All the Pretty Horses by Susan Jeffers
http://themarlowebookshelf.blogspot.com/2012/06/all-pretty-horses.html
I read that every night for years. And it was originally published in 1974. I think I got it for my 5th birthday.
Well since this has been bumped up I’ll use the opportunity to see if anyone remembers this story, I think I read it in an anthology of short horse stories.
The story was set in a camp or in some place where there were many young girls. The horse in the story was considered ugly by the girls and no one wanted to ride him. I’m pretty sure he had lost an eye.
At some point a man came to the camp and turned the ugly horse into what may have been describing a dressage horse (or other well trained discipline) and of course then everyone wanted to ride him. The upshot of the story is of course, to look for the beauty within.
I want to say the horse’s name was Jake.
Keep in mind I may be off in some of the details as it was long ago that I read it. I’ve been trying to find a copy of this story for 30 years with no luck.
Has anyone else even ever read the story? No one I’ve ever talked to remembers it. I’m starting to think I imagined the whole thing.
[QUOTE=cowgirljenn;6603517]
When I was in middle school, there was a book in the school library about a girl whose dad worked at a private girl’s school so she got to attend and ride the horses there. There was a horse she loved and either wanted to show or got to show and I believe the horse gets bought by one of the other girls.
I just realized that’s really vague and I SO wish I could remember more about the book so I could find it again. I must have checked it out of the library a dozen times.
Now I want to go look over all my books that I either kept from childhood or ended up buying as an adult… and I want to sit in my big comfy chair and start reading![/QUOTE]
The book was called ‘Jubilee’. And I’m drawing a blank on the author right now . . .
One of my very favorites was called ‘Away Went Galloper’ about a vintage rocking horse that turned into a real horse and took kids on adventures.
LOVED this book! Still have my copy, too. 
There was a book I read in 7th grade (IIRC) I wish I could remember the name of. I think it was factual- an account of some kids that kept horses in their back yards and did some showing. I vaguely remember pictures of wooded pastures and run-in shed like barns. It gave me hope that horsekeeping could really be done on a budget.
Anyone remember Smokey the Cowhorse or King of the Wind?
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[QUOTE=Brooklyn Born;7459977]
Anyone remember Smokey the Cowhorse or King of the Wind?[/QUOTE]
I think I speak for everyone here when I say we ALL remember King of the Wind. :yes: My favorite Marguerite Henry book and I know it’s the favorite of many, many others as well.
In the Epilogue Henry writes so movingly and eloquently about the grave of “Sham” and how time had washed away the inscription on the marker. Photo of the Godolphin Arabian’s grave here:
http://www.tbheritage.com/TurfHallmarks/Graves/cem/GraveMattersWandlebury.html
[QUOTE=Brooklyn Born;7459977]
Anyone remember Smokey the Cowhorse or King of the Wind?[/QUOTE]
I had a cat that I named Grimalkin in honor of the cat in “King of the Wind”.
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Odd coinkydink that Caroline Akrill wrote a book called Riding Lessons and then its sequel, Flying Changes. 20 years later Sara Gruen wrote two books of the same names.
[QUOTE=shakeytails;7459973]
There was a book I read in 7th grade (IIRC) I wish I could remember the name of. I think it was factual- an account of some kids that kept horses in their back yards and did some showing. I vaguely remember pictures of wooded pastures and run-in shed like barns. It gave me hope that horsekeeping could really be done on a budget.[/QUOTE]
Light Horsekeeping? Lots of pictures, light style - but yes, nonfiction? I forget the author, but was one of the people a father who was a pilot, and it talks about how well he can navigate through clouds and fly by instruments alone and find airports, yet for a few years, he hasn’t been able to get into his own garage?
ETA: By Helen Mather. 1970. The reviews on Amazon are specific enough that you’d be sure that’s the one if it is. One new one for $1000, but used ones in used condition are $3ish.
dressagetraks, I think that’s the one! I must have chcked it out from the library about a dozen times. Thanks!
I have Smokey the Cowhorse
Re read it last summer when I bought it at a yard sale. Also bought The Black Stallion and the Girl, which I had forgotten does not have much of a happy ending.
Luckily, my DH gets it.
[QUOTE=2ndyrgal;7460815]
Re read it last summer when I bought it at a yard sale. Also bought The Black Stallion and the Girl, which I had forgotten does not have much of a happy ending.[/QUOTE]
Had you known that Farley wrote it after his own daughter died in a car accident in Europe?
Mr. Farley and his wife Rosemary, had four children: Pam, Alice, Steve, and Tim, whom they raised on a farm in Pennsylvania and in a beach house in Florida. In addition to human members, the family at various times included Arabian horses, Standardbreds (racing trotters and pacers), a Great Dane, an Australian terrier, and Siamese cats. There was always at least one horse in the backyard. In 1968 Pam Farley was killed in a car crash in Europe at the age of 20. Mr. Farley memorialized her free spirit and love of horses in THE BLACK STALLION® AND THE GIRL.
http://theblackstallion.com/web/author/
Makes the ending even more sad! 
The Black Stallion Legend begins with the fictional Pam’s death.
The Blaze books were always my favorite!
I loved the Billy and Blaze series. My memories are not of reading them, but having the librarian read them to the class as a group and show the pictures. I loved to draw horses after seeing those wonderful pictures.
I also read King of the Wind (a favourite) Smokey the Cowhorse and so many others.
What about the series with “Pagan the Black” and “Fabulous”. I forget who, but it was a female author. The story ended with the young man wanting to marry his adopted sister. I remember liking these books very much and this is probably what made me so fond of Appaloosas.
Definitely King of the Wind is a favourite, but I’m also very fond of Born to Trot and White Stallion of Lippizza. Also loved looking at the pictures in Album of Horses. Own nice hard covers of all of them.
Also, the book that cowgirljenn is looking for is actually titled “Crofton Meadows”. The author is Joan Houston. Thoroughbred1201 was definitely on the right track, though - the horse’s name is Jubilee.
After reading this thread, I dragged out my box of C.W. Anderson books, and have ploughed through High Courage, Bobcat, Afraid to Ride, A Filly for Joan and Salute in the last few days.
[QUOTE=paulosey;7461659]
I…
What about the series with “Pagan the Black” and “Fabulous”. I forget who, but it was a female author. The story ended with the young man wanting to marry his adopted sister. I remember liking these books very much and this is probably what made me so fond of Appaloosas.[/QUOTE]
Dorothy Potter Benedict – Pagan, the Black; Fabulous (about POAs (and further adventures of the Seaton family)); and Bandoleer, where Misty and Sandy are growing up with changed feelings for each other, as you noted.
Great trilogy.
Smokey is one of my favorite books and was made into a rather good movie. Fess Parker, TV’s Daniel Boone, played Smokey’s human very well.
I have been trying to remember the name of this book for so long - I hope I can convey the story in the description. I read it in 5th grade I think.
It’s about a very chubby girl who is sisters with a rodeo queen who is very slim and loved by everyone. She gets a black horse, I think its name was Crow? And she starts to ride. Something about getting bloodied on trail…getting caught in the rain…then at the end of the story she wins some big barrel race. She realizes that with all of her riding she’s lost a ton of weight and now she’s awesome.
I’m not sure that will help, but maybe it will jog someone’s memory.
Ok here’s the mystery book I can not remember the title of:
This is a [mystery?] book, about a group of kids [a couple girls and a couple boys?] who get a [Circus?] horse that they keep at a fairgrounds… the horse is either an app or a dapple or flea bit grey… and there’s some sort of mystery they solve… either because of the horse or about the horse…?
I know, vague and probably half of it wrong, but if anyone will remember it… well this is probably the place to find that person, right?
