a google search, but nothing came up that looked right.

Anyway, it was a convoluted, vulgar bit of trash. "Gentleman Jim [James?]" had nothing whatsoever to do with the good character of the characters -- it was a kind of bourbon or something. There was not one gentleman (or lady, for that matter in the whole thing!).

There was something about a race horse (timber racer, I think) that was going to be destroyed and some guy (what passed for the 'hero') rescued him, and there is some sort of conspiracy, then eventually the horse goes missing for some bizarre reason and is recovered, only to be killed in a shoot-out between somebody and someother somebodies that had to do with some government intrigue that I never could quite figure out.

Scattered around that, there is some sordid lesbian affair that is on video for some reason, and some bigshot in the White House is a gay guy running a gay brothel for government employees/congressmen, which somehow was supposed to matter to the plot, and a bunch of generally slutty women (one of which was in the lesbian video) hopping from one man's bed to another.

A couple of people somehow connected with the missing horse get murdered, and the horrid mess spirals downward to a conclusion where the 'hero', who had inherited a horse farm at some point, gets rid of all the horses and donates the land for a veteran's cemetary.

(I really need a projectile vomit emoticon here!) http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/dead.gif

[Renn/aissance]

Speaking as a writer...

Some books do deserve to be burnt.

[LoriO]

Absolutely loved HorsePlay!!

As for Riding Lessons and Flying Changes, they were just ok. I just wanted to reach out and slap Annemarie and tell her to grow up and quit whineing!! My god she fustrated me. I am not surprised that she had so much trouble with her daughter, it is like one child trying to raise another. The books were a nice way to kill slow time at work but not something I will probably read again as opposed to Horse play which I have already read a couple of times.

[Amchara]

I must be the only freak to like "Riding Lessons". I really liked it, I finished it in two days. http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[Illyria]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Amchara:
I must be the only freak to like "Riding Lessons". I really liked it, I finished it in two days. http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
There was a thread (or two) on here not too long ago about Riding Lessons and Flying Changes, and there were quite a few people who liked them.

I haven't read either. I leafed through them in the book store, but they didn't catch my interest. I liked Horseplay, except for the ending, which I thought was a little too saccharine/convenient.

[Sannois]

OK And to ad insult to injury regarding Riding lessons! HAs anyone ever seen this so called striped horse coloring?? And they use a picture of an American Saddle bred, or wait an Arab on the cover! I am glad I am not alone in thinking annemarie was a total wack job. http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/no.gif

[Small Change]

Here is a link (http://shirehorse.equiworld.com/breeds/brindle/) to a page with real life brindle horses. They do exist, and are pretty neat looking animals. http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[Reynard Ridge]

Also speaking as a writer, I think it is important to remember that if you have three different people read the same book, they can have three VERY different opinions of it.

There are very few things in this world that appeal to every single person artistically. A good analogy would be that of the 15k odd registered CoTH users, some of us do dressage, some event, some do reining, some drive, some race, some hunt, etc. And we own THOUSANDS of different breeds of horse.

So, just because we all like horses doesn't mean that we should all like every horse book that comes out. Some will love it, some will like it, some will be neutral, some will dislike it and some will hate it.

The one thing I would offer, again, as an author, is that when I am critiqueing a horse book here on CoTH, I try to remember that the person who wrote the book might well reading the critique.

That said, YES, I would tell Michael Korda to his face that he should stick to publishing and not write any more http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_razz.gif.

[GoneAwayFarmCT]

Good points, RR! I guess my take on reviews is that I'd far prefer 50% of my readers to say 'I loved it!' and 50% of my readers to say 'I hated it!' versus having 100% of them say 'meh,' shrug, and forget the book the moment they're done with it.

Romance tends to be a polarizing genre- as writers, we sort of expect the bad with the good, though it's nicer if reviewers remember that authors are people, too.

I got much more out of the fan letter that said 'I was disappointed by your stereotypical portrayal of race horse barns in THE SHERIFF'S DAUGHTER', versus the one that said 'I hope your publisher never buys garbage like (BULLSEYE) ever again, and you die alone and miserable.'

No joke (rolls eyes).

Then there are the jail letters, but you guys don't want to see the picture of Big Louie's tats, do you?

Jess (who has both Riding Lessons and Flying changes on her TBR pile)

[Eventer55]

Has anyone read In the Presence of Horses by Barbara Dimmick? I just started it and I can't seem to get Into it http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/sigh.gif. I also just read Horse of a Different Color by Jim Squires. I thought it was hilarious, also well written and informative. It's about Monarchos.

And while I'm at it I also read D. Wayne by Carlo Devito. I also liked it, but it's not amusing like Jim Squires book.

[Sannois]

In all fairness see Saras Comments to me on her other thread regarding this book, It was very kind of her, And she is right, not everyone will react to any book. Hense why I changed the topic of my thread! http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[radio talk Aefvue Farms RCA]

Thank you all for the heads up! Yikes, ya think we could get a book that isn't so bad?

Probably based on true facts, but thrown onto one person in the book. Back to looking for the antique variety of books. http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[Sannois]

Radio Talk, as I pointed out, it is just how I recieved the book, Others truly enjoyed it! http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[blueboo]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by greysandbays:

Anyway, it was a convoluted, vulgar bit of trash. "Gentleman Jim [James?]" had nothing whatsoever to do with the good character of the characters -- it was a kind of bourbon or something. There was not one gentleman (or lady, for that matter in the whole thing!).

