What's your favorite horse book?

[BogyNme]

I'm sure this isn't the first time this has been posted, but I wanted to see what everyone's favorite horse book is...novels or instructional books...etc. Just curious.. I need some new reading material :)

[Renn/aissance]

Dark Horse by Jean Slaughter Doty.

Last Junior Year by Barbara Morgenroth... Limerick lent it to me yesterday and I read it yesterday. Now I need to find my own copy.

[jilltx]

There was one I read as a teenager that I just loved called, "Buck Wild". it stuck with me. not sure why, but it did.

I also like a series that I can't recall the title of, but the lead character's horse was named, "Kickapoo".

[War Admiral]

Fiction: The Bolinvars by Marguerite Bayliss; The Show Gypsies by Leigh Brown

Non-Fiction: My Horses, My Teachers by Podhajsky

[fruitbat]

Currently?

Chronicles of the $700 pony. :D I'm on my second read right now.

As a kid?

Can I Get There by Candlelight? By Jean Slaughter Doty

[BlueEyedSorrel]

Fiction: The Heavenly Horse from the Outermost West by Mary Stanton It's old, out of print and I found it at a fleamarket while on vacation years ago. If you can find it, it's an absolutely engrossing story told from the horses' point of view. Also check out the sequel, Piper at the Gates of Dawn.

I loved Jean Slaughter Doty's books, especially The Monday Horses

Anne McCaffrey's book The Lady is a great read about an Irish family that raises show jumpers.

Fantasy: The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley. Horse riding warrior-girls. In The Blue Sword, the main character's horse is a sorrel named Sungold. I loved the name, especially since my own horse is a bright copper sorrel from the Eternal Sun line of QHs.

Also Fantasy: The Sword Dancer series by Jennifer Roberson. Not entirely horse related, but the main character has a rogueish bay Arab that is simply called "the stud" and always manages to dump his owner at an appropriate moment. We've all known a horse like this...

Seabiscuit--self explanatory

Ruffian: Burning from the Start by Jane Schwartz: keep tissues handy!

A book I've been meaning to read: Man O' War by Dorothy Ours. My horse is a distant descendent. Her great grandsire, Eternal Sun, was a 1/2 TB 1/2 QH grandson of Man O War.

Dun Lady's Jess by Dorranna Durgin--about a horse from another world who is turned human when she enters our world. Light read

Beserker's Horse by Lisa Maxwell--fantasy about a girl and a stolen horse belonging to a warriors. Dark dystopian type stuff.

Keep the recommendations coming! I go through books like most people go through milk and bread.

BlueEyedSorrel

[MTshowjumper]

Fiction: The Heavenly Horse from the Outermost West by Mary Stanton It's old, out of print and I found it at a fleamarket while on vacation years ago. If you can find it, it's an absolutely engrossing story told from the horses' point of view. Also check out the sequel, Piper at the Gates of Dawn.

Anne McCaffrey's book The Lady is a great read about an Irish family that raises show jumpers.

Fantasy: The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley. Horse riding warrior-girls. In The Blue Sword, the main character's horse is a sorrel named Sungold. I loved the name, especially since my own horse is a bright copper sorrel from the Eternal Sun line of QHs.

BlueEyedSorrel

For fiction I have liked all these books too. Exspecialy The Heavenly Horse From the Outermost West. Great book if you can find it! I haven't read The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown in a long time, but I remember that I liked them. I am actually currently re-reading Spindles End by Robin McKinley, and I was thinking that she really does know horses by the discriptions that she of them.

For non-fiction I adore Reflections on Riding and Jumping by William Strienkrus. I have read the whole thing at least 4 times. Also good for entertainment purposes is Stud: Adventures in Breeding by Kevin Conley.

[Twilight]

"School for Young Riders" by Jane Marshall Dillon - a pretty good read and even after all these years most of the theories still hold up.

"Cammie's Choice" by Jane McIllvane - it is a children's book but I love it.

There's one I can't quite remember the name of that I loved as a kid and wish I could find - its about a firehorse and I think his name is Blaze - its similar to Black Beauty - the horse goes through hard times and is rescued by a little boy.

[Wellspotted]

fiction children's books): The Midnight Horse and other Romney Marsh books by Monica Edwards

fiction (adult): The Show Gypsies; In the Presence of Horses

fantasy: Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar stories

nonfiction: anything by Margaret Cabell Self (old now but still really good reads); Horses Are Made to Be Horses by Franz Mairinger

[poltroon]

Lots O' Horsey reading material (http://www.ponydom.com/books/index.html) at ponydom.com, a horse fiction (http://www.ponydom.com/books/index.html) database inspired by many threads on this BB. There are over 350 titles now, many with reviews, cover art, ratings, etc. Anyone can add new ones or add reviews or ratings.

Blaze the fire horse - yes, I know that one, and I was having no luck searching for it for you - it's not Billy and Blaze by CW Anderson, it's a different author. I may even have a copy boxed up; it's very annoying to not remember!

[JBnC]

But probably the most resonating: Beat the Turtle Drum.


http://www.amazon.com/Beat-Turtle-Drum-Constance-Greene/dp/0140368507/sr=8-1/qid=1163105751/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-8596944-2805701?ie=UTF8&s=books

[Fluffie]

Complete dork checking in:

Fiction: Black Beauty and The Black Stallion's Courage

Non-fiction: Hunter Seat Equitation, some picture-type book that relates bio's of famous show jumpers (The Masters of Show Jumping, maybe?), and my big ol' vet handbook

[Natalie A]

All of Jane Smiley's horse books: Barn Blind (fiction), Horse Heaven (fiction) and A Year at the Races (non-fiction).

But for pure nostalgia, A Very Young Rider and Black Beauty.

[Coreene]

CW Anderson's Salute.

[Lori B]

Jane Smiley's 'Horse Heaven'. If my first horse is a gelding, I will be sorely tempted to name him 'Just A Bob'.

[Giddy-up]

I also like a series that I can't recall the title of, but the lead character's horse was named, "Kickapoo".

ok, I remember that horse's name too, but what was the book's??? This is going to bother me. :D

I liked Walter Farley's "Man O' War" book. I was so bummed to find out there was no "Danny" in real life. I have a hardcover of "King of the Wind" I got for a b-day present in like 2nd or 3rd grade.

[Tiffany01]

Shadow Horse

[kelliope]

I loved Jean Slaughter Doty's books, especially The Monday Horses


I LOVED the Monday Horses by Jean Slaughter-Doty as well as Summer Pony, Winter Pony, The Crumb, and Valley of the Ponies.

I read the Monday Horses and The Crumb over and over and over as a kid.

Recently I went online and bid on a copy for myself since I no longer had the original. I re-read it and it was as good as ever (although I could see a correlation between the dressage world now! ;) )

[carolprudm]

"School for Young Riders" by Jane Marshall Dillon - a pretty good read and even after all these years most of the theories still hold up.

"Cammie's Choice" by Jane McIllvane - it is a children's book but I love it.

There's one I can't quite remember the name of that I loved as a kid and wish I could find - its about a firehorse and I think his name is Blaze - its similar to Black Beauty - the horse goes through hard times and is rescued by a little boy.
Yup, I also like the other two Cammie books, and a Portion for Foxes by the same author and the two Pamela and the Blue Mare books and lots more. I loff the old childrens' horse stories

[mayhew]

Instructional-- Common Sense Dressage, by Karen O'Connor. And I don't even do dressage.

[tullio]

I second "Horse Heaven" by Jane Smiley as a big favorite.

The Black Stallion books were probably my favorites when I was little.... will still happily re-read them!

My favorite instructional book is Dressage Formula by Eric Herbermann, or his other book, A Horseman's Notes. Both worth looking at!

[Wellspotted]

I remember a book called Blitz, by Hetty Burlingame Beatty, about a fire horse, which I thought was a lot like Black Beauty.

[Screebe]

Another vote for "Horse Heaven" by Jane Smiley. I also really enjoyed a quirky book called "Bonefish," though I can't remember the author's name. "Riding Lessons" and "Flying Changes" are fun, quick reads.

And as a kid, "Black Beauty" and "The Black Stallion." I must have read "Black Beauty" six or seven times.

