HORSE BOOKS-What did you read as a child?

[War_Admiral]

[QUOTE=HenryisBlaisin’;5107049]
I KNOW I own this book. I cannot for the life of me think of the name of it, and most of my horse books are packed away at the moment. I REALLY want to say it’s “A Horse Of Her Own” but not 100% sure. It’s blueish (lavender), has a picture of girl and dark bay horse on the front…[/QUOTE]

Nope, you’ve got your titles confused. A Horse of Her Own is by Selma Hudnut, it’s about Rosemary and Irish, the Oirish TB in California at the fox-hunting barn.

I don’t THINK I have the Bones one anymore but hang on and I’ll go check! I agree w/ Rockfordbuckeye that it’s not called Bones, it’s called something else…

ETA: FOUND IT. I do still have it! It’s called Last Hurdle and it’s by MK Brown.

And I bet the reason HenryIsBlaisin’ mixed the titles up is b/c the sequel to A Horse Of Her Own is Irish Hurdles (and it’s a much better book if you’re lucky enough to find a copy!)

[HenryisBlaisin]

Not the one I’m thinking of

[QUOTE=War Admiral;5107055]
Nope, you’ve got your titles confused. A Horse of Her Own is by Selma Hudnut, it’s about Rosemary and Irish, the Oirish TB in California at the fox-hunting barn.

I don’t THINK I have the Bones one anymore but hang on and I’ll go check! I agree w/ Rockfordbuckeye that it’s not called Bones, it’s called something else…

ETA: FOUND IT. I do still have it! It’s called Last Hurdle and it’s by MK Brown.

And I bet the reason HenryIsBlaisin’ mixed the titles up is b/c the sequel to A Horse Of Her Own is Irish Hurdles (and it’s a much better book if you’re lucky enough to find a copy!)[/QUOTE]

No, that’s definitely not it…this one wasn’t written in 1953!

Girl wants horse but can’t afford lessons…Get neighbor to let her take care of Bones, she learns to ride at the same time she breaks him, friend gets her to show him b/c he’s an awesome jumper, horse gets hurt but is able to jump, friend tries to talk her into going in Advanced as there’s an open space, but she says no because he was hurt, and the old man gives him to her.

Found it; i was right about the title-it’s by Joanna Campbell: A Horse of Her Own

[two_sticks]

Anyone? Anyone? This is driving me crazy!!!

@two sticks;5105847

I read a series as a young teen that was my absolute favorite- I can’t for the life of me remember the author or titles.

It was not Saddle Club, Pine Hollow, or Thoroughbred.

I think it was about a group of girls at summer camp. (Maybe high school though). My memory is very fuzzy, but in one book one of the girls gets in an accident with her horse (hit by a car?) and is traumatized. Later in the book (or maybe a following book?) the other girls sneak in somewhere to make her watch a tape of her winning a big competition with her horse before the accident.

Did anyone else read these? I’m dying to figure it out! Thanks!

[rockfordbuckeye]

[QUOTE=HenryisBlaisin’;5107119]
Found it; i was right about the title-it’s by Joanna Campbell: A Horse of Her Own[/QUOTE]

Ah that’s it! I recognize the cover! And the horse was a “boring bay.” Loved this book I used to always dream my neighbor would buy a horse and then ignore it so I could rescue it and have my own horse. Lol.

[wilbur77]

The summer camp books I think are the. Silver creek riders series by beth kincaid. Hope that’s what you’re looking for!

[Lucassb]

This is one of my favorite threads ever, so glad to see it revived!

I am still searching for this book:

Originally Posted by Lucassb
The one book that haunts me a bit though is about a young man who inherits a farm where there used to be racehorses trained. When he arrives it is in shambles and most of the assets have been seized for back taxes or something, but the old caretaker/trainer has hidden away a few colts from the last crop - which of course this guy and his best friend (Dave?) raise and then race, to much success. I have tried for YEARS to find this book again, but since I cannot remember the title or the author… no luck. Anyone know the book I’m referencing?

[QUOTE=poltroon;3713920]
This isn’t familiar so far, but:

• Set in America?
• What time period (roughly)?
• can you remember any of the names of the horses?
• About how long is it? Novel? Was it illustrated?[/QUOTE]

Poltroon, in the better late than never category:

Yes, I am pretty sure it was set in America, I think somewhere in the south.
Not terribly sure of the time period… I was in my teens when I read it, so mid 70’s, if that helps at all.