&lt;sic&gt;
Scattered around that, there is some sordid lesbian affair that is on video for some reason, and some bigshot in the White House is a gay guy running a gay brothel for government employees/congressmen, which somehow was supposed to matter to the plot, and a bunch of generally slutty women (one of which was in the lesbian video) hopping from one man's bed to another.

A couple of people somehow connected with the missing horse get murdered, and the horrid mess spirals downward to a conclusion where the 'hero', who had inherited a horse farm at some point, gets rid of all the horses and donates the land for a veteran's cemetary.

(I really need a projectile vomit emoticon here!) http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/dead.gif </div></BLOCKQUOTE>


Sounds like a large newspaper to me - maybe the Washington Post? http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/winkgrin.gif http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/winkgrin.gif http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/winkgrin.gif

Sorry - I simply COULDN'T resist! http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[Trakehner]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by greysandbays:...Scattered around that, there is some sordid lesbian affair that is on video for some reason, and some bigshot in the White House is a gay guy running a gay brothel for government employees/congressmen http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/dead.gif </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Was it the "Biography of Congressman Barney Frank meets Teddy Kennedy"?

[ExRacer]

For some reason, this thread reminded me of the old tv show In Living Color, where those two guys were film critics... "hated it!" http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/lol.gif

[stephjm]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Small Change:
Here is a link (http://shirehorse.equiworld.com/breeds/brindle/) to a page with real life brindle horses. They do exist, and are pretty neat looking animals. http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Wow! Now there are some distinctive horses! I have never seen one before, I imagine they would create a lot of interest at a show. http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/yes.gif

[poltroon]

My vote for the worst horsey book ever has to be Keeneland (http://www.ponydom.com/books/book.html?id=95), by Alyson Hagy. Sorry Alyson, I couldn't even finish it. I disliked the main character so much that I just didn't care what happened to her.

Nora Roberts' very first novels (http://www.ponydom.com/books/book.html?id=28), which happen to be horsey, are questionable too. http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif But she's improved since then. http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/lol.gif

[EBO]

Nobody does horse books better than Jane Smiley. In fact, I don't recall ever reading horse-based fiction that was nearly as good as hers.

Dig out Horse Heaven and (re-)read it to soothe yourselves.

Some other authors who do horsey bits very well (IMO) are Martha Grimes and Diana Gabaldon.

[poltroon]

http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/lol.gif I couldn't stand Martha Grimes' The Brave Maurice either. http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[ExRacer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by EBO:
Nobody does horse books better than Jane Smiley...
Dig out Horse Heaven and (re-)read it to soothe yourselves.
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I loved that book! I should really reread it as well. I also liked Barn Blind, but not nearly as much.

I'll admit I'm a sucker for some of young adults series (Thoroughbred, The Galloping Detective, etc).

[17hTBmare]

As mentioned in another thread, the recent "In and Out" is pretty terrible. It apes Jilly Cooper's clever and charming "Riders" and fails miserably, IMHO. The author needs a good editor and a creative writing course, big time.

[CrazyDog]

I didn't enjoy the book either. I read it to the end hoping that the heroine would get herself together and give me something to cheer about...and she didn't. I guess I just prefer "let's fix this" to "oh, woe is me".

I'd like to ready Flying Changes to see if I feel differently about it. At some point, this woman MUST get her life together... http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

I enjoyed Horseplay.

[Nicker]

I can honestly say Riding Lessons is one of the few books that I never finished. I'll read anything, including the local paper, but I wanted to hurl this book at the wall half the time. The main character was an absolute idiot who I felt zero compassion for. I actually kept reading in hopes she would have a tragic accident! I haven't read Flying Changes, maybe if I find it a Goodwill I'll pick it up, but no way am I paying full price for it.

[x-rab]

I have to agree about not liking Riding Lessons. I am not buying Flying Changes because I disliked Riding Lessons so much. I am with the others in thinking the heroine needed to grow up. Love Horse Play and the Lyndon Stacey books.

[Rt66Kix]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by EBO:
Nobody does horse books better than Jane Smiley. In fact, I don't recall ever reading horse-based fiction that was nearly as good as hers.

Dig out Horse Heaven and (re-)read it to soothe yourselves.

QUOTE]

I didn't enjoy Horse Heaven. There were too many subplots. Many times I'd reread a page or two only because I just couldn't grasp what the writer was saying. There were plenty of words, but somehow they seemed empty. I'd think, "now what is she trying to say here?".

Kinda like a meal made of Twinkies, Ding-Dongs and candy bars, but a few courses had some meat.

JMO!

[SuzieQ]

ExRacer-Do you know how many Galloping Dectective books there were total?

[abrant]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by poltroon:
http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/lol.gif I couldn't stand Martha Grimes' The Brave Maurice either. http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

OMG, me too! PMU farm? In England? Using stolen high dollar mares?

Whoot, there has to be more feasable plots still available.

That and well... can't go into without spoiling... but the entire point of the book gets shot after they find her? Hmpf. I may have stopped reading there.

