Latest from Horse & Hound in Books

‘I’ve watched it 1000 times; I just wish he’d win it once’ –Dick Francis’s son Felix on the collapse of Devon Loch in the 1956 Grand National

Pippa Roome — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 08:25:01 +0000

One can imagine that a huge win would be the defining moment of any sportsperson’s life… it’s an unfortunate athlete for whom a high-profile failure becomes that moment. But, according to his son, so it was for jockey Dick Francis, who was champion jockey in 1953-1954 before becoming the best-selling author of equestrian novels, such as Dead Cert, Whip Hand and Odds Against.

In an episode of The Slightly Foxed Podcast, Dick’s son Felix talks about the spectacular collapse of Dick’s ride Devon Loch when the Queen Mother’s horse looked nailed on to win the 1956 Grand National.

Felix says: “He was well in front with just 40 yards to go and the horse inexplicably collapsed with its front legs out in front and its back legs out behind.

Devon Loch collapses just 40yds from the line and lands on his belly. (Image credit: Alamy)

“I was three years old at the time and it’s a bit of a surprise to me that I ever made it to my fourth birthday, because, according to my mother, I would scamper across the sitting room floor, throw my hands out in front and legs out the back, and say, ‘I’m being Devon Loch, down I go, bump’ which is probably not the most tactful thing for a three-year-old.

“But in later life, my father admitted that he probably owed more to Devon Loch’s collapse than if the horse had won.”

The following January, Dick Francis had a bad fall, fracturing his wrist and rupturing his spleen. He had hoped to ride Devon Loch in the 1957 Grand National, but then the horse pulled a tendon and the jockey decided it was time to retire. He announced this live on television and was asked what he was going to do next.

“And Dad said, ‘Well, I’ve half written my autobiography. I’ll finish that and see what develops.’ And John Junor, who was editor of the Sunday Express in London, obviously heard this and he got in touch with my father and said, ‘Well, if you’ve half written your autobiography you must be able to put a few words together. Would you write half a dozen articles for my newspaper?’

“And that’s how it all started, because those half dozen articles went on for 16 years full employment. He never missed a deadline.”

A Hollywood producer would say, ‘It never happened’

Racing commentator Derek ‘Tommo’ Thompson joins Felix on the episode and says although he was only five-and-a-half years old at the time, he will never forget watching Dick Francis and Devon Loch in the race on television.

Derek says: “If you went to a Hollywood producer, said, ‘Hey, I’ve got this story about this horse who’s going to win the greatest race in the world, owned by the Queen Mother, and then it collapses 40 yards from the finish’, the producer would say, ‘Don’t be stupid. It never happened.’ It did. It actually did. And how must the Queen Mother have felt watching, cheering the horse, and the whole country cheering the horse home, a royal winner?”

Felix goes on: “I must have watched it 1,000 times. I just wish he’d win it once, you know? But the horse pricks his ears just before he comes towards the water jump and – because it was the royal horse, it was not that long after the war, it was certainly not that long after the Queen Mother had been widowed, she was the most popular person in the world, almost certainly in our country – as Derek says, everyone was cheering.

“And my father says that when the horse pricked his ears, that wall of noise hit the horse and just for a fraction of a second, it frightened him. That was enough and down he went.

Dick Francis and Devon Loch both walk away from the fall. (Image credit: Alamy)

“My father had to get off the horse. The horse had pulled all the muscles in his legs and my father was walking up towards the grandstand and he could see this mass of people running towards him for a post mortem. What the hell had happened?

“An ambulance came up the track and the driver wound down his window and he said, ‘Hop in the back, mate.’ And my father said he’d never been so pleased in his life to get in an ambulance.

“The ambulance took him round to the weighing room and then Peter Cazalet, who was the horse’s trainer, came in and said to my father, ‘Well, we’d better go and see the royal party. Dad thought he was going to get sent to the Tower. He went down and there was The Queen and the Queen Mother, my father and Peter Cazalet, just the four of them.

“And the Queen Mother said, ‘Well, what happened, Dick?’ And he said, ‘Well, I really don’t know. The horse didn’t jump, it wasn’t as if he jumped a shadow.’ There wasn’t any sunshine on that day. And the Queen Mother looked at him and said, ‘Well, Dick, that’s racing.’ And, my goodness, it was and it actually cemented a lifelong friendship between the Queen Mother and my father.”

On the podcast, Felix also talks about how his father Dick Francis and mother Mary worked together on the books, how he took over writing thrillers in his father’s style and delivering copies to the royal family.

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The best horse books of all genres for all ages

Franchesca Slack — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 13:17:16 +0000

Since the arrival of online forums and social media channels offering instant advice on every equestrian topic under the sun, is there still a place for the best tried and trusted horse books? We definitely think so.

Whether you’re feeling inspired by World Book Day or looking for a reference guide to help with training, an Olympic equestrian’s autobiography or horse stories for children, there’s hundreds of horse books to choose from that are relevant, enjoyable and useful for owners and riders of all levels. Over the years we’ve probably read them all between us at Horse & Hound.

Best horse books by genre

We’ve rounded up some of the books that no self-respecting horsey bookshelf should be without. Jump down to the…

Best horse care books
Best horse riding and training books
Best horse racing books
Best horse fiction and novels
Best horse books for children
Best equestrian autobiographies

Best horse care books

Veterinary Notes for Horse Owners (18th ed.)
Described by many as their “Bible”, Captain Hayes’ Veterinary Notes for Horse Owners has been explaining equine health and sickness in a clear and concise manner for years. Currently in its 18th edition, it remains a comprehensive guide to horse medicine and surgery, explaining the symptoms and treatment of every disease of injury a horse owner is likely to encounter.View Deal

The Veterinary Care of the Horse (3rd ed.)
This most recent edition was published in 2019 and brings you up to date with recent developments in equine medicine and surgery. Edited by H&H’s Karen Coumbe explains the causes, clinical signs, diagnosis, treatment, prevention and prognosis of each condition.View Deal

Black’s Veterinary Dictionary (22nd ed.)
Much more than a list of veterinary terms, this practical book ensures that readers gain an insight into the signs of common, and less common, diseases, their diagnosis and treatment. Includes a range of animals.View Deal

The BHS Veterinary Manual (2nd ed.)
Intended primarily for BHS examination students, this book is also essential reading for all who care for horses.View Deal

Textbook of Equine Veterinary Nursing
A rigorous and comprehensive resource for any individual working in the equine veterinary industry, covering core topics. This book is written by a team of experienced equine veterinary nurses and surgeons.View Deal

The Pony Club’s Manual Of Horsemanship (14th ed.)
First published in 1950, the current 14th edition is as relevant now as each and every one of its predecessors were. For owners of all ages looking for an all-round reference book it’s still hard to beat. Read our full review here.View Deal

Best horse riding and training books

Harmonious Horsemanship
This book is full of practical tools and contributions from industry experts to help you recognise the signs of pain in horses. H&H’s Carol Phillips says: “If everyone involved with ridden horses would read this book, the world would be a better place for horses.” Read our review.View Deal

Training To Win
A comprehensive guide (by top trainer Caroline Moore) for the modern-day event rider to support every stage of the training process, from the early years, up to the first four-star. H&H’s Martha Terry says: “This book is fascinating!” Read our review.View Deal

Happy Days And Winning Ways
This advice comes from Gail Watson, an international junior and young rider team coach. H&H eventing editor says “everyone with any interest in eventing – or coaching, team tactics and management of people – should read this”. Read our review.View Deal

Core Conditioning For Horses
This book is designed to help the reader help their horse to improve core strength through a series of exercises that enable to horse to move fluidly and in balance while carrying the rider. H&H’s Carol Phillips says it is “worth every penny”. Read our review.View Deal

Ride Big: Ultimate Guide To Building Equestrian Confidence
In this book, John Haime covers three important aspects of confidence – The Confidence Base, Builders and Threats – and contains anecdotes from a plethora of top riders. H&H’s Martha Terry says: “If you’re an aspiring professional with huge dreams, this is the book for you.” Read our review.View Deal

Best horse racing books

My Life In 12 Horses
A delightful and revealing biography told via 12 special horses in Nicky Henderson’s life. H&H’s Martha Terry says: “A thoroughly enjoyable and enlightening read. I laughed and cried”. Read our review.View Deal

A Day At The Races
Peter May has selected 128 days that encapsulate 500 years of the Sport of Kings. His short, informative, easy-to-read essays bring to life racing’s milestone events that set the nation on a different path. H&H’s Martha Terry says this is “a treasure trove for racing fans”. Read our review.View Deal

Champion Jump Horse Racing Jockeys
This book by Neil Clark tells the story of all 22 post-war champion jockeys. It includes exclusive interviews with several of the surviving champions and fresh insights from friends colleagues and family members of champions we have sadly lost. Read our review.View Deal

Starting From Scratch: Inspired to be a Jump Jockey
Henrietta Knight charts the lives of more than 80 jump jockeys in the hope of finding out what inspired them to take up one of the most dangerous jobs in sport. She profiles household names, such as Richard Dunwoody, John Francome, Sir Anthony McCoy and Ruby Walsh.View Deal

Want to see more books we’d recommend for a racing fan? Find more of the best horse racing books (including many autobiographies)

Best horse fiction and novels

Finding Wonder
A superbly told adventure story with a rich plot and engaging characters. H&H’s Martha Terry says: “I found it completely enthralling. As in all great detective stories, you never quite know whom to trust, and how the mystery will unravel.” Read our review.View Deal

The Horse Dancer
A novel of love, friendship, and a horse named Boo, from bestselling and RNA prize-winning author Jojo Moyes.View Deal

Always Remember: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, the Horse and the Storm
The hugely anticipated second book from Charlie Mackesy, revisiting the much-loved world of The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse. The heart-warming story explores thoughts and feelings, and is full of wonderful artwork.View Deal

Black Beauty
This classic by Anna Sewell has been loved by generations of horsey people. It’s a first-person narrated autobiographical fiction of the life of a horse in England that advocates for better treatment of horses and other animals.View Deal

Riders
Fall in love with the Sunday Times best selling author Jilly Cooper and escape to the glorious Cotswolds countryside, where Riders offers an intoxicating blend of swooning romance, adventure and hilarious high jinks.View Deal

War Horse
This book by Michael Morpurgo has since been turned into a film and theatre production. It’s one horse’s story of the reality of World War I and how he witnesses the power of war and the beauty of peace.View Deal

Horse Crazy
A brilliant read for anyone captivated by horses. The writer takes us to all corners of the horse world, from a stable yard with lifts in Manhattan to Monty Roberts’ ranch. It’s surprising and emotional in equal turns, both heartfelt and humorous.View Deal

Invisible Malice
An enjoyable mystery romance read for any horse lover. The third novel from Jay Ann Foley. Invisible Malice is an intriguing mystery. Connor Cratchett and his sister, Vena O’Riley, must race to solve events at Sapphire Stables in Newmarket, hindered by ghostly tales and a missing person.View Deal

Best horse books for children

The Starlight Stables Gang
First in the series from superstar equestrian influencer and YouTuber Esme Higgs. H&H’s Martha Terry says: “This is a fun and gripping adventure story with a strong message of inclusivity.” Read our review.View Deal

JoJo’s Jump
The time has come for JoJo to put her best hoof forward and try her first jump. With the support of her friends, she is reminded to believe in herself. This book is ideal for young children, conveys a powerful and inspiring message, and is written with a lovely lilt. Read our full review here.View Deal

Ned Gets Worried
This charming story has a gentle message about children’s natural anxieties explored through the eyes of a pony and a horse. H&H’s Jennifer Donald says: “My son enjoys the story tremendously on face value, but dig a bit deeper and it’s a great catalyst for discussing childhood fears and anxieties with little ones.” Read our review.View Deal

Harlow’s Ponies: Panda the Perfect Pony
The fourth book from one of the UK’s most successful young equestrian influencers, Harlow White (following Popcorn The Golden Pony, Cloudy The Racing Shetland and Rolo The Show Pony). The story includes the highs and lows, successes and failures of how Panda fills Harlow’s life with fun, laughter and plenty of hard work.View Deal

The Racehorse Who Learned To Dance
Written by Clare Balding, this is the third instalment of Charlie Bass and her accidentally purchased racehorse (following The Racehorse Who Wouldn’t Gallop and The Racehorse Who Disappeared) and they are facing their greatest challenge yet.View Deal

Pippa’s Pony Tales: Magic Spirit The Dream Horse
It’s the first in an 18-book series, written by three-time Olympic medallist and Grand Slam winner Pippa Funnell, so there are plenty of adventures to read about, and new horses to meet.View Deal

Best equestrian autobiographies

Second Chance – Mark ToddView Deal

Six Feet Above – Peder Fredricson
This is the fascinating story of Swedish equestrian and Olympic medallist Peder Fredricson and his winding road to success. H&H showjumping editor says “Peder’s autobiography is, without doubt, one of the best I’ve ever read.” Read our review.View Deal

Making It Happen – Carl Hester
One of the greatest ever equestrians, who lead Great Britain to gold medal victory at the London 2012 Olympics, shares vibrant memoirs and tells the incredible story of the passion for horse riding that revolutionised his life and made him the champion he is today.View Deal

Merely A Rider – Anneli Drummond-Hay
Anneli Drummond-Hay’s autobiography is a fascinating insight into the making of an equestrian champion through her struggle for survival. H&H’s Jennifer Donald says: “Pack it in your holiday suitcase, put it on your bedside table, but be prepared not to be able to tear yourself away for quite some time.” Read our review.View Deal

Leap Of Faith – Frankie Dettori
This is Frankie Dettori’s second autobiography, which follows Frankie. Leap Of Faith continues the story – the successes, as well as personal anguish, recovery and restoration – both in and out of the saddle. H&H’s Catherine Austen says this is a “highly enjoyable – and enlightening – read”. Read our review.View Deal

The Girl On The Dancing Horse – Charlotte Dujardin
This is the story of Charlotte and Valegro, and how they burst onto the international sports scene with their record-breaking performance at the London 2012 Olympics. Read our review.View Deal

For unlimited access to the latest product news, buying guides and reviews, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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31 books that pony-mad children of all ages will enjoy

Franchesca Slack — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 10:34:22 +0000

A young horse lover’s life is not complete without a selection of the best horse books for children on their bookshelf. The best horse books are great gifts for horsey children as they’ll be read again and again.

At Horse & Hound, we all have such fond memories of flicking through our favourite horsey books and they definitely played their part in fuelling our lifelong love of horses. If you’re looking for a book to gift a pony-mad child, here’s a selection of stories and fact books that are definitely worth a spot on their shelf.

To help you find the right book, we’ve split them into approximate age categories. Jump to…

Books for under fives
Books for five- to 10-year-olds
Books for over 10s

Best horse books for children under five years old

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

That’s not my pony…

Author: Fiona Watt

Published: 2007

Reading age: 1–3 years

Meet five friendly ponies in this charming addition to the much-loved That’s not my… series. They have bold illustrations, patches to stroke, and a mouse to spot on every page – all designed to develop sensory and language awareness.

View now at amazon.co.uk

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My First Shetland Pony

Author: Melanie Mitchell

Published: 2024

Reading age: 1–3 years

Dive into the colourful world of Rosie the Shetland pony with this uniquely shaped and sturdy board book. Young readers will delight in getting to know Rosie, who loves splashing, showjumping, and especially hugs and her friends! She’s not a fan, however, of loud noises or tangles in her mane.

Packed with bright, dynamic illustrations and engaging details, this book offers a fun reading experience for little ones.

View now at amazon.co.uk

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The Hairy Pony’s Christmas Party

Author: Emma Jane McCue

Published: 2021

Reading age: 3–12 years

A seasonal children’s story that follows a lonely pony who feels he doesn’t quite fit in. With some help and encouragement from kind friends big and small, others see the error of their ways, and so his wish to feel included comes true – right in time for Christmas!

H&H’s Sarah Jenkins says: “Perfect for an early Christmas gift to read on Christmas Eve, this book is one that will be chosen at bedtime year after year.” Read her full review.

View now at amazon.co.uk

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A Horse Called Now

Author: Ruth Doyle

Published: 2024

Reading age: 3–6 years

A calm and reassuring story about overcoming worries and living in the present moment, with beautiful artwork from Alexandra Finkeldey.

View now at amazon.co.uk

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Pebble The Pony

Author: Benedict Blathwayt

Published: 2024

Reading age: 4–7 years

Pebble lives on a wild and lonely moor. He loves the holidaymakers who come up from the town – especially when they bring picnics and feed him their leftovers! One day he goes to explore the town for himself; he is rescued by an old lady and led safely back to the moor – and they soon become friends.

View now at amazon.co.uk

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The Unicorn Who Came To Breakfast

Author: Emma Adams

Published: 2022

Reading age: 2–6 years

From bestselling author and illustrator duo, Emma Adams and Mike Byrne, comes this laugh-out-loud picture book about one especially excitable unicorn. When a unicorn comes to visit on a grey and rainy day, a little child and their dad cannot believe their eyes.

View now at amazon.co.uk

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JoJo’s Jump

Author: Stephanie Mason

Published: 2021

The time has come for JoJo to put her best hoof forward and try her first jump. With the support of her friends, she is reminded to believe in herself.

H&H’s Jennifer Donald says: “This book is ideal for young children, conveys a powerful and inspiring message, and is written with a lovely lilt.” Read her full review.

View now at amazon.co.uk

Best horse books for children aged five to 10 years old

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Hello, Horse

Author: Vivian French

Published: 2018

Reading age: 5–7 years

From much-loved author Vivian French and award-winning illustrator Catherine Rayner comes a charming new story about horses. Hello, Horse gently introduces young children to a friendly bay mare, and offers encouragement to those unfamiliar with horses.

It is packed with practical tips, such as the right way to offer a carrot, and also covers their behaviour. This book creates a warm and witty introduction to horses… from the safety of the page.

View now at amazon.co.uk

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Ned Gets Worried

Author: Suzi Lewis-Barned

Published: 2020

This charming story has a gentle message about children’s natural anxieties explored through the eyes of a pony and a horse.

H&H’s Jennifer Donald says: “My son enjoys the story tremendously on face value, but dig a bit deeper and it’s a great catalyst for discussing childhood fears and anxieties with little ones.” Read her full review.

View now at amazon.co.uk

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Harlow’s Ponies: Panda the Perfect Pony

Author: Janet Rising

Published: 2025

The fourth book in Harlow’s book series (following Popcorn The Golden Pony, Cloudy The Racing Shetland and Rolo The Show Pony). Harlow White is one of UK’s most successful young equestrian influencers. The story includes the highs and lows, successes and failures of how Panda fills Harlow’s life with fun, laughter and plenty of hard work.

If you’re shopping for a Harlow fan, check out our guide to Harlow White merch.

View now at amazon.co.uk

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

All Things Ponies & Horses For Kids

Author: Animal Reads

Published: 2022

Reading age: 6+years

This colourful book filled with pictures aims to combine fun with education to help young pony lovers learn all about horses.

View now at amazon.co.uk

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War Horse Picture Book

Author: Michael Morpurgo

Published: 2020

Reading age: 4–8 years

This is an adaptation of the much-loved novel War Horse for a younger audience. It tells the enduring story of a friendship between a boy and his horse and is a gateway to help children understand the history of the First World War.