I don’t remember the names of the horses, but it was a novel. If there were illustrations they weren’t major - at least not that I recall.

The story starts out with the main character, a young man, coming “home” to a property he has inherited. For some reason I think his name might have been Jim but I’m not 100% sure on that. It is clear he hasn’t been there in many years, if ever before. The property is completely overgrown and in total disarray.

There is a caretaker, an older man, who hid away a few of the best colts from the last foal crop - keeping alive the breeding that was done by the young man’s father? uncle? something like that. I seem to recall the others were all taken to settle taxes or something, and the caretaker put himself at some risk to hide the couple of horses that were kept.

The guy is not a horseman, knows nothing about racing. Caretaker teaches him how to care for and ride a racehorse. (One line I remember to this day is, “You don’t use a hard brush on a hot blood’s leg, son,” which has been in my head ever since!!

At some point, the guy’s best friend shows up - IIRC his name was Dave. Dave takes one colt, main character takes the other. Caretaker puts them both in training, and of course they are both fine racehorses because the bloodlines he so carefully preserved were valuable, etc. He has kept the best of the best.

They race the horses with some success, and are very competitive. Final big race arrives and caretaker instructs one of the guys to go out fast, set a blazing pace that will burn up the competition, so the other colt can win. Lots of drama.

I have looked and looked and looked for that book for years with no success. Does it ring a bell with anyone? I would pay a lot to have another copy!!

[genevieveg17]

Little Black, A Pony. Loved that book when I was a kid. There was a series of adventures.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/0760721920/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books

[keepthelegend]

[QUOTE=concerto;3715875]
Does anyone recall a series called Blue Ribbon series?

I remember that they go to a riding camp (in vermont maybe?) and the one horse is named Night Owl?

I’ve read through this thread and really enjoyed it!

Anybody read Sky Rocket, story of little bay horse?[/QUOTE]

I think I remember this book…was there another horse called Northern Spy?

[two_sticks]

@wilbur77;5108153

The summer camp books I think are the. Silver creek riders series by beth kincaid. Hope that’s what you’re looking for!

YES!!! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!

[system]

Riders

[QUOTE=appychick59;3651205]
I’m with you there Yikes! I think I read it at about 14 too.:D[/QUOTE]

Haha! Me too! I was a pretty sheltered kid so I was like. . . OMG! Does anyone know if it was based on real events? In the horse show world nothing would surprise me now. . .

[system]

[QUOTE=SarahandSam;3673137]
I just like how every book thread on COTH turns into a “I hate John Steinbeck now!” “Me too!” conversation as soon as “Red Pony” comes up. d;[/QUOTE]

TOTALLY!!! I had to read that book in the 7th grade and my horse GOT SHINGLES AT THE SAME TIME!!! It killed me!

[system]

[QUOTE=BlueBobRadar;3662903]
Lots! Of course, I’m still 15, so I’m still reading them all.

-Billy & Blaze
-Anything by M. O’Henry, Jean Slaughter Doty and Dorothy Lyons
-The Black Stallion Books
-National & International Velvet
-Pony Pals
-Saddle Club
-Thouroughbred series
-The Judge & the Junior Exhibitor by Eric Hatch
-The Horse Show by Pat Johnson
-A Very Young Rider
-The Perfect Distance
-Show Rider by Lynn Haney
-El Blanco-The Legend of the White Stallion
-The Wild Arabian
-The Ghost Pony/The Mystery of Pony Hollow (2 diff. titles)
-The Horse Lovers Handbook
-Casey the Utterly Impossible Horse
-Take Care of Dexter (or “Dexter”)
-Lost Pony or “Somebody’s Pony”
-Basil & Maggie!!! I love this book!!!
-The Horse that Brings the Milk Around
-Bonnie Bess the Weathervane Horse

Sorry, but I love to read so I went looking for my favorites! There are many more, I’m sure. I love old horse books!! Just curious, Show Rider was about a junior rider in the 1980’s, kind of like A Very Young Rider, who showed in Junior Hunters and was starting to show in the Big Eq. She had a chestnut named Cinema 1 and by the end of the book she moved to Joy Farms to ride with ride w/ Rita Tempanaro(sp?). I looked back through the book because I was wondering if anyone knew how she ended up doing in the rest of her junior career. Wow that was looooong! Sorry;)[/QUOTE]

Sorry, I have no idea how she ended up but thank you for mentioning that book! My trainer gave it to me and I still have it!