I was at the public library going through their used book sales. Found that. Was like "...oh horse book!" then "oh. that one."

~Adrienne

[Luvinfoofy]

Imagine my suprise while reading Jane Smiley's Barn Blind.... when I found hundreds of similarities between the main character and my old trainer! The layout of the barn and the children.. their horses.. described in detail. http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_eek.gif I thought I was going crazy..

It turns out it really was -loosely- based on her! I have so many weird memories of this lady - she was a character! I wish I was able to spend more time around her, because I really, really respected her as a horsewoman. I really don't know enough about her relationships with her kids (I came along when they were a little older..) to know how much of the book is fiction and how much isn't - but I definitely remember some of the "main events".. Crazy!

The book is kind of grey and depressing - but I really enjoyed it. Read it!

It's really easy to get ahold of her books around here because she spent some time in Ames, (shes from Iowa) so I've read wuite a bit of her stuff. She has a lot more books that you'd expect - they aren't all horse books, either!

[Slewdledo]

I liked Barn Blind OK. I bought it two weeks ago at a library sale for $0.25. If anyone wants it and will pay to ship it, you can have it.

[abrant]

[QUOTE]
It turns out it really was -loosely- based on her! I have so many weird memories of this lady - she was a character! I wish I was able to spend more time around her, because I really, really respected her as a horsewoman. I really don't know enough about her relationships with her kids (I came along when they were a little older..) to know how much of the book is fiction and how much isn't - but I definitely remember some of the "main events".. Crazy!

The book is kind of grey and depressing - but I really enjoyed it. Read it!
QUOTE]

Whoah woah woah. Luvinfoofy. We've talked about your strange mirroring of my life before. I'm serious about it this time. This is your last warning.

http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/lol.gif

I don't know if we're talking about the same person, but I rode (very shortly) with the people that were rumored to be the family in Barn Blind. (I will never forget when she tried convince my parents to replace my 20 year old $600 arabian with a 24 year old $3,500 thoroughbred &lt;g&gthttp://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif.

Jane Smiley came to Ames for a book reading. I went. Promised myself I would NOT ask. But then during the Q&A people were asking just dumb questions. So I raised my hand.

"I grew up in the Eastern Iowa horse community and there is a rumor about that the family in Barn Blind might not be entirely fictional. Is this true?"

She looked at me right in the eye, smirked and said "I have no idea what you are talking about." Then she grinned.

Everyone in the audience giggled so I assume they got the same meaning from that answer as I did. http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

(My other claim to fame in this set of characters is that I once gave a prominent horsewoman information that made her threaten to kill, probably not seriously, the golden son of the aforementioned family).

~Adrienne

[Luvinfoofy]

Oh boy... http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/lol.gif http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/lol.gif http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/lol.gif

When Jane described her sitting up high on the Irish Bank in a lawn chair, with a handful of ponyclubbers circling below.. that is what put me over the edge. Yep, it is her!

Was the book reading at one of the smaller independent bookstores? One of my friends/profs started a small bookstore and was bragging to me about how he got Jane to come do a reading at his store a while back. Of course, I was telling him all about this mystery trainer from eastern Iowa!

Ahem, "said" trainer had a great reputation for selling 20 y/o horses as 7 y/o horses, getting people to sell their horses to buy hers
, and "making" kids buy tack from her! I remember vividly riding my pony in a lesson with her when she said I needed a whip. I'd never needed a whip with him, but I said I'd go get one from my tack box. She sternly told me I couldn't get off and sent someone to get a whip out of her old truck. She handed me the whip, finished the lesson and when I tried to give it back she said that by using it I was buying it and promptly tacked on $12 (for a USED crop!) onto my lesson bill! http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/lol.gif http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_eek.gif I was only 8 and didn't know how to respond.. geez, she knew how to work people over! A "horse dealer" FOR SURE!

So since we're pretty much the same person, if you ever make it back to Ames - lets have lunch.. mmmkay??? http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[EBO]

Rt66Kix--If you don't do subplots, don't ever, ever read Gabaldon. I love subplots, especially when led to by seeming digressions!

To those of you who complained about Grime's
Grave Maurice, you're right. That was not among her best, or even among her fair to middlin'. She's done a couple of things dramatizing animal rights (like the subject isn't wrenching enough to start with) that haven't flowed as smoothly as the Inspector Jury and Maxwell Plant series. (I'm madly in love with Maxwell Plant, btw.) I think combining the two was a mistake. At least in this case.

Does post-adolescent horse madness go along with being Readers? Or are we all so personally obnoxious that the only beings* that can stand us are our horses and our dogs? And we have to read the rest of the time because we're too poor *(reasons for poverty) to afford TV sets?

[Just My Style]

Thanks for the PSA. I was in a bookstore today and I saw "Flying Changes". I was surprised that these books were never discussed before. It's your prerogative to like a book or not. Honestly, I read a Rita Mae Brown book and hated it, so to each his own.

[*Brooke]

has anyone read the Perfect Distance?? I saw it in the Chronicle today.. was thinking about asking for it for christmas... any opinions??