View now at amazon.co.uk

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The Racehorse Who Learned To Dance

Author: Claire Balding

Published: 2020

Reading age: 7–9 years

This is the third instalment of Charlie Bass and her accidentally purchased racehorse (following The Racehorse Who Wouldn’t Gallop and The Racehorse Who Disappeared) and they are facing their greatest challenge yet.

Charlie’s friend Polly is recovering from an accident that left her almost paralysed but they are determined to find a way to make Polly’s equestrian dreams come true.

View now at amazon.co.uk

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Pippa’s Pony Tales: Magic Spirit The Dream Horse

Author: Pippa Funnell

Published: 2023

Reading age: 8+ years

It’s the first in an 18-book series, written by three-time Olympic medallist and Grand Slam winner Pippa Funnell, so there are plenty of adventures to read about, and new horses to meet.

Pippa hopes these stories will keep inspiring youngsters to follow their dreams and will give them a valuable insight into the responsibilities needed for looking after, riding and caring for our four legged friends. There are lots of practical tips throughout the story and real pony facts.

View now at amazon.co.uk

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Snow Foal

Author: Susanna Bailey

Published: 2019

Reading age: 3–12 years

When 11-year-old Addie goes to stay with a foster family on a remote Exmoor farm in the midst of a very cold winter, she is full of hurt, anger and a deep mistrust of everyone around her. Until one day, when she rescues a tiny wild foal from the moorland snow and Addie discovers that perhaps she’s not so alone after all.

View now at amazon.co.uk

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Atlas of Horses and Ponies

Author: Frances Evans

Published: 2025

Reading age: 6–8 years

Take a wild ride into the world of horses and ponies with this awesome atlas of more than 100 incredible breeds from across the continents. Packed full of illustrations, marvellous maps and fascinating facts. It’s a must read for budding equestrians.

View now at amazon.co.uk

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A Foal Called Storm

Author: Helen Peters

Published: 2021

Reading age: 7–10 years

A perfect animal story for younger readers. Jasmine’s dad is a farmer and her mum is a vet so she gets to spend a lot of time caring for animals. Jasmine finds a lost foal who has hurt its legs. The race is on to reunite the foal with her mother.

View now at amazon.co.uk

Best horse books for children over 10

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The Pony Whisperer

Author: Esme Higgs and Jo Cotterill

Published: 2025

Reading age: 8–12 years

H&H Rating: 9/10, H&H Approved

This is the fourth book in The Starlight Stables Gang (SSG) series (following The Starlight Stables Gang, Jessie and the Star Rider and Ellie and the Pony Camp Mystery), written by superstar equestrian influencer and YouTuber Esme Higgs in collaboration with award-winning author Jo Cotterill. Perfect for 8-12 year olds.

H&H’s Martha Terry has written a full review.

View now at amazon.co.uk

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The Pony Club’s Manual Of Horsemanship (14th ed.)

Author: The Pony Club

Published: 2012

First published in 1950, the current 14th edition is as relevant now as each and every one of its predecessors were.

H&H’s Georgia Guerin says: “This was my go-to when I was learning about horses. For young horse lovers looking for an all-round reference book, it’s still hard to beat.” Read her full review.

View now at amazon.co.uk

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Granny National

Author: Rachael Blackmore

Published: 2025

Reading age: 9–12 years

Written by the Grand National winning Irish jockey Rachael Blackmore. The story is about a granny, who dreams of being a jockey, and her four friends who hatch a plan to try to make it happen.

The gang must come together for “Operation Granny National”, but will they pull it off? And what happens when everyone finds out what they’ve done? There’s bound to be big trouble ahead! The book is beautifully illustrated throughout by Tom Snape, bringing the horses and Granny to life.

View now at amazon.co.uk

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Jill & The Lost Ponies

Author: Jane Badger

Published: 2020

This book picks up from where the series left off in the 1950s. H&H’s Eleanor Jones says: “A great read for fans of the original series, but also for pony-loving children who are yet to discover Jill.” Read her full review.

View now at amazon.co.uk

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Finding Wonder

Author: Lauren St John

Published: 2023

Reading age: 9–12 years

A superbly told adventure story with a rich plot and engaging characters.

H&H’s Martha Terry says: “I found it completely enthralling. As in all great detective stories, you never quite know whom to trust, and how the mystery will unravel.” Read her full review.

View now at amazon.co.uk

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Pocket Eyewitness Horses: Facts at Your Fingertips

Author: DK

Published: 2018

Reading age: 9–12 years

Packed with amazing stats, helpful photographs and genius facts, this book will tell the reader everything they need to know about horses in a handy pocket-sized guide.

View now at amazon.co.uk

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Christmas Tales From the Farm

Author: Amanda Owen

Published: 2025

Reading age: 7–11 years

Amanda Owen, also known as the Yorkshire Shepherdess, and her family welcome you to Ravenseat Farm at Christmas. This heartwarming collection of festive stories is inspired by all the countryside characters – both two-legged and four – you’ll find on and around the farm.

View now at amazon.co.uk

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Always Remember: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, the Horse and the Storm

Author: Charlie Mackesy

Published: 2025

The hugely anticipated new book from Charlie Mackesy, revisiting the much-loved world of The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse. This book follows Charlie and his unlikely friends, wandering through the wilds again. The heart-warming story explores thoughts and feelings, and is full of wonderful artwork.

View now at amazon.co.uk

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The Complete Book of Horses

Author: Debby Sly, Sarah Muir and Judith Draper

Published: 2018

This book, in a new large format, is an invaluable guide to every aspect of horsemanship, with a fully illustrated directory of breeds of the world, step-by-step instructions on how to ride, and information about specialist equipment for both horse and rider.

View now at amazon.co.uk

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Sunshine Stables: Poppy and the Perfect Pony

Author: Olivia Tuffin

Published: 2021

Reading age: 7–10 years

Written by the same author as the popular A Pony Called Secret and The Palamino Pony series, this series tells the stories of different girls and the ponies they are paired with during their stay at pony club.

View now at amazon.co.uk

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Gallop! 100 Facts

Author: Kitson Jazynka

Published: 2018

Packed with weird-but-true facts and tons of horsey info, this book gallops right into the world of horses – from wild ponies and superstar racers to the shared history of humans and horses.

View now at amazon.co.uk

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Globetrotter: Meriden Travels The World

Author: Claire Wilby

Published: 2021

Reading age: 6–14 years

This is the story of a globetrotting horse about friendship, travel and cultural insights – and of course, a fabulous horse! Based on the travels of a real horse, the book takes you on a journey with Meridien to foreign lands. You will meet the friends he makes along the way and share in his experiences of different cultures. Saddle up and enjoy the globe trot!

H&H’s Sarah Jenkins says: “This book will delight young horse and pony enthusiasts whether they are already competent readers themselves or enjoy a bedtime story.” Read her full review.

View now at amazon.co.uk

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Horse Care, Riding and Training for Kids

Author: Elaine Heney

Published: 2022

Reading age: 6–11 years

Enjoy this ‘Listening to the Horse’ inspired children’s equestrian book, packed full of body language, behaviour, horse health, grooming, feeding, safety, tack, groundwork and riding tips for the young rider. Perfect for children who love horses and ponies and want to learn more.

View now at amazon.co.uk

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The Horse Dreamer

Author: Holly SurplicePublished: 2025 Reading age: 9–12 years

The horse arrives in the storm, when Merryn needs him most, following the loss of her father. Sorrel is a dreamlike creature, seemingly made from the woods and the sea. Perhaps she wished him into existence.

View now at amazon.co.uk

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70 great gift ideas for pony-mad children

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The best horse books of all genres for all ages

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11 personalised gifts that are perfect for any equestrian

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Great horse games, toys and craft sets for all ages

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

The Pony Whisperer by Esme Higgs: ‘Gritty yet heartwarming’

Martha Terry — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 11:22:40 +0000

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Author: Esme Higgs and Jo Cotterill

Illustrator: Hannah George

Published: 2025

Available as paperback or Kindle

About The Pony Whisperer by Esme Higgs

This is the fourth book in The Starlight Stables Gang (SSG) series, written by superstar equestrian influencer and YouTuber Esme Higgs in collaboration with award-winning author Jo Cotterill. It’s a fun adventure series, “for animal-mad eight- to 12-year-olds”.

The central themes are ponies, fun and friendship, but this tale has a hard twist of reality with the central character, Daniel, having a tricky time juggling his chaotic home life, poverty, school and his love for the ponies at the riding school. Inclusivity and diversity are always key within Esme’s SSG tales, and this one is no exception.

Christmas is coming but while most of the SSG are excited about the annual seasonal party at the stables, Daniel isn’t feeling very festive. His mum isn’t well and he’s struggling to manage caring for her and helping at home, alongside school work and finding time to go to Starlight Stables – the place he loves the most.

Then Daniel finds an abandoned horse in need of his help and suddenly he’s got another thing to worry about. . . But will it prove one thing too many? Or will Daniel finally trust his friends enough to open up and ask for help when he needs it the most?

Review

This is a heartwarming story of a 13-year-old boy growing up in a large and chaotic household, living on the breadline. For Daniel, horses – and the friendships he makes at the stables – are his oasis of calm. While most pony literature is aimed at girls, this seems like a brave and much-needed departure, with the central character being male.

The Pony Whisperer captures the thrill and emotion of a young teenager who knows the unfathomable rewards that horses can bring to a troubled soul, and wants to reciprocate that gift. Unlike many “pony books” which centre around yard bitchiness, competition fever and pretty ponies, this is a gritty read.

Without wanting to give away spoilers, Daniel is the oldest child with a lot of siblings, and with his dad in prison he shoulders a lot of responsibility for the household at a young age. He wants to throw himself headlong into helping at the yard, but he’s torn with the weight of challenges back home.

Despite the tough setting, The Pony Whisperer is an enjoyable read which races along, yet makes you think and get into the main characters’ minds. The people are likeable; I found myself really rooting for Daniel and sympathising with his tough lot in life. More than once, I felt my eyes prick with tears when he finds solace in the company of a horse and quite what it means to him. And wow, what wonderful friends he has made at the yard! Crucially, there are also some equines to fall in love with – or despise: Toffee and her toffee-nosed owner being cases in point!

As with previous SSG stories, the inclusivity threads are strong. Virtually every character has some diverse side to them, teaching young readers never to judge – unless, of course, it involves anyone being mean to a horse or pony.

Verdict

A gritty yet heartwarming adventure story for pony-mad kids with a strong message of inclusivity, friendship and kindness. With its festive theme, it makes an ideal Christmas gift and could give you some ideas for the yard come December!

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The Starlight Stables Gang by Esme Higgs

£7.99

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31 books that pony-mad children of all ages will enjoy

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All in a day’s work: YouTube sensation Esme Higgs

Esme Higgs, 18, on her unhorsey start, the pressures of social media and being star-struck by William Fox-Pitt

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‘I thought if one person like me could learn more about horses, that would be brilliant’: how This Esme’s drive to make riding more accessible drew in millions of fans

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Celebrating the work of Dame Jilly Cooper with our favourite novels by the author

georgia.guerin@futurenet.com (Georgia Guerin) — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 15:29:31 +0000

Dame Jilly Cooper is famous in the equestrian world for creating the Rutshire Chronicles series but she wrote a total of 44 books in her lifetime, selling more than 11 million copies around the world. On hearing the sad news that Dame Jilly passed away yesterday (5 October), the team at Horse & Hound took some time to reminisce about our favourite Jilly Cooper books.

As an equestrian, it’s frustrating when books and TV don’t get the minor details correct when it comes to horses and horse sport, but with Jilly’s novels this is never the case. She once told H&H this was because “I don’t have a very good imagination, I like to have been there” and that she “used to go all over the country and abroad with the incredibly glamorous Harvey Smith, David Broome and the Whitakers for my research”.

Whether based in equestrian sport or elsewhere, the Rutshire Chronicles certainly live up to their “bonkbuster” reputation, and you can’t help but warm to Jilly’s wonderful characters as they deal with matters of class, sex, marriage, rivalry, grief and fertility along the way. As her agent and friend Felicity Blunt said: “Jilly wrote with acuity and insight about all things. Her plots were both intricate and gutsy, spiked with sharp observations and wicked humour.”

They’re certainly a must-read for anyone looking for entertaining horsey fiction with added spice – and are as enjoyable now as when we first read them.

H&H’s pick of the best Jilly Cooper books

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

1. Riders

This is Jilly’s first book and was published in 1969. Riders is our first introduction to the famous Rupert Campbell-Black, and the first of the Rutshire Chronicles series – and by many accounts the steamiest. This one is a standout favourite among the team.

“It’s the original and best,” says magazine and eventing editor Pippa Roome. “It’s such a huge and sprawling book covering a long time period, with a huge amount of detail around the human and equine characters. It’s a rich immersion in the showjumping world, from county shows through to the World Championships and the Olympics.”

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2. Polo

This is the third in the series (published in 1991), but is still a great place to start if you haven’t read any. Rather than showjumping, this book is set around the sport of kings in the 1980s – and very accurately so. Some readers may find teen character Perdita MacLeod rather infuriating, but it’s well worth sticking with Polo as it all comes right in the end.

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3. Score!

The sixth in the series has all the usual bits of a Jilly Cooper novel, but with the added twist of a murder mystery. Score! features Sir Robert Rannaldini, who is the most successful but detested conductor in the world. He has two ambitions: to seduce his ravishing 19-year-old stepdaughter Tabitha Campbell-Black and to put his mark on musical history.

“Jilly’s early romances are such feel-good chick lit and I love the ‘whodunnit’ Score! – it was brilliant and really keeps you guessing!” says news editor Eleanor Jones.

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4. Rivals

The second Rutshire Chronicle is the perfect entry to a world of Jilly Cooper – especially if you don’t consider yourself much of a reader as this was turned into a series for Disney+ last year. As always, however, you do get so much more if you read the book! Failing that, there’s also a new audio book read by actress Georgia Tennant (wife of David Tennant, who plays Lord Tony Baddingham).

The book is set in the cut-throat world of 1980s British television; Rupert Campbell-Black returns in Rivals freshly divorced, having given up on showjumping (although there is still plenty of horses and riding involved) and he is now the Conservative Party’s minister for sport. Want to give it a go? Here’s how to watch Rivals.

Rutshire Chronicles order

Of course, if you want to read the Rutshire Chronicles in order, here’s where to start:

Riders (1985)
Rivals (1988)
Polo (1991)
The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous (1993)
Appassionata (1996)
Score! (1999)
Pandora (2002)
Wicked! (2006)
Jump! (2010)
Mount! (2016)
Tackle! (2023)

‘It’s been a joy’: new book published in much-loved Jinny and Shantih series

Eleanor Jones — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 16:14:59 +0000

Fans of the much-loved Jinny books by Patricia Leitch have a treat in store as a 13th installment has come out.

Almost 37 years after Running Wild, the 12th book about Jinny and her beloved Arab mare Shantih, was published, sequel Dream of the Dance has been released by Jane Badger Books.

“When Patricia Leitch ended her Jinny series with Running Wild, that was it for Jinny fans,” a spokesperson for the publishing company said. “Although Patricia had ideas for more books, none ever appeared. Jinny ended the series still at school, galloping over the Scottish moors with Shantih.”

But, with the blessing of Patricia Leitch’s estate, readers can now find out more.

“In Dream of the Dance, Jinny is now 16, and about to leave school,” the spokesperson said.

“She faces the challenges we all do when we leave school; what will she do with her life, can she bear to leave Finmory, and what about the horse of her heart, her beloved Arab mare Shantih?

“For Jinny, everything is changing. Her friends are moving on. Her perfect sister, Petra, has her life planned out to the last degree. Even the horses are changing. A stallion has appeared on the moors, and Shantih is desperate to get to him. Jinny does not know what to do with her own life, let alone Shantih’s.”

Dream of the Dance is written by Siân Shipley; Patricia Leitch knew and loved her writing, the spokesperson said.

After Siân sent Patricia some of her stories, she wrote back: “All my writing life I have known I would get a letter that would let me know that someone had really read my books… I shall try to post this to you, an equal writer. Don’t ever stop… You … are a light in my darkness, which is no darkness – all light.”

Jane Badger, who has also republished the original 12 Jinny books, added that she has very much enjoyed bringing Jinny back to life with Siân.

“Editing the books has been a joy: talking about Jinny, Miss Tuke, Ken and Mr MacKenzie and what we think they went on to do,” she said.

One advance reader said the new book is “beautiful, and to me, seems to fit effortlessly into Patricia’s vision of Jinny”.

Another added: “The characters are incredible. It’s literally the same people. It’s like Patricia wrote it!”

The cover is by Loïs Castellain. Jane Badger bought some of her archive in 2024, expecting the cartoon sketches of the carthorse Adolphus for which she was best known.

“It was like opening a treasure chest: Adolphus was there, but there was so much more,” Jane said. “Beautiful horses, Arabs as well as carthorses. She obviously loved them, and the feeling I had as I looked at them was that I’d found a kindred spirit of Jinny’s. One of them in particular just had this sense of celebrating the beauty of Arab horses, and it was perfect for the cover of Dream of the Dance.”

The book is available as an eBook (£3.95) and paperback (£8.99). It can be ordered from the Jane Badger Books website, and from Amazon and Kobo.

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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‘I thought if one person like me could learn more about horses, that would be brilliant’: how This Esme’s drive to make riding more accessible drew in millions of fans

Martha Terry — Sat, 31 May 2025 15:30:00 +0000

Esme Higgs needs little introduction in the equestrian world. Known to millions as This Esme, the 23-year-old has been carving out a unique space in the digital landscape for the past decade, making informative yet relatable content about horses.

What started as a pony-mad teenager’s video diary has evolved into a full-blown equestrian media identity – but at its core, Esme’s mission remains the same: to educate, entertain, and inspire a love of horses.

Now with a book series (more on the forthcoming fourth instalment later), a podcast, and several ambassador roles under her belt, Esme continues to champion horses and the people who love and care for them.

In the run-up to Horse & Hound’s first junior special (in shops from Thursday, 5 June), Esme opens up about the early days of her channel, what life with ponies has taught her, and why she believes accessibility and welfare should be at the heart of the horse world’s future.

Horse & Hound’s interview with This Esme

H&H: How did horses come into your life?

Esme: I was very lucky to grow up in the countryside, where the local riding school used to ride past my mum and dad’s house. My parents were completely non-horsey, but I started having lessons at the riding school at a very young age of five.

H&H: What were your horsey dreams in the early days?

Esme: I just always wanted to feel like a proper horse person. I had a lot of impostor syndrome being born into a non-horsey family though I was very lucky to get my own pony when I was only eight or nine.

I went to Pony Club, but it was the little things like my friends’ parents riding their ponies while they were at school, so at the weekend they’d be lovely and well-schooled. I could see a lot of my peers had a leg-up with their parents helping them or having a string of many different ponies, when that wasn’t a reality for me. From a young age, it was all down to me.

So I was all about wanting to be a proper horse person – competing wasn’t the be-all and end-all because I didn’t see a pathway where I could be successful. What I loved most was forming a partnership with my horses. I had an incredible bond with my first pony, Mickey, who we sadly don’t have any more. And that, for me, is worth a lot more.

H&H: How did the YouTube content start?

Esme: I posted a few videos of my Connemara pony Casper, who I got when I was 11 or 12. My parents’ budget for a pony at that stage was not very big, so he was very green. Looking back, it probably wasn’t the best combination – a young child trying to produce a young pony – but it was all our budget could stretch to. But Casper was actually the reason I started my YouTube channel because I would post videos of our progress.

