Anyone who enjoys reading horsey novels...

_MizElz_

_MizElz_

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Some of you may know that I am an aspiring part time writer! I have had numerous projects on the go over the years but I rarely manage to finish anything, mainly because I have a tendency to forgo one 'great idea' in favour of another, in spite of being half way through the first! Might explain why most of my success so far has been with short stories :rolleyes::o:p

Anyway, I have been a good girl this time and written myself a plan, but having read some perfectly awful horsey (and other) novels recently, I thought I would do a bit of 'market research' before I make too much headway. There is nothing I hate more than reading a novel, only to end up feeling that the plot is totally unbelievable and far fetched. (eg. girl becomes first woman + youngest jockey ever to win the Grand National, riding a rescued, one eyed mare. Hmmm.)
Of course, a hero/heroine has to achieve something incredible, but in my eyes, if you make the prize seem too unobtainable, the story loses credit. So this is where I would like some opinions! :)

The characters in my story will only be competing at national level, so this instantly rules out things like the Olympics, Nations Cups, WEG etc. So I need to think about national competitions that would still be classed as a massive achievement, and that would still have that 'wow' factor without making out that the character is a complete world beater. (that bit can always follow in a sequel if necessary ;) )

So, my questions are as follows...

What discipline would you be most likely to read a novel about? My own preference as far as writing is concerned would be for either showjumping or eventing, but I'm interested to know what others would go for...
- Showjumping
- Dressage
- Eventing
- Other (please specify)

What 'ultimate prize' do you think a hero/heroine in an equestrian novel could realistically aim for? My ideas - based on showjumping so far - are as follows, but please add in your own ideas, plus any opinions about the ones I have come up with!

Hickstead Derby
Foxhunter final
King George V Gold Cup / Queen Elizabeth II Gold Cup


This may seem a bit of a weird post, but I would really appreciate your thoughts. It's been a long time since I have written properly, and I would love to make a go of it properly this time!

Many thanks for your help :)
 
Oooh how exciting, I'm happy to be your guineas pig if you want any one to read through it as or when you have written it :p :D :D

As for disciplines I would also say SJ or Eventing, I don't think I would be interested in dressage (sorry dressage fans!). Racing is also an option but there are so many of those about that it would be hard to make yours stand out.

Eventing Goals/Aims seem to pop out at me more, the main one would be winning the 3 major 3 day events, can't remember what its called, the Rolex something or other :o :o
 
I agree, eventing is a good subject and I don't think it's been done before either (as a work of fiction!
 
_MizElz_ said:
(eg. girl becomes first woman + youngest jockey ever to win the Grand National, riding a rescued, one eyed mare. Hmmm.)
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Hmm, I think I may have read that book! :D

I reckon eventing. I think racing's been done to death and I'm not sure about the scope for a good novel in DR or SJ, but something Derby-esque could be quite exciting :)
 
Not sure I'll be much help as Blind Beauty is one of my all-time favourite horse novels! I like stories about over-coming the odds, outsiders etc. I would much rather read a story about someone who rescues a neglected pony and brings it back to health, then say of someone winning the olympics, but that may just be me! Sport wise I think endurance would make a good novel as you could write about all the adventures the horse and rider have on route. I like to read about the relationships formed between people and horses rather than that people have won whatever prize, yes that's impressive but some horsie novels focus too much on people trying to win things and just see the horse as a tool to do so. I don't mind people winnning but make sure the horse gets credit too!
 
Santa's Little Helper said:
Oooh how exciting, I'm happy to be your guineas pig if you want any one to read through it as or when you have written it :p :D :D

As for disciplines I would also say SJ or Eventing, I don't think I would be interested in dressage (sorry dressage fans!). Racing is also an option but there are so many of those about that it would be hard to make yours stand out.

Eventing Goals/Aims seem to pop out at me more, the main one would be winning the 3 major 3 day events, can't remember what its called, the Rolex something or other :o :o
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Guinea pig sounds good - I may hold you to that! :D

Agree about racing. I love it, but it has been done so many times, by so many authors. So it has defo got to be eventing or SJ!

