Pony books for grown ups!

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swalk

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Although I love reading through the old Jill, Jackie and Ginny books, I do like a horse centred novel for adults so just wondered what books are out there that I haven't come across and might enjoy.
My favourite horse based novels are
'Horse Heaven' and 'Barn Blind' by Jane Smiley (Horse Heaven is one of the best books ever written!)
'Genuine Reason for Sale' Jennifer Melose
I'm already struggling to think of any more. I've read that Heart of Horses (I think it's called something like that) by Molly Glass and quite partial to a bit of Jilly Cooper as well. There must be more out there?
 
i thoroughly reccomend the Jenny Pitman books!
I was on a break from riding when i read them and whilst reading each book i desperately wanted to be back in the saddle!
 
hmmm there is the classic 'Black Beauty' I personally like reading 'The silver stallion' (cant really think of anymore)
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Being a dressage fan I really loved The Horse Dancer by Jojo Moyes.

I also seem to read the entire Flambards series by KM Peyton about once a year... aimed at teenagers I know but it just has it all... Horses, romance, tears...
 
I guess you've read The Horse Whisperer? I like the Jenny Pitman series of books, as already recommended, and I just read a good book called The Water Horse by Julia Gregson, which is a romance set in the Crimean War period, but has horses featuring in it. I also like Michael Morpurgo's War Horse, though I'm not sure it's classed as an adult book! The Dark Horse by Rumer Godden is good. So are K.M. Peyton's books. Can you tell we're running out of bookshelves in our house?
 
There's an Anne McCaffrey book called "The Lady" that's good. Her "Dragon" books are sci-fi but the dragons are very "horsey" - I read a few when I was in school and teachers picked on me for reading too many horsey books!

Also, Sara Gruen's "Riding Lessons" and "Flying Changes". Not up to the standards of her first novel, but good fun. And Tami Hoag, the mystery writer, has done two horsey themed ones (she had dressage horses), called "Dark Horse" and "Alibi Man".
 
You could try Dick Francis, they all have a vaguely horsey element as they tend to be set in the world of racing. Some more than others. It has been so long since I read them that I can't remember which were best.

He's written loads too so they should keep you going for a while too!

I read a John Francome once and that was very similar.

There is National Velvet, that is a bit more aimed at teenagers but still good and the follyfoot books (I loved these when I was about 13 and then my unhorsey dad read them all during a summer holiday....)
 
The Christina Jones books are good, she's actually written quite a few, start with the first as they interlink, old characters from the first crop up again in the later books.

Also have you read the Black Stallion books by Walter Farleigh? I really enjoyed them, no romance I'm afraid but really good, there's a whole set of about 20 books, again read them in order. The first two books were made into a film, directed by Coppolla and starring Mickey Rooney. Love them!
 
Try Vagabond by Jeremy James - a true story of his ride across Eastern Europe. His style is quite quirky but once you get into it you are hooked.
 
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