It started like a video diary because my phone wasn’t very good, so when I’d run out of storage, I thought “I’ll post it on to YouTube. It’ll be safe there. I don’t have to worry about storage problems on my phone.” And it also meant that my grandparents and family who lived far away could see what I was getting up to with the horses.

I never imagined that it would become a full-time job – I never thought there’d be enough horse people out there to watch my videos.

H&H: How influential is your own background in the content you create?

Esme: I guess it’s why I ended up deciding to create my YouTube channel and my books as well. I felt that the pony books I read were often about people born into a horsey family, growing up with their own ponies.

When I started making videos, “how to tack up a horse” was one of my first because I was thinking of people who weren’t from a horsey background, maybe just learning to ride at a riding school. I thought that even if just one person out there that was like me could watch this video and it could help them learn more about horses, that would be brilliant.

With the Starlight Stables Gang, I wanted to create a book where people aren’t from a horsey background, they come from different backgrounds and families, and all come together with the common love of horses. That was really important to me, because I felt like there weren’t many children’s books like that on the market.

H&H: Do you compete at all?

Esme: I used to, but since doing my channel, I haven’t really had the opportunity. When there are horse shows on, I tend to be working at them – presenting, doing social media coverage, meet and greets or book signings.

Maybe I’ll go back to it one day, but at the moment I’m so busy doing so many other different things that I’m just enjoying my horses, taking them to arena hires, or for hacks and gallops in the forest.

But also, I think there are so many people out there that are competing and doing an excellent job at it. I know I’m not going to end up at the Olympics. That’s something I wanted to get across with my channel. When I was growing up, the top riders you would look up to would be Olympians. For most people, that’s not possible but still to own a horse is to be in a very privileged position.

So my channel is a bit more real: me at home at the stables, mucking out, basic horse care. And for a lot of young children, the dream is just to be able to loan a pony or own a horse one day. Their dreams aren’t to go to the Olympics.

So I think it’s important to show not only that, yes, it’s super fun going out competing, but also there are so many things that you can do with horses, with non-ridden ones as well.

H&H: So what is your favourite thing to do with horses?

Esme: I would say, honestly, just hanging out with them because I’m very lucky that they’re at my parents’ farm. I can see them from the window right now.

And as I’ve got older, I’ve really appreciated how incredible hacking is. I’m very lucky that it’s not too far away to take my horses to the beach, which is lovely on a summer’s day, or take them to the forest or on the hills.

A lot of people forget how important it is for enrichment for horses, to give them that incredible life and experience. I know hacking is definitely among my horses’ favourite things to do.

H&H: How many horses do you have?

Esme: I have my main horse, Joey, who I’ve been producing since he was five and he’s now 11. Then I have my Connemara Casper, who’s a bit older now, so he’s my happy hacker. And we have little Duke, who is a companion pony from World Horse Welfare.

H&H: With your high profile comes a lot of responsibility, how do you deal with that?

Esme: This is something I realised from a very young age. When I was about 16 and had been posting videos for a couple of years an American family emailed me. They said they weren’t interested in horses initially but their daughter started watching my videos because she liked animals. After a couple of years watching my channel, they’d moved from the city to the countryside and now have horses at a ranch.

Their whole life has changed just because of my channel. It was then that it really hit me that, “oh, wow, these videos are affecting people’s lives”. It’s incredible to hear of all the positive stories people tell me that come just from watching a girl on YouTube talk about ponies.

So while I was still a child, I realised that I needed to be really responsible. There’s a bit of pressure, but it’s also a lovely thing because I’ve been able to talk about the charities that I work for, such as World Horse Welfare, and to show the positives of owning horses.

H&H: Tell us more about the Starlight Stables Gang and your upcoming book.

Esme: They are stories with real-life inspiration, for instance World Horse Welfare and a charity riding school, Team Tutsham and the Riding for the Disabled Association – with kids from lots of different backgrounds.

A lot of pony books are a bit fluffy, but I like my books to be about real-life issues. They’re not only for people who love horses and come from a horsey background, but also for the child that knows nothing about horses but loves animals, and can maybe see a bit of themselves in the characters and the struggles they go through.

One of the main characters, Ellie, is a wheelchair user – it was important for me to show that horse riding can be for everyone. I’ve got to say she’s my favourite character! She’s loud, bubbly, very confident, and cheers up the rest of the gang when things are hard. That’s a lovely thing to have in a friend.

There’s a little bit of me in all of the characters, but probably most of all in Summer – we’re both dyslexic. Puffin helped me pick a dyslexic-friendly font to help children like me! And I’m very lucky to have had an author as good as Jo Cotterill to collaborate and help me on this journey.

H&H: Where can we see you over the summer?

Esme: I’ve got a new series coming out this summer, the Pony Care series. I’m carrying on with my podcast, which I love, as well as a bit of work outside of the horse world – in fashion and the beauty industry.

I am also working at a lot of horse shows this summer: Aachen and the European Championships at Blenheim.

It’s exciting to have lots of different projects – and a few secret ones that I can’t talk about!

H&H: You sound so busy – do you still have time for your horses?

Esme: I’m very lucky that the way that my work works is that if I am away for a horse show, it’s only a day or two. So those days my horses have days off and every other day I’m in the office at home or at the stables filming. So I can usually ride six days a week. Any chance I get to ride, I’m riding!

The Pony Whisperer is the fourth book in the Starlight Stables Gang series, published by Puffin. It is due to be released in autumn 2025 – look out for the H&H review.
To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

(Image credit: Clara Molden for Country Life Magazine)

The Starlight Stables Gang by Esme Higgs

£7.99

(Image credit: Clara Molden for Country Life Magazine)

All in a day’s work: YouTube sensation Esme Higgs

Esme Higgs, 18, on her unhorsey start, the pressures of social media and being star-struck by William Fox-Pitt

(Image credit: Clara Molden for Country Life Magazine)

31 books that pony-mad children of all ages will enjoy

(Image credit: Clara Molden for Country Life Magazine)

Top jockey Rachael Blackmore turns children’s author with new book Granny National ahead of Aintree showcase

Franchesca Slack — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 16:00:40 +0000

Racing sensation and history-making jockey Rachael Blackmore has released her first children’s book Granny National, which is currently available for pre-order.

In 2021, Rachael Blackmore became the first female jockey to win the Grand National in the race’s 182-year history. She will ride Minella Indo in this year’s race. View all the Grand National runners and riders

Rachael was also crowned world sports star of the year at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards in 2021, cementing her position as a great role model for young riders.

Over the past three years Rachael has been drawing on her racing experience to create the story, with assistance from Rachel Pierce. Granny National is described as “a wildly fun horse-riding story for children aged eight to 10”.

Rachael loves to read, but is dyslexic and found reading a struggle in her youth. She is keen to show young readers that dyslexia isn’t a barrier to enjoying reading and hopes her book will be enjoyed by all.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

The story is about a granny, who dreams of being a jockey, and her four friends who hatch a plan to try to make it happen. The gang must come together for “Operation Granny National”, but will they pull it off? And what happens when everyone finds out what they’ve done? There’s bound to be big trouble ahead!

The book is beautifully illustrated throughout by Tom Snape, bringing the horses and Granny to life.

Granny National is available to pre-order now at amazon.co.uk

John Whitaker: ‘I was surprised how many great memories came flooding back’

John Whitaker — Thu, 10 Oct 2024 09:25:07 +0000

John Whitaker, one of the world’s leading showjumpers for more than four decades, celebrates 75 years of HOYS and finally get around to writing his autobiography

We’re in Birmingham this week where the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) celebrates its 75th anniversary. I wasn’t quite there for the first one in 1949! The first time I competed was in 1971 aged 16, in my last year on ponies.

You spend most of the summer driving up and down the country from show to show trying to qualify and in those days it was held at Wembley, which was the be-all and end-all for the end of the season.

Back then, there was no attempt to provide good ground and we used to warm up on a cinder track outdoors. The place looked more like a caravan park, because that’s what everyone stayed in at that time and the place was packed.

Contrary to previous reports, I made my HOYS debut on a pony called Little Buzzer and I still remember how daunting it felt riding into that ring for the first time. It was a mile away from anything I was used to and I feel for the kids riding in there nowadays; it’s definitely nerve-racking. We finished with four faults and although I was a bit disappointed, I was pleased I didn’t disgrace myself.

The following year, I qualified a four-year-old mare called Singing Wind for the Foxhunter final and reckon I’ve only missed a couple since through injury. This makes well over 50 times I’ve been to HOYS, so I really should have had a few better results!

I’ve won the grand prix a couple of times and that’s always a highlight, but jumping the Masters on Milton in Wembley Arena, where you have five big jumps and the crowd right behind you, was very special.

Both my daughters, Louise and Joanne, qualified with the Rockwood Harriers branch of the Pony Club for the Prince Philip Cup at HOYS and similarly for them, getting to Wembley was a huge achievement.

Then one year, Louise actually qualified for the mounted games, the junior Foxhunter, the junior jumper, the under-21 and the under-18 final – I’m not sure if anything like that’s been achieved again, but it was a busy week!

So there have been many happy times over the years.

All roads lead to Barcelona

It’s a shame that Great Britain didn’t qualify for the inaugural Longines League of Nations (LLN) Final in Barcelona, which is a great show and important to be part of.

The emphasis for the British team this year has obviously been to do well in the Olympics, so perhaps we didn’t field our best teams for some of the early qualifiers, which were a logistical challenge too. Saying that, it’s the same situation for every country.

I’m not sure if the new series format totally works – there were only four qualifying legs and one was cancelled due to the bad weather, so it was a bit stop-start. Great Britain went on to jump well and finish third in the final leg in Rotterdam, so who knows whether a good result in St Gallen might have changed their fortunes and helped them to qualify for Barcelona.

The FEI needs to give the LLN a rethink, as the whole sport feels a bit diluted at the moment with so many different circuits and series to follow.

Finally putting pen to paper

After many years of trying, my friends and family persuaded me to write my autobiography (turn to p40 of this week’s H&H magazine to enjoy an extract). It’s taken a year or so to complete, so I’m looking forward to seeing it coming out later this month.

Most of the time I can’t remember what happened yesterday, so I was surprised how many memories came flooding back, about how it all started, the good flow of horses I’ve had throughout my career, with comments coming in from other riders, friends and family.

I don’t really enjoy talking about myself and the things I’ve achieved – in this sport, you’re always looking forward horse-wise and show-wise – but writing the book brought back some very good memories.

Enjoy reading extracts from John’s autobiography in Horse & Hound magazine (10, 24, 31 October issues), and to order your own copy visit www.johnwhitakerthelegend.com

● What are your favourite memories of John Whitaker and his brilliant horses? Let us know at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and country, for the chance for your letter to appear in a forthcoming issue of the magazine

To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout HOYS, Maryland, Pau and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

‘I love these books’: after years of waiting, classic Jinny series is back in print

Eleanor Jones — Sat, 28 Sep 2024 18:21:44 +0000

A new generation of readers will be able to fall in love with Jinny and Shantih as Patricia Leitch’s classic series is back in print.

After years of work, the first six Jinny titles are out, as ebooks and in paperbacks with new covers. Two more are to be released this year and the remaining four next year; this will be the first time the complete series has been in print for 30 years.

Publisher Jane Badger, of Jane Badger Books, said one of the questions asked most of her has been “Why can’t you do the Jinny books?”

“A good question, as I started out with Patricia Leitch’s Dream of Fair Horses in 2019,” she said.

“In 2019, the Jinny books were being published by another company, so I thought that was that. However, Patricia Leitch’s heirs then had some problems with that company, and to cut a very long story short, they decided to publish with me instead. It did take a long while, literally years, to sort everything out, but here we are.

“I love these books. I think Jinny is so believable. I love Jinny’s passion for her Arab mare Shantih and for her family, Finmory and the moors, and her painting.

“Patricia Leitch is an amazing author. In the Jinny books she has so much to say about what it means to own something, and about letting go. She really was a trailblazer.”

Those who read and loved the books in childhood will remember that they tell the story of Jinny who moves with her family from the city to the Scottish Highlands, where she meets chestnut Arab Shantih. The books are For Love of a Horse, A Devil to Ride, The Summer Riders, Night of the Red Horse, Gallop to the Hills, Horse in a Million, The Magic Pony, Ride Like the Wind, Chestnut Gold, Jump for the Moon, Horse of Fire and Running Wild.

The series has previously been published with different covers, and Jane said the new versions were inspired by Jinny, whose love of painting and drawing is central to the books.

“She’s an artist – it’s through winning a painting competition that she manages to buy Shantih,” Jane said. “I wanted covers that Jinny could have painted herself, and then I remembered some of Jenny Bell’s pictures I’d seen that had just the sort of swift, passionate style I thought Jinny would have used. Getting the feeling of the horse, its very being, over in paint. Jenny, fortunately, agreed to do it, and so here we are, with the very first illustrated covers.”

Shantih is modelled by Amira, who belongs to equine photographer Karen Budkiewicz; the model for Easter, who features later in the series, is Phoenix, another pure-bred Arab, who belongs to Gemma Al-Khayat.

The books are available as eBooks and paperbacks from Amazon and Kobo, and directly from Jane Badger Books. The paperbacks are £8.99 each; the eBooks £3.95.

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Badminton Horse Trials at 75 by Kate Green

Pippa Roome — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 07:22:55 +0000

(Image credit: Pippa Roome)

Title: Badminton Horse Trials at 75

Author: Kate Green, with foreword by The Duke of Beaufort

Published: 14 April 2024

Available as hardback, Kindle, Kobo and iBook

View now at amazon.co.uk

About Badminton Horse Trials at 75

The publishers describe this as: “A lavishly illustrated celebration of the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Badminton Horse Trials looking at its history, the notable riders and the horses from over the past seven decades.

“In 1949, the 10th Duke of Beaufort started Badminton Horse Trials with the idea of better preparing British riders for the Olympic Games after a disastrous showing on home ground the year before. His legacy is the world’s oldest and most prestigious horse trials, which has captured the imagination of riders worldwide and in 2024 celebrates its seventy-fifth anniversary.

“Badminton is still an Olympic proving ground as well as a captivating place where dreams can be made or shattered, and the one all riders want to win. The centrepiece remains the cross-country course, a spectacle that draws thousands of spectators and is an imposing challenge for riders, no matter how experienced they are, in an egalitarian sport in which men and women compete on equal terms and the amateur can take on the Olympic gold medallist.

“This superbly illustrated book celebrates those riders and their horses, from Sheila Willcox’s hattrick in the 1950s to New Zealander Mark Todd who came out of retirement to win three decades after his first victory; from the golden era of Richard Meade, Captain Mark Phillips, Lucinda Green and Princess Anne, to twenty-first-century heroes and heroines, including William Fox-Pitt, Pippa Funnell, Andrew Nicholson, Michael Jung, Oliver Townend and Rosalind Canter.”

Review

Lovers of eventing have been crying out for a book which brings us up to date on Badminton’s history – Debby Sly’s great forerunner to this new edition, Badminton Horse Trials: The Triumphs and The Tears, covers only two-thirds of the event’s history now, having been published for the event’s 50th anniversary. This new tome answers that need.

Kate Green, a journalist of huge experience including with Horse & Hound and currently as deputy editor of Country Life, is the ideal author to have taken up the challenge and the result is a delightful book. She takes Badminton decade by decade, giving an introduction to the period’s major changes and trends, and then breaking out into a short section on each renewal of the event. Her flowing prose and ability to pick out the best stories and summarise important themes in a succinct way make this a very easy, enjoyable read.

It is a strength rather than a weakness that this book covers much of the history of eventing beyond Badminton, picking out important developments in the sport, and weaving the history of our major championships into the story – fitting, in the context of how Badminton came about. From the rise and fall of different nations to changes in cross-country course design, the introduction of new formats and the evolution of the modern event horse, this book gives a whistle-stop tour of eventing over the past eight decades.

Kate also introduces us to all the major characters in the sport, bringing them to life with affection and wonderful anecdotes.

Although the more recent history of the event will probably be familiar to many readers, the fact Kate had a front row seat at these Badminton, as either a journalist or a member of the press office team, means these sections are particularly strong.

Verdict

A lovely book to keep on your coffee table and dip into – or read straight through. Either way, Badminton Horse Trials at 75 is a book you’ll want to return to time after time. I love my Kindle, but on this occasion, do buy the hardback so you can really luxuriate in all the gorgeous archive photos.

View now at amazon.co.uk

7 ways in which real life is no longer like a Pullein-Thompson book

Gemma Redrup — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 13:00:08 +0000

Generations of pony-mad youngsters grew up on the work of sisters Diana, Josephine and Christine Pullein-Thompson, who wrote dozens of pony books between them. Their thrilling tales of pony trekking adventures, stolen ponies, riding clubs and circus stunts captivated generations of pony-mad children. They’re still great stories, and many of the books are still in print, but unfortunately they’re less believable than they once were — modern equestrian life has since become a little more complicated…

1. Thinking of setting up your own riding club? Then, all you needed was a bunch of kids on ponies. Now, you’ll need three kinds of insurance, a committee and pages on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

3. Children in the books often get lost wandering thousands of acres of open moorland. These days, you’d only have to go far enough to get a mobile phone signal and turn your GPS on, or, at a pinch, jump on the what3words app and call emergency services.

4. Unfortunately, these days if you’re under 16 you’re pretty unlikely to be able to pick up a “no-hoper” horse from a sales for £12, train him yourself at home and win the local one-day event. We’re not saying it’s impossible, though…

5. We’d love to think that we’d get spotted by a film crew and asked to star in a film as a stunt doubles, as happened in one of Christine’s Black Pony Inn books — we fear there may be a little bit of paperwork involved first these days, though.

6. In Christine’s Phantom Horse series, the eponymous Phantom goes from being a wild mustang in the US to being tamed (by children), shipped back to the UK, stolen, found and much more before going on to win competitions. While it could all still be done, these days most of the first book would have been taken up with admin, microchipping, quarantine regulations, passporting and more — all at a cost of several thousand pounds.

7. In Josephine’s The Trick Jumpers, a group of children teach their ponies to do “trick jumping” to put on a display at a local show, including jumping through fire. We can hear the modern local show committee fainting from here…

Kyrgyzstan and the Jailoo: Four Rides in the Mountains of Heaven by Sue Bathurst

Carol Phillips — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 12:00:15 +0000

(Image credit: Carol Phillips)

Title: Kyrgyzstan and the Jailoo: Four Rides in the Mountains of Heaven

Author: Sue Bathurst

Published: 14 November, 2023

Available as hardback

View now at amazon.co.uk

About Kyrgyzstan and the Jailoo

In 2013 Sue Bathurst went to Kyrgyzstan to ride a horse in the jailoo – the nomads’ mountain pastures. She fell in love with the country, sometimes described as the most beautiful country in the world, and with its people. In this book she not only describes Kyrgyzstan, as it was and is, but tells of four of these horse rides in the Tien Shan and Talas Mountains, travelled with English and Kyrgyz friends.

During those rides they covered 500 miles by horse; crossed 20 passes, most between 9,000 feet and 13,000 feet; negotiated precipitous gorges and boulder strewn rivers of cascading snowmelt. In 2017 they rode for over 150 miles down the no-go zone, once the frontier between the USSR and China, and still the Kyrgyz/Chinese border. Everywhere they were welcomed by the shepherds and their families.