[monday]

All of the Jean Slaughter-Dotty books rank high. I think she wrote the one with the pony named Candy or something, something to do with the poem Can I Get There by Candle Light? I have memories of the book and storyline but not all the details.

But, the two favories are A Horse for XYZ and Panky in the Saddle.

I still have my A Horse for XYZ from 20 years ago and will always keep it, and several years ago my mom gave me a copy of Panky as a Christmas gift. I had lost my original at some point and its is out of print now. Both are just so darned fun, and they were especially good for all of us who didn't have a horse just yet!

[amastrike]

Screebe, "Riding Lesson" and "Flying Change" are part of the Saddle Club series, by Bonnie Bryant. They are good books, and I still love rereading them.

Beauty by I don't remember who is a very good one. It's impossible to read without a least one box of Kleenex, but it's an excellent book.

There are a lot of other horse books I liked... If Wishes Were Horses by Jean Slaughter Doty is very good.. I know I've read at least one or two more of her books, but I can't think of them now.

And, of course, the Thoroughbred series.

[Natalie A]

Beauty by I don't remember who is a very good one. It's impossible to read without a least one box of Kleenex, but it's an excellent book.

Beauty is by Bill Wallace :)

[amastrike]

Beauty is by Bill Wallace :)

Thank you! Now I have to see if I can find a copy so I can bawl my eyes out again, lol.

[Screebe]

Amastrike: The "Riding Lessons" and "Flying Changes" books I referred to are most definitely not part of the Saddle Club series. They're a two-part series by Sara Gruen and are directed toward an adult audience.

But I liked the Saddle Club books too...just been awhile!

[YoungFilly]

Currently?

Chronicles of the $700 pony. :D I'm on my second read right now.

As a kid?

Can I Get There by Candlelight? By Jean Slaughter Doty

I haven't gotten my copies of the Chronicles of the $700 pony *yet* although I plan on getting them this christmas. My current favorites are the Black Stallion series from Walter Farley.

[Reynard Ridge]

I haven't gotten my copies of the Chronicles of the $700 pony *yet* although I plan on getting them this christmas. My current favorites are the Black Stallion series from Walter Farley.

Two day shipping to FL! :winkgrin:

But, seriously, the $700 Pony, while a fun read, is just not in the same league with most of the classic horse books listed here. I mean, we all grew up with Walter Farley books and the Jean Slaughter Doty books - and we will buy them for our children - that is classic.

What I love about threads like these is that they take me back to my horse crazy, horse deprived childhood. I would scour the library for every horse book I could get my hands on. And read them over and over again, just to get my "fix." I didn't set hands on a live horse until I was probably 12 years old, so these books (plus a few miscellanious Breyers) got me through until I could channel my passion into real, live horses. Ah, the memories. :)

[cosmos mom]

I loved all of the CW Anderson books:)

[TatteredDaydreamer]

Wait...I can buy The Chronicles Of The $700 Pony? whereeeee?

[Renn/aissance]

I also like a series that I can't recall the title of, but the lead character's horse was named, "Kickapoo".

Oh gosh... the girl was a barrel-racer, right? I have that book somewhere. Wonder if I can find it...

[amastrike]

Wait...I can buy The Chronicles Of The $700 Pony? whereeeee?

www.sevenhundreddollarpony.com :D .

Screebe, really? That's kind of weird that two different authors would both write two books with those names.. who knew!

[BlueEyedSorrel]

Anyone remember Jessie Hass's books? I read Keeping Barney, which was about a girl leasing a horse and dealing with a non-pushbutton challenge for the first time. Also Working Trot, about a working student at a dressage barn. I read those 2 over and over.

I also liked Dorothy Nafus Morrison books Whisper Again and Whisper Goodbye about a girl and her barrel racer.

Also, I remember a book called A Horse Named Peaceable about a girl whose parents sell her horse so she runs away to find him.

BlueEyedSorrel

[kelliope]

Another great story with incredible illustrations was "A Horse Named Doodlebug". Very heartwarming!

[2DogsFarm]

I've posted these before but WTH:

nonfiction: Complete Training of Horse & Rider by Alois Podhajsky
Horse People by Michael Korda

fiction: Anna Sewell's Black Beauty :D
loved it as a kid, still makes me cry

[abrant]

I read everything I can get my hands on...

Riders, of course, Polo was ok. :D

In and Out was similiarly trashy and enjoyable.

From when I was a kid:

Hold the Reins Free and Pretty Penny Farm. Just got copies of these from eBay and I still like them :)

I loved the A Horse Named Bonnie series, I bought it off eBay and re-read it. It was terrible. I want to constantly strangle the heroine for being such a pushover girl.

Of course, the Black Stallion series. But what was up with the one about aliens?? :eek: My old boss still had her set and I mentioned the 'alien one', she had, apparently, blocked that out from childhood and I had to crack open the book to prove it to her. I remember being horrified about it.... as a 4th grader, lol.

Non-fiction:

Equine Drugs and Vaccines, couldn't live without it.

~Adrienne

[Satin Filly]

I've never been much of a reader, but I really did enjoy:
"The Man Who Listens to Horses"
By~Monty Roberts

[StellaTMK]

As soon as I read "kickapoo" in the first few posts something im the dark recesses of my chilhood reading lists surfaced. I remember that one! Just not the title. Now am I getting confused... Was that the one that the lead charachter ended up riding in an old fashoined kelly green shirt with bling on it? I swear, I wanted to train my pony to run barrels just to get to wear the shirt! If it isn't the same book - who remembers this one?

[Wellspotted]

I'm ashamed to admit it but I had forgotten about Keeping Barney. But now you've named it, BlueEyedSorrel, I remember reading it and liking it a lot!

I loved The Island Stallion but was weirded out by The Island Stallion Races with the aliens Flick and Jay.

Do any of you remember any of these?--
Pony Jungle (I don't remember the author's name)
Dinah and Virginia (ditto re the author's name)
Dorothy Lyons's books (Silver Birch, Golden Sovereign, et al.)
Scarlet Royal (Anne Emery, I think)
Blue Ribbons for Meg
Sidesaddle for Dandy
Kentucky Derby Winner
The Tall Stallion (about a girl called Babe and her horse Cricket, and Babe's brother, and a man who came to stay at their ranch with a stallion named Copper)

A book about two children (brother and sister, I think) who lived in Arabia (?) and had two horses, Shabdiz (a grey?) and Gazelle (a chestnut?). I read the book once, long ago, and loved it but I cannot remember the title or the author and when I've Googled the horses' names I get nothing.

[dianad]

Probably my all time favorites would have to be "Saddles for Breakfast" and "The Horsemasters". Sooo many on the list tho!

[peedin]

Instructional-- Common Sense Dressage, by Karen O'Connor. And I don't even do dressage.

The author is Sally O' Connor. Karen's mother-in-law.

[Twilight]

Blue Ribbons for Meg! I loved that book. It was kind of wierd though - didn't she live in some really dusty place? I don't know - it seemed dusty to me.

[cllane1]

As soon as I read "kickapoo" in the first few posts something im the dark recesses of my chilhood reading lists surfaced. I remember that one! Just not the title. Now am I getting confused... Was that the one that the lead charachter ended up riding in an old fashoined kelly green shirt with bling on it? I swear, I wanted to train my pony to run barrels just to get to wear the shirt! If it isn't the same book - who remembers this one?

Okay, like everyone else, I remember this book but not the title. The girl wants her horse Kickapoo to barrel race, but he's really not into it. Doesn't her mom not want her to do it for some reason, like maybe mom got hurt doing it years ago? Anyway, she keep trying to force Kickapoo to run the barrel pattern, but he hates it and they're both getting fed up. Then one night they hear a horse thundering around, and go out to look and it's the old barn hand's retired mare who just hangs around, and she's running the barrrel pattern alone in the moonlight. Turns out, she was a champion barrel racer! So the girl gets to compete on the mare, and the mom lets her wear her old barrel racing shirt, which was green with mirror spangles.

[Kerrysmom818]

Do any of you remember any of these?--

Dorothy Lyons's books (Silver Birch, Golden Sovereign, et al.)