[poltroon]

I think my "favorite" http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif part of The Grave Maurice is where Mr. Plant, in the service of investigating Nell's disappearance, rather randomly goes to Ryder Stud and purchases a breeding stallion. Of course, Plant knows hardly anything about horses and cannot ride, but this does not stop him from buying the horse and installing him in a stable in his backyard. Curiously, though much is made of the stud farm's love and deep caring for its horses, they don't seem to notice that they've sold a prize horse to someone who barely knows what they eat. And Plant talks about racing the horse and standing him at stud - both while stabling him in the backyard and taking him for walks once in a while - activities which don't go together and which both require a lot of specialized knowledge. I couldn't tell if this was meant to show what a goof Plant was or if the author just didn't know or care.

[poltroon]

I've been wondering if anyone has read Turning for Home (http://www.ponydom.com/books/book.html?id=232), by Sarah Challis, which sounded kind of interesting.

[Rt66Kix]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by EBO:
Rt66Kix--If you don't do subplots, don't ever, ever read Gabaldon. I love subplots, especially when led to by seeming digressions!


I don't mind subplots, but this book seemed to have TOO many. Clive Cussler is one of my favorite writers, and he has a lot of subplots, too. He ties seemingly unrelated threads all together at the last part of the book.

Maybe I'll try to read it again. It seemed dry and cumbersome, but maybe I'd have a different take on it the second time around.

I love Rita Mae Brown's books; my favorite being Riding Shotgun. I wish she'd do a sequel to that! Her foxhunting books are just great.

[Sing Mia Song]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by poltroon:
http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/lol.gif I couldn't stand Martha Grimes' The Brave Maurice either. http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Just returned it to the library after slogging my way through half of it. Just. Not. Interested.

I also just finished a book that was so unmemorable, I can't remember the name. Horse Sense? By Bert Sugar. Supposed to be a non-fiction overview of The Characters of Horse Racing, but so, so filled with inaccuracies and misspellings! It had lists of things like "Top Money-winning Jockeys," and it would have the completely wrong first name for a well-known jockey (like "Gerry Stephens" instead of Gary Stevens). I can't remember the other examples, but for a guy who was supposed to be an acclaimed sportswriter, he certainly had limited knowledge of the game.

For the record, I, too, despised both Riding Lessons (she needed a whack with Aunt Esther's purse--the only time I empathized with her was when she chewed out the obnoxious boarder, but she ruined it by backing down!) and the Michael Korda book.

[Beat1000Breeds]

Is this the book with the chesnut striped horse???

[Sara Gruen]

Yes, Beat1000Breeds, it is.

I have pictures of brindle horses on my Web site: http://www.saragruen.com/brindled.htm

If anyone cares to read my response to Sannois, it is here: http://chronicleforums.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/5566064631/m/129209577/p/3

I'm sorry that so many of you were disappointed with my book.

[HHG-N]

Heck, i thought it was very entertaining.

[abrant]

Actually, in the course of reading and posting in this thread (and "working" hehehe) I started and finished Flying Changes. I liked it much much much better than Riding Lessons. Riding Lessons, I admit, left me a little short, but AnneMarie got a lot more likeable in this book and I think she is growing as a character. I would like to see Eva grow a little bit... or be forced to grow by her family. (I didn't have to go train to be an Olympian when I was bad!!!) I do like the mom character, almost wish she was more prominent.

I liked at the end how there was an impression that AnneMarie was growing away from her odd compulsion with the horse.

I guess it's just that I am the world's biggest neurotic drama queen who makes bad choices. LoL. Who dare take my crown.

~Adrienne

[GoneAwayFarmCT]

&gt;&gt;has anyone read the Perfect Distance?? I saw it in the Chronicle today.. was thinking about asking for it for christmas... any opinions??&lt;&lt;

The author posts here sometimes. I haven't read PERFECT DISTANCE yet, but it's gotten some fantastic reviews and I've liked her other books very much. It's definitely on my 'to buy' list, and a few friends will be getting it for Christmas http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[ExRacer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by SuzieQ:
ExRacer-Do you know how many Galloping Dectective books there were total? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

As far as I know there are seven... Triple Threat, Tight Spot, Collision Course, Double Danger, False Lead, Near Miss, and High Stakes. That's the collection I have, at least. I'm pretty sure it stopped with High Stakes (#7).

[FlightCheck]

I just finished "Flying Changes".

Yes, I liked it better than "Riding Lessons", which is not saying much because I did NOT like AnneMarie in RL at all - thought she was too hyper-reactive for somene my age.

I did like the fact that she's a bit better in FC....but I don't like horse books where "there's only one rider who can ride this horse, and they are perfect together from the start..." and of course the switching from a 2** to Jumpers and the "dropping the left hand for salute" in dressage...(picky, picky I know!)

[abrant]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Luvinfoofy:
Oh boy... http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/lol.gif http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/lol.gif http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/lol.gif

When Jane described her sitting up high on the Irish Bank in a lawn chair, with a handful of ponyclubbers circling below.. that is what put me over the edge. Yep, it is her! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

LoL. I almost ate dirt once because a gust of wind caught her famous chair and spooked the beejuzus out of the mare I was riding.

[QUOTEWas the book reading at one of the smaller independent bookstores? [/QUOTE]
Nah, it was at the Brunnier art museum. Must have been my sophmore year. 2002?

