What old horse books do you own/remember?

Shadow the Reindeer

Shadow the Reindeer

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I have "The Horse Owner's Handbook" By Monty Mortimer, it dates back to 1989, and is the 'second edition' (1987).. it's 'one of the oldest' I've had my hands on.
What I want to know is, how many of you have older editions of horse care books, and do you still read them from time to time?
 
I have loads of old ones that I have collected over the years. The oldest one I have is 1934, and yes I do still look through them, I find them interesting and sometimes funny!
 
I vaugely remember "Ludo & the star horse" by somebody stewart from my childhood. Like all good horse stories of the time, it's sad. At the moment, I have many splendid publications on my book case. Mark Rashid - horses never lie, & whole heart whole horse. How your horse moves. 101 horsemanship exercises. Grooming to win. Equine fitness. Train your young horse. Schooling exercises in hand. dressage in lightness ( signed by Silvia Loch !) to name but a few. . . . Amazon is great ! I've got my eye on another 3 books !
 
Any of the story's by the Pullien-Thompson's and was the first book I bought myself and used to break my first horse From Paddock to Saddle by Hartley-Edwards
 
A book from 1989 old. Oh dear.... Time to hang up my stirrups then!

I have my grandmother's Pony Club Manual from 1929 - one of the first printed. And mine from 1972. (And my daughters from 2012 - but that is less interesting!) And a couple of old farriery manuals from the 1950's. Oh... and a first Edition of Mooreland Mousie - that must be about 1940 I think.

When I was a child (1970's in case anyone is wondering!) there were loads of pony books. Way more than there are now. Not only did we have the Pullen Thompson lot, and Smythes printed in the late 60's but also all the "new" ones. Ruby Ferguson's "Jill" series. Some one else wrote a series about a Pony called Misty - there were 8 or 9 of them. Plus the Black Stallion Series, The Brumby Series and all the single ones.

Thankfull I kept all my old Pony books and my daughter has now ploughed her way through most of them. Does anyone remember "Horse Masters" by Don Standford? One of my absolute favourites then and now!
 
I have some old ones from 50's and 60's but I know someone who has some horse keeping books from early 1900's and one about farriery (vet in those days not feet) from 1720 something which apparantly is hard to read because its in old type print. am going to try and have a look when I next see her
 
Fly by night by KM Peyton I was obsessed with this book and would read it over and over I used to dream that I would be able to save enough money to buy a wild pony and tame it. And the Pullein Thompson books Josephine & Christine I think. And I loved the third term at Mallory Towers because of Bill and Thunder
 
I found my old horse and pony book in a cupboard the other day from around 1980 ish. My daughter was laughing at the rugs and the farriers Kevin Keegan hairstyle :D
 
I have a small collection of old books on stable management and horsemanship and driving dating back as far as 1850 fasinating stuff.
 
I grew up with my mum's old BHS Horsemanship Manual as a source of facts (one with a blue and white cover?), Moorland Mousie and the Silver Brumby books.

Between myself and my cousin we got most of the Pullein-Thompson books (second-hand), the Jill series, the Jinny series, Fly-By-Night (loved this!), Flambards, Jump to the Stars. I've not read any of the more recent pony books, so I don't know which are better (oh wait, I did read a lot of Saddle Club ones, but no others besides them).

The oldest factual book that belongs to me I got in 1990, and I think it wasn't long published at that point. It was either the Horse Care Manual written by a vet, or The Ultimate Horse - I got them both fairly close together but without checking I don't know which is oldest
 
Not only remember but still have and read nearly all those mentioned. Had to laugh when someone said 1989 was old!
One of my favourite books that somehow got lost on one of the many moves was Riding on a Small Income by Reggie Summerhays; it was brilliant especially for me as a town girl with no money! It cost 2/6d and I bought it with Christmas present money.
 
I have a horse care book that dates from the 1970s (passed down to me!) and it says that a full set of shoes should cost around £5. Those were the days...
 