I remember the Dorothy Lyons books - especially the one about the paint saddlebred where the main character, after not placing show after show, covered his "spots" and won the blue . . .

I have always loved CW Anderson's books - especially the drawings - and
I covet my copy of Smokey the Cowhorse. I am quite fond of My Friend Flicka too . . . and Walter Farley's Man O'War . . .oh, and we can't forget Marguerite Henry. Not children's but I love all of the Dick Francis novels . . .

[barbarachloejosie]

Chosen by a Horse: a memoir by Susan Richards. (The horse is a standardbred rescue)

[Twilight]

What's the children's book about the little girl and the paint pony - I think it has blue eyes, and it might be named Patches, and she schools it and works really, really hard and takes it to a show, and she's up against the snobby girl with the imported pony named Ashes and they are battling it out for pony hunter champion.... I won't spoil the end but anyway - does anyone know which book I am talking about? Probably not....sigh. I wish my memory was better.

[BlueEyedSorrel]

While we're trying to remember books, does anyone remember a series of books that focused on a girl training for eventing? Her horse was a bay named NightOwl which she sold in hopes of winning with a "better" horse and then eventually bought back. Of course, just like in real life, I don't remember the girl's name, just the horse! The book made an impression on me because in the book, the girl was allowed to skip phys ed, come home from school early and ride her horses and the school counted it as her gym class. As a kid, I hated gym and anything involving choosing teams and throwing or catching a ball and I was not pleased when my mother pointed out that my school probably wouldn't go for that arrangement!

BlueEyedSorrel

[arabhorse2]

Okay, I'll add another mystery book to the list.

I don't remember the title or author, but it was about a horse named Frog. They named him Frog, because he jumped like one.

I seem to recall that he was a cavalry mount, but then through some osmosis became just a regular riding/show horse.

Does anyone remember that book? I swear I read it as a child, yet have never been able to find it or anyone else who read it.

[BlueEyedSorrel]

Searching "book + horse + frog" turned up this link:

http://www.seriesbooks.com/frogthehorse.htm

Is this it?
BlueEyedSorrel

[daysgonebyfarm]

The Chronicals of the $700 Pony of course!!!!

[arabhorse2]

BlueEyed, that's it! I remember the picture!

Thank you! I really did think I'd imagined the danged thing all these years, and was ready for the padded room! :lol: :lol:

Edited to add: I found a copy on Amazon!!! I just bought it, and it should be arriving next week!

[BAC]

[quote=Twilight;1986567
"Cammie's Choice" by Jane McIllvane - it is a children's book but I love it.[/quote]

Thats one of my favorites too. Have you read the 2 other in the series? Cammie's Challenge and Cammie's Cousin.

Other favorites are Pamela and the Blue Mare and The Blue Mare in the Olympic Trials by Alice O'Connell. And all the other books by Jane McIlvane as well, Blue Ribbon Romance, Cintra's Challenge, etc.

[BAC]

Do any of you remember any of these?--
Pony Jungle (I don't remember the author's name)
Dinah and Virginia (ditto re the author's name)
Dorothy Lyons's books (Silver Birch, Golden Sovereign, et al.)
Scarlet Royal (Anne Emery, I think)
Blue Ribbons for Meg
Sidesaddle for Dandy
Kentucky Derby Winner
The Tall Stallion (about a girl called Babe and her horse Cricket, and Babe's brother, and a man who came to stay at their ranch with a stallion named Copper)


I remember Pony Jungle, Dorothy Lyons (Smoke Rings was my favorite about a girl hoping to make the USET 3 day team), Scarlet Royal (yes, it was by Anne Emery) and Sidesaddle for Dandy, in fact I still own all of these except Pony Jungle. I totally forgot about that one until you mentioned it. And Blue Ribbons for Meg sounds so familiar yet I can't remember the storyline.

[Twilight]

Yes! I love those too!

As someone else mentioned - A Portion for Foxes is a good one. Though I don't like that one as much because the main character annoyed me. Her house was always messy and she seemed so disorganized. But I love trying to figure out who the characters are based on. I think the Beast is Mrs. Randolph.

[abrant]

K.M. Peyton's books! I almost forgot them!

I loved them because they were pretty raunchy for kid's books :)

I remembered because of the mention of a horse named Frog.... there was a pony named Toad in three of her books :)

I would KILL for a copy of Fly by Night. The cheapest used one is almost $30 on Amazon... and tomorrow the new Carl Hiassen is coming out. Choices! Maybe next paycheck, lol.

~Adrienne

[BogyNme]

Wow! I'm really gonna have to get goin on this list haha :) Thanks for all your input...keep 'em coming!

I was at the tack store today and I saw a book called "Beyond the Rainbow Bridge: A thoughtful guide to coping with the loss of a horse."

I didn't check the copyright date, so it might be a brand new book. I lost my horse a few years ago, but I was just curious if it was helpful or just one of those that has you bawling with every page. Just skimming some of the pages got me a little misty..has anyone read it?

[oleary157]

Fritz and the beautiful horses.



my first horse book ever.:D :D :lol: :D :D

[poltroon]

K.M. Peyton's books! I almost forgot them!

I loved them because they were pretty raunchy for kid's books :)

I remembered because of the mention of a horse named Frog.... there was a pony named Toad in three of her books :)

I would KILL for a copy of Fly by Night. The cheapest used one is almost $30 on Amazon... and tomorrow the new Carl Hiassen is coming out. Choices! Maybe next paycheck, lol.

~Adrienne

Keep your eye out for Fly By Night. Admittedly it was a while back but I scored my copy for $2 on eBay. You probably won't do that well but you can probably find an ex-library for $10 or less.

I love all of KM Peyton's books - you probably don't even realize how many there are, since most libraries only have a couple of her books. :D Best of all, she's still writing.

KM Peyton (http://www.ponydom.com/books/results.html?author=peyton) books on ponydom.com - probably not a complete list.

[kelliope]

I remember Scarlet Royal too!

Also, just thought of another - Rider By Night It was a pretty good book about a girl living in Sweden(?) and her mare, Rascal.

[poltroon]

Some of my favorites not yet mentioned:

Horseplay (http://www.ponydom.com/books/book.html?id=256) by Judy Reene Singer (BeamMeUp here on COTH)
The Mountain's Call (http://www.ponydom.com/books/book.html?id=261) and its two sequels by Caitlin Brennan
Ride a Dark Horse (http://www.ponydom.com/books/book.html?id=32) and Chance Meeting (http://www.ponydom.com/books/book.html?id=33) by Laura Moore

I recently discovered that Margaret Cabell Self (http://www.ponydom.com/books/results.html?author=Self&submit=Search) (of Sky Rocket) and Judy Van Der Veer (http://www.ponydom.com/books/book.html?id=360) (Hold the Rein Free) had written other books besides their most common fiction. What a treat! Van Der Veer's November Grass (http://www.ponydom.com/books/book.html?id=360) is truly literature.

I also love:
Dream Pony for Robin (http://www.ponydom.com/books/book.html?id=258) and other titles by Suzanne Wilding (COTH is even in it! ;) )
Flying Changes (http://www.ponydom.com/books/book.html?id=1) by Lynn Hall, a simple story about a girl trying to get her filly schooled in time for an appointment with a buyer
For Love of a Horse (http://www.ponydom.com/books/book.html?id=203) by Patricia Leitch, first of many books about Jinny and Shantih (her other books are good too)
Vicki and the Brown Mare (http://www.ponydom.com/books/book.html?id=18) by Sam Savitt
The Colonel And Me (http://www.ponydom.com/books/book.html?id=191) by John W. Chambers, very funny account of a girl learning to ride

[abrant]

Keep your eye out for Fly By Night. Admittedly it was a while back but I scored my copy for $2 on eBay. You probably won't do that well but you can probably find an ex-library for $10 or less.

I love all of KM Peyton's books - you probably don't even realize how many there are, since most libraries only have a couple of her books. :D Best of all, she's still writing.

KM Peyton (http://www.ponydom.com/books/results.html?author=peyton) books on ponydom.com - probably not a complete list.

:yes: Iowa State University had about 5 of her books that I had never seen before.