I've been thinking about the fun of being even partly involved with those people. The PC DC in Cedar Rapids was a total wannabe and it was through her that I ended up on that decrepit old thoroughbred. LoL. I ended up riding there because my trainer moved there. She sold the mare I was riding and I ended up on their lesson horses. Oh my goodness. I'm out there jumping these INSANE homemade cross country jumps on some horse they found in someone's backyard. Even at 14 it's scary to have your life flash before your eyes! I have some pictures. I rode this horse in most of my lessons... neither my mom and I can remember his name because we referred to him simply as "Ugly".

I did actually take some lessons with the woman herself. That is, until my mom pointed out how crazy it was to pay $30 for a half hour riding with 8 other students on a borrowed horse. Fair point Momhttp://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

Did you ever go in the Jesus trailer? I've never been able to get a full account out of anyone who had ever been in there. &lt;g&gt;

Gosh, I totally understand why she couldn't help but write a book about them. LoL. I actually would LOVE to write about my first horsey job... but I should wait until the old man dies. But even with that, people would see it as too insane to be good fiction. I've run through the cast of characters with people and their eyes go blank... they think I'm joking but can't be sure.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">So since we're pretty much the same person, if you ever make it back to Ames - lets have lunch.. mmmkay??? http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Absolutely. http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif Speaking of Ames, I am SORELY tempted to have to you go to the horsebarns and demand to know where Shannon is. LoL. She will foal in Feburary or March and I need a first hand account. You know, walk in. Ask for Angela. Say "I'm Adrienne's twin. WHERE'S SHANNON?!"

&lt;g&gt; She might give you a job.

~Adrienne

[Luvinfoofy]

haha.. I don't remember who the DC would have been at that time - but I'm sure I knew her. Often my ponyclub would send me up to TRPC to join their rally teams because I enjoyed meeting all of the new people. http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif Lots of interesting people! http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/lol.gif

I have so many scary memories from that farm, too. As a 7y/o I remember being put on a grey mare named Rosey (or something..) because it would be cute for Rose to ride Rosey in this schooling show thing. Well, she had a horrible gash in her hind leg, and I did my best to fix it up, though nobody would help me. She was sound, but I rode Intro 1 and 2 dressage tests, and I don't think I could get that stinkin' arab (I have one, I can say that!) to walk ONCE! Well in a walk trot test, walking is pretty important. In fact, I'm pretty sure there wasn't very much trotting, either. Did you know it IS possible to get a 0 on a dressage movement???? http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_eek.gif I wish I had pictures, but atleast I have the 2 test sheets from the show to look back upon, man, it was horrible!

I'm not sure that I remember the Jesus Trailer, I did however, spend a week in the trainer's house..... http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_eek.gif I've never seen so much stuff or so many animals!!(That is a whole 'nother story!!) I have so many stories about the place... so many WONDERFUL people and so many freaking CRAZY people.. I guess it evens out!! http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/yes.gif

I'm sure there are people reading this who know exactly who I'm talking about, or who are children or previous students of said trainer.. so don't be offended.. I really liked the woman, as wild as she was!
http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/lol.gif http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/yes.gif

I can go peek on Shannon sometime if you really want me to. People around here already know that I'm weird, so what difference does it make??? http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/lol.gif I actually emailed Angela after talking to you about working there, and she said she had enough people for next semester, but she'd get ahold of me if anyone backed out. I should be around most of the summer, so I think I might see if they need help then. http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/yes.gif

[Mao]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by FlightCheck:
I just finished "Flying Changes".

...but I don't like horse books where "there's only one rider who can ride this horse, and they are perfect together from the start..." </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hello FlightCheck and all,

The personality of the Nokota horse in Flying Changes - Smoky Joe - is loosely based upon the adventures of a real-life Nokota. Back when Sara first decided to use a Nokota as her main 'horse' character - I had many exchanges with her about the shenanigans of this particular horse.

Sara incorporated some of his quirks into the book, including the time he jumped a combination fence in a one, single bound - much to everyone's amazement.

The 'real' Nokota in question also passed hands through several owners because no-one could manage him. He finally ended up with an accomplished trainer who was able to start him undersaddle. But to this day, if this Nokota does NOT like his rider - he'll toss them. No matter how talented/experienced the rider. Conversely, he is very well-behaved with his owner, a relative beginner. This horse has the classic "war pony" personality found in some Nokotas. He's quite a character and an amazing jumper (though perhaps not Olympic caliber in real life!!!!)

So, I guess this is a case where the truth is stranger than fiction. Personally, I enjoyed both Riding Lessons and Flying Changes and wish Sara the best of luck with both. She's a very nice lady and has generously donated her time and money to various horse charity causes - now including the Nokota Horse Conservancy.

And personally, I was tickled to pieces that Sara mentioned me in the Acknowledgements Page of Flying Changes!

Margaret Odgers

[Reynard Ridge]

MAO! Glad to see you!

How about if I put in a shameless plug for "Dressage Riders Survival Guide" as a lovely Christmas gift or stocking stuffer http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif?

[Reynard Ridge]

And a note to Sara G., reading reviews has GOT to be one of the hardest things about publishing. Let's face it, once we turn 3 and get past the universal appeal of "Good Night Moon" there are going to be a group of people who don't like what we write.