Penelope Rides Aagin from when I was a kid in 1980'S
Found it the other week and gave it to my daughter - She loves it as much as I did! :) Poor old Kipper !!! lol
 
I've got lots of old books mainly because i bought secondhand books as a child. I have a nice copy of Show Jumping Secret from 1958

I have the Horse Masters book and love that too, very well written for a book aimed at youngsters and some little life lessons in there too especially on the subject of teamwork :)
 
I have 'Better show jumping' by Lt. Col Bill Froud from 1975. I have a few other old ones that are still packed from moving house, but one dates back to 1800 and something and has interesting chapters such as 'How to find a hack for a lady' which mentions have a horse for a lady shouldn't have too much spirit as this will frighten the rider :p and also another on how to assist a lady to mount side-saddle. It's interesting reading and certainly makes you realise how much things have changed.
 
I've got my auntie's old books from the 60s/70s. One of them is The Book of Ponies by Barbara Woodhouse. There's a few more but I'll need to have a look in my room at Mum and dad's to remember their titles.

I also have The Ultimate Horse which was a present to me. I loved that book and used to obsess over the Anglo Arab in it!
 
and the Flight of the East Prussian Horses by Daphne Machin Goodall, about the trek across Europe to save the horses - I've just found it on Amazon and am going to buy and read it again! It was an amazing story.....
 
Our local library had a copy of The complete training of Horse and Rider by Alois Podhajsky, it was ancient in the early 1970s, I think I was the only one to ever take it out.
I taught my ponies to turn on the forehand and haunches from it, but never managed collection.:rolleyes:
 
I have 5 volumes of beautifully bound copies of 'Riding' Magazine from 1937 to 1941. They are absolutley fascinating - the adverts and prices of goods as well as articles about how people managed to keep their horses during the war years.

Much treasured volumes that I fell over in an antiquarian bookseller over 30 years ago!
 
Shadeyoak said:
I have "The Horse Owner's Handbook" By Monty Mortimer, it dates back to 1989, and is the 'second edition' (1987).. it's 'one of the oldest' I've had my hands on.
=QUOTE]

Sorry no offence intended, but now I know that I am truly past it when a book dating back to 1987 is considered old :eek: :) :)

I have Henry Blake and R.Summerhayes on my shelves somewhere, they are 60's, 70's I think. EH Edwards 1963 Saddlery (and the updated edition that he gave me) are about too. I think the PC Manual of Horsemanship - the one with the line drawings must be quite dated too by now. Oldest ones need a magnifying glass to read the tiny print on tissue thin pages, lots of things like bleeding and bolus's in them.
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A 1940's copy of Bridle Wise.I was delighted when my mum gave it to me as I remember reading it when I was little.It is full of Lionel Edwards line drawings of cavalry officers in their baggy breeches and twirly moustaches.I recently bought the old blue and white BHS horsemanship book too,as I have fond memories of it.
 
Not a book but I loved my horse sense magazine, still have the whole series in the ring binders. Late 80's early 90's i believe, was my connection to the horsey world as a child!
 
Fictionwise, I also read all the Jill books; Phantom Horse series; the Jinny & Shantih series; Half-Moon Ranch; The Saddle Club; a series I can't remember with a stunning black horse on the front (one of the titles was something to do with Emeralds); and others I've forgotten! I can't remember all the authors, I'm afraid, but all the books are stored carefully in Mum's loft in case I ever have children.

Non-fictionwise, my oldest ones are not really that old! Sylvia Stanier's Art of Lungeing and Paalman's Training Showjumpers from the 70s; then an ABC of Breaking &an ABC of Schooling - I know they're fairly old but can't check as someone's borrowed them! Think they're Josephine Knowles.
 
Does anyone know if there is a book written about General Patton's rescue of the Lipizzaner mares in world war two? Know Disney made a film but can't find a book.
 
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