This is not only about a beautiful country, illustrated with over 200 colour photographs, 4 graphs and a colour map. It is about traversing challengingly tricky terrain, far from the possibility of helicopter rescue, and seeing, along the way, how the smallest country in Central Asia is rebuilding itself after 115 years of Russian rule.

Review

This book provides a fascinating insight into the lives of the Kyrgyz nomads for whom the Jailoo is home – and the author who chose to ride hundreds of miles across the incredibly challenging terrain of Kyrgyzstan, far away from any chance of rescue should an injury occur, while in her late 60s and early 70s.

While taking us along during her four different rides across epic landscapes that the less well-travelled can enjoy a glimpse of through the pictures in the book, the author does a good job of explaining the political background to the country and how this influences those living in the region.

There were a few places in the book where the passage of time was not entirely clear, as the writer jumped ahead to the following day without explanation, causing me to go back and reread the previous section to see if I’d missed something, but despite that I found the book an interesting and enjoyable read.

Equestrian readers should also be aware that the horses in the book do undergo moments of hardship, which needs to be considered in the context of the lives lived by the Kyrgyz nomads, so it might not be the ideal choice of relaxing reading for those of a more sensitive disposition.

Verdict

A great coffee table book for aspiring adventurers and those who enjoy traversing the routes less travelled.

View now at amazon.co.uk

Mirror Horse by Tamara Williamson

Carol Phillips — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 09:21:58 +0000

(Image credit: Carol Phillips)

Title: Mirror Horse: a memoir

Author: Tamara Williamson

Published: 23 November, 2023

Available as paperback and ebook

View now at amazon.co.uk

About Mirror Horse

In Tamara Williamson’s memoir about the horses that have passed through her life, she opens a door to the complicated and nuanced world of equestrianism. A grand passion for so many of us who have had the opportunity of sharing our lives with these incredible animals, the author shares her personal journey full of ambition, determination, kindness, frustration, fear and joy.

While on the surface Mirror Horse is about horses, the author crafts a complex story about courage, family and the places where we find a reflection of our souls. In her notes from the author, she admits that she had to “come out of hiding and find the courage” to look deep inside herself while writing this book, saying: “This book was meant to be about horses. Instead it took me on a journey I didn’t expect and became about much more than that.”

Review

I found myself quickly immersed in this book as it whisked me back to my childhood helping out at my local riding school, and riding around the countryside on loan ponies, hacking to local shows and attending pony club rallies with my friends. Later it opened a door on to keeping horses in Canada and the country’s dressage scene, of which I have no first-hand experience, but in which I can see similarities with the aura of certain individuals and the drama linked to some situations here in the UK.

The author writes with an authenticity and honesty about her life – and the horses within it – that is refreshing and relatable throughout. She does not shy away from her mistakes or the darker side of what horse sport can bring out in some people. She is open about the challenges, her own shortcomings, and what she learnt – good and bad – along the way.

The book is broken into individual chapters, each focussed on a specific horse, or in some cases two horses. Some of these relationships are positive, others far less so. The years during which these horses were in the author’s life are given, so it is easy to see which overlap, and how they fit into her childhood through the teenage years into adulthood, married life and beyond. The chapters make the book easy to pick and put down, so it does not need to be read in one sitting. I found myself taking natural breaks at the end of chapters, allowing periods of introspection before picking up the book once again.

As an equestrian I found this book very enjoyable to read, prompting me to reflect anew on what the numerous horses in my life to date have taught – and continue to teach – me. For those outside the equestrian world, I think it gives a genuine insight into what it is about horses that results in them becoming a grand passion in the lives of so many people around the world. It’s heartfelt and moving at times, as the horses reflect the best and worst of the author’s intentions and emotions, shining a light on a relationship that requires absolute authenticity in order to thrive.

Verdict

An engaging and endearing book that is ideal to read over multiple sittings with much to offer both horse enthusiasts and a wider audience.

View now at amazon.co.uk

NB: A percentage of the author’s royalties from this book will be donated to the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition.

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(Image credit: Carol Phillips)

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£75

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‘The most wonderful life’: final farewell to much-loved children’s author

Eleanor Jones — Sun, 07 Jan 2024 19:51:13 +0000

KM Peyton, the much-loved author of more than 70 novels and grande dame of the pony book genre has died aged 94.

Best known for her Flambards trilogy with its background of the First World War, hunting and early flying machines, she had a lucid literary style that never pandered to the idea that children were less sophisticated readers than adults. She was awarded the Carnegie Medal for children’s writing in 1969, and Flambards was later adapted as a 13-part TV drama, which brought a new generation of readers to her work. She continued writing about horses in Fly-by-Night, The Team, Blind Beauty and The Swallow series, representing horses and owners with elegance and a clear-eyed lack of sentimentality. In 2014 she was appointed MBE for services to children’s literature.

Brought up in Surbiton, Kathleen spent a happy childhood cycling miles in the countryside and working on a farm in the holidays. On Derby Day she would skip school and pedal to Epsom. Her suburban upbringing gave her an unsatisfied longing to own, or even ride, horses. As compensation, she wrote her first pony book aged eight, filling notebooks with stories and descriptions of more than 2,000 imaginary horses. At 15, a teacher at Wimbledon High School spotted her talent and Sabre the Horse From the Sea was published that year.

After school she won a place at Oxford, but chose to study fine art, at Manchester Art School where she met Michael Peyton, a recently demobbed miner’s son who had escaped from a prisoner of war camp. They eloped in 1950, despite family objections, and went hiking and guiding in the Alps, hitchhiking in France, and canoeing through the Canadian wilderness.

KM Peyton last summer (Image credit: creditUnknown)

The birth of two daughters and purchase of a ramshackle house in Essex with a field led to ownership of the unbroken New Forest pony who inspired Fly-by-Night. Many years of involvement with the Pony Club followed – she received a Cubitt award – and she always claimed that many of her more extreme stories came from real-life observation. Kathleen learnt to ride quite late, joining the Essex Farmers Hunt on her beloved cob Essie. With her agent, Michael Motley, she shared racehorse Wise Words, who inspired books about the racing world

A born storyteller, Kathleen considered writing and riding the two most necessary pursuits for a happy existence. “I’ve had the most wonderful life,” was her most frequent claim. It was entirely accurate.

She is survived by her daughters, Hilary and Veronica.

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(Image credit: Future)

Joanna Lumley voices new animation celebrating life of Black Beauty author

Becky Murray — Sat, 02 Dec 2023 21:32:54 +0000

Redwings has released a Christmas animation celebrating the life and legacy of Black Beauty author Anna Sewell, with a voiceover by actress Dame Joanna Lumley.

The animation tells Anna’s story, and how her love for horses developed – which led to her writing Black Beauty. Anna died shortly after its release on 24 November 1877 aged 58. The novel has sold more than 50,000 million copies worldwide.

The animation premiered at a private screening event on 24 November, during which Redwings also celebrated the release of a new fundraising edition of Black Beauty. The book has been produced in conjunction with the UEA Publishing Project and launched on the anniversary of its original publication date. It costs £9.99 and half of all proceeds will go directly to the care of Redwings’ equines.

It can be bought on the Redwings website.

“This year has been a whirlwind for us here at Redwings. We feel so honoured to have been given the opportunity to look after this special house and the wonderful partnerships we’ve developed because of it,” said Nicola Knight, Redwings head of communications and campaigns.

“This is the first time Black Beauty has directly raised funds for the animals Anna Sewell loved so much and we are indebted to the UEA for the opportunity to work with them on this beautiful edition of the book – which we hope will make it into many a Christmas stocking.”

Nicola added special thanks to Joanna Lumley, who donated her services to the project.

“Dame Joanna’s support on our animation is something we dreamed of and we’re so grateful for the generous gift of her time,” said Nicola.

“We have received some wonderful words from well-known fans of the book from the literary and animal welfare world for which we are so thrilled, and one of these, master English saddle maker, presenter and author Suzie Fletcher, very kindly read a chapter for us at the event.

“The shared legacy of Anna and us here at Redwings – a desire, purely and simply, to create a better world for horses – is so intertwined that it feels serendipitous. We hope this animation will educate those who weren’t aware of the impact that Anna’s work had, and continues to have, hundreds of years later, on the welfare of horses.”

The special edition of the book is now on general sale. It includes a foreword by children’s author Dame Jacqueline Wilson and an afterword by 19th century literature professor Thomas Ruys Smith of the UEA.

“It has been a joy to work with Redwings on this project,” said Professor Smith.

“It’s high time that Norfolk’s most successful literary export was recognised for the impact she had on the world, and it’s a privilege to be a part of that effort. We are so grateful to Meantime Media for their wonderful work on the animation and to the Arts and Humanities Council for their support with funding. We hope it will really tell the story of how this incredible fictional creation came to be.”

Harmonious Horsemanship by Sue Dyson and Sue Palmer

Carol Phillips — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 12:49:43 +0000

(Image credit: Carol Phillips)

Harmonious Horsemanship by Sue Dyson and Sue Palmer

Title: Harmonious Horsemanship: use of the ridden horse ethogram to optimise potential, partnership and performance

Authors: Sue Dyson and Sue Palmer

Published: 2023

Available as paperback or Kindle edition

In the UK? View now at amazon.co.uk

About Harmonious Horsemanship

In Harmonious Horsemanship: use of the ridden horse ethogram to optimise potential, partnership and performance, Sue Dyson and Sue Palmer share their professional knowledge and experience to teach the reader how to use the list of 24 behaviours to check for musculoskeletal pain in ridden horses.

The book includes research studies and contributions from industry experts, alongside real-life case studies. The book is full of practical tools to teach everyone from amateur owners to experienced equestrian professionals how to use ridden behaviour to recognise the signs of pain, even in horses that appear sound.

Review: Harmonious Horsemanship by Sue Dyson and Sue Palmer

Too often horses are labelled “bad” or “naughty” when they are actually in pain. Dr Sue Dyson’s ridden horse pain ethogram – also known as the ridden horse performance checklist – is a list of 24 behaviours that can be used to recognise musculoskeletal pain in horses which are not obviously lame.

As well as covering the background of how and why the ethogram came about, this book focuses on educating equestrians in how to apply the checklist to their own horses, and includes many real-life case studies. It also contains numerous photos showing multiple examples of each of the 24 behaviours being shown by horses, to help equestrians visualise the signs.

The book poses important questions to the reader though out, promoting us to reconsider some long-held assumptions and beliefs we may have about our horses. It also offers advice on where to go next if you find your horse is showing signs of pain when you apply the ridden horse performance checklist, and includes a useful set of FAQs covering a wide range of questions that may cross your mind along the way.

Numerous experts – from vets to farriers to physical therapists to saddle fitters – have contributed their thoughts on ridden horse behaviour to the book, providing additional insight through the lens of their professional speciality.

For an educational reference book, I found the language easy to follow as it doesn’t get bogged down in too much veterinary terminology. That said, there is a lot of information on take on board so I did need to take breaks from reading to give my brain time to process the information being imparted.

I think this is a book that I will return to time and again. It will help me to be become a more informed owner and rider who can advocate clearly on my horse’s behalf when speaking to equine professional about my horse’s well-being.

Verdict

If everyone involved with ridden horses, whether as a rider, trainer or carer, would read this book, the world would be a better place for horses in all situations.

In the UK? View now at amazon.co.uk

The Misfit by Jay Ann Foley

Martha Terry — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 12:37:25 +0000

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Title: The Misfit

Author: Jay-Ann Foley

Published: 2 February 2023

Available as paperback or Kindle

View now at amazon.co.uk

About The Misfit

Georgie Wright is feeling frustrated. Her career as a jockey is more stuck at the start than flying at the finish. Meanwhile her partner, the talented Sam Christie, moves ever closer to his goal of being crowned champion jockey.

When Georgie finds herself blamed for an accident on the gallops and ostracised by her colleagues, she flees to a farm on Bodmin Moor and a temporary position working with father and son team, Fred and Tom Pengelly. There she is introduced to The Misfit, a highly talented thoroughbred whose temperament makes him an untested contender for the Epsom Derby. Can Georgie bond with the horse and earn herself the ride in such a prestigious race?

With a spate of rural crime in the area and under pressure from jealous rivals, Georgie struggles to keep The Misfit safe and sound. Will they ever get to participate in the horse-race of the year and prove their critics wrong?

From the romance of the Cornish moor to the bustling home of British horse-racing in Suffolk, The Misfit will take you on a journey right up to the final furlong!

Review

Set in the world of Flat racing, this is a fairly simple page-turner of beating the odds, a love story with challenges, and some engaging characters. It is a classic tale of the minnows coming up trumps against the whales of the racing world. For me, it is a little too predictable – I was hoping for more of a twist to keep me on my toes, but some readers love inevitable happy endings, and this has a heartwarming conclusion with plenty of jeopardy along the way.

I loved much of the racing detail, the smells and sounds of the stables, the sensation of galloping horses, pre-race nerves, falling asleep in the lorry in the early mornings all rang so true. The Cornish atmosphere and countryside was beautifully rendered, and I almost felt like I was one of the staff at the Pengellys’ tumbledown yard on the moor. However, some of the details were a bit far-fetched, meaning you had to suspend disbelief – but maybe that’s the joy of fiction, that a Derby-bound colt can gallop through a Cornish bog, soaring over stone walls and skimming over bumpy ground, and their jockey not ride a race for several months before lining up at Epsom.

Many of the personalities were winsome, particularly the Cornish crew. The protagonist, Georgie, is plucky and down-to-earth. However, I found the character of Sam – the ex-boyfriend, champion jockey – too vile to be relatable!

Even though there are some aspects that aren’t perfect, overall it is a fun, lighthearted read. I wonder if it would be best targeted at a young adult readership with that fairytale element of winning impossible races in their dreams, but there is plenty to enthral any horse lover who wants a fun “beach read”.

Verdict

An enjoyable yarn to entertain any horse lover who wants a page-turning adventure set in the racing world.

View now at amazon.co.uk

The Bridleway by Tiffany Francis-Baker

Martha Terry — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 12:35:33 +0000

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Title: The Bridleway: How Horses Shaped the British Landscape

Author: Tiffany Francis-Baker

Published: 8 June 2023

Available as hardcover, Kindle or Audible

View now at amazon.co.uk

About The Bridleway

Tiffany Francis-Baker explores how the relationship between humans and horses has shaped the British landscape, how horses have captured our wild imaginations, and how this connection has evolved and become part of our nation’s ecosystems.

Many of us enjoy walking on a bridleway. These ancient networks are familiar to walkers and riders and crisscross the British countryside, but we rarely stop to think about how these old routes came to be.

In The Bridleway, Tiffany Francis-Baker examines our relationship with horses and ponders how they have become part of our nation’s ecosystems. From atop her horse, Tiffany discovers how horses are woven into the fabric of British culture, from street and pub names to trading routes and coaching inns. As she investigates how horses have shaped British landscapes, she offers a glimpse into the intriguing history of the bridleway.

Along the way, Tiffany visits a horse fair and learns about Traveller communities. She explores the role of equestrian sport and inclusivity, sees rewilding in action on the Knepp Estate in Sussex and undertakes detective work to uncover ancient bridleways lost to time and meet the closest living ancestors of the truly wild horse.

Part-domesticated and part-fiercely independent, horses can teach us a lot about our landscape and help us understand nature and our place within it. Except for the dogs and cats we choose to share our homes with, we have allowed horses far deeper into our society than any other animal. And as Tiffany investigates why horses have captured Britons’ attention, she reveals how deeply rooted they have been in our culture for thousands of years.

Review

I loved the start, where the author describes a wonderful hack through the Hampshire countryside. She has an impressive knowledge of flora and fauna, and I enjoyed the eloquent descriptions of frothy blossom, and flowers’ bloom singing “like sirens to the bumblebees”. As a rider myself, I relished reliving the sensation of a lazy hack in springtime among celandines, violets and primroses; the sights, the smells and sounds of winter breaking into spring.

Similarly, the final chapter taps into the essence of the relationship between horse and human. Whole paragraphs are dedicated to the tactile aspect of being with horses – “the velvet nub” of a horse’s nose, with whiskers “drawing in your knuckles like a magnet”. But in between, the chapters are a heavily researched account of the history and culture of horses within the British landscape, veering from Greek and Germanic mythology to coaching inns to the traveller community. It is a little rambling as it covers so much ground, and I personally preferred the more accessible first and final chapters.

She writes beautifully and knowledgeably, but it is a little heavy-going and verbose for those expecting a “joyful gallop through the history of equestrianism”, as touted on the cover. It is more of a long, slow hack, with quite a few obstacles to ponder along the way.

The writer’s background as an environmentalist comes through strongly – and there is a slightly polemical side shadowing the beauty of horses in the countryside, that of man’s effect on our world.

The writer is also an artist, and each chapter opens with a simple black and white drawing, which is a nice touch.

Verdict

An interesting and well-researched read with lyrical detail on nature. Less of a gallop, more of an absorbing hack – a book to pick up, read a chapter and put down, rather than devour in a sitting.

View now at amazon.co.uk

Jorie: The Extraordinary Life of Jorie Butler Kent

Martha Terry — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 12:32:21 +0000

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Title: Jorie: The Extraordinary Life of Jorie Butler Kent, Visionary and Philanthropist

Author: Jorie Butler Kent, with Reute Butler

Published: 1 June 2023

Available as hardcover

View now at amazon.co.uk

About Jorie, by Jorie Butler Kent

Lavishly illustrated and containing stories that include everything from coaching the future King Charles in polo to birdwatching in central Africa with George Plimpton, Jorie: The Extraordinary Life of Jorie Butler Kent, Visionary and Philanthropist allows the reader to delve into the story of a truly unparalleled life.

This memoir is the story of family and its tradition. To name but a few of Jorie’s accomplishments: she is herself a champion equestrian as well as one of the first women to run a championship polo team, among the first westerners to lay eyes on the Terracotta Army in China. A dear friend of the Royal family, she is the organiser of Princes William and Harry’s inaugural African safari, and award-winning pioneer of environmentally conscious tourism and conservation in Kenya. With her business, the world-renowned luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent, built with Geoffrey Kent, and her charity, Friends of Conservation, brings her to places as diverse as the plains of the Masai-Mara and the uplands of Papua New-Guinea. Jorie has changed the lives of thousands of people.

Review

A striking hardback book: large, square and black-and-white, with a simple at-home picture of a girl and her horse on the cover. This is a lavish, chunky and stylish book that brings a touch of class to the coffee table.

This is the sort of aspirational memoir that very few of us will ever have cause to write, but through the pages of this glossy tome, we can taste some of the experiences this extraordinary lady has led. Now in her 90s, Lorie’s joy-filled memoir is a wonderful resumé of the life of a charming, glamorous, American heiress.

Through its 330-odd pages, many of which are full-page photos, quotes or family trees, Jorie puts together the story of her rather magnificent life. She starts before her birth with her paper-making ancestors in Chicago, and goes on through family life, highs and lows, friendship with British royalty, polo successes – as well as the business side. It’s delightful to read, with short extracts describing a certain phase, written mostly by Lorie as well as friends and family, which intersperse the huge, quality photos that dominate the book. Both Lorie and her daughter Reute (who helped produce the book) are professional photographers, and they certainly know what looks good on a large scale, as well as Lorie herself having model looks.