Interestingly, one of the things I have realized in reading this thread is that it is SO important to not take reviews personally. If you are going to put your words out there, people are going to tell you what they think. So, you have to take the good and the bad with a smile and thank them for their time.

In my opinion, of course. http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[Sara Gruen]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Reynard Ridge:
So, you have to take the good and the bad with a smile and thank them for their time.

In my opinion, of course. http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I actually do--I addressed this in the other thread, but in a nutshell I defend anyone's right to dislike (or even hate) my books.

Of course, I also defend anyone's right to like (or even love) my books. http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[ESG]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by KeeptheChange86:
&lt;snip&gt;......... I've also liked angstily cheesy novels. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

<span class="ev_code_GREEN">I think "angstily cheesy" should be an official new COTH description. Good one! http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/lol.gif</span>

[ESG]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Rt66Kix:
I love Rita Mae Brown's books; my favorite being Riding Shotgun. I wish she'd do a sequel to that! Her foxhunting books are just great. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Me too! I need to get another copy. Lent mine to a "friend" who claimed she returned it, when she didn't. Oh, well - there's always Amazon.com! http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[Mao]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Reynard Ridge:
MAO! Glad to see you!

How about if I put in a shameless plug for "Dressage Riders Survival Guide" as a lovely Christmas gift or stocking stuffer http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hey Reynard Ridge - you just plug away!!! And thanks. http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

Another thing regarding Sara's books that I saw mentioned here - I know she had no control over the art-design of the covers. In fact, she tried, without success, to have the publisher use a Nokota on the cover of Flying Changes. But apparently images of American Saddlebreds and/or Arabians are the most appealing to the general public. Nothing wrong with that - just thought I'd mention it.

Anyway, again, I sincerely liked both books. And although I could be accused of some bias, I did read and enjoyed Riding Lessons long before she decided to use a Nokota in Flying Changes. I think the style of the books are somewhat "Danielle Steele-ish"?? (I've only read a few of DS titles, though - so I could be off-base there.) And I found Annemarie's character actually quite funny.

Cheers,
Margaret

[ExRacer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> I think "angstily cheesy" should be an official new COTH description. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I agree, ESG. I just might have to include that in the next paper I write. http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/lol.gif

[Sara Gruen]

I've probably taken up enough bandwidth here for a while http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif , but if anyone wants to discuss any of the very valid things that have come up (such as why the horses on my covers have nothing whatever to do with the horses in my books, or why I have Eva salute the judge with her left hand, or why Annemarie is such a train wreck), please feel free to either email me (sara@saragruen.com), or join me in the Teleseminar I have planned for December 19th (please click here (http://www.saragruen.com/appearances.htm) for details).

Thanks, and best wishes to everyone for a wonderful holiday season.

[BAC]

Sannois, I thought I was the only person on this BB who did not like Riding Lessons. Anne Marie, or whatever her name was - was such a selfish witch, the way she treated her parents was disgraceful. I just could not like her at all and it ruined the book for me.

[Jsalem]

How cool to have the author in on this thread. So you guys- be nice!

I read both books. I actually liked the first one better. By the end of Flying Changes I was kind of worn out with the drama. The story was interesting, but every single plot development is such a drama! I think that a well written book has a thread of tension that keeps you turning pages. But the pace of these books needs a little more ebb and flow- drama, tenderness, humor. These two books have the main character just crashing through life with drama after drama. Daughter caught with stablehand! Daughter off to trainer! No proposal! Daughter falls off! Yada, yada. Enough already! I would have liked to see the main character show a little more grace and maturity. I've known people like her- and they are really tiring.

So if our story continues dear author, how about calming our heroine down a notch or two?

[BAC]

JSalem, the author is on this thread? I only read the first couple of posts, now I will have to read it all.

[Luvinfoofy]

http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/lol.gif http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

This is why you read the whole thread before posting! Ouch!

[BAC]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Luvinfoofy:
http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/lol.gif http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

This is why you read the whole thread before posting! Ouch! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I don't think I said anything wrong, I don't like the character in the book and it turned me off, it is nothing personal and I'm sure the author is professional enough to accept that not everyone will like all of her books, it might even be helpful to her in developing other characters in the future. And I don't have time to read the entire thread of everything I respond to, I'm just giving MY opinion, not a big deal.

[Sara Gruen]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">So if our story continues dear author, how about calming our heroine down a notch or two? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Point noted. http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[PalominoMorgan]

Well, after reading the first few reviews of this thread I found myself at the bookshelf in WalMart looking for something to read. I picked up a few interesting looking ones when the horsey cover caught my eye and I slowly put 2 and 2 together. I picked it up, put it back. Picked it up, read the back cover, and figured what the hell for 5 bucks. Read it all in less than 24 hours. (Secret book nerd here.)

Maybe I'm just starved for horsey books, but I quite liked Flying Changes. Mentioned it to a friend of mine and she reminded me that it was Riding Lessons she told me to read. The similarities between her and Annemarie are too numerous - growing up in NH, breaking your back on the way up in the horsey world, having kids very young, etc. So... I will have to add Riding Lessons to my holiday purchases to myself.

I liked the writing style. Sad to say a lot of it is how I think and carry on conversations in my head. Based on some of the reviews, maybe that makes me a nut job too. http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif Anyways, this book worm liked it enough to keep it on the shelf and go find the first one.

