Best Horsey Book You Have Read?

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Toadeyes

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Mine has to be Mrs Houblon's Side Saddle. Basically a guide to side saddle riding, dress etc. It was written many years ago and the rules of ettiquette were very srtict. One must ride like a laydeee!

It also included loads of old pictures, including really scary ones on a woman jumping aboout 5ft fence side saddle with her huge breeches on and no hat!
 
PMSL
i was going to say 'Polo' by jilly cooper before i opened posting!!!!!!!!!! now i'm stuck
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early 80's throw back going on here - doh
 
I loved Seabiscuit by Lauren Hillenbrand, Black Beauty is also an absolute classic! My favourite manual has to be the Pony Club Manual of Horsemanship, it has been really helpful with so many things!
 
Sadly, Black Beauty! The bit with Ginger and the bearing reain...and when Ginger dies...and when Black Beauty's knees get broken...and at the end where he imagines his old friends there with him... oooh dearie am going to blub!!
 
One of my favourites is rather obscure - there is a series of books by an Australian called Tom Roberts called Horse Control. There are all fab but Horse Control - The Young Horse is particularly good and full of down-to-earth advice.

I also like the Ride With Your Mind books by Mary Wanless, Centered Riding by Sally Swift and the Thinking Riding books by Molly Sivewright
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Mine has to be 100 ways to improve your riding by Susan Mc Bane. Really clear instructions & lots of examples Would like her other book 100 ways to improve your schooling. Ah well next amazon order !!
 
Thought the Horse Whisperer was cr*p!! Have just re read the My Friend Flicka trilogy (if thats the word) love 'em.

Love Black Beauty, but cry all the way through!
 
There was a cracking book out early 60's (I know, sad!
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) called Fiander's Horses by Brian Fairfax-Lucy. About a teenager working with horses to save enough to buy her own; she works with hunters, racehorses and a dealer yard; all very realistic and helpful when looking at different types of jobs but still with a good storyline; would still pass as a good book today. Also any of JC's cos they're great entertainment but also very well written.
Fave textbooks have to be From Paddock to Saddle (EHW), Breaking and Schooling (JL-C) and Horse Breeding (PR) oh and also Horsemaster's Notebook; too many to mention, I can't really pick!
 
The autobiography of Bob Champion & Aldaniti - heartwarming and made me cry bucket loads

Oh and think So Far So Good by Toddie should be on everyone's bookshelf
 
Not sure if this is the right name, but think it was follyfoot farm?
Loved it when I was younger!
And the Jinny books..with Shantih!
 
My nan used to have the whole collection of books written by Pat Smythe about 3 kids who got up to allsorts with their ponies. I read and re-read those books so much!
 
ahhh Follyfoot, with Dora and Steve (I loved him).........

Silver Brumby books, and Phantom Horse books (of which I still have loads!) The Red Pony (Steinbeck)

Any of the kids horsey books!
 
Tschiffely's Ride, Memoirs of a Fox Hunting Man, Basic Training of the Young Horse by Reiner Klimke, Enlightened Equitation by Heather Moffet and Silver Snaffles by Primrose Cumming. If anyone has a copy of the last one they'd like to get rid of please PM me!
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Silver Snaffles by Primrose Cumming. If anyone has a copy of the last one they'd like to get rid of please PM me!
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[/ QUOTE ] I've got a copy, but I'm afraid I don't want to get rid of it
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It is a lovely story!
 
ooo all my youth coming flooding back..i loved the Jinny books, and also the Jill books with her pony "black Boy" who had a name change further on in the series - prolly wanst very PC.
 
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My nan used to have the whole collection of books written by Pat Smythe about 3 kids who got up to allsorts with their ponies. I read and re-read those books so much!

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The Three Jays?

I love those books too. And the ones by the Pullein Thompson [sp?] sisters!

And the Tamsin and Rissa books!

This thread has made me feel really nostalgic!
 
The horse from conception to maturity; King of the Wind - the story of the Godolphian Arabian; The Observers guide to horse breeds (I think I inhaled that book as a kid); Black Beauty (obviously); the Phantom horse books; The Ginny books; The Black Stallion series; The Anatomy of riding; No foot, No horse; Memoirs of a Foxhunting man; goly I could go on and on and on..........
 
i l;oved the jinny books too they where great i used to imagine i was her on the arab having amazing adventures.dont think like now its a shame as you get older your imagination dissapears
 
Oh god...I read the first one of the 'black boy' books about 800 times. Had totally forgotten about it up until now...
And the black stallion books, were those the ones with the little boy and the racehorse?
 
Do you mean Christine Pullen-Thompson? Her sisters, Diana and Josephine also wrote good horsey books - I have LOADS in the attik
 
i think i read all my Jill books a million times too, makes me laugh now how a 12 yr old girl was teaching her pony flying changes with no instructor !!! the things you remember eh, but i totally loved those books at the time
 
Do you mean Caroline Arkill?

She wrote the Eventer's Dream trilogy which I loved.

I've read a couple recently by Lyndon Stacey - in the Dick Francis thriller genre but set in showjumping and eventing worlds respectively. They aren't great works of literary genius but are entertaining reads.

Non-fiction my favourite and most thumbed is probably The Less Than Perfect Horse by Jane Wallace
 
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the Jill books with her pony "black Boy" who had a name change further on in the series - prolly wanst very PC.

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I used to love the Jill books, when i read them i used to think up ways i could make a stable in my back garden like she did and save up for the local gymkhanas....

Loved 'em!!
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