I used to go to the library and hole myself to read kid's books, lol. I'm sure my parents would approve of how I was using my college experience :lol:

~Adrienne

[schwung]

I read every single horse book in my Elementary and Junior High school libraries and the public library.

There is one that stands out in my head, no idea the author, but it was called "A Horse Called September".

I remember reading it several times and coercing my friends to read it. It was about two girls who were best friends, one was rich the other poor. Both loved horses, the rich girl got a horse (September) and became snotty and mean to her friend. The horse got seriously injured and they were going to put the horse down but somehow the poor girl convinced them to give her the horse. She spent hours sitting on the horse's back while standing him in a stream to cool his injured leg and help it heal (that was my favorite part). Meanwhile rich girl got a very fancy expensive new horse. Poor girl rehabbed September and went on to compete with him against her ex-friend and of course, beat her.

I don't know why but I loved that book. I would love to reread it now.

Can I Get There by Candlelight was another favorite, along with a series about a girl with a chestnut arabian that lived by the beach..."Summer Pony"? Something like that.

[Groom&Taxi]

Nobody has mentioned Patsey Gray yet - particular childhood favorites of mine were Jumping Jack and Horsepower.

I remember a book that I read in my childhood about a girl who went out west for the summer to a ranch - got "involved" with a wild horse that lived in a canyon. Seems like there was a love interest for the girl too. I know the details are sketchy here, but I remember it being emough of a favorite with me that I checked it our again and again - and though I can remember neither the title nor the the author, I remember (based on where it was shelved in the Juvenile Fiction section of the Memphis Public Library - Poplar Ave branch) that the author's last name would have been towards the end of the alphabet - like 'P' or later. Anybody have any ideas?

Abrant, when I was in college, the Juvenile Fiction room at the college library was my very favorite place to study - and re-read favorite books, of course.

G&T

[poltroon]

along with a series about a girl with a chestnut arabian that lived by the beach..."Summer Pony"? Something like that.

These are the Jinny and Shantih (http://www.ponydom.com/books/book.html?id=203) books by Patricia Leitch, about Jinny who moves to Finnmory House in Scotland and falls in love with a totally unsuitable wild and crazy Arabian mare that she saw at the circus. The mare escapes, and Jinny finds her wild and skittish on the moors near Finnmory, where she attempts to win the mare's trust. The titles are:

For Love of a Horse
A Devil to Ride
The Summer Riders
Night of the Red Horse
Gallop to the Hills
Horse in a Million
The Magic Pony
Ride Like the Wind
Chestnut Gold
Jump for the Moon
Horse of Fire
Running Wild

For Love of a Horse (http://www.ponydom.com/books/book.html?id=203) was published in the US by Scholastic, which is why so many of us came to love it, but the others I think were published only in the UK and are difficult to find. I have only read a couple myself. But even as an adult, these books are a real pleasure to reread - they are quite beautifully written.

Oh how I loved the Scholastic flyers when I was in elementary school - and from what the rest of you recommend, I think y'all did too! Or at least, I can tell who is about the same age as me! :lol: Sadly, the current Scholastic flyers have been a huge disappointment in the quality horse literature department. There are still horses, but they're mostly product-placement tie-ins.

(Summer Pony is Jean Slaughter Doty's wonderful book about Ginny and Mokey (http://www.ponydom.com/books/book.html?id=131), a pinto pony mare with one blue eye who is leased for the summer out of a dreadful rental place. Ginny doesn't know a thing about horses, but Mokey survives her learning experiences, and in the end they make friends with another girl who has fancy horses and she learns to jump and gets to take Mokey to a horse show. This is another Scholastic selection, and my copy has been read and reread. Whenever I read the Doty books, it makes me want to give my daughter the experiences she recounts, of riding a trusty horse bareback and exploring the neighborhood.)

[poltroon]

There is one that stands out in my head, no idea the author, but it was called "A Horse Called September".

I remember reading it several times and coercing my friends to read it. It was about two girls who were best friends, one was rich the other poor. Both loved horses, the rich girl got a horse (September) and became snotty and mean to her friend. The horse got seriously injured and they were going to put the horse down but somehow the poor girl convinced them to give her the horse. She spent hours sitting on the horse's back while standing him in a stream to cool his injured leg and help it heal (that was my favorite part). Meanwhile rich girl got a very fancy expensive new horse. Poor girl rehabbed September and went on to compete with him against her ex-friend and of course, beat her.

I don't know why but I loved that book. I would love to reread it now.

Using Google, I found:

A Horse Called September
by Anne Digby

About this title: Mary Wilkins embarks on a daring scheme to save the life and career of the beloved horse she has looked after while its owner, her childhood best friend, is away at boarding school.

BTW, I think it's hilarious how many of us remember the books we loved mostly by either (a) the name of the horse or (b) the cover art. :D Sometimes, maybe, the name of the kid!

[appaloosalady]

All right, thanks a lot everybody. I just went on ebay and bid the mortgage on a bunch of books that I loved as a kid and decided I really needed to reread and let my girls read, too!

[poltroon]

I remember a book that I read in my childhood about a girl who went out west for the summer to a ranch - got "involved" with a wild horse that lived in a canyon. Seems like there was a love interest for the girl too. I know the details are sketchy here, but I remember it being emough of a favorite with me that I checked it our again and again - and though I can remember neither the title nor the the author, I remember (based on where it was shelved in the Juvenile Fiction section of the Memphis Public Library - Poplar Ave branch) that the author's last name would have been towards the end of the alphabet - like 'P' or later. Anybody have any ideas?

Going to try to pump you for more details:
- rough age of the protagonist (like 12ish or 16ish?)
- what kind of canyon - deserty, oak scrub, trees? Was it a specifc state (California, Texas?)
- Any big events, like a fire?
- Was this a mustang or just a loose unruly horse?
- Jacket picture?
- Were her parents there?

Some that probably aren't it but come to mind are
Star Lost by Patsey Grey
Hold the Rein Free by Judy Van Der Veer
Green Grass of Wyoming by Mary O'Hara

[ptownevt]

I loved No Small Thing, by Natalie Ghent and I Rode A Horse Of Milk White Jade by Diane Lee Wilson.

No Small Thing is about a very poor family, mom and 3 children and a pony. Great book.

I Rode A Horse Of Milk White Jade is about a girl who takes her father's place and joins Ghingas Khan's army. Again, great, great book.

As a kid I loved Green Grass of Wyoming (precursor to Flicka).

Pam

[tullio]

hey, I'm too lazy to go back and quote - but someone mentioned the books with the horse named "Night Owl" - the girl's name was Kate Wiley, and the books were the "Blue Ribbon" series by Chris St. John. They are about eventing.

The titles are:

Riding High
A Horse of Her Own
Kate's Challenge
Golden Girl
Time Out for Jessie
The Main Event


My grandmother got them for me! :-) They were pretty entertaining.

[Wanderluster]

As a kid I loved " King of the Wind"

A bit older " The Year of The Horse"

The Jane Smiley books resonated with truth.

Total romance " Wild Swan"

I just bought Gorden Wright's " Ride Hunt Show" I think that is the title and I look forward to learning from the master himself.

Other books in my library are

"Veterinary note for horse owners"
"Horsemanship" Waldemar

etc.... I have an unquenchable appetite for all things equine. ;)

[Spooks]

What's the children's book about the little girl and the paint pony - I think it has blue eyes, and it might be named Patches, and she schools it and works really, really hard and takes it to a show, and she's up against the snobby girl with the imported pony named Ashes and they are battling it out for pony hunter champion.... I won't spoil the end but anyway - does anyone know which book I am talking about? Probably not....sigh. I wish my memory was better.

I vaguely recall this story...can't remember the name though.

My mother saved my entire collection of horse books that I accumulated as a kid (mostly via the Scholastic order sheets). I had fun a few weeks ago re-reading them, and could remember absolutely every detail, which just goes to show how many times I read them! I liked A Horse for XYZ, Summer Pony and Winter Pony, The Monday Horses, and of course all the Black Stallion series and National Velvet. I will have to look for a lot of the others you all have recommended! I am sure some new ones have been published since the 1970's. :lol: Edited to add: i also just read "Horse People" by Michael Korda, a very funny non-fiction/memoir of his life with horses, with particularly hilarious accounts of fox hunting in Virginia in the 1970s.