[shea'smom]

I liked Flying Changes much better. I want to slap that kid, though. I would definetly read another one.

[Whisper]

I liked the writing style, but Eva and Annemarie are annoying. Most of the horse stuff seemed pretty spot on, but eventing a horse at Advanced who has only been back in work for a month - EEEEK!

[Sannois]

Ooo My threads back. Sara is very gracious to tak e our comments. If you read back a bit she responded to me and was very professional, I have started reading Flying Changes, and its a bit better, but yeah I could slap the daughter.

[Jsalem]

It was refreshing to read some realistic horse stuff. I will never forget trying to get through "Kentucky Rich" OMG! Heroine runs away from home and finds herself at a racehorse farm. Standing on the front porch, she hears thundering hooves of an escaped (unbroken) 2 year old from the barn. She RUNS ALONG SIDE it and SWINGS ONTO the horses back to catch it. Oohhkay.

She decides that horses need to raised more like families. So she has the stallion stalled with the mare when she foals so they can bond. Oh, and this heroine (who previously just rides occasionally) decides that the foal is going to race in the Kentucky Derby- AND SHE'S GOING TO RIDE IT.

Couldn't finish it.

I did think it was pretty funny when daughter in Flying Changes takes an in and out as a single obstacle. Everyone is so impressed they think she's ready for a bigger event. Now in real life, that would be considered just dangerous. Back to the farm for more training before you kill yourself.

[Midge]

Jsalem, Mr. Midge finally snatched that book out of my hand and threw it in the trash. It was like picking a scab and he finally reached the end of his rope when I said, "Oh, for Christ's sake!" about the eleventy leventh tiem.

You do remember after she swings up on the unbroken filly and is riding it back to the barn sans tack, she reches down and lifts her toddler daughter up to ride in front of her????

An In and out as a single? "Oh for Christ's sake!" http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[Joanz]

LOL, yeah, there's some really silly stuff that happens in the Kentucky series, that's for sure!

[Jsalem]

I must have blocked that part out. Can you believe there was actually a sequel to Kentucky Rich? It was probably the stupidest book I ever attempted to read.

Yeah, in the scene with the in and out- the crowds are saying "wow, did you see that? Amazing!" In real life it would be, "Holy $*@), they're gonna die!"

[Mao]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jsalem:
...I did think it was pretty funny when daughter in Flying Changes takes an in and out as a single obstacle. Everyone is so impressed they think she's ready for a bigger event. Now in real life, that would be considered just dangerous. Back to the farm for more training before you kill yourself. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

For the record, that scene (the in-and-out in a single jump) was based on a real-life experience with a Nokota. And yes, right you are - in real-life, his rider was LESS THAN THRILLED!!! http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_eek.gif But her students, who were watching... well, they all stood around awestruck and kept begging her to "do THAT again!" Not!

Historically, the Nokotas have always exhibited astonishing jumping ability. It apparently comes from their natural adaptation in the Little Missouri Badlands of North Dakota - steep hills and valleys with notoriously slick footing.

This jumping aptitude manifests itself in interesting ways when Nokotas are put in 'civilized' situations. Including, but not limited to... taking an in-and-out in a single bound - like in Flying Changes - jumping in and out of stalls through narrow (sometimes impossible) openings, rearranging themselves, at will, within trailers (leaving many a professional hauler stratching their heads), and, of course, choosing their pasture preference regardless of owner's wishes or fencing types... generally without a scratch... No kidding.

Nokotas are, ummmm.... interesting horses.... http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[poltroon]

It's not that we don't believe it was a real event, it's that - seriously - no decent upper level event trainer in the US is going to react to that with anything less than serious back to basics, no-competitions-for-you-for-a-while. I think every person who coaches at the Advanced level has been personally close to at least one bad accident, and every one that I've met is very safety conscious.

What people in eventing know is that having a brilliant jumper that makes stupid decisions like that is how people get killed, not by riding mediocre jumpers. A horse like that might be more likely to end up as a jumper where the jumps are bigger and the hazards are a bit less.

[TheJenners]

The fact that you guys were pissed at the character, or had feelings at all towards her, just shows that the author made a life-like person. Who says every book has to be the same ole doldrum?

Personally I loved the book, while I might not have been completely enamored with every character (I wanted to slap the youngest daughter, not main character), I was certainly brought to tears several times.

And if my neighbor doesn't give me my copy back before she moves I'm gonna dance on her lawn in a ninja outfit.

[Mao]

Poltroon - I don't doubt you for a moment. Thankfully, the real-life Nokota version of the 'single bound jump' in question did NOT occur during a Advanced event, but at-home in the schooling ring. The height of in-and-out jumps were about 2'6". And, again, the rider was NOT happy - she said she misjudged the striding, so Nokota-in-question compensated for that. A 'holy expletive' moment for rider!

One of the many challenges of Nokota ownership is that these horses think and behave differently from domestic horses. What you see as theoretically brilliant jumping but stupid/dangerous, is really just a reflection of the Nokota's highly-developed self-preservation skills. That is why they are rarely injured in their various hi-jinks.

Truly, a Nokota doesn't often go down or freak-out/panic like typically expected. That is the result, or adaptation, of 100 years of relentless persecution within a very difficult terrain/climate. The ones that survived were REALLY quite remarkable.

