Favourite horsey grown up books

Huggy

Huggy

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Nov 11, 2018
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What's your all time favourite horsey "grown up" book? I'm re-reading Monica Dickens "Talking of Horses..." Just love this book, it's what helped me to decide as a mid thirties grown woman, to get on with it, and experience owning my very own horse. The opening lines " Come to the stable. Come to where the horses are, and the sweet grainy, pungent smells." still makes me want to go up to the field and hug myself (and the horses!) And the closing lines "You and your horse. His strength and beauty. Your knowledge and patience and determination. And understanding. And love. That's what fuses the two of you into this marvellous partnership that makes you wonder, what can heaven offer any better than what you have here on earth?" It's also very, very funny, and a bit dated, but a brilliant read. Sadly, I think it's out of print. I read it first from the library and a few year later pounced on it in a charity shop. Best 25p I've ever spent!
 
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Oh Monica Dickens! I had the Follyfoot and World's End books, they were brilliant. I was much more into those than Enid Blyton!
My most recent horsey buy was The Lost Horses of Cairo which is about Dorothy Brooke and the history of the Brooke horse charity. It's a great read although heartbreaking in places.
Seabiscuit is good too.
I have also loved some famous rider autobiographies. Mark Todd, Andrew Nicholson and William Fox-Pitt have brilliant ones (actually I think Mark Todd has done two now, but I have only read his first one).
I got Charlotte duJardin's one for Christmas which is also a thoroughly good read and I don't even like dressage.
 
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joosie said:
Oh Monica Dickens! I had the Follyfoot and World's End books, they were brilliant. I was much more into those than Enid Blyton!
My most recent horsey buy was The Lost Horses of Cairo which is about Dorothy Brooke and the history of the Brooke horse charity. It's a great read although heartbreaking in places.
Seabiscuit is good too.
I have also loved some famous rider autobiographies. Mark Todd, Andrew Nicholson and William Fox-Pitt have brilliant ones (actually I think Mark Todd has done two now, but I have only read his first one).
I got Charlotte duJardin's one for Christmas which is also a thoroughly good read and I don't even like dressage.
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I did have an ulterior motive with this thread - to find some new books I can read! :p keep em coming!
 
Well let me list what else is on my bookshelf then!
Whole load of Dick Francis novels, I think I have about 3/4 of them. My favourites are Shattered, Bloodsport, Whip Hand, In The Frame but they are all bloody good! You can't beat a Dick Francis. I started nicking them off my mum's bookshelf when I was about 10 so it's been a long love affair! In the same vein I also have Taking The Fall and Narrowing The Field which are fictional novels by the jockey Tony McCoy.
Where Did I go by Polly Williamson, an event rider who survived a near-fatal TBI.
The Horse Whisperer by Nicholas Evans. The movie was ok but the book is brilliant. He is so good at character development.
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater. It's a fantasy so not what I'd normally read but I found it at a book exchange and thought why not since it was free.
The Hearts of Horses by Molly Gloss.
Then I've got all the usual ones. Warhorse, Seabiscuit, Black Beauty, National Velvet, Misty of Chincoteague, The Horse And His Boy (CS Lewis).
That's it!
 
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fourlegs said:
Not one book but a series of books by Mark Rashid , A Good Horse is Never a Bad Color, Horses Never Lie, Considering the Horse, Life Lessons from a Ranch Horse, etc.
Beautifully told stories about horses, what they can teach us and how to "be" with horses.
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Haven't heard of those - now on my list!
 
joosie said:
Well let me list what else is on my bookshelf then!
Whole load of Dick Francis novels, I think I have about 3/4 of them. My favourites are Shattered, Bloodsport, Whip Hand, In The Frame but they are all bloody good! You can't beat a Dick Francis. I started nicking them off my mum's bookshelf when I was about 10 so it's been a long love affair! In the same vein I also have Taking The Fall and Narrowing The Field which are fictional novels by the jockey Tony McCoy.
Where Did I go by Polly Williamson, an event rider who survived a near-fatal TBI.
The Horse Whisperer by Nicholas Evans. The movie was ok but the book is brilliant. He is so good at character development.
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater. It's a fantasy so not what I'd normally read but I found it at a book exchange and thought why not since it was free.
The Hearts of Horses by Molly Gloss.
Then I've got all the usual ones. Warhorse, Seabiscuit, Black Beauty, National Velvet, Misty of Chincoteague, The Horse And His Boy (CS Lewis).
That's it!
Click to expand...
Agree The Horsewhisperer book was so much better than the film. Have never read dick francis - so many people love them, maybe I should give them a try. .
 
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I have 3 of the Rashid books - A Good Horse Is Never A Bad Colour, Horses Never Lie, and Considering The Horse. All in good condition. I don't necessarily agree with Rashid at times but yes they are very good books. If you Paypal me a fiver to cover postage you can have them!
 
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Horse Follow Closely by Gawani Pony Boy. He's not really native American I don't think, but it's a beautiful book, and the photos are stunning. Angel Horses by Allen and Linda Anderson. Dark Horses and Black Beauties by Melissa Holbrook Pierson. "If my particular passion ever kills me, it won't be because I was on a horses back. It will be because I was gaping out my car window at some horse standing innocently in a field or backyard when I was supposed to be paying attention to the road." That's me alright. ;)
 
joosie said:
I have 3 of the Rashid books - A Good Horse Is Never A Bad Colour, Horses Never Lie, and Considering The Horse. All in good condition. I don't necessarily agree with Rashid at times but yes they are very good books. If you Paypal me a fiver to cover postage you can have them!
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I might take you up on that. Must look him up - haven't heard of him.
 
Another Rashid book, A Journey to Softness. Not so much about horses but more about how you are with horses - includes a series of comments by other professionals who talk about how softness helps in their profession.

Rashid is now into Aikido and uses it with horses - certainly his ideas of softness starting with your intention have made a big difference to my riding - not that I was ever harsh in my approach, but now I do everything starting by being soft - even before approaching the horse.
 
Collect old riding and Horse books.Silver Eagles any by Primrose cummings also anything B L Nearly and Caroline And ill events trilogy
 
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I have a few in behaviour and psychology.
Partly started The Nature of Horses.
I really must update the thread with that old book I have yet to do.
 
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