Hers was an enviable life of adventure – of snow sports, flying aeroplanes, global travel, and, of course, horses, which form a thread throughout. Stunning photos of Lorie’s horses, from polo stars to ranch ponies, provide a feast for the equestrian reader’s eyes.

As Lorie herself says: “My life has been filled with incredible adventures, one after another. I have been blessed many times over. I had the great good fortune of walking through so many doors that were opened for me to amazing opportunities and exhilarating experiences. Indeed, I am grateful for every cherished moment.”

Verdict

What a life this lady has led! This gloriously lavish phot0-album style book is a wonderful addition to the coffee table for anyone who enjoys beautiful things, American pioneer family memoirs – and horses.

View now at amazon.co.uk

A Matter of Trust by Lucy Ann Huxter

Pippa Roome — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 13:20:57 +0000

(Image credit: Lucy Ann Huxter)

Title: A Matter of Trust

Author: Lucy Ann Huxter

Published: 27 September 2023

Available as paperback or Kindle edition

View now at amazon.co.uk

About A Matter of Trust

Described as “a contemporary adventure romance set in the world of British Eventing”, this novel follows Emma Mathews, who decides to give up an office job to work at an eventing yard, Coach House Stables.

The situation is tense when she arrives, with difficult relationships between Daniel Ryan – a talented rider but tricky character, with a reputation for breaking hearts even more effectively than he backs horses – and the rest of the team.

The novel follows the ups and downs of the yard, with competitions, horses potentially being sold and the arrival of a rich American pupil. Emma gradually becomes torn between Coach House Stables and her planned future with her solid, reliable boyfriend back at home and has to make some big decisions about her future.

Review

I really enjoyed reading A Matter of Trust and it is clear that author Lucy Ann Huxter knows her stuff about eventing, with accurate progression for the horses through the levels, descriptions of what happens at the events and grassroots events attended and referenced throughout the story as well as bigger competitions. Emma also makes a sensible suggestion of a tactic to try to improve the dressage performance of one of the horses.

I found the story a little slow at the start, perhaps because as a main character Emma seems to lack any clear direction. She doesn’t want to compete, so the novel doesn’t have that as its central driving force, and in fact doesn’t really know what she wants – which is the point of the story in that during the course of the tale she finds herself and a satisfactory future. But initially I found her indecision and rather floaty personality a little frustrating and felt it didn’t hook me in as a reader.

However, the more I read, the more I enjoyed A Matter of Trust and over the final chapters I was well and truly gripped. The ending isn’t a particular surprise – I could predict what was going to happen from very early on – but I was still eager to keep turning the pages.

Verdict

Novels set in the eventing world are few and far between – fans should enjoy this one, which combines an accurate depiction of the sport with a strong story.

View now at amazon.co.uk

Finding Wonder by Lauren St John

Martha Terry — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 09:52:44 +0000

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Title: Finding Wonder

Author: Lauren St John

Published: 7 September 2023

Available as paperback, Kindle edition or Audiobook

View now at amazon.co.uk

About Finding Wonder by Lauren St John

Orphaned Roo Thorn feels like the unluckiest girl in the world. Until she discovers a letter. A letter which urges her to “Grab life by the wings and fly”.

With the help of her aunt, Joni, Roo sets out to buy her dream horse – a fiery showjumper named Wonder Boy.

Then Wonder vanishes without a trace.

Determined to save him, Roo and Joni investigate his disappearance. But as the mystery deepens and more prize horses are stolen, the pair find themselves drawn into a thrilling – but dangerous – adventure . . .

How far will they go, and what will they risk, to find Wonder?

Review

Finding Wonder by Lauren St John is a superbly told adventure story that I found completely enthralling. The plot is rich and the characters are engaging. As in all great detective stories, you never quite know whom to trust, and how the mystery will unravel.

There’s an element of Dick Francis to it, in the skulduggery involved at the heart of a top-level stable yard, though this is set in the showjumping rather than racing world. But there are similarities in a minnow – in this case a 12-year-old orphaned girl and her non-horsey aunt – endeavouring to fix a major crime through their own brain and brawn. As with Dick Francis, the horsey details are authentic and tangible.

I loved the two main characters, the girl and her aunt, they were feisty, brave and intelligent, while the baddies aren’t stereotypical and you have to guess a bit to work out who is the real villain. It ends, as all good adventure stories should, with a rip-roaring chase scene with the goodies coming out on top.

However, the ending isn’t quite the cheesy finale you might expect from a children’s story – and much the better for it. It made for a satisfying conclusion and a gentle moralising touch that money can’t buy happiness (or your dream horse), which is arguably something that readers of all ages need to heed!

Finding Wonder is marketed at nine to 12-year-olds, however I think older children would also enjoy this swashbuckling spin in a fantastical showjumping world – I certainly did.

Verdict

An exciting and dramatic adventure story celebrating friendship, family, and of course horses. Told in a wonderfully immersive style that grips you from start to finish. For me, one of the best horsey books for children.

View now at amazon.co.uk

My Life in 12 Horses by Nicky Henderson

Martha Terry — Mon, 04 Sep 2023 10:29:12 +0000

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Title: My Life in 12 Horses

Author: Nicky Henderson with Kate Johnson

Published: 25 September 2023

Available as hardcover

View now at amazon.co.uk

About My Life in 12 Horses

National Hunt champion trainer Nicky Henderson OBE shares behind-the-scenes stories of the dozen most extraordinary thoroughbreds that have defined his glittering career.

After his early days as an amateur jockey and assistant to Fred Winter, Nicky started his own training yard, which would become the home of such great riders as Sir AP McCoy, Barry Geraghty, John Francome, Mick Fitzgerald, Sam Waley-Cohen, Richard Dunwoody, Nico de Boinville and many others.

From his triple Champion Hurdle-winner See You Then, Remittance Man and Nobby the sheep, record-setting Altior, Sprinter Sacre and the greatest comeback in jump racing history, to his new star Constitution Hill, the Henderson yard has been a breeding ground for success.

Through exclusive interviews with Nicky and his jockeys, Nicky Henderson: My Life in 12 Horses schools us on life, sport, magic, courage, loss, hope and love.

Review

A delightful and revealing biography, which is told via 12 special horses (the title of each chapter) in Nicky Henderson’s life. Starting with Happy Warrior, “his beloved beserker”, who gave him several memorable wins as an amateur jockey, the book tracks through stars such as See You Then, Long Run, Sprinter Sacre and Altior. Author Kate Johnson has compiled the book together with Nicky, and it is both beautifully and evocatively written.

With Nicky still very much training at the peak of his powers, the all-conquering Constitution Hill only squeaks in as an “afterword” – though crammed with both character and excitement – yet this is a full, personable and bewitching account of the genius that is the six-time champion jumps trainer.

This book is not only revealing for what it tells us about Nicky, his astounding natural horsemanship skills and empathy for the horses in his care, but I loved the input from other greats of the game. Luminaries such as John Francome and Steve Smith-Eccles shed light on various aspects of Nicky’s career, which adds such insight.

We learn about his inspirations, his friends, and those, like Corky Brown, who’ve helped make Nicky into the success story he is. There are also quotes from Nicky’s family, such as his sister sharing the emotion of their mother’s sudden death, so painful even 50 years later. All in all, it provides a thorough and fascinating account of this brilliant man, and wonderful anecdotes about his great horses, their personalities brought to light so beautifully.

Despite Nicky’s incomparable achievements that so few trainers will ever match, his biography has a heartwarming (at times heartbreaking), down-to-earth feel. We live the highs and lows with him, feel his thrills and his pain. Most of all, in an era when antis try to point the finger at racing, it brings home just how much these horses are loved, cared for, cherished – Nicky’s every waking thought for so many decades has revolved around their wellbeing.

While this is a must-read for racing fans, I’d recommend it to anyone who has ever loved an animal. As Richard Phillips says of Nicky’s career: “Before anything else, it’s an emotional relationship between Nicky and his horses… That’s probably why Nicky’s so good at what he does, he gets quite attached to them. All the best trainers are emotional people, wearing their hearts on their sleeves. Being emotional means understanding how horses think.”

Verdict

A thoroughly enjoyable and enlightening read about one of the greatest trainers of all time. It gives brilliant insight to the rollercoaster thrills of Nicky Henderson’s outstanding (and still strongly ongoing) career and the personalities behind some of the biggest equine names in National Hunt history, from the “hell-cat” See You Then to the “glittering athlete” Sprinter Sacre. Sometimes I laughed and sometimes I cried, and it made me feel I loved the greatest game more than ever.

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Training to Win by Caroline Moore

Martha Terry — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 07:31:35 +0000

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Title: Training to Win: the Complete Training System for the Modern-Day Event Rider

Author: Caroline Moore

Foreword: Ros Canter

Published: 14 July 2023

Available as paperback

View now at amazon.co.uk

About Training to Win by Caroline Moore

A comprehensive guide for the modern-day event rider to support every stage of the training process, from the early years, up to the first four-star.

The introduction gives a thorough vision on the crucial ingredients of what makes a champion at any level, whether it is the Badminton Grassroots, the Youth Europeans, or the World Equestrian Games. This proven and successful training system is broken down into three equally applicable sections: Training to Learn; Training to Compete; and Training to Win.

The reader will be taken through the four to five years that essentially it will take to produce the horse and rider partnership to a high level of performance. Every physical and mental skill required will be demonstrated by an exercise, which can be easily followed with tips on equipment required, setting up the exercise and relevance to competition.

This informative book will be a great support to the event rider, focusing on the three periods of the eventing year: the winter training period, the spring fitness period and the lead up to a championship or long format. There will be coverage on season planning, course design, performance profiling, goal setting and, most importantly, advice on how a rider can manage nerves in a competition environment. The book is packed with performance-enhancing ideas and for any rider wanting to improve their training system this is an essential guide to developing the confidence to succeed.

Review

This is a fantastically comprehensive manual for how to become a winning event rider. It’s a very practical guide, with around 150 pages of exercises, complete not just with helpful diagrams on layouts, but also how to warm up specifically for each exercise, and its relevance to competition. The book is certainly worthwhile for the exercises alone. Caroline breaks down the skills you need to have at every level, and provides exercises that will improve your and your horse’s ability in each of the eventing phases through those levels.

Before the exercises begin, Caroline explains the four ingredients crucial to any champion, namely: the correct training system, a podium mentality, a positive mindset and confidence. She then goes into detail on what each one means, and breaks down the training system into the goals of learning, competing and winning. The book is centred around this system, and the exercises are tailored to each of these three stages.

What I loved about the book was its thoroughness, both in content and plan. It covers everything from mindset to equipment; from annual training plans to what to eat the night before an event; from practising how to trot-up to the skill of riding the last minute on a cross-country course. There’s a useful chapter on dealing with nerves, which will be useful for riders from grassroots to Badminton. There is not one facet of eventing for which Caroline does not give you a masterplan.

I also enjoyed how precise Caroline’s advice is – mirroring how she wants our transitions to be. (Every halt transition you ever make, including stopping to tighten girth or when you reach the gate at home, needs to be square and correct). You have to subscribe to her methods – pressure and release/reward is the foundation of her training – but I feel that if you follow her advice to the letter, you couldn’t fail to succeed.

The content is rich and didactic; it’s not full of anecdotes, but it is easy to read and follow due to many large colour photos, as well as bullet points and boxes pulling out acronyms and salient points to remember.

This is a guide for the serious event rider. You don’t have to have aspirations to make it to four-star and beyond (although it covers everything you need up to advanced-level eventing), however it’s targeted at ambitious riders, whether you’re aiming for grassroots or riding championships or much higher. It’s for perfectionists who want to do a great job, be it your hobby or profession.

Personally, I found the chapter on “making a champion” fascinating even though I will never be a champion. The section on training in the pressure zone was so informative – really enlightening on how Caroline trains riders to perform under pressure at home, when not under competition circumstances.

Badminton winner and 2018 world champion Ros Canter writes the foreword, saying: “Caroline writes in the same clear and concise way that she trains. There is no stone left unturned in her training, and she explains this methodical approach to working with both riders and horses to create successful partnerships.” So, if you want to know how Ros became world champion and a Badminton winner, this is how.

I feel if you read through this book, and methodically went through all the exercises you would be ready to succeed at whatever level is appropriate for you and your horse. It could take you several years however to do it properly – there is so much to get through! A really meaty book for all levels of competitor.

Verdict

Not bedtime reading, but one to keep in your tack room and incorporate the instructions wholeheartedly into your daily routine. It would be fascinating to see how far you could go if you followed Caroline’s instructions to the letter for a whole season!

View now at amazon.co.uk

Be Happy! A Little Book of Mindfulness, by Maddy Bard

Martha Terry — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 07:27:57 +0000

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Title: Be Happy! A Little Book of Mindfulness

Author: Maddy Bard

Illustrator: Emma Dodd

Published: 2023

Available as paperback

View now at amazon.co.uk

About Be Happy! A Little Book of Mindfulness

Filled with pearls of wisdom and positivity, originally written during lockdown, this heartwarming story is told by two adorable dogs, Hucky and Buzz.

The thoughts expressed by Hucky and Buzz reflect the emotions, moods and feelings which will resonate with every young child. In this deceptively simple book Maddy Bard, a mindfulness and meditation coach, shares her tips on boosting confidence, positivity and self-belief. Featuring the creators’ own adorable dogs, and brought to life with Emma Dodd’s enchanting illustrations, Hucky and Buzz is a little gem of a book – a doggy handbook for a healthy and happy life.

Review

This colourful children’s book contains little nuggets on nurturing healthy emotions such as kindness, gratitude and love. Each page focuses on one instruction, such as “Be Kind”. Bold and appealing illustrations give the visual impression of the words. For example, for the page on “Be Thankful”, the two dogs are sniffing a dandelion together, with the words: “Hucky and Buzz appreciate the little things. Look at the beautiful world around you. What are you thankful for?” It’s very simple, but engaging, encouraging the reader to tap into their emotions by making them think about the question.

It’s targeted at young children, either just able to read for themselves, or to listen to and enjoy the joyful pictures.

Eight-year-old reader Guy Owen says: “It has good examples of how you should feel. I like the characters, they have a good bond of friendship.

“The pictures are nice. They make me feel playful.”

Verdict

A sweet little book for young children, with bold and joyful pictures, cute dogs and plenty of practical snippets to help the reader be more mindful and appreciate their emotions. An encouraging way to tap into mindfulness for any dog-loving child!

View now at amazon.co.uk

Lexington by Kim Wickens

Carol Phillips — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 15:41:30 +0000

(Image credit: Carol Phillips)

Author: Kim Wickens

Published: 11 July, 2023

Available as hardback or Kindle edition

View now on Amazon UK or Amazon US

About Lexington – The Extraordinary Life and Turbulent Times of America’s Legendary Racehorse

Set against the turbulent background of the American Civil War, this dramatic true story covers the incredible life of an outstanding Kentucky-born Thoroughbred colt named Lexington. At the time horse racing was America’s supreme spectator sport, with horses being required to run over a gruelling four miles, two or three times in succession, to be crowned the winner. This format required both stamina and speed – a combination referred to as “bottom” – of which this horse had almost endless reserves.

Despite being partially blind, Lexington recorded numerous victories and shattered the world speed record for a four-mile race showing a war-torn nation that extraordinary was possible, even in those perilous times.

Once his groundbreaking achievements as a racehorse ended in 1855, his role as a sire began. Horses from Lexington’s bloodline went on to win more money than the offspring of any other thoroughbred, which led Lexington to be named America’s leading sire of the year an unprecedented 16 times. But his years as stud were less than idyllic as the Civil War raged and soldiers ran amok, looting and kidnapping horses from top stables.

Review

This is a truly remarkable story. I take my hat off to Kim Wickens, not only for her long and meticulous research, but also for her skillful story-telling, in which the life of Lexington – and those associated with him – is brought to life in such captivating fashion.

The book serves as an engrossing history lesson on American horse racing during the 1850s, the challenges faced by horses in that era, and the realities of living through the Civil War in the American South.

I quickly became immersed in this compelling real-life story of a horse I had never heard of, but whose achievements were such that I believe every horse enthusiast on both sides of the Atlantic should know his name. Hopefully this book will go some way towards righting that wrong and spreading awareness of his incredible achievements.

Verdict

A must-read for anyone interested in horse racing, thoroughbred breeding, or wider horse sport.

The True Story Of The Yorkshire Horseman review

Martha Terry — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 13:45:32 +0000

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Title: The True Story of The Yorkshire Horseman Cooper Wilson

Author: Cooper Wilson with Chris Berry

Published: 2022

Available as paperback

View now at gnbooks.co.uk or amazon.co.uk

About The Yorkshire Horseman

The True Story of The Yorkshire Horseman lifts the lid on the life of a man who has a rare psychic gift of being able to understand and help solve horses’ problems.

Cooper Wilson is a man who knows horses. In this his first book he tells how the apparition of a stag started what has now brought him the honorary title of The Yorkshire Horseman.

From humble beginnings as the son of a hunt servant, Cooper was a boy who went to school in his wellies. He began to realise that his extraordinary powers of being able to work with ailing horses was unique.

The blurb hails Cooper as “now the most in-demand horse psychic internationally”. He travels regularly on tour throughout England, Ireland, Scotland and around the world, where huge numbers of horse owners bring their animals almost like a pilgrimage to have Cooper tell them more about what is wrong, what should be done, and to put them back in good health and fitness.

Review

I found this to be a fascinating read, which had me interested the whole way through. I must admit I don’t know quite where I stand on the concept of psychic gifts. Can horses really communicate with humans in a spiritual realm? Reassuringly for the cynics among us, Cooper addresses this in the first chapter.

“People call me the animal communicator and I used to shiver when I heard that because it over-simplifies everything. I am not some kind of weird Doctor Doolittle,” he writes. “My ability to give readings, and all of what others might call the heebie-jeebie stuff, is as much of a mystery to me why I have it, but I’m no one-trick pony. It’s not all about the readings, and it never has been.”

So, first and foremost, this is an account of a horseman, who does everything he can to make life better for every horse he encounters, and enable them to be the best they can be. That he has tapped into his spiritual gifts to tune into what horses are feeling only enhances his horsemanship.

Cooper grew up as the son of a hunt servant and his family were often on the receiving end of horses brought to the kennels to be euthanised and given to the hounds. As a child he formed relationships with these death-row horses, who were sometimes brought because they were a danger to their handlers, other times because of irreparable injury. Many a time, Cooper was able to turn them around, take them hunting and produce them as riding horses again.

Cooper is a proper Yorkshireman, the type who calls spades what they are. He admits he struggled at school (“I never learned to read or write properly. That’s why I got Chris Berry to write this book for me in the way that I speak, because I can’t do it for myself). The result is that you can hear his character coming through on every page. The style is fairly rough and ready, with short chapters and plenty of anecdotes. You get the sense Cooper has had to defend what he sees as a psychic gift throughout his life, and rather than trying to persuade his detractors with eloquent words, he feels the proof is in the pudding – you can take it or leave it.

Throughout the book, I loved all the tales of horses being rehabilitated, recovering their zest for life and there are some fabulous anecdotes. Not all of the stories end well – it’s a balanced account – but horses tend to be the heroes, while the portrayal of humans is usually less glowing. Some of the more spiritual stories are off the scale, but Cooper’s voice is so authentic I cannot imagine why he’d make them up. He’s convinced this cynic anyway that there may be a spiritual realm operating beyond what we see in front of our eyes. And that the equine world is a better place for horsemen like Cooper.

Verdict

Whether you’re cynical or fascinated by a psychic’s approach to horses’ problems, this authentic account of the experience and life of Cooper Wilson, “The Yorkshire Horseman”, will encourage you to contemplate your own relationship with horses. An enlightening read.

View now at gnbooks.co.uk or amazon.co.uk

Wise words: the best dog training books for different scenarios

Martha Terry — Mon, 15 May 2023 12:13:51 +0000

Learning anything in life, we need a mix of theory and practice. When it comes to training dogs, the best approach is to arm yourself with as much information as you possibly can, and then with that knowledge react to the individual animal and situation you have in front of you. If you’re new to dog ownership, like bringing a newborn baby home, you’ll want to ensure you are ready to bring up this tiny creature to the best of your ability. Unfortunately they don’t come with a manual. However, the best dog training books will give you ideas on training systems and approaches, as well as tackling problems and tricky behaviours.

While the internet is great for a quick scan on doggy advice, the effort that has gone into writing and publishing a book, rather than a simple blog, means they are inevitably well-researched and the author has considerable authority in their field to merit publication. And it’s handy to be able to dog-ear (pun acknowledged) a physical page that is particularly useful or has exercises you want to practise.

Depending on the issue you’re dealing with, whether it’s welcoming a new puppy into the home, separation anxiety, or trying to train a working dog, there are thoroughly researched books written by experts to tackle every doggy scenario. Here are six of the best.

Best dog training books

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The Puppy Primer by Patricia McConnell and Brenda Scidmore

Training focus: Puppy behaviour | Length: 117 pages | Publication date: 2010 | RRP: £13.72 |

The author Patricia McConnell has written 11 books on training and behavioural problems, including The Other End of the Leash, which has been translated into 14 languages. She is an ethologist (someone who studies the behaviour of animals in their natural habitat) and a certified applied animal behaviourist who has spent two decades helping dog owners with serious behavioural problems, specialising in canine aggression. If this all sounds a bit over-the-top for someone looking for advice on caring for a dear little puppy, bear in mind that giving your dog the best possible start as a happy well-trained dog is the antidote to aggression problems later down the line.

The book gives advice on positive reinforcement to train your puppy, and covers socialising, crate-training, house-training and general good behaviour, aiming to have a polite and happy dog who loves to do what you ask.

In the UK? View now at amazon.co.uk

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Dog Training and Behaviour Solutions edited by Jo Maisey and Anna Bentz

Training focus: General behaviour | Length: 188 pages | Published: 2022 | RRP: £9.92 |

Rather than a single voice, this book is a collection of articles written by a group of like-minded professional dog trainers. They have collaborated with each other to compile this book on “The Stress-Free Way to Live in Harmony with Your Dog”. This means their “force-free, fear-free” training philosophy is the same, but each one focuses on a different aspect of training or behavioural problems.

It stemmed from a Facebook group, Dog Training Advice and Support (DTAS), which was set up to give safe, practical advice, based in modern science, for people wanting help with their pups. The group is now widely recommended by vets, breeders and other professional trainers and behaviourists. It’s much easier to read in a book than on your phone off Facebook!

What’s quite handy about the different voices is that there is bound to be one in there that suits your style and you find easy to follow. Some write quite brief articles, others are longer. And while the overall tone is professional and authoritative, it’s friendly and digestible and sometimes quite funny with some illustrations of dog scenarios.

It’s laid out in a really readable fashion, with bullet points, italics and bold typeface that help engage the reader.

In the UK? View now at amazon.co.uk

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Be Right Back! by Julie Naismith

Training focus: Separation anxiety | Length: 270 pages | Published: 2019 | RRP: £11.95 |

This book focuses specifically on “how to overcome your dog’s separation anxiety and regain your freedom”.

Our H&H reviewer who has a dog with separation anxiety, described the advice as “very good – it is a slightly different approach to the norm and it has helped Bertie.”

The writer is a certified dog trainer who has helped thousands of stressed owners get their dogs over this hurdle. It uses a proven, evidence-based approach, with a step-by-step programme to help improve your dog’s confidence to stay at home alone. There is a wealth of coping strategies and methods to practise, as well debunking common training myths that may actually exacerbate your dog’s fears.

In the UK? View now at amazon.co.uk

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Training Spaniels by Joe Irving

Training focus: Working dogs | Length: 176 pages | Published: 1993 | RRP: £18.95 |

This one is admittedly a bit niche – but given that cocker and springer spaniels are the third most popular breed in the UK (after the Labrador retriever and French bulldog), this should appeal to a large proportion of dog owners. In fact, the training approach could apply to all working dogs.

This book was recommended to me by the breeder – a leading field trial trainer – who sold me my springer spaniel, even though I wasn’t planning to compete in working trials. It is written by a leading gundog trainer, the late Joe Irving, as a step-by-step guide for the novice trainer, as well as remedies for when the training doesn’t go to plan. It goes through the general care of spaniels from infancy to maturity as well as advice on breeding, and field trial techniques. It is described as the classic in spaniel training books.

This might be an old book, but the training techniques are still relevant today, with the foundations of making slow, steady progress with a dog according to its temperament. It is possibly wasted on those of us whose spaniels are simply companions rather than competitive field triallers, but for those owners who do want to go down that route, I’d say it’s essential reading. And there’s no such thing as being too well-trained!

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101 Dog Tricks by Kyra Sundance and Chalcy

Training focus: Tricks | Length: 208 pages | Published: 2007 | RRP: £8.49 |

Kyra Sundance is a world-renowned dog trainer, lecturer and best-selling author, who aims to inspire dog owners to have fun and rewarding relationships with their pups. The delightful and brilliant Chalcy was her own Weimaraner, a world-class performer who has starred in circuses, shows and even with Angelina Jolie and for the King of Morocco.

This is the largest trick book on the market, giving full-colour photos of each trick and step-by-step instructions on how to teach it. Relief for some owners: you don’t need special tools such as clickers, or particular training methods. It’s just a great way to develop a bond with your dog, challenge him mentally and physically and build your communication skills. Fun for all the family!

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The Midnight Dog Walkers by Annie Phenix

Training focus: Aggression | Length: 224 pages | Published: 2016 | RRP: £31.65 |

The title of this book will immediately appeal to anyone who has a “reactive” or aggressive dog (the author explains the difference), whom they struggle to walk during the daytime with the hazards of encountering other dog-walkers.

The writer, who has fostered more than 400 dogs, is a professional force-free dog trainer who specialises in canine behaviour, as well as an award-winning journalist. This makes her an excellent story-teller as well as imparting solid expert advice that works.

The advice is compassionate and empathetic as well as being constructive and practical. You can feel that the writer has experienced the issues the reader is now struggling with. There are plenty of stories and examples of how to stimulate reactive dogs with puzzles and so on, rather than domination or heightening their fear by forcing them face their triggers. It’s full of photos and anecdotes, which makes it enjoyable to read. It’s also encouraging to owners who find themselves with an aggressive dog, that they are far from being alone – and that there is a way forward, even if it may be a long and tricky road ahead.

In the UK? View now at amazon.co.uk

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The Starlight Stables Gang by Esme Higgs

Martha Terry — Mon, 24 Apr 2023 09:16:39 +0000

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Author: Esme Higgs and Jo Cotterill

Illustrator: Hannah George

Published: 2023

Available as hardback, paperback or Kindle edition

View now at amazon.co.uk

About The Starlight Stables Gang

Superstar equestrian influencer and YouTuber Esme Higgs has teamed up with award-winning author Jo Cotterill to write a fun adventure series, “for animal-mad eight- to 12-year-olds”.

The Starlight Stables Gang is the first in the series, with the next book due this summer, 2023.

The central themes are ponies, fun, friendship and mystery. Summer has always loved horses but she never thought she’d be able to learn how to ride them – not with money being so tight at home. Then she discovers the Starlight Stables, where she meets a new gang of friends and learns how to ride in return for helping-out with the horses.

Summer falls in love with life at the stables and especially with Luna, a beautiful dapple-grey pony. But one day, Summer arrives at the stables to find that Luna has been stolen in the night. It’s up to the Starlight Stables Gang to follow the clues and rescue Luna before it’s too late.

Review

This is a sweet story of a penniless child growing up in a single-parent household, who falls in love with horses.

It captures the excitement of a young girl joining a stable yard, with very little of the bitchiness normally portrayed in similar books. There are good characters; you can really root for them and enjoy the Famous Five-esque adventure of kids taking the law into their own hands – or at least a healthy dose of initiative – in a quest to find the stolen pony. I enjoyed the gripping adventure, particularly as it centred simply around the love of horses rather than competition goals and yard spats!

The problem-solving is a touch simplistic – Enid Blyton would have a few more twists and challenges – but given the target readership of pre-teens, what does that matter?

As with most pony literature, it is aimed at girls, especially the huge This Esme fan club. But while girl power is definitely a central theme, one of the four heroes is male, which is probably a fair gender ratio in a stable yard.

There’s an obvious inclusivity message running throughout the book. Virtually every character has some diverse side to them, teaching young readers never to judge.

Verdict

A fun and gripping adventure story for pony-mad girls with a strong message of inclusivity.

Hunt for Rupert Campbell-Black concludes! Cast confirmed for Jilly Cooper’s Rivals

Lucy Elder — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 17:49:01 +0000

A star cast has been revealed today for the hotly anticipated Disney+ TV adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s Rivals with news that filming has started in the UK.

Doctor Who’s David Tennant, Poldark actor Aidan Turner, Inbetweeners star Emily Atak and EastEnders icon Danny Dyer are among the top British talent confirmed for the eight-part series.

The search for the “dangerously charismatic” Rupert Campbell-Black is complete, with Alex Hassell, whose credits include The Tragedy of Macbeth and The Boys, taking on the role of the “dashing ex-Olympian, Tory MP and incorrigible rake”. David Tennant will play Rupert’s “single-mindedly ambitious and egotistical Rutshire neighbour Lord Tony Baddingham, controller of Corinium Television”.

Jilly, who is also an executive producer of the series, said she is “utterly enchanted” to announce the “all-star line-up” for Rivals.

“Featuring some of the best acting talent that the British Isles has to offer, I couldn’t have dreamed of a better ensemble cast. I cannot wait to be on set and see them bring the characters I love so much to life,” said Jilly.

“The minute we met with Alex we knew he’d perfectly embody my all-time hero, the iconic, racy, ruthless, and devastatingly handsome Rupert Campbell-Black. Viewers are in for a treat!”

Jilly Cooper (centre), pictured with Alex Hassell, Dany Dyer, David Tennant and Aidan Turner. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Aidan Turner plays TV presenter Declan O’Hara, with Victoria Smurfit, of Bloodlands fame, playing his “bohemian, fickle” wife Maud O’Hara. Bella Maclean, who has had roles in Spring Awakening and Sex Education, plays their “tender-hearted yet strong-willed” elder daughter Taggie, with their younger daughter Caitlin portrayed by Catriona Chandler.

Nafessa Williams, whose credits include Black Lighting and Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody, plays Cameron Cook, a ferociously talented American TV executive who is brought to Corinium by Tony to produce Declan’s new prime-time talk show. Katherine Parkinson (Humans) stars as Lizzie Vereker, a romantic novelist “consistently overlooked by her preening and self-centred TV presenter husband”, James Vereker, played by Oliver Chris (The Crown).

Danny Dyer stars as the “honourable, loyal and lovable” self-made electronics millionaire Freddie Jones, whose wife Valerie is played by Lisa McGrillis (Maternal).

Claire Rushbrook (Sherwood) plays Lady Monica Baddingham, Luke Pasqualino (Skins) the charming Basil “Bas” Baddingham, Tony’s younger brother and the owner of Cotchester’s Bar Sinister.

Emily Atack takes the role of Sarah Stratton, the new wife to MP Paul Stratton, played by Rufus Jones (W1A).

A release date has not yet been announced.

‘We just won an Oscar’: Charlie Mackesy’s much-loved animation shines in Los Angeles

Becky Murray — Mon, 13 Mar 2023 13:59:48 +0000

The screen adaptation of Charlie Mackesy’s best-selling book The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse has won an Oscar – four weeks after winning a BAFTA.

The heartwarming story, which was released on television at Christmas, won the best animated short film category at the 95th annual Academy Awards, in Los Angeles yesterday (12 March). It beat competition from The Flying Sailor, Ice Merchants, My Year of Dicks, and An Ostrich Told Me The World Is Fake and I Think I Believe It.

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse features Charlie’s distinctive illustrations in full colour with hand-drawn animation, and stars Tom Hollander as the Mole, Idris Elba as the Fox, Gabriel Byrne as the Horse, and newcomer Jude Coward Nicoll as the Boy. The tale follows an unlikely friendship between the four, as they travel together in the boy’s search for home.

The Oscar comes a month after Charlie Mackesy’s film won the British short animation category at the BAFTAs .

Charlie shared a picture of a napkin with “We just won an Oscar” from the ceremony.

He said he was “speechless”, and thanked the film’s production team and actors, including producer Matthew Freud, Cara Speller, and co-director Peter Baynton.

“Thank you to the 120 animators who poured their hearts into this film,” he said.

“This Oscar is for all of us. Thank you to my family, and to Richard (Curtis) and Emma (Freud). Thank you to you on Instagram for always being so kind and encouraging,” he said.

Zack Van Amburg, Apple’s head of worldwide video, said the company is “so proud” of Charlie and the “brilliant” team who brought The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse to the screen

“We sincerely thank the Academy for tonight’s recognition,” he said. “This powerful story has deeply affected audiences around the world and has shown that no matter what age you are or where you live, it’s never too late to spread more compassion, empathy, and kindness in our daily lives. Congratulations to everyone involved, including our teams across the globe. We are all celebrating with you tonight.”

James Erlicht, Apple’s head of worldwide video, added that the film “shines a light on the magic of discovering connection in unexpected places”.

“We are honoured that the Academy has awarded this beautifully moving film tonight,” he said.

“Bringing Charlie’s visually stunning world to such vibrant animated life, this short reinforces the strength that can be found in our common humanity and we toast the entire creative team on this uplifting cinematic achievement.”

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse can be streamed on BBC iPlayer or Apple TV+.

Brilliant books for racing fans

georgia.guerin@futurenet.com (Georgia Guerin) — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 08:32:41 +0000

Some of our favourite horse books are of the racing variety. The best horse racing books include chronicles of great days, autobiographies from racing legends, racing novels, as well as guides on horses to watch and how to bet.

If you’re interested in racing or shopping for someone who is, check out this great selection of popular racing books. We’ve picked out something for all racing fans – from those who are completely new to the world of horse racing, to those who have been avidly following the sport for years.

We’ve grouped the best horse racing books into groups to help you find something for you:

books about horse racing
horse racing autobiographies
horse racing novels
horse racing betting books

Best horse racing books

Champion Jump Horse Racing Jockeys – From 1945 to present day
This book by Neil Clark tells the story of all 22 post-war champion jockeys. It includes exclusive interviews with several of the surviving champions and fresh insights from friends colleagues and family members of champions we have sadly lost. Read our review.View Deal

Strange Stuff: Racing Post Chronicles
Graham Sharpe chronicles the weirdest, oddest, strangest, craziest antics and events to happen on racecourses to horses, jockeys, trainers, owners, bookies and racegoers over the years.View Deal

Frankel: The Greatest Racehorse of All Time and the Sport That Made Him
This detailed and fast-paced narrative breathlessly recounts the racing career of the horse who, by his retirement to stud at the age of 4, would be rated the greatest of all time. It’s a rich and multifaceted tale of modern horse racing, the lives of everyone involved, human and equine, and the unadulterated glory of winning. And winning everything.View Deal

Stable Lass: Tales From A Yorkshire Racing Yard
Being a stable lass is probably one of the hardest jobs in the country, and yet for Gemma Hogg it is the most rewarding. She takes us into the closed world of a top racing yard, from the elation of having several winners in one day to the almost indescribable grief of losing a horse.View Deal

Best horse racing autobiographies

True Colours – Barry Geraghty
His autobiography is about resilience, the mental power that enables the great to keep going despite the pain, despite the odds. It explores how Barry has developed the mind tools to continue to push himself and contains startling revelations and a brutally honest insight into the life of a top jockey.View Deal

Winner: My Racing Life – AP McCoy
AP reflects upon his unparalleled career, taking you from his humble beginnings in Co. Antrim to the emotional day at Sandown when horse racing bade a tearful farewell to arguably its greatest ever star.View Deal

Form – Kieren Fallon
This eagerly anticipated autobiography provides a searingly honest account of the jockey’s life, and the pressures and controversies that came with getting to the top of the sport.View Deal

Calling The Horses – Peter O’Sullevan
For decades Peter O’Sullevan was one of the iconic sports commentators, providing the soundtrack for half a century of horseracing as he called home legends of the sport, including Arkle, Nijinsky, Red Rum and Desert Orchid. This is his final update of Calling The Horses.View Deal

I’m Champion, Call Me Bob – Bob Champion
In his own words, Bob talks of his early life, his path to becoming a professional jump jockey and how it felt being at the top of his game only, winning the Grand National, to have it come crashing down with a life-threatening cancer diagnosis.View Deal

The Triumph of Henry Cecil – Henry Cecil by Tony Rushmer
Written by a sports journalist who worked closely with the trainer for seven years, this insightful, detailed and emotional biography tells the story of the legendary trainer’s later years.View Deal

Not Enough Time – Henrietta Knight
This is the rollercoaster story of a great love, triumph and tragedy. In her own words, the Gold Cup winning trainer tells the story of one of the most endearing and surprising modern day racing romances.View Deal

Phenomenon – Mark Johnston by Nick Townsend
This fully authorised biography provides a unique insight into the world of Britain’s most successful trainer. With unparalleled access to Mark and those closest to him, the book digs into his career, his strong and passionate views on the sport of horse racing, and how he’s planning for the future in unprecedented times.View Deal

Horse racing fiction

Dick Francis novels
These are probably the most famous racing novels ever written. He’s written more than 40 international best sellers and the jockey was well known for writing crime thrillers centring around horse racing in England.View Deal

A Sure Thing by Sam O’Brien
In this thriller, Irish stud farm manager and bloodstock expert Oliver McMahon is tired of his life and a boss who neither rewards nor recognises his abilities. He turns to his wealthy brother Richard for help in setting up his own venture, only to be rejected and discovers a family secret in the process.View Deal

Jump! by Jilly Cooper
In this novel you’ll meet rich, capricious owners, obsessive trainers, gallant stable lads and lasses and tough, brave jockeys. You will fall in love with the horses, and above all with Mrs Wilkinson herself – hilarious, heroic and gutsy, she will gallop into your heart forever.View Deal

The Race Caller by Richard Laws
When a young woman working in the pressroom at Ripon races jumps off the top of the grandstand at a Saturday afternoon race meeting, race commentator and part-time actor, Joe Lawlor, is drawn into his own race; to uncover a plot to defraud the UK’s biggest betting exchange of millions of pounds.View Deal

Stone Cold by John Francome

This gripping racing thriller is about a horse race with deadly consequences. The race could make Kelly Connor’s reputation but it leads her into an international conspiracy of blackmail, seduction and murder.View Deal

Best horse racing betting books

Betting On Horse Racing For Dummies
This updated version is packed with information that teaches you the ins and outs of the racetrack. You’ll learn how to improve your odds, avoid common betting mistakes, size up the jockeys and pick a winner.View Deal

100 Winners: Flat Horses To Follow In 2023
Packed in an indispensable, easy-to-read, pocket-sized guide, 100 Winners lists the names and details of 100 potential winners in 2023, including info on their previous form.View Deal

100 Winners: Jumpers To Follow In 2023
Now in its 61st year, this popular guide to jumps racing summarises the prospects of 100 steeplechasers and hurdlers that experts expect to do particularly well in the coming 2022-23 season.View Deal

Autobiographies (and biographies) from equestrian legends, racing greats and Olympic champions

georgia.guerin@futurenet.com (Georgia Guerin) — Fri, 03 Mar 2023 08:32:18 +0000

Some of the world’s best horse books are undoubtedly equestrian autobiographies. Reading about the lives, routes taken, challenges, highs and lows of our sport’s greats is a unique and fascinating insight into our fantastic sport. We’ve compiled some of our favourite equestrian autobiographies, from those of racing giants to Olympic champions. They tell stories of triumph, adversity and reveal some interesting journeys to the top of each sport. Either scroll through at your leisure or jump down to…

horse racing autobiographies
eventing autobiographies
dressage autobiographies
showjumping autobiographies
other equestrian autobiographies

Best horse racing autobiographies

My Life In 12 Horses – Nicky Henderson
A delightful and revealing biography told via 12 special horses in Nicky Henderson’s life. H&H’s Martha Terry says: “A thoroughly enjoyable and enlightening read. I laughed and cried”. Read our review.View Deal

Autobiographies of famous event riders

The Man Behind The Mike – Mike Tucker, by Jane Wallace
The heartwarming official biography of the late Mike Tucker, features contributions from Clare Balding, Zara Tindall, Jonathan Agnew, Lucinda Green and many more. It tells how his passion and hard work enabled him to progress from international groom to successful international event rider, top level official and television commentator.View Deal

The Autobiography – Pippa Funnell
One of the world’s most successful event riders seemed doomed to be a “misser” in the really big competitions, lacking that special ingredient. Everything began to change for her in 1999 and this autobiography tells of her championship wins, Rolex Grand Slam, and journey to being an Olympic medallist.View Deal

The Autobiography – Mary King
This no-holds-barred story tells what it takes to reach the top, and stay there, in one of the world’s most dangerous sports. It tells of Mary’s journey from first pony to winning a gold medal at the World Equestrian Games.View Deal

Second Chance – Mark ToddView Deal

Zara Phillips – by Brian Hoey
In this insightful biography, Brian Hoey looks beyond the public image to tell Zara’s story, which is a fascinating tale of determination, the search for independence and the will to succeed on her own merit.View Deal

What Will Be – William Fox-Pitt
William Fox-Pitt talks about the issues confronting the sport of eventing and reveals much about the vital partnerships with team-mates and, above all, the horses that helped him to gain such success.View Deal

Autobiographies of famous dressage riders

The Girl On The Dancing Horse – Charlotte Dujardin
This is the story of Charlotte Dujardin and her charismatic horse Valegro, and how they burst onto the international sports scene with their record-breaking performance at the London 2012 Olympics. The world was captivated by the young woman with the dazzling smile and her dancing horse – and this is their story. Read our review.View Deal

Heaven On Horseback – Jessica von Bredow-Werndl
In her book, the world champion shares her holistic and horse-friendly philosophy that emphasises the deep connection between animal and human. Heaven On Horseback takes you onto a journey to Jessica’s innermost self, to the woman she is today.View Deal

Four Legs Move My Soul – Isabell Werth by Evi Simeoni
One of the world’s most successful horsewomen collaborates with a sports journalist to give the inside scoop when it comes to her accomplishments and failures. You’ll hear her personal thoughts regarding some of the biggest controversies to rock the dressage world, including Rollkur and Totilas.View Deal

Autobiographies of famous showjumpers

Six Feet Above – Peder Fredricson
This is the fascinating story of Swedish equestrian and Olympic medallist Peder Fredricson and his winding road to success. H&H’s showjumping editor says “Peder’s autobiography is, without doubt, one of the best I’ve ever read.” Read our review.View Deal

Gold – Nick SkeltonView Deal

There’s No Such Word As Can’t! – Tim Stockdale
Written in a frank, straight-to-the-point, entertaining way, the book charts Tim’s progress from his early days at a small country riding school to the bright lights and glamour of the world’s top arenas. His story is packed with amusing anecdotes that give a rare insight to the world of professional showjumping.View Deal

Other equestrian autobiographies

The Man Who Listens To Horses – Monty Roberts
In this remarkable worldwide bestseller, Monty Roberts shares his unforgettable personal story and his exceptional insight into the silent language of horses and nonverbal communication – an understanding that applies to human relationships as well.View Deal

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(Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

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(Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

Happy Days and Winning Ways: Training for the top by the International Junior and Young Rider Team coach

Pippa Roome — Wed, 04 Jan 2023 16:54:31 +0000

Happy Days and Winning Ways: Training for the top by the International Junior and Young Rider Team coach (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Author: Gill Watson

Published: 2022

Available as paperback and on kindle

View now at amazon.co.uk

About Happy Days and Winning Ways: Training for the top by the International Junior and Young Rider Team coach

During the first Covid-19 lockdown, the renowned under-21 eventing coach Gill Watson “became tired of baking cakes and spring cleaning the house” and set up a WhatsApp group for some of the juniors and young riders she had worked with over her 30 years as British team trainer to those age groups. The group grew and spiralled, with rides sharing “tales of antics during team training, team selection and their experiences travelling around Europe”.

With the help of journalist Ellie Hughes, Gill has now brought those memories together into a book.

After a foreword by Pippa Funnell, the book starts with a brief autobiography tracking Gill’s life from childhood through her own competition career, including a Burghley Horse Trials win in 1969, and an insight into her training philosophy.

The book then details each year of her career as team trainer with the juniors and young riders, blending Gill’s own reminiscences with short “notes” from the riders themselves, parents and even the families who hosted youngsters during their training courses with Gill.

The final chapters are given over into insight on and from the grooms at the championships, Gill’s home team and the other team officials such as vets, selectors and chefs d’equipe.

Review

This is a wonderful book which everyone with any interest in eventing – or coaching, team tactics and management of people – should read and will enjoy.

The format has been skilfully brought together so that Gill’s voices and others are carefully ordered and blended to tell the story of each year with very little repetition. Every championship has so many untold stories, from travel disasters to veterinary or medical issues which were overcome to allow teams to triumph, and it is fascinating to go behind the scenes and read 30 years of these tales.

Some of the riders who have contributed to the book have gone on to become household names in the sport, adding a nice celebrity factor; others disappeared from view after success in the “under” teams and it’s fun to be reminded of them and their success. I liked the way each note ends with a sentence of two saying what that person went on to do inside or outside the sport.

The different venues hosting the championships around Europe come to life and it’s interesting to see how things have changed through the years, from the days of travelling behind the Iron Curtain in the early years of Gill’s tenure.

The book is a huge testament to Gill’s skill as a horsewoman and technical coach, plus her ability to bring out the best in people – the medals speak for themselves, plus rider after rider pays tribute to what she did for them and their career in the book.

Verdict

Happy Days and Winning Ways is a very easy book to read and I wanted to start again at the beginning as soon as I finished it.

View now at amazon.co.uk

Six Feet Above, by Peder Fredricson

Jennifer Donald — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 13:55:53 +0000

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Author: Peder Fredricson

Published: 2022

Available as hardcover

View now at amazon.co.uk

About Six Feet Above: Jumping to the top

This is the fascinating story of Swedish equestrian and Olympic medallist Peder Fredricson and his winding road to success. As a five-year-old he was riding on free rein in the Swedish forests and from then on everything was about horses. He worked as a groom for the best equestrians in the world, lived on next to nothing and rode for a while with a buzzard on his arm. He was a skilled rider but not very interested in competing.

When he finally was persuaded to compete in the big equestrian eventing and showjumping competitions, he realised that talent was not enough – he had to rethink completely. He created a structure, both for everyday life and for competitions, and the outcome was almost immediate. After only a few years, he was one of the best showjumpers in the world. Much has changed since his unconventional childhood, but his attitude remains the same – interaction with the horses is what is most important. His mental focus has been his secret weapon in the major competitions.

Today, Peder Fredricson is one of the top showjumpers on the planet with four Olympic medals to his credit. In 2021 he was ranked the world number one rider.

Review

I’m always excited when a new autobiography from the equestrian world is published and Peder’s is, without doubt, one of the best I’ve ever read. The Olympic medallist gives an engaging and insightful account of his colourful childhood, his background in graphic design and previous career in eventing before achieving the highest accolades as a showjumper.

I learned so much about the likeable Swede – his honesty when it comes to his riding: “I do not come to the perfect take-off spot on every fence and I’m not especially good at cantering over ground poles” and the fact he was “really scared” before tackling the cross-country at his first world championships. But his relationship with his horses shines through and Peder shares his fascinating learnings from the likes Mark Todd, with whom he was based for three years, Franke Sloothaak and some of the classical riders he trained with in his youth.

I was fascinated by his pre-competition routines and management, his mental preparation, his switch to competing his horses barefoot and the surprising reason he swapped from eventing to showjumping. But most endearing is his partnership with the “exceptional” horse All In, and their journey of a lifetime together to the Olympics and beyond.

Verdict

View now at amazon.co.uk

Birthplace of Black Beauty author celebrates grand opening on novel’s 145th anniversary

Becky Murray — Sat, 26 Nov 2022 19:33:48 +0000

The birthplace of Black Beauty author Anna Sewell has opened to the public, 145 years since the best-selling novel was published.

On Thursday (24 November) the mayor of Great Yarmouth led the official opening ceremony of Anna Sewell House; Redwings took over guardianship of the property in July when the owner approached the charity about occupying the building.

Redwings plans to use the property to showcase “the legacy of Anna Sewell and her famous novel”, as well as the charity’s ongoing work. Black Beauty was the only book that Anna Sewell published; she died shortly after its release in 1877, aged 58. It has sold more than 50,000 million copies worldwide.

The public can visit Anna Sewell House on Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am to 2pm. It will also be open to the public during Great Yarmouth’s Christmas Fayre on Friday 2 and Saturday 3 December from 10am to 7pm.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

“Black Beauty is one of the most successful novels of all time and was one of the first to use an animal as a narrator. Although it has become famous primarily as a children’s novel, Anna didn’t write it for children. She said that her purpose was to ‘induce kindness, sympathy, and an understanding treatment of horses’ in readers of all ages, and especially in horse owners.

“It’s so important to the owner of Anna Sewell House that the property be used in a way that’s a fitting legacy to Anna and her work to improve horse welfare, so it makes perfect sense for it to be a showcase for the work Redwings does today.”

Mayor of Great Yarmouth, councillor Graham Plant, added that Anna Sewell House is an “iconic” building in the town, with a “rich history and important heritage”.

“We are absolutely delighted that Redwings is the new guardian of the building. With Redwings’ vital role in animal welfare, we are sure this move will help ensure the building continues to be a key asset for both residents and visitors to Great Yarmouth,” he said.

Watch first glimpse of The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse adaptation for TV

Lucy Elder — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 17:43:33 +0000

Eagle-eyed Charlie Mackesy fans will have caught the first glimpses of the author and illustrator’s hotly anticipated adaptation of his best-selling book, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse.

The heartwarming story follows an unlikely friendship between a boy, a mole, a fox and a horse as they travel together in the boy’s search for home.

It has been adapted for the small screen and will debut on BBC One, iPlayer and Apple TV+ worldwide this Christmas.

Followers of Charlie’s social media accounts have been treated to an early taste of what they can expect from the film.

The soundless short clips show beautiful snapshots, including the moment the boy, the mole and the fox first meet the horse.

A photo posted by on

They also feature a clip of the four galloping across the snowy landscape, the horse gently lifting the boy out of water and carefully placing him on the snow, and the fox saving the mole as they cross a fast-flowing river.

A photo posted by on

A new hardback book, featuring Charlie’s illustrations alongside a hand-written script that celebrates the work of more than 100 animators involved across the two years of production, will be released on 22 November and is available to pre-order.

Posted by on

On the announcement of the adaptation, Charlie, who co-directed the film with Peter Baynton, said it is “so moving to think the story will be watched at Christmas”.

“I really hope it brings a bit of joy, laughter and comfort,” he added.

Although the short clips Charlie has shared have no sound, the finished film will. Tom Hollander is confirmed as the voice of the mole, Idris Elba the fox, Gabriel Byrne the horse and Jude Coward the boy. Isobel Waller-Bridge has composed an original score, which is performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra and conducted by Geoff Alexander.

A photo posted by on

The Matthew Freud production is produced by Cara Speller, of Nonemore Productions, and J.J. Abrams and Hannah Minghella of Bad Robot Productions. It has been adapted from the book in collaboration with Jon Croker.

The Yard by Grace Olson

Martha Terry — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 12:00:00 +0000

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Author: Grace Olsen

Published: 2022

Available as paperback, Kindle or Audiobook

View now at amazon.co.uk

About The Yard

The Yard by Grace Olson features the comical tales of a new mum on her journey from post-natal depression to the dawning of her self-worth as she discovers adventure, friendship and the healing power of horses.

Join Grace as she battles her negative thought patterns and fears amongst a backdrop of eccentric characters, pampered farm animals and the glorious Yorkshire countryside.

Wisdom comes from unexpected sources leading Grace to a psychological and spiritual awakening of the true meaning of motherhood. While an elderly, opinionated pony teaches her how to love her daughter, a scary young sports horse teaches her how to relax and enjoy life again. Just watch out for the goats…

For fans of James Herriot and Ruby Ferguson’s Jill books, The Yard is a hilarious and heart-warming, feel-good read.

The Yard review

This an entertaining yarn featuring a post-natal mum, fabulously charismatic horses and ponies, and a handful of almost incredibly zany human personalities – set in that hotbed of characters, tempers and baggage that many of us know all too well: the livery yard.

It’s written in an autobiographical style, although some of the characters Grace comes across would have to be seen to be truly believed! You’re drawn into Grace’s life, her battle with post-natal depression, her quest to inject some meaning into her life, right from the first page. Her escapades vary from the mundane to the extraordinary and downright hilarious, but they are held together by the subtitle: “How a horse healed my heart”. Spoiler alert, it’s not just one, but several, each with their own special story, which tug at your heartstrings at the same time as making you laugh out loud.

I admit I was intrigued to see how a story of healing from depression was going to be genuinely comical, as opposed to dark humour. But Grace writes with a simple lightness of touch, and you find yourself increasingly cheering her on as she mends physically and mentally. Her initial inexperience around horses makes her challenges somewhat breathtaking, yet it pales into comparison with some of the other “riders” – such as the lady who buys two terrorising Fell ponies fresh off the hill and can never catch them again.

Many of the characters are surely caricatures – the dashing gay guy, “green-haired Alex” who feeds everyone magical herbs, and one mad yard owner, the opera-loving Valerie, who dresses her chickens and donkeys in jumpers, and drives her Shetlands to the supermarket shop – and there’s plenty of slapstick comedy with riders falling into muddy swamps, but there’s a charm to them all.

I thoroughly enjoyed the read. The setting, passion for horses and crazy characters will be familiar to many horse owners, but portrayed in a fun, exaggerated way that will keep you entertained throughout. And on a deeper level than light comedy, there’s a heartwarming undercurrent for the many of us who have felt the healing power of animals.

View now at amazon.co.uk

Exmoor Bridleway Rides by Philippa Verry

Martha Terry — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 11:53:49 +0000

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Author: Philippa Verry

Published: 2022

Available as ring-bound file

About the author

The author Philippa Verry is a lifelong horse lover, who has done all kinds of riding from dressage to hunting and now – her new passion – endurance. From her home on Exmoor, Philippa has compiled a collection of her favourite rides, with detailed instructions and information on each one.

“Having spent 12 years hacking and hunting on Exmoor, it’s a wild and beautiful place I have grown to love,” she writes. “At every opportunity I have been exploring new rides, certainly with some adventures along the way. My motivation is the thrill of being able to share these experiences with others in my most favourite place, Exmoor.”

Philippa has lived with the effects of thalidomide since birth, as she was born with no arms. However, she has never seen herself as a disabled person, as she has never made any concessions for her lack of arms.

Exmoor Bridleway Rides review

This collection is very practical. It is assembled in a waterproof plastic ring binder, so that you can remove each of the 12 rides rather than taking the whole folder on your adventure.

Each ride has an initial page outlining the distance and duration, as well as the level. Philippa has chosen three grades, one being straightforward with less strenuous hill work, up to three, which requires a fit horse for challenging hill work and longer distances.

The initial page for each rides outlines the level, distance and duration, as well as gives some interesting nuggets about the local area (Image credit: creditUnknown)

There are also fascinating details about the history and culture of the area, which brings character to each ride – and will add to the conversation as you show off your local tourist knowledge to your with companions.

The second page is a detailed explanation of how to get to the start of the ride, with grid reference, and where to park. There are then easy-to-follow, numbered instructions, using landmarks such as river crossings, stone roads, concrete bridges and so on. Overleaf, there is a simple map, showing the ride route, which coincides with the numbered instructions, and shows basic landmarks such as forest, rivers, roads as well as bridleways and footpaths. Photos of the route accompany each leaflet.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

While I have sadly not had the opportunity to test out the routes, from my knowledge of following instructions for ramblers and riders, I can see that Philippa knows these routes well and has thought out every step so as not to misdirect riders.

There are handy tips, such as “this track is only suitable if you are on a small pony”, or “the small stone with a daub of blue paint is easy to miss”.

Aside from the details of the routes, I enjoyed the introduction, in which Philippa details how she started riding, some of her early ponies and the highlights of her riding life. She pays a touching tribute to her current horses, Melitta (a home-bred) and her top endurance ride, the Appaloosa Stilton, in the acknowledgements – “without them, this book would never have happened”.

Not all of us will have the joy of riding on Exmoor, but this collection of adventures is surely one to stoke up your enthusiasm to make it happen. And if you are someone who has the opportunity, then this will be your invaluable guide. And you might even spy the spotty Stilton out enjoying his favourite routes.

Books can be purchased by emailing exmoorbridlewayrides@gmail.com or via Facebook Messenger to Exmoor Bridleway Rides. The cost is £39.99 + £4.50 P&P.

Ned Gets Worried by Suzi Lewis-Barned

Jennifer Donald — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 14:41:37 +0000

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Author: Suzi Lewis-Barned

Illustrator: Ursula Lewis-Barned

Published: 2020

Available as paperback

View now at amazon.co.uk

About Ned Gets Worried

Ned the pony is worried. He worries about everything. Sometimes he wakes up and he doesn’t even know why he’s worried, he just is. Then he meets Valiant, his big, strong friend. Valiant used to be a police horse in the big city and he shows Ned how to manage his anxieties. This picture book, written by Suzi Lewis-Barned and illustrated by Ursula Lewis-Barned, gives children some tools to manage their worries.

Review

Ned Gets Worried is a charming story with a gentle message about children’s natural anxieties explored through the eyes of a pony and a horse. We join the adorable Ned in his field and soon discover the little chestnut pony’s worries – litter, noises, dogs and even the fear that he might stand on the toes of the children who come to stroke him.

It’s enough to pull at your heart strings. But Ned even wakes up sometimes “and doesn’t even know why he’s worried” – and this is where the skilled author’s insightfulness really comes to the fore. When the older, more streetwise police horse Valiant comes to Ned’s rescue and gently guides him through his fears, allowing him to explore and deal with his emotions, we join him on a heartwarming journey, discovering that things really aren’t that scary after all.

In the end, it becomes Ned’s turn to come to the aid of his new mentor Valiant, resulting in a touching and satisfying ending to this delightful tale, which is vividly brought to life by the exquisite drawings that illustrate it.

Verdict

I’ve now read this book dozens of times with my young son, who enjoys the story tremendously on face value, but dig a bit deeper and it’s a great catalyst for discussing childhood fears and anxieties with little ones. A lovely story to have on the shelf.

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101 Dogs: An Illustrated Compendium of Canines review

Sophie Cheeseman — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 14:16:46 +0000

creditUnknown

Author: Nicola Jane Swinney, illustrated Romy Blümel

Published: 2022

Price as reviewed: £16.99

Available as hardcover

View now at amazon.co.uk

About 101 Dogs: An Illustrated Compendium of Canines

This delightfully charming little hardback book by Nicola Jane Swinney and illustrated by Romy Blümel is a gorgeous hardback full to the brim with characterful illustrations and entertaining snippets into the world of dogs.

Nicola has worked on Horse&Hound in a number of roles and has been around horses for most of her life. Of course, with horses comes dogs – hunting hounds, gundogs and the rest. Having two Maine Coon cats now, Nicola says if she were to be a dog she would be a golden retriever; blonde, always somewhat dishevelled, and bit daffy and far too interested in food!

The illustrator, Romy Blümel is German and based in Berlin. She works in paint in a linocut style, drawing on top to add details and create beautiful artwork.

Review

I expected to receive a “spotters guide” type book through the door, but when I opened the package containing 101 Dogs I was pleasantly surprised to see the eye-catching mustard yellow and pink cover with lots of happy little dog faces smiling up at me. I immediately wanted to flick through and see what else it had to offer inside.

The first few pages of the book contain information such as “From wolf to weimaraner” a foreword about the history of dogs. This is followed by a few pages covering groups, details and characteristics, accompanied by informative illustrations. While it doesn’t cover all of the 350 dog breeds, each of the 101 pages has a concise paragraph about the general assumptions of each breed, with a large cartoon (but tasteful) illustration in a linocut style.

There is also further information on life expectancy, height, trainability, grooming, exercise and then two comments on “most likely to say” and “least likely to say”, for example “Sure, come on in…” or “Can someone brush my hair?”, which adds some humour to these vitals. And on the most part I think it’s all very relatable and true!

There is a broad selection of breeds in the book, from the common Labrador Retriever to the lesser known Hamiltonstövare. However, I was surprised not to see a whippet in there. Being an owner of two lovely little hounds I was excited to see how they were portrayed by Romy and what information was included. I did spot one on the back page, though, so all is not lost.

What I like most about 101 Dogs is that it appeals strongly to adults and children alike. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed flicking through and reading about breeds we know and love as well as breeds we’d never heard of. My three-year-old nephew also had a lovely time looking at all the pictures and finding our family dog amongst the pages. I think this book would go nicely on a coffee table, in a nursery or anywhere you might find someone with soft spot for dogs. The information is enough without being overwhelming or boring, and the illustrations make for a charming and enjoyable read.

Verdict

A lovely, charming little book with enough inside to keep you entertained for hours on the sofa with a coffee. It appeals to all ages and is a delight to have on the coffee table, with its expensive looking cover and stylish design.

View now at amazon.co.uk

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse brought to life on TV this Christmas

Lucy Elder — Sun, 30 Oct 2022 20:59:02 +0000

Charlie Mackesy’s heartwarming book The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse has been adapted for the small screen and will debut on the BBC this Christmas.

The illustrated international best-seller, published in 2019, tells the story of an unlikely friendship between a boy, a mole, a fox and a horse as they travel together in the boy’s search for home.

The film is adapted from the book and is presented by Apple TV+, in partnership with the BBC, which will premiere the production in the UK. The film will be available on Apple TV+ for the rest of the world to watch.

“The journey of making the film of The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse with my incredibly gifted animation team has been a magical one,” said author Charlie, who co-directed the film with Peter Baynton.

“I never dreamt it would happen — but it’s so moving to think the story will be watched at Christmas. I really hope it brings a bit of joy, laughter and comfort.”

Tom Hollander will be the voice of the mole, Idris Elba the fox, Gabriel Byrne the horse and Jude Coward Nicoll the boy.

It will feature an original score by composer Isobel Waller-Bridge, performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra and conducted by Geoff Alexander.

Charlotte Moore, BBC chief content officer said the “heartwarming and inspirational story” is about the “importance of love, kindness and friendship”.

“It’s the perfect fit for Christmas on the BBC and a reminder to us all about what really matters in this world,” she added.

The Matthew Freud production is produced by Cara Speller, of Nonemore Productions, and J.J. Abrams and Hannah Minghella of Bad Robot Productions. It has been adapted from the book in collaboration with Jon Croker.

Hands Down by Felix Francis

Martha Terry — Wed, 28 Sep 2022 13:32:00 +0000

(Image credit: Martha Terry)

Hands Down

Author: Felix Francis

Published: 2022

Available as paperback, hardback, Audiobook or Kindle edition

View now at amazon.co.uk

About Hands Down by Felix Francis

This is Felix’s 16th “Dick Francis” novel. Together the Felix Francis and Dick Francis novels have sold over 80 million copies worldwide in 40 languages. Felix continues to honour his father’s thriller-writing legacy with his latest book, Hands Down, published by Simon & Schuster.

Sid Halley, a private investigator, has a new left hand, having had a transplant since his last appearance in Refusal. After receiving death threats, an ex-jockey trainer friend calls Sid to ask for his help, but Sid has his own problems to deal with, like recovering from surgery and saving his crumbling marriage.

When his friend’s stable yard is torched, horses killed and the friend is found dead, Sid can only blame himself for not helping sooner. The police think it’s suicide, but Sid is not convinced after his friend’s terrified phone calls. Heavy with a guilty heart, Sid starts to investigate and soon finds himself embroiled in a conspiracy that cuts to the very heart of the integrity of British horse racing.

Can Sid figure out what happened to his friend, or will he be the next one that the killer targets?

Review of Hands Down

For lovers of Felix’s father Dick Francis, it might be with some trepidation that you spot the return of Dick’s much-loved character Sid Halley. Can Felix perpetuate the broken genius that is Sid? However, it’s great to have this ex-jockey private investigator back on the scene, and he has a new conundrum to cope with alongside his sleuthing, a hand replacement for the injury that caused the end of his brilliant racing career.

There is a certain familiarity to all works in the Dick Francis oeuvre. A main character who is generally a good egg with a few loveable flaws, some proper baddies to “sort out”, against the backdrop of the racing life we know and love.

I enjoyed the storyline – it had the usual twists, a poke at the establishment (always), and it is generally an explosive thriller within a familiar setting.

I find Felix’s writing to be darker than his father’s. Suicide, murder, burnt horses feature here, as well as a sideline of a marriage in peril. Rather than a pretty girlfriend who turns into the hero’s love of his life, here there’s a middle-aged high-flying career woman as the fading love interest.

Felix never tries to hark back to bygone days, which although rather charming would be totally out of place today. The simple plot and daring hero getting in and out of fixes remains the same for those who want the Francis legacy to run on forever.

However, Felix cannot make up for his lack of immersion in the weighing room, the sights, smells and sounds of the racetrack and early-morning stables. To his credit there is nothing that glitches, despite him never having been a rider, but for me that was Dick’s absolute USP and unless you’ve been part of the racing scene it’s impossible to replicate. For many readers this will pass by unnoticed, but that is the crunch for those coming at the book with a deep equestrian interest as most H&H readers will.

Verdict

Overall, it’s a decent holiday read, the pages fly by and it comes to the inevitable satisfying ending.

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Autistic teenage author uses her experiences with ‘the magic of horses’ to help others

Becky Murray — Sat, 20 Aug 2022 20:03:07 +0000

A teenage author who found the “magic of horses” helped her deal with her autism is using her experiences to help others through books.

Libby Scott, 14, learned to ride age 10 and the same year wrote an online piece, Life of a Perfectionist, about her experiences of being autistic. The piece went viral when her mother Kym tweeted it, and this led to Libby pairing up with children’s author Rebecca Westcott to write her first book, Can You See me?. The book centred around the main character Tally’s diary entries – written by Libby – about her autism and split education between mainstream school and an educational programme at a local stables. When Tally meets an autistic adult at the stables she is helped to open up through caring for horses.

Since then Libby has appeared on radio and television, educating people about autism, and this month released All the Pieces of Me, a prequel to Can you See Me.

Libby learned to ride at Chelsfield Equestrian Centre in Kent and told H&H that initially she struggled owing to nerves and because taking commands from instructors could make her very stressed, but when a new instructor Neil joined the riding school it “changed everything” for her.

“He’d worked with a lot of autistic kids. He was gentle but clear and made me feel I could do anything. That’s when my riding confidence and ability flew up a notch. He is the inspiration behind [coach] Ginny in our books,” she said, adding that she has since moved to Gloucestershire and is looking for a new riding school in Cheltenham.

“At my last stables I had two horses who were special to me in different ways; Nigel, who I rode for four years and was my best friend. I always let him have a fast canter around the arena after every lesson as that was his favourite thing to do. He was my jumping horse and the one I did my first jump on, so I feel like we had a really close bond for that reason.

“The other one was Peaches. I had a very special bond with her. One day she spooked and I had my first proper riding knock-back which worried me for a few weeks, but I always got back on her and gradually learned to trust her again.”

Libby said there is “something magical about horses”.

“Even though all animals are amazing, the majesty of a horse and the connection I find with them is like no other animal,” she said.

“Me and the horses I have ridden connect with each other with no words, they know when I’m anxious and I know when they are. It’s a real partnership and that’s when riding is wonderful.”

Libby said when she was a child she never considered being an author.

“I didn’t think I was that great at writing, but I definitely enjoyed it. I thrived off creativity and freedom. I didn’t want to write about what they told me at school, I wanted to be Libby Scott. Thankfully this book opened a golden door for me to spill out all the parts of me that had been hidden away for so long,” she said, adding that she was contacted by publishers Scholastic after they saw her viral piece on Twitter.

“Fiz my publisher contacted my mum and offered me a book deal. They found an author they thought I’d work well with who could help me tell my story in the way I wanted to. Rebecca and I clicked immediately – together we devised the plot and characters, and then Rebecca put the story down and I made changes and wrote the diary entries as Tally.

“The rest is history. It’s been amazing so I’m really grateful to Scholastic and Rebecca for putting this opportunity in my hands and letting me run with it.”

The Horse Whisperer author dies aged 72

Becky Murray — Tue, 16 Aug 2022 15:43:56 +0000

Nicholas Evans, the author of the bestselling book The Horse Whisperer, has died on 9 August from a heart attack, aged 72.

Nicholas was born in Worcestershire and studied law at Oxford University, graduating with first-class honours. He worked as a journalist and later moved into television production.

The Horse Whisperer, Nicholas’ debut novel, was published in 1995. It became a number one bestseller in more than 20 countries and was published in 36 languages.

Nicholas was inspired when he learned about a man called John Solomon Rarey from Ohio, who was asked by Queen Victoria to come to Windsor Castle to tame a horse in 1858. Nicholas also travelled to the United States to watch the work of horseman Tom Dorrance, Ray Hunt, and Buck Brannaman and in 1994 he started writing the book.

The plot of love and tragedy follows young rider Grace MacLean and her horse Pilgrim, whose lives change when they are struck by a vehicle. Grace’s mother Annie reads about Tom Booker, a man that can heal troubled horses – and Annie and Grace leave New York for Montana, in the hope Tom can heal Pilgrim.

Robert Redford starring as Tom Booker in the film adaption of The Horse Whisperer (Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

The book was made into a film and released in 1998, directed by and starring Robert Redford as Tom Booker. A young Scarlett Johansson played Grace MacLean, and Kristin Scott Thomas starred as Annie. The film – which features a different ending from the book – made more than $186,000,000 worldwide, and received mixed reviews from critics and horse fans.

In a blog in November 2020, the 25th anniversary of The Horse Whisperer, Nicholas said the book was not about horses, but about how easy it is for people to get lost and separate from things in life that truly matter.

He went on to release four more novels; The Loop in 1998, The Divide in 2005, The Smoke Jumper in 2006 and The Brave in 2010.

Winning Habits: How Elite Equestrians Master the Mental Game by Annette Paterakis

Pippa Roome — Fri, 15 Jul 2022 10:20:58 +0000

(Image credit: Pippa Roome)

Winning Habits: How Elite Equestrians Master the Mental Game

Author: Annette Paterakis

Published: 2022

Available as Kindle edition, hard cover or paperback

View now at amazon.co.uk

About Winning Habits: How Elite Equestrians Master the Mental Game

Equestrian mental coach and author Annette Paterakis’s book blends theory of sports psychology with tales of her own experiences in the competition arena, interviews with top showjumpers and practical exercises for improving performance in horse sport.

Chapter by chapter, the book tackles topics such as mindset, deliberate training, focus, flow, confidence, motivation and success. Annette introduces each topic and the theory behind it with back up from experts in the field, then uses quotes from the riders to illustrate how they interpret this or use it to their advantage, and then runs through with some exercises which the reader can try, before finishing each chapter with a summary.

Review

I liked the idea of this book and the way it is structured is essentially easy to understand and logical. There is also no doubting the credentials of the riders Annette interviewed, with names such as Laura Kraut, Daniel Deusser, McLain Ward, Cian O’Connor and Jeroen Dubbeldam in the line-up.

On the downside, I didn’t always find the prose the easiest or most compelling to read. I also felt that in places the book was repetitive and some judicious editing, particularly of the quotes from the riders, could have been beneficial and allowed the points to be delivered in a more honed, streamlined way.

The penultimate chapter is called “Learn from the Best” and consists solely of quotes from the riders, answering the question: “What kind of advice would you give young riders to improve themselves and their mental game?” These quotes are grouped into themes that relate to the book’s chapters and messages. I found this chapter one of the most enjoyable and interesting, but I wasn’t sure why it was the penultimate chapter rather than the final one, as the last chapter (“Success”) reverts to the structure used in all the previous ones.

I read the book straight through in the order it is presented, without trying any of the exercises, but I would definitely consider returning to it in the future, picking out particular chapters that I felt could help me as a rider and giving the exercises a go.

Verdict

In places, Winning Habits can feel unnecessarily repetitive and tighter editing could have honed the final product. But this is an interesting book, which many will enjoy reading, both as a manual for improvement and out of general curiosity about how top riders perform at their best.

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A Day at the Races by Peter May

Martha Terry — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 13:26:14 +0000

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A Day at the Races: The Horses, People and Races that shaped the Sport of Kings

Author: Peter May

Published: 2022

Available as hardcover

View now at amazon.co.uk

About A Day at the Races

From King Henry VIII to Queen Elizabeth II, via the introduction of the Classics, a duel at Ascot, the first steeplechase, a Derby Day fraud, a huge Cambridgeshire gamble, the desolation of Fred Archer, a thousand-mile walk around Newmarket Heath, the greatness of Ormonde and Sceptre, Man o’ War’s record-breaking runs, National Velvet and Emily Davison, to the brilliance of Lester Piggott, Tony McCoy and Frankel, Peter May has selected over 100 days that encapsulate 500 years of the Sport of Kings.

His short, informative, easy-to-read essays bring to life racing’s milestone events that set the nation on a different path, such as the 1913 Derby, and the sacrifices horseracing made to support the British military campaigns overseas. A host of anecdotes tell of the exploits of the racing fraternity and cast light on the psyche of those who were prepared to take on bets which, at today’s rates, would stretch into millions. Sure to rekindle fond, and maybe distant, memories of the races and horses that once dominated the sporting section of the daily newspapers.

Review

This book is an astonishing achievement in encapsulating half a millennium of the sport of horseracing in 128 vignettes. I am no historian, but Peter May tells these long-ago stories of the events and horses that form the roots of the modern sport in such a captivating way that I was engrossed. As Henrietta Knight says on the cover, “Peter May’s enthusiasm is infectious; his research is phenomenal.”

The level of research is indeed staggering. While Arkle’s monumental career is condensed into little over a page, it loses nothing of its magic – it’s there in a perfect little nutshell with all the pertinent points. To compact an entire horse’s career or a life-changing achievement into so few words often requires as much research as telling the whole story, in deciding the salient details, and what to leave out. But May does this with both a lightness of touch and the gravitas that these significant horses and events deserve. He has a knack of writing in a non-judgemental way, deftly bombarding the reader with facts without them realising it.

The one time the author really digs in his heels and tells us what he thinks is the final chapter, where he talks about the “concerning decline” of the sport as it shifts away from an emphasis on quality and sport to serving the bookmakers. As he so rightly points out, “Horseracing is not just about the betting, about winning and losing money, it’s about the jockeys, the trainers, the owners, the grooms, the races and, perhaps most of all, the four-legged legends that have decorated so many races with their fabulous talent and tenacity.” Perhaps this is why he writes with such verve – he understands racing’s beating heart.

I came away with a sense of each vignette’s purpose within the canon of horseracing as a whole. For example there is a section on National Velvet which mentions how female jockeys were still not permitted in 1945, when the film came out. But it refers to the success of Rachael Blackmore today, and therefore the reader can understand the journey of female jockeys over the past 80 years.

Although the historical facts are engaging and light to read, this isn’t a book to devour in one sitting. This is simply because there is so much content within every page, you’ll want to digest each story and remember it, rather than skipping through. Each vignette could be a whole book in itself, and May’s skill has been to distill each one to its essence and leave you wanting more.

Naturally, not every horse, race, jockey and trainer could be included. But the overall effect is of a complete and significant work summing up the history of racing in an incredibly well-researched and written nutshell.

Verdict

A treasure trove for racing fans, this book illuminates racing’s journey over the past 500 years, as the author picks out the highlights of the sport – races, historical events, horses – and tells their stories. One to dip in and out of and cherish, to chew over each vignette and the part it has played in the sport we see today.

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Merely A Rider: The Autobiography of Anneli Drummond-Hay

Jennifer Donald — Wed, 25 May 2022 09:54:04 +0000

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Author: Anneli Drummond-Hay with Martha Terry

Published: 2022

Available as hardcover

View now at amazon.co.uk

About Merely A Rider: Anneli Drummond-Hay’s autobiography

Anneli Drummond-Hay’s autobiography is a fascinating insight into the making of an equestrian champion through her struggle for survival. It is a heart-warming story of a war baby with aristocratic connections, who grew up with very little money and even less love. She never went to school, she had no friends growing up, but she did have a gift with the horses in which she sought solace.

The big love story of her life was one particularly special horse, Merely-A-Monarch. He was invincible in eventing, but as female eventers were not permitted to compete in the Olympics in that era, Anneli switched to showjumping. She came so close to going to three Olympics but was foiled at the last moment each time, despite winning just about everything else in the sport.

Besides her wonderful horses, Anneli gives an amazing account of the people she met – from Harvey Smith to The Queen, in front of whom she was asked to lend her horse for the British Olympic effort, and refused; to her asking a favour, in person, of Colonel Gaddafi.

The jet-set life of an elite showjumper may be glamorous but