So, back to the jumping aptitude of the Nokota-in-question, as far as he was concerned, he made the best of a bad situation - which was the fault of the rider (misjudging the striding). Self-preservaton and independent thinkers. Not dangerous/stupid/crazy. Not from the horse's perspective. Not easy horses to own or ride, sometimes - takes people too long to catch up with them! http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[Nelliebelle]

I thought I'd respond to the queries about The Perfect Distance. Just read it and quite liked it...it wants to be the Monday Horses for today...not quite as good, but the horse stuff is fairly right on and the characters are sympathetic. It's aimed at a YA audience; however, it's a little morally ambiguous as a YA novel for me. I read a lot of YA, since I'm a high school English teacher, and I like the books that present hard problems and acknowledge that some have no solution or that the solution might require great personal sacrifice, but I also like to see those books model ways to attack those hard problems, rather than shrugging them off as essentially too complex to confront directly. Adults are pretty good at saying, "well, that's not what I would do;" kids, however, often think, "well, I guess that's what I should do." One of the things that I've always admired about Doty(Monday Horses' author) is that, while she portrays the bad stuff that happens around horses, none of the sympathetic characters give up their integrity and participate(knowingly, anyway) and they (and the reader) are very clear about what they think about - in that case - the drugging of performance horses. Not the case in The Perfect Distance. I'll be interested to hear what other people on the board think of it, since the situation that it is ambiguous about has raised some..shall we say...lively discussion on these pages.

[Beezer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jsalem:
I must have blocked that part out. Can you believe there was actually a sequel to Kentucky Rich? It was probably the stupidest book I ever attempted to read.
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Actually, there was more than one, believe it or not. That series ran a full three books. http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/dead.gif

Count me among those who tossed the first one in the garbage and ran screaming the other way every time one of the sequels was offered as one of my "recommendations" on Amazon because I've bought horse books before. http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/dead.gif http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_eek.gif http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/dead.gif

[poltroon]

I think the worst "horse books" are always romances. I find it fascinating that you can write a book where ostensibly the characters are incredibly horsey, and yet make all the horses come off as badly animated cardboard props. http://chronicleforums.com/images/custom_smilies/lol.gif

[Sandy M]

Okay, I'm about 7/8ths of the way through Flying Changes, and I think it is better than Riding Lessons. And yes, Annemarie and the kid are annoying, but, hey! ya gotta have some angst or they'd be just cardboard characters or they'd be the artifically "nice" people of the romances to whom horrible things happen. I rather like Crossing Jordan's lead character BECAUSE she's a bit prickly and unreasonable and unconventional (though they've smoothed her out a bit lately)and I must say that Annamarie is not QUITE as irritatingly stupid and irrational as she was in Riding Lesson and unreasonable teenagers are the norm. HOWEVER....again, it's the HORSE stuff. Certainly nothing as egregious as the "Kentucky" ridiculousness, but...

A SEVEN year old INTERMEDIATE HORSE (possible) that does Grand Prix level dressage? A talented junior rider who gets on a strange horse and produced a perfect canter half-pass to passage sequence within 10 minutes of getting on the horse, as well as a full set of tempi changes (not specified, but sounded like one-tempis??) Someone who's been riding a horse new to them for only two weeks, but goes to (and was able to get entered in upon two weeks notice) an intermediate event? (What, the BNT pulled strings?? Maybe the horse was already entered, even though at the time they didn't have a rider for it? *shrug*). And nobody's been able to ride it, but it's fit enough to go intermediate? And she already had a complete FEI dressage outfit (she's 16 and she's done ONE previous horse trial???) Okay, maybe what is unsaid is that she did pony club stuff prior to the divorce and has horse trial experience in that context, but not setting all that forth makes the immediate jump to high-level competition - and in very bad weather on a strange horse - a bit strange and less than believeable.

Man, in that context, I think Annamarie's objections to her competing were 100% VALID! http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[dressager]

SandyM- you pointed out exactly what I was thinking.

I can get past all of that. Not as bad as most horse fiction.

I read Riding Lessons on Monday and FC today. Both, IMO, were great books and Sara, PLEASE write more! I loved both... could barely put them down! Definatly two favorites and I purchased copies for friends.

[RegentLion]

What bugged me about Flying Changes were the stupid plot inconsistencies... not so much the unbelievable drama, which kept it interesting.

After all, this is *entertainment* and not all entertainment has to be 100% believable.

Although I second the poster who said to turn down the main character a notch, or maybe a little more relaxed plot. I mean, the number of "horrible things" that the heroine had to face was almost over the top. I did NOT have a "willing suspension of disbelief."

Plot inconstiencies:
Was she eventing? Show Jumping? What? What?

P 152--what horse show has jumps at 4' in height with "no maximum"???? I thought there is ALWAYS a max? Especially at Intermediate level events?

P 57--Bute crashes to the floor, and suddenly a scant few sentances later is referred to as Banamine.

These were the two that bugged me most... I was wondering if actual "HORSE PEOPLE" edit these? I think they should, simply for things like that! http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif Because most of us readers ARE horse people and DO notice these things.

Just my .02 but the book DID keep me interested, riveted actually. Now maybe I'll read Riding Lesson.