I also remember a book about a kid who sees a grey trotter who has broken a hip or leg, but convinces the owner to let him have the horse and not kill it. The horse survives with a funny gimp, and the kid hooks him up to an old sulky and spends his summer collecting bison bones for money (this takes place in the 1800's). All this activity conditions the horse and the kid ends up winning a race with his gimpy horse. Anyone remember this?

[poltroon]

I loved No Small Thing, by Natalie Ghent and I Rode A Horse Of Milk White Jade by Diane Lee Wilson.

No Small Thing is about a very poor family, mom and 3 children and a pony. Great book.

I Rode A Horse Of Milk White Jade is about a girl who takes her father's place and joins Ghingas Khan's army. Again, great, great book.


I was trying to find more about No Small Thing online and wasn't having much luck. If you have a copy in hand, I'd really appreciate it if you'd enter (both books actually) in the horse book database (http://www.ponydom.com/books/index.html) at ponydom.

[MySparrow]

Beyond Rope and Fence, by David Grew, had a huge effect on me when I was 11, and still brings tears to my eyes. It's the story of a wild mare and her herd as people move across the Great Plains.

King of the Wind, by Marguerite Henry, is another favorite.

And of course, Black Beauty, The Black Stallion, The Island Stallion....

[amastrike]

Fritz and the beautiful horses.



my first horse book ever.:D :D :lol: :D :D
Oh, that's such a cute book! My sister teaches first grade, and I was telling her about this hideously ugly pony at my stable, and she told me I had to read this book... it's adorable!

I Rode A Horse Of Milk White Jade is about a girl who takes her father's place and joins Ghingas Khan's army. Again, great, great book.
Ditto! That's another book I have to find a copy of. (Although, she took her step-brother's (or something) place in the army, not her father's. That's Mulan :lol: .)

[Wild Oaks Farm]

Silver Snaffles, by Primrose Cummings. I LOVE this book. I used to wish (and still do, I guess!) that I could live in this book!

Also, The $700 Pony, for sure.

THe Horsemasters, by Don Stanford.

[TheCoppertop]

I too read every horse book in the library!

I loved Lynn Halls Tin Can Tucker and I bought a copy on ebay recently. I love that book. *Edited to add description*.. Ann Tucker, a lifelong foster child runs away to join the rodeo, all she has on her is some babysitting money and a fancy trophy belt buckle left by her parents who abandoned her to the state. She winds up hooking up with some rodeo folks and trading her belt buckle for a blue roan bucking bronc on her way to slaughter for crappy bucking, and of course they become a rodeoing team.

There are a couple old books I'd love to read but I can't remember the names.. one was narrated by a boy whose older (teen) sister saved her money to buy a dream horse but wound up rescuing an ooooooooold horse from slaughter and it wound up saving the boys life somehow, kicked a cougar or something, and of course the old horse died in the process :no:

[Emryss]

Beyond Rope and Fence, by David Grew, had a huge effect on me when I was 11, and still brings tears to my eyes. It's the story of a wild mare and her herd as people move across the Great Plains.

King of the Wind, by Marguerite Henry, is another favorite.

And of course, Black Beauty, The Black Stallion, The Island Stallion....

MySparrow, you are the only other person I know who's read Beyond Rope and Fence. Great book. Very sad. Best read snuggled under a blanket on a rainy day with some hot chocolate....

Poltroon has a fond place in my heart for helping me find a book (in a similar thread) whose title I'd forgotten for over twenty years: The Ghost on Saturday Night, by Sid Fleischman. It's horse-related in that the hero of the story was saving up $100 to buy a saddle. If he did, his grandmother would buy him a horse. I always remembered the descritions of the tule fog being "thick enough to hammer in a nail and hang your hat." Living in Sacramento as a kid really made that phrase ring true - tule fog really is that thick! Fun little kid's tale. Sid Fleischman even autographed my copy (that I bought right away, of course) and was pleased that I remembered his story for so long. Thanks Again, Poltroon. Little things like that make my life complete...

[Slewdledo]

MANY of my favorites have already been mentioned. (THANK YOU to those who posted about Can I Get There By Candlelight? - I KNEW I had read something along those lines but couldn't for the life of me remember what)

The Thoroughbred series by Joanna Campbell, up to about #12, are wonderful. I just reread a bunch of them a month ago.

Also - The Palomino, by...Virginia Vail?

Did anyone else read that summer camp series, set in NY, where the campers were divided by ability (the foals, fillies, and Thoroughbreds) and the characters included Emily, Judy, Caro, Lynda? What was that series called?

Tarnished Crown is a wonderful racing book.

A Sound of Horses just took my breath away. (Another racing book).

This Was Racing did the same.

What about a kids' book (checked out from the library numerous times when I was a little girl) that was about a pony named Little Black and involved getting stuck on a frozen pond?

Other racing books -

Three Strides Before the Wire
The Race for the Triple Crown
$tud

[Emryss]

That was Little Black, A Pony by Walter Farley. Loved that book!

[Reynard Ridge]

I remember a book that I read in my childhood about a girl who went out west for the summer to a ranch - got "involved" with a wild horse that lived in a canyon. Seems like there was a love interest for the girl too. I know the details are sketchy here, but I remember it being emough of a favorite with me that I checked it our again and again - and though I can remember neither the title nor the the author, I remember (based on where it was shelved in the Juvenile Fiction section of the Memphis Public Library - Poplar Ave branch) that the author's last name would have been towards the end of the alphabet - like 'P' or later. Anybody have any ideas?

G&T

Miracle of Sage Valley - I probably still have it back in my room at "home" (where my parents live :lol: )
Maybe Janet Randall was the author? The "R" would be close to the back of the alphabet.

[MsM]

The book with Frog was Called "Frog, the Horse that knew no Master" by Colonel Meek. Set, I believe around the Panama Canal. The hero, Scott works with the outlaw horse after the villain has abused him. Of course they become a team and are constantly being threatened by circumstances and the villain in one way or another. I remember being upset with the hero at the end when Frog is drugged by the villain and Scott knows there is something wrong but basically beats him into running in the Very Important Steeplechase which he wins before collapsing. :no: Good read in a lot of ways though.
I also read the Mountain Pony books by Henry Larson and a lot of the "Timber Trail" series (another riding academy series). Grew up on the Black Stallion series which I found pretty uneven - loved some and hated others.
What was the book where the girl gets her dream horse which turns out to be really nervous. Something scares the horse and there is a wreck in which the girl is hurt and the horse killed. She then gets a horse named "Charlie" but has a hard time at first because he is not her dream horse and is very different.

[dianad]

Okay you book detectives.....!! This has been driving me crazy for YEARS. I loved this book, and yet the only thing I can really remember about it is.... a girl and her (I think) palomino horse, and when the horse had thoughts, it thought of her as 'It'. As in (and I remember this part well) "IT was the only person who would hold an apple and let the juice run all over It's hand while being crunched" ... or something like that. And I think she brought the horse in the house at one point, but that could be another story, LOL. Any ideas??

[Slewdledo]

That was Little Black, A Pony by Walter Farley. Loved that book!


Thank you!! Just looked it up on Ebay and I remember the cover! :)

Also Googled the horse camp series that I remembered, and the 6-book series was called "Horse Crazy" and also written by Virginia Vail.

[Groom&Taxi]

Going to try to pump you for more details:
- rough age of the protagonist (like 12ish or 16ish?)
- what kind of canyon - deserty, oak scrub, trees? Was it a specifc state (California, Texas?)
- Any big events, like a fire?
- Was this a mustang or just a loose unruly horse?
- Jacket picture?
- Were her parents there?

