Horsey fiction for grown-ups?

Virago

Virago

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Nov 8, 2006
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I don't have a lot of spare time but, when I can grab a few mins, I like to unwind with a book and a hot, bubbly bath...

I was thinking the other day that there's been a few threads on here about horsey books we had as children (the 'Jill' books etc) but what about now we are all growed up? Does anyone have any recommendations of good horsey fiction books written for adults? (Please not The Horse Whisperer - read it a few years ago and hated it!)

Many thanks.
 
Oh i loved the Jill books as a child Ruby Ferguson was a fabulous writer.

I read them all again when my daughter had them when she was 12 she is now 29.

And do you know I would love to read them all again.

Blackboy and Rapide, were my idols at 11 LOL.

Try Caroline Ackrill, she is a good horsey author, with a good sense of fun. Not quite a Horsewoman as a good book,

Good Luck in your search and thanks for the memory.

Oh and what about Wish for a pony Monica Dickens I enjoyed that as well. And the PullenThompsons, Pat Smythe, But good old Ruby was my favorite.
 
I didnt like the horse whisperer either - way too much sex and not enough horses for me! If you are interested in nh, i quite enjoyed monty roberts book "the man who listens to horses" but if you dont like him, you wont like the book. When i was younger I was really into the saddle club books, now im older i have recently discovered the tv series of it online and i want to read the books again now! I also had the "riders" series by samantha alexander which i loved when i was about 13 but at 21 I still read them every now and again, yes they are young, but they are so much fun and innocent :) I also got Blind Beauty recently but could not get into it. I have War Horse (cant remember who by and am going to start that soon, i have been delayed by harry potter!
 
HollyD said:
I didnt like the horse whisperer either - way too much sex and not enough horses for me! If you are interested in nh, i quite enjoyed monty roberts book "the man who listens to horses" but if you dont like him, you wont like the book. When i was younger I was really into the saddle club books, now im older i have recently discovered the tv series of it online and i want to read the books again now! I also had the "riders" series by samantha alexander which i loved when i was about 13 but at 21 I still read them every now and again, yes they are young, but they are so much fun and innocent :) I also got Blind Beauty recently but could not get into it. I have War Horse (cant remember who by and am going to start that soon, i have been delayed by harry potter!
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War Horse is by Michael Morpurgo- its a very good read:D
 
I'm reading 'Horse Heaven' by Jane Smiley ... it's really good (about racing though) ... and she has another called 'A thousand Acres' which I haven't read ... and I think it's more about incest than horses ... so maybe I won't bother ?
 
They are indeed Baggy - I remember reading them when I was little (even littler) and they are great. Very old now, probably a glimpse of history :D
 
There is a book called Chosen By a Horse, by Susan Richards, which has gotten some great reviews. I saw it when I was waiting at the airport, and was going to pick it up, but you know the prices of things there. So I'm going to search my library for it.

ETA: Riding Lessons, by Sara Gruen, although I see Roheryn has already beat me to it. :)
 
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Well, I just reread Billy and Blaze last night, and tonight I've been reading Walter Farley's Man o' War ...

But as for good horsey books for grown-ups ...

I love The Show Gypsies by Leigh Brown
National Velvet, of course

Some of Mazo de la Roche's Jalna novels (not horse books per se, but some of the main characters are quite horsey and there are some good horsey bits, besides which the books are very well written and page-turners)

The Fox in the Cupboard by Jane Shilling (nonfiction)
In the Presence of Horses by Barbara Dimmick

Riding Lessons and Flying Changes by Sara Gruen

Horseplay by Judy Reene Singer
 
I was going to put up In the Presence of Horses...that is a great read! A little bit sad, but very good.

Also 'In the Pink' by Molly Watson is a good and funny read. It is about two sisters who take up Fox Hunting for a season to try and meet a man...it is funny and very horsey!

I just got done rereading all of the 'Jill' books and some Pullein-Thompson books as well. :D
 
i'm still reading the ones i had as a kid! i recently managed to find all 6 of the silver brumby books second hand and have been devouring them. i've also been rebuilding the collection of pullein-thompson books that i gave to charity when i was a terribly grownup 15 year old. :rolleyes: now i am 29 i am feverishly hunting them all down again.

would echo pat smythe's non-fiction books, they are fascinating. i've got jump for joy and flanagan my friend. also the PT's autobiography, fair girls and grey horses. it's on amazon in paperback.

i'm also keeping my eyes open for the jinny books, i never got into jill.
 
Mehitabel said:
i'm still reading the ones i had as a kid! i recently managed to find all 6 of the silver brumby books second hand and have been devouring them. i've also been rebuilding the collection of pullein-thompson books that i gave to charity when i was a terribly grownup 15 year old. :rolleyes: now i am 29 i am feverishly hunting them all down again.

would echo pat smythe's non-fiction books, they are fascinating. i've got jump for joy and flanagan my friend. also the PT's autobiography, fair girls and grey horses. it's on amazon in paperback.

i'm also keeping my eyes open for the jinny books, i never got into jill.
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Yay!! im not the only one was beginning to feel v sad as I do the same. Got some jinny books and saddle club on ebay so take a look there. they also have them sometimes on amazon (esp second hand) and on play.com(free delivery!)
 
Any rider biographies are good. I've got ones about Pippa Funnel, Ian Stark and Mark Todd. One of my faves has to be Up, Up and Away - the biography of Be Fair. My copy is very old and i'm not sure if you can still find it, will have to investigate.

Maybe not centred completely round horses but d i c k francis books are excellent (proof and straight being my personal faves). And i picked up a double pack of the Jenny Pitman books in asda for £2! yet to start reading them yet though.

ah yes! amazon appear to have copies of the lucinda prior-palmer book!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Up-Away-Luc...3465566?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1187168866&sr=1-3
 
I love travel memoirs and have immensely enjoyed all of Dervla Murphy's books especially the ones when she travels with mules: "Cameroon with Egbert" and "Eight feet in the Andes".

I'm going to look out for the Pat Smyth autobiographies - they sound excellent. Thank you.
 
Ooh, thanks for all the suggestions, guys. Keep 'em coming! I feel an expensive trip to my local bookshop and to Amazon coming on!

Sadly, I no longer have my 'Jill' books but I might look out for replacements in the local charity shops!
 
I would recommend any of Mark Rashid's books - they are so easy and relaxing to read and are autobiograhical. Although they are about 'natural horsemanship' (a field he is well respected in), they are a collection of stories about horses he has met and are written in a very laid back style so you don't realise you are learning. No gimmicks, just common sense (well, it's common sense the way he puts it!)

Although they don't read like non-fiction, if you prefer a (less directly horsey) thriller, try Jenny Maxwell. 'The Blacksmith' and then 'Iron Snakes' feature a female blacksmith as the lead character. They are part of a trilogy, and are very 'black' in places. I keep coming back to them though because the characters seem so strong.

Happy reading!
Fiona.
 
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