And I quite like your idea about the Rolex Grand Slam - that would be uber cool (although totally going against my idea of not taking the characters abroad, lol!) More food for thought....thank you! :D:D
 
International Velvet was based on eventing, the main character in that rode in the Olympics. I personally would go for showing cos that's my discipline :D But in reality I doubt it would create nearly as much interest as eventing or showjumping.
 
I'd say either showjumping and go with the Hickstead Derby or eventing and go with Badminton! Good luck, look forward to seeing your novel in print!
 
Skint_Santa said:
I agree, eventing is a good subject and I don't think it's been done before either (as a work of fiction!
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Indeed! Showjumping has been done by Jilly Cooper (Riders) and by Lyndon Stacey, although I wasnt impressed by the latter. I do remember reading a very dodgy book about eventing called 'Spring Moon Over Badminton' that was incredibly disturbing, because it had very little to do with riding horses, but lots to do with riding.....ahem, you get my drift! :eek:

Looks like eventing is the popular choice then...I guess it's more romantic than showjumping, isnt it?
 
JessandCharlie said:
Hmm, I think I may have read that book! :D

I reckon eventing. I think racing's been done to death and I'm not sure about the scope for a good novel in DR or SJ, but something Derby-esque could be quite exciting :)
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The aforementioned book is a huge disappointment, I think. I adore her other stuff - she is my idol, really - but this recent effort is a let down. :(

Agree about racing - too much! I like the idea of the Derby though - it was that I was warming towards before posting here :)
 
Eventing has been done, by Fiona Walker in Well Groomed - not that it matters as there isn't a monopoly on it or anything - but her heroine was a professional event rider who ends up going to Badminton.
 
Paint it Lucky said:
Not sure I'll be much help as Blind Beauty is one of my all-time favourite horse novels! I like stories about over-coming the odds, outsiders etc. I would much rather read a story about someone who rescues a neglected pony and brings it back to health, then say of someone winning the olympics, but that may just be me! Sport wise I think endurance would make a good novel as you could write about all the adventures the horse and rider have on route. I like to read about the relationships formed between people and horses rather than that people have won whatever prize, yes that's impressive but some horsie novels focus too much on people trying to win things and just see the horse as a tool to do so. I don't mind people winnning but make sure the horse gets credit too!
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I think we are thinking along similar lines :D I think there has to be some kind of competitive goal to give the story purpose, but the characters dont necessarily have to win! I remember a book called The Perfect Horse, where the horse and rider did get to Badminton, but didnt do at all well - but it was still a damned good story! My book will have a strong focus upon relationships, both horsey and equine :)
 
TelH said:
International Velvet was based on eventing, the main character in that rode in the Olympics. I personally would go for showing cos that's my discipline :D But in reality I doubt it would create nearly as much interest as eventing or showjumping.
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I love International Velvet - I read it again last week :o Agree about the other disciplines....although I did read a really good novel by Caroline Akrill about showing and dressage...Flying Changes, I think it was called! Seriously good.
 
Puzzled said:
I'd say either showjumping and go with the Hickstead Derby or eventing and go with Badminton! Good luck, look forward to seeing your novel in print!
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I like your thinking! I do have two main characters who could have very different goals, so it isnt inconceivable that I could actually combine both disciplines! Now there's a thought! :D

I would love to think I might get in print one day :) I've only ever made it into newspapers before - my goal for this year is to write a proper book! :D
 
_MizElz_ said:
I think we are thinking along similar lines :D I think there has to be some kind of competitive goal to give the story purpose, but the characters dont necessarily have to win! I remember a book called The Perfect Horse, where the horse and rider did get to Badminton, but didnt do at all well - but it was still a damned good story! My book will have a strong focus upon relationships, both horsey and equine :)
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Like Cool Runnings!! The film with the Jamaican bobsled team :D Great movie, they had no money, got the cruddiest old sled and crashed. But they got there, and that's what made the story so great :D
 
Have you read any of Fiona Walker's? She's one of my favourite authors.