Some that probably aren't it but come to mind are
Star Lost by Patsey Grey
Hold the Rein Free by Judy Van Der Veer
Green Grass of Wyoming by Mary O'Hara

Thanks, Poltroon, for jumping in to assist me in searching through the fog. The protagonist would have been a little older - 16-17 - her having a love interest would have been reasonable. The love interest was local - son or hired hand for the ranch owners. I want to say mountainous western state with treed canyon - like Colorado, Wyoming, Utah. I also want to say the horse was more like purebred lost/escaped at a young age rather than mustang or rogue. No picture on the jacket (library type binding) and no dust cover. Don't remember any big natural events (fire, flood) but possibly a rodeo...? Girl's parents were not there. Know definitively it was not "Star Lost" or "Green Grass of Wyoming"

RR, Randall sounds very possible as author last name, but Miracle of Sage Valley does not resonate as title - if I could read a synopsis I could probably rule it in or out.

Thanks for the leads -
G&T

[TheJenners]

I'll second or third Beauty by Bill Wallace. I read it in the third grade, in class after finishing all of my work (the joys of being genius ;) ), and cried and cried in class.

My mom moved around a lot, so I got to read all the horse (and unicorn) books in every school library and most public libraries. Some of the ones that stick with me are:

The Crumb by Doty
Touch the Moon by Bauer - about a tiny horse statue that comes to life
Whinny by Laundrie - lots of anamorphism, but a good read
The Follyfoot Collection by Monica Dickens

There are a few I remember reading and being struck by, but cannot remember either title nor author. The first one really haunts me, it is about a jumper named Cat Burglar I think? or maybe just The Cat or something about Hawk Eye? because he can jump so well. Anyways, he becomes incorrigible for some reason and even though a person (girl?) shows up and rides him perfectly, he is euthanized because he seriously injured or killed another rider.

Another one that was awesome is about a boy whose family moves to a farm, and there is an ancient horse named Colonel there. The boy spends his time with the horse...then there are some awful tornadoes, I can't remember exactly but he somehow finds a bay or chestnut mare who is terrified out of her mind and attaches herself to Colonel. They make their way out of torn up country side, are almost home and Colonel gets ill or another tornado comes and he dies (I do specifically remember him feeding potatoes to the horse), and the mare's owner shows up and says she is a show horse and ruined from a cut and tells the vet to put her down. Boy of course wants the mare because she reminds him of Colonel, vet takes the mare off the trailer and boy gets horse. Colonel is buried under a tree called Colonel's Tree, which I thought might be the title but no.

Another is about a boy and a drafter he owns who wins a state fair competition for pulling, and is stolen that night by a teenaged boy who wants to use him to get some drugs through the woods, and then kill him (horse not boy). His younger sister finds the owner and tells him, and they search out and find the horse before he can be killed. I can remember the cover art on this one, shows a boy and girl bareback on a horse (not an obvious draft) coming out of some bush, so part of the horse is obscured.

[flogarty]

the Flicka series by Mary O'Hara
Rita Mae Brown books- the foxhunting ones
Polo

[Lizzie Skyrocket]

What a great thread. A while back I also recommended "NO SMALL THING" by Natale Ghent. Iwhole-heartedly agree w/ the previous recommendation. It was short-listed for the Canadian Libarary Assn."Book of the Year" & a terrific read for any horse (pony) lover. Others ... from the days of yore...Black Beauty, The Island Stallion, Mary O'Hara's triology ( FLicka, Thunderhead (the best)& Green Grass of Wy) Marguerite Henry's classics,Misty, BLack Gold, King of the Wind. Don't forget Brighty of the Grand Canyon & Album of Horses (one of the most beautiful books w/ Wesley Dennis Illustrations). Loved Jean Slaughter Doty books & A Horse Called Mystery by Marjorie Reynolds. Seabiscuit & every adult should read HOT BLOOD by Ken Englade. Vicky Moon's coffee table book on Jackie Kennedy Onassis & horses is even better than I thought...great shots of her lovely horses and Caroline K's Macaroni.

[equusus]

Okay, like everyone else, I remember this book but not the title. The girl wants her horse Kickapoo to barrel race, but he's really not into it. Doesn't her mom not want her to do it for some reason, like maybe mom got hurt doing it years ago? Anyway, she keep trying to force Kickapoo to run the barrel pattern, but he hates it and they're both getting fed up. Then one night they hear a horse thundering around, and go out to look and it's the old barn hand's retired mare who just hangs around, and she's running the barrrel pattern alone in the moonlight. Turns out, she was a champion barrel racer! So the girl gets to compete on the mare, and the mom lets her wear her old barrel racing shirt, which was green with mirror spangles.

I remember this book, too! She sells her spoon collection to pay the entry to the barrel comtest...there was a doll and spoons on the cover. What was it called????? I think it was called The Best Horse

I LOVE the book SNOWMAN by Rutherford Montgomery. Awesome true story and great photos!

april

[kayfry]

Love this thread! So many of these books mentioned have meant so much to me in my life. As a kid, I read all the Marguerite Henry's and can still remember many of the covers; ALL the Walter Farley's (he lived in the next town and was a friend of friends, but that didn't really matter, I just loved the books); the classics like Black Beauty and Flicka, of course.For adult books, I agree with many of the recommendations here, especiallyJane Smiley's Barn Blind, and Horseplay, by Judy Reene Singer (hilarious), also Riding Lessons and Flying Changes by Sara Gruen.

A few more I love that haven't been mentioned (these are all nonfiction but are narrative and/or memoir/essay, not at all dry): Dark Horses and Black Beauties by Melissa Holbrook Pierson, Forward Motion by Holly Menino, Life in the Saddle by Gretel Ehrlich, and Beautiful Jim Key by Mim Eichler Rivas. Then there's Night Ride Home by Barbara Eastman (an adult novel).

I'm a writer, working on my own horsey novel now - it's so heartening to see how many others of you love these books as much as I do.

[YoungFilly]

Two day shipping to FL! :winkgrin:

But, seriously, the $700 Pony, while a fun read, is just not in the same league with most of the classic horse books listed here. I mean, we all grew up with Walter Farley books and the Jean Slaughter Doty books - and we will buy them for our children - that is classic.

What I love about threads like these is that they take me back to my horse crazy, horse deprived childhood. I would scour the library for every horse book I could get my hands on. And read them over and over again, just to get my "fix." I didn't set hands on a live horse until I was probably 12 years old, so these books (plus a few miscellanious Breyers) got me through until I could channel my passion into real, live horses. Ah, the memories. :)

Don't you think the Black Stallion series is a fun read? :) What I am currently doing right now is reading down the list in the Black Stallion series because I have not read them since grade school. While there are times that its obvious the "reader" is supposed to be a horse-sick child (lol) I can relate to them now as well as I did then. I just completed the Island Stallion, aka, Flame who I remember vividly. Not the part where he killed the other two stallions though!

Ditto on the 2 day. I haven't started xmas shopping yet, am starting this week. shoosh though, one might be my secret santa!

[TJ_Rider]

I love the heartland books! Though they are made for young teenagers they are very good.
And for instructional books I would suggest the Pony Club Manuals.

[Reynard Ridge]

RR, Randall sounds very possible as author last name, but Miracle of Sage Valley does not resonate as title - if I could read a synopsis I could probably rule it in or out.

Oddly enough I think on the LAST thread like this, this exact question came up, I answered "MIRACLE OF SAGE VALLEY!" and was roundly voted down. :lol: I would imagine there are at least two books with the same premise. Here goes:

High school girl goes to spend the summer with her divorced dad in LA. Divorced dad has apparently met an LA Lady and sends high school chickie to a "ranch" somewhere out west. Girl pouts and cries and makes herself (and everyone around her miserable). She loved horses as a kid, but is all grown up now and has left that behind.

It is a "working" ranch, so chickie has to actually work and gets more resentful. She meets son of local rancher, who is a hottie and she treats him like he's the hired help. He's a nice guy and wants her to get along, so he is nice to her.

Somehow, and I forget how, she wanders out (with him, maybe?) one day and discovers a beautiful mare stuck IN A CANYON!!! With a gorgeous little baby! NEAR DEATH!! Wrapped in barbed wire, or something. She manages to dig the mare out of wire, but mare is too injured to get out of canyon.

Chickie runs back to ranch. They all decide mare and baby should be put out of their misery - this is working ranch, no time for mollycoddling! Chickie manages to convince BO that SHE can save mare and baby! And she goes to live in canyon. Lives there for a day or two or three (who can remember), whereupon, entire ranching extended community comes to the rescue and by the combined efforts of many people, they get the mare and foal out. Whew!

Chickie, meanwhile, has fallen in love with mare and foal. Mare gets better, chickie begins riding her in secret. Meanwhile, she is falling in love with rancher hottie boy. They go squaredancing, etc. BO gives chicken mare and foal - who turns out to be SPECTACULAR - apparently a "love child" of a really, really nice stud in the area - who happens to be owned by hottie boy's dad. Chickie decided so stay on ranch forever and go to high school there.

The end.

I read it about 14 million times as a child. I must look on my old bookshelf next time I go home!

[spirithorse22]

Ditto to someone who posted 'i go through books like most people go through bread and milk'

Here's some more books, I'm so glad somebody put up 'I Rode a Horse of Milk White Jade', the title gives me shivers Absolutely gorgeous imagery

Anyway

'The Horse Goddess'- Morgan Llywelyn (LOVE)

'Traveller: A Novel'- Adams Richard, or Richard Adams

These next two are late teen marketed, but still good afternoon, light reads
'Kotoku'- Deborah Savage (not sure if I spelled her first name correctly)
'Green Rider'/'First Rider's Call' (kind of predictable, but...) Kristin Britain

Not entirely about horses, but 'Boudica: Dreaming the Eagle' is pretty horsey

Nonfiction: 'Horse, Follow Closely' and 'Of Women and Horses', both by GaWaNi Pony Boy

Nonfiction: 'She Flies without Wings', can't remember the author, the book grew on me

A couple fav. childhood reads were (when I was first learning to read) 'A Mare For Young Wolf', (maybe fourth grade) 'Dawn Rider', (fifth grade?)'Justin Morgan had a Horse' (all the Black Stallion/Marguerite Henry books), 'The First Horse I See',

Zane Grey wrote 'Riders of the Purple Sage' along with its sequel, 'The Rainbow Trail' (or something like that) and there's a good bit of horses in it.

Charro, The Mexican Cowboy

The Fantasy genre really offers a lot more in terms of plot and theme, rather than a straight horse story...finding the right mix of elements is hard but I'm a history nut...OH! Aother book that just came to me is 'Black Horses for the King', or something similiar.

And another vote for 'The Blue Sword' and 'The Hero and the Crown'

I always thought the Hillfolk's horses sounded a lot like abnormally tall Akhal-Tekes...metallic coat, suspicious of strangers, deeply attached to owners, etc.

AND one last book, 'The Art of Horsemanship' by Xenophon, if you're ever in the mood for a real classic


This thread was such a picker-upper...I loff books

[TheJenners]

Wait...I needed to add one that I don't think has been mentioned! Smokey the Cowhorse by Will James! Also, another one about a blind mustang a boy takes care of, can't remember the title but it was an awesome book, great line art illustrations, same type of genre.

[RNHorsemom]

There are so many books I would love to re-read, as many of these mentioned above I read as a child, but would love to read as a still horse-crazy adult. Is there a place for such a thing or if not, could we start a book share/swap...recipient would be responsible for any and all shipping charges ,of course, unless maybe it was a swap. :yes: I have several horsey books, not sure if anyone would be interested in them or not. I personally would LOVE to re-read The Horsemasters...alas cannot afford it on e-bay or anywhere else for that matter. Whadaya think? :D

Lynn

[Wellspotted]

I don't remember much about Blue Ribbons for Meg myself, but I Googled it last night and learned that Meg lived in Boston and was sent to live on a military base, where she learned how to ride.

I also loved the Windy Foot books, about the pony Windy Foot and the boy Toby.

And Stephen Meader's books, Red Horse Hill and Cedar's Boy(?)

[Kearsarge Meadows]

Dressur Pferd by Harry Boldt. Expensive, written in German, excellent photography.

[Who's that girl?]

Don't you think the Black Stallion series is a fun read? :) What I am currently doing right now is reading down the list in the Black Stallion series because I have not read them since grade school. While there are times that its obvious the "reader" is supposed to be a horse-sick child (lol) I can relate to them now as well as I did then. I just completed the Island Stallion, aka, Flame who I remember vividly. Not the part where he killed the other two stallions though!

Ditto on the 2 day. I haven't started xmas shopping yet, am starting this week. shoosh though, one might be my secret santa!


Well your Chritmas Elf is glad to have a little more research on what you are reading these days. Good boys and girls (of any age of course!) all deserve a good horsey book!

[Moesha]

"A horse like Mr. Ragman" I loved this book so much!

[YoungFilly]

Well your Chritmas Elf is glad to have a little more research on what you are reading these days. Good boys and girls (of any age of course!) all deserve a good horsey book!

Now your not getting it! A more beautiful present for you!

[Slewdledo]

I thought of a couple more.

Golden Cloud, about a palomino filly and a teenage boy who works on a ranch.

And a book where the protagonist is named Linda and her horse is Chica d'Oro. Anyone read that one?

And one where the main character works with an ex-steeplechase jockey. Snow and jingle-bells, etc. At the end of the book the main "horse" character foals and they name the baby Robin. Anyone?

[Groom&Taxi]

Oddly enough I think on the LAST thread like this, this exact question came up, I answered "MIRACLE OF SAGE VALLEY!" and was roundly voted down. :lol: I would imagine there are at least two books with the same premise.

There's nothing else to do - must find a copy and read it to know for sure. :yes: I don't remember a foal BUT some of the other parts sound like they could fit. The square dance could be the rodeo, and I think the girl DID stay.

Chickie, meanwhile, has fallen in love with mare and foal. Mare gets better, chickie begins riding her in secret. Meanwhile, she is falling in love with rancher hottie boy. They go squaredancing, etc. BO gives chicken mare and foal - who turns out to be SPECTACULAR - apparently a "love child" of a really, really nice stud in the area - who happens to be owned by hottie boy's dad. Chickie decided so stay on ranch forever and go to high school there.

The end.

Ok, RR, must admit I had to read this paragraph several times before I realized that you must have typed "chicken" instead of "chickie". I could not figure out why the BO was giving a chicken as well as a mare and foal. :lol: But knowing your affinity for chickens, can easily see how it could happen - is that like a Freudian typo?



I read it about 14 million times as a child. I must look on my old bookshelf next time I go home!

Oh how I wish I'd never donated the bulk of my collection to the library of the horse camp I attended way back when. However, through the magic of ebay and the internet, I have managed to reacquire some of the ones I loved most. I had a copy of Snowman by Rutherford Montgomery (loved that one too) that I think I donated, and it goes for big bucks now. I think my most all time favorite was "Cammie's Challenge" by Jane McIlvaine McClary. Never owned it back then - do now!

G&T

[tbtrailrider]

National Vevet, no question...:yes: :yes: :yes: :yes:

[poltroon]

There are so many books I would love to re-read, as many of these mentioned above I read as a child, but would love to read as a still horse-crazy adult. Is there a place for such a thing or if not, could we start a book share/swap...recipient would be responsible for any and all shipping charges ,of course, unless maybe it was a swap. :yes: I have several horsey books, not sure if anyone would be interested in them or not. I personally would LOVE to re-read The Horsemasters...alas cannot afford it on e-bay or anywhere else for that matter. Whadaya think? :D

Lynn

I would suggest starting out at your local library. The juvenile titles especially are pretty easy to find, and you will have a lot of fun learning about the miracle of inter-library loan and being able to draw books from anywhere in your library system. I am systematically devouring everything horse-related in Sonoma/Mendocino/Lake which is thankfully a pretty large collection. The catalog is even online, so I can order books just like at Amazon. :D

Even if your local system doesn't have a particular book, if you speak with your reference librarian you may be able to get copies from other library systems.

[poltroon]

Another one, quite obscure, that I liked recently was A Rumour of Otters (http://www.ponydom.com/books/book.html?id=350) by Deborah Savage. Alexa lives on a ranch in New Zealand and goes off on her own with her horse when she's excluded from the sheep muster because she's a girl. I picked it up randomly while waiting for my daughter to pick out The Perfect Book at the library and couldn't put it down.