[system]

I read the Thoroughbred series, the Saddle Club series, and A Horse of her Own, but my absolute favorite was A VERY YOUNG RIDER. I read that book over and over and over again!
Also:
Show Circuit
Riders
and
there was a CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE book called Showdown that was about horse shows and I still have that one too!

[Pennywell_Bay]

The whole Black Stallion Series. And a series about Dragon who I think was an Appy…I read ANYTHING horse.

[ElementFarm]

The Blue Ribbon series was great. 6 books that delt with the challenges of the eventing world, but also about being a teenager and having boyfriend/parent/adulthood challenges.

I looooved all the Jean (Slaughter) Doty books: The Crumb would make me cry every time. I loved Summer Pony and Winter Pony, but my absolute favorite was Monday Horses. The Monday Horses is the most realistic account of showing the circuit in any kids book I’ve read. Nothing drives me more crazy than the children’s books that have the kid who’s been riding a month start jumping 3-foot jumps and winning. Or the non-appropriate breed being shown and winning in whatever division… (not to be a snob here, but you know what I mean)

Everyday Friends - by Lucy Diggs- I love how it is relatively realistic about the show scene. Accurate details, good story, well written.

The Year of the Horse. Took me several reads to figure out that Red ribbons are First Place in Canada, and then it made more sense. The sequel wasn’t as good.

Summer of the White Stallion or something like that was a good one written about a city kid learning to ride and show, and a boy who hides a herd of Arabians in the park. Older book, but written in an interesting style. a

All the Sunbonnet series books were good.
Tic Tac was a favorite.
The Something Special Horse was sad but great.

Of course, like everyone else, I’ve read all the Black Stallion books a zillion times, and all the Anderson books. I love Joanna Cambell, but never really got into the Thoroughbred series. I did really like Star of Shadowbrook Farm though.

I’ve started quite a collection of Children’s Horse Books, and after reading through this thread, I can’t wait to go home and re-read some of my old favorites.

[vacation1]

It’s not exactly a children’s book, but one horse book I recall fondly is “A Dark Horse” by Rumer Godden, about a racehorse in colonial India.

[QUOTE=Pennywell Bay;5108945]
And a series about Dragon who I think was an Appy…I read ANYTHING horse.[/QUOTE]

Lynn Hall’s Dragon books - another entry in the already bulging category of “Horse Books That Gave Me Nightmares.” Remember the attack of the vampire bats?:lol:

@ElementFarm;5108959

The Year of the Horse. Took me several reads to figure out that Red ribbons are First Place in Canada, and then it made more sense.

:o It took me years to figure that out, reading Brit horsey books. Why all the glum about a blue? Huh? Eventually I found a character who explicitly said something like “Fiddlesticks, this blue ribbon means I’ve placed second, behind Penelope with the glorious red ribbon which means she’s won the first place!”

[headsupheelsdown]

[QUOTE=llsc;3650820]
Does anyone remember a book about a girl who hides a horse named Highboy in an abandoned stable next to her house? She works to buy his food and doesn’t tell her parents about him?[/QUOTE]

Yes! Wish I could remember!

They stole him from “the pound” in the middle of the night and they cut the lawn of the abandoned estate for hay. Her friend’s parents end up buying the old house and they get to keep him!

Ahhhh… I see others have answered! The Secret Horse. I can’t believe others have read these books, I thought I was the only one! Especially Great Heart!
I have got to get Summer Pony and Winter Pony. A Very Young Rider.

Wow, going down memory lane…

[Judi_Z]

I am trying to track down a girl named Sandy who was at Ted Wahl’s Round Hill Farm in June of 1957. I have a copy of Hanover’s Wishing Star which is inscribed to “Sandy” by Nancy Caffrey, Karen Ann McGuire, and Ted Wahl. Also a couple other people. From the inscriptions it sounds like Sandy got hurt because everyone is wishing her a speedy recovery. Any ideas? Other names inscribing the book are Hank Minchin, Eddie Minchin, and Mary Stollenwerck. Thanks!

[fordtraktor]

Aw. I love this thread. I recently ordered and just started reading “can I get there by candlelight?” with my kids. One of my favorites! Also ordered “Lad of Sunnybrook” for them…for anyone who likes collies.

[MintHillFarm]

Glad this thread from 8 years ago was bumped up! So many new horse books to read, Amazon has a ton, always fun to fall in love with new horses stories.