Well Groomed is a good book IMO, though it is not my favourite of hers as I find the main character a little irritating. If you can get past that its a good story though, and the horsey bits are very realistic - and the hero is great.

My personal favourite of her books is Lots of Love, which is not primarily a horse story but does have lots of horses in. In a similar way to Jilly Cooper she has written the "Lodes" series, which are a few novels with different storylines but all centred in the same area of the Cotswolds with the same groups of characters - I would definitely recommend them.
 
I love Fiona Walkers Well Groomed, French Relations comes before it though and explains how she gets her horse and starts eventing. Like them both, more than her later stuff !
 
Jojo Moyes writes about classical riding (Cadre de Noir) in the Horse Dancer and Nina Bell writes about eventing in The Inheritence.

Have just read a bunch of books by Sarah Gruen - Water for Elephants is brilliant but she also wrote about a show jumping and eventing in two other books - Flying Changes and Riding Lessons. I was less keen on the horse books than Water for Elephants which is about a circus.
 
What age range will your book be aimed at?

I haven't read any 'horsey' novels since being a teenager. One that sticks in my mind was about a young teenager with non horsey parents. She saves up money herself from paper rounds etc and buys a pony for about £40 - young unbroken - and the story is just about how she muddles through and eventually takes him to a local show. Not very exciting I guess but I loved that book. I guess what I mean is the 'achievement' doesn't have to be a big one to make a good story.

I'm still a sucker for a story about an underdog doing well :)
 
MissCandy said:
What age range will your book be aimed at?

I haven't read any 'horsey' novels since being a teenager. One that sticks in my mind was about a young teenager with non horsey parents. She saves up money herself from paper rounds etc and buys a pony for about £40 - young unbroken - and the story is just about how she muddles through and eventually takes him to a local show. Not very exciting I guess but I loved that book. I guess what I mean is the 'achievement' doesn't have to be a big one to make a good story.

I'm still a sucker for a story about an underdog doing well :)
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Late teens onwards I would say :) I read my first Jilly Cooper when I was 12, although I will admit there were certain parts that have come to have more 'meaning' as I have grown older :eek::o So I would say...more grown up than the Pullein Thompson books, but not as explicitly adult as Jilly Cooper!

The story you have just described could almost have been my mum :eek: She was brought up on a council estate, and started working aged 11 for a lady who ran a stud a couple of miles out of town. At 14, she skived off school, went to Stow fair and bought a foal, and hitched a lift with a strange man in a lorry to get him home....

There's a book in that, I reckon! :D
 
definitly - and one thing better than a story about an underdog is one based on a true story!

a love interest is always a good thing but certainly doesn't need to be graphic. I used to read Jackie Collins as a teenager :eek: thought I was so grown up :rolleyes: but now I prefer the romance :)
 
MissCandy said:
a love interest is always a good thing but certainly doesn't need to be graphic. I used to read Jackie Collins as a teenager :eek: thought I was so grown up :rolleyes: but now I prefer the romance :)
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There's definitely a love interest in my plan....I think even I am in love with my male lead! :o:D I agree that it doesnt need to be graphic though. I can never take a sex scene seriously in a book...I end up giggling :D
 
MissCandy said:
What age range will your book be aimed at?

I haven't read any 'horsey' novels since being a teenager. One that sticks in my mind was about a young teenager with non horsey parents. She saves up money herself from paper rounds etc and buys a pony for about £40 - young unbroken - and the story is just about how she muddles through and eventually takes him to a local show. Not very exciting I guess but I loved that book. I guess what I mean is the 'achievement' doesn't have to be a big one to make a good story.

I'm still a sucker for a story about an underdog doing well :)
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Oh that sounds like one of my favourite books 'Fly-By-Night' which I think was written by KM Peyton...I think!
 
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