I mentioned it earlier, but The Colonel and Me (http://www.ponydom.com/books/book.html?id=191) is one that reminded me of the wonderful A Horse Like Mr. Ragman (http://www.ponydom.com/books/book.html?id=162).

[Reynard Ridge]

Oh how I wish I'd never donated the bulk of my collection to the library of the horse camp I attended way back when. G&T

And yet, imagine that those books were read by hundreds of horse crazy little girls, who are now passing that joy on to their children. I, for one, am glad you donated them. :yes: I so want these books to live on for my children!

As for Miracle of Sage Valley, I'm sure I'll be home for the holidays at some point, I will do my due diligence and see if I can round up the copy. It's been a few decades and I'm ready for a re-read. :D

(Oh, and sorry about the chicken typo - too much vino, I suspect!)

[Lizzie Skyrocket]

Yes, "The Beautiful Jim Key" is fascinating. It's non-fiction & I had never heard his story before. Excellent suggestion.Previously I & many others recommended some of Marguerite Henry's books. She was a class act. Years ago, I sent her my childhood editions of Album of Horses, Misty of C & Black Gold for her to autograph for my young daughter...here's what she inscribed in Misty...To Hannah: May you enjoy Phantom, Pied Piper and Misty's story as much as your Mother did. Fondly, Marguerite Henry May 18, 1991 ( w/ a little horseshow drawing)

[ptownevt]

That was Little Black, A Pony by Walter Farley. Loved that book!

OMG! How could I forget that one?! That was the first book I read all by myself, cover to cover. I got it for Christmas when I was in first grade. I bought another copy on Ebay a few years ago because my copy was falling apart.

Then there is Lea's Pony written by Elizabeth Friedrich, illustrated by Michael Garland. Beautiful picture book set in the Dust Bowl.

And, Joe and the Gladiator, by Catherine Cookson. A wonderful juvenile fiction novel about a boy who cares for an old, "worthless" horse left to him by an old man against the best advice of everyone, including the vet. Great story!

This thread is so much fun.
Pam

[War Admiral]

I'll tell you one that I adored as a child & have never EVER been able to find a copy of since... Challenger by Patsey Gray. Anyone remember that one?

[Tory Relic]

As a child I devoured everything by CW Anderson and Walter Farley.
My favorite instructional book from that era was "The Complete Book of Horses and Ponies" by Margaret Cabell Self.

As an adult:

Favorite fiction: Hot Money, by Dick Francis.
Favorite instructional: Common Sense Dressage by Sally O'Connor.
Favorite non-fiction: Ruffian: Burning from the Start.

[Slewdledo]

Oh, my gosh!!! How could I forget ROBERT THE ROSE HORSE?!!!!

[Groom&Taxi]

And yet, imagine that those books were read by hundreds of horse crazy little girls, who are now passing that joy on to their children. I, for one, am glad you donated them. :yes: I so want these books to live on for my children!

As for Miracle of Sage Valley, I'm sure I'll be home for the holidays at some point, I will do my due diligence and see if I can round up the copy. It's been a few decades and I'm ready for a re-read. :D

(Oh, and sorry about the chicken typo - too much vino, I suspect!)

Well, I googled "Sage Valley Janet Randall" and got a hit at a used book site where the blurb included the name of the girl - "Pat Regan" - and the ranch - "Banner Ranch". These SOUND familiar enough to be right so I went ahead and ordered the book - very excited to receive it and find out for sure. Of course, dd had to order another half dozen books she wants to read - several Jean Slaughter Dotys, a Sam Savitt (love, love, love his illustrations!) - we should have happy reading over Thanksgiving!

Thanks mucho for your assistance!!
G&T

[ModelBehavior]

As a teenager my favorite is The Perfect Distance and the Pine Hollow Series. I have reread my Saddle Club books a million times. I like horse books about real riders and real people. I hated the Pony Pal books because they were all perfect. The Saddle Club and Pine Hollow are real.

[Reynard Ridge]

Excellent! Would you mind letting me know if it was in fact the book you remember? I'm just curious.

[appaloosalady]

WooHoo!! I won the copy of Scarlet Royal I was bidding on on Ebay. Can't wait to read it again and let my girls read it!

[Wellspotted]

Originally posted by Slewdledo:
a book where the protagonist is named Linda and her horse is Chica d'Oro. Anyone read that one?


an-eye-for-books.com lists a Linda Craig series about a girl named Linda and her horse, Chica d'Oro. The book on the website is The Secret of Rancho del Sol. The author seems to be Linda Craig.

The site lists another book that sounds really interesting but I've never heard of it--Ponies All Summer, by Judith Berrisford.

Ever read it?

[Mtn trails]

Anyone hear of a book called "Blitz, the Story of a Horse"? About a horse raised on a farm, sold as a fire horse, falls on hard times, and gets back to a young boy who loves him and saves the day once again? I loved that story and must have read it 10 times.

Also, "Smokey the Cowhorse" by Will James
"Old Bones" about the Eliminator

Love those old horse books

[miraclewelsh]

WooHoo!! I won the copy of Scarlet Royal I was bidding on on Ebay. Can't wait to read it again and let my girls read it!

Ooh, that's a good book. :-) Have fun with it.

[Event4Life]

OMG, I loved The Palomino, and The Black Stallion series. I loved the Thoroughbred Books up until about book 30(I'm not going to lie, I liked the Eventing ones as much as the racing ones, but when Christina started racing they got too repetitive and screwed up alot).

Anyone from England- Do you remember the Jill books? About Jill and her friends who had all these horsey adventures like trekking, training Wild ponies, having a ghymkana, and there was one where they trained the 2 sisters who they thought didnt know how to ride to ride, but as it turned out they did know how(sounds weird, but it was a good story). I loved those series, my aunt gave me all her old copies.

I also loved all the Nancy Drew horse mysteries. My two favorite types of books combined in one!

[Wellspotted]

Old Bones: The Wonder Horse - about Exterminator, winner of the 1918 Kentucky Derby

The Bobbsey Twins on the Pony Trail

[kansasgal]

Well, there are so many wonderful horse books.
One I haven't seen mentioned so far is titled, I think, Snowman
It's the true story of the famous jumper Snowman, and his rider.
I think I probably checked it out of my elementary school library 10 times.
Loved that one.

Right now my favorite instructional book is Lessons With Lendon ( dressage)

Thanks and best wishes,

[Groom&Taxi]

Excellent! Would you mind letting me know if it was in fact the book you remember? I'm just curious.

Absolutely, I will let you know - heck, if it turns out to be the book, I'll give you my firstborn - though you'd be wise to turn her down - as a 14yo, she would be helpful with the ponies but is not into "wee ones", and I don't think the China gig would be her cup of "tea" either. :lol:

G&T

[poltroon]

Anyone from England- Do you remember the Jill books? About Jill and her friends who had all these horsey adventures like trekking, training Wild ponies, having a ghymkana, and there was one where they trained the 2 sisters who they thought didnt know how to ride to ride, but as it turned out they did know how(sounds weird, but it was a good story). I loved those series, my aunt gave me all her old copies.

I also loved all the Nancy Drew horse mysteries. My two favorite types of books combined in one!

The Jill books are pretty good... many have edged their way across the pond.

If you like mysteries and horse books, there are quite a few out there. My favorite of those would be the Laura Crum books about Gail McCarthy, mystery-solving Santa Cruz veterinarian (http://www.ponydom.com/books/results.html?author=Laura%20Crum).

[saddleup]

"The Goose Girl" by Shannon Hale. This is technically a young adult book, but it's so good. The main character has a horse, and a unique relationship.

I love this book.

[minnie]

Wow! I can't believe so many people are coming up with the obscure books I've read. Blitz, Beyond Rope and Fence and a few others! Some more of my favorites were Top Kick, Three to Ride, the Gypsy series, Born to Race and a bunch I can't remember the titles of. Absolutely loved the Wild Swan, Swan's Chance and A Season of Swans trilogy. Have read them over and over. A couple more good reads are Bluegrass, Big Red of Meadow Stable and the almost unbelieveable Wild Ride which is the story of the rise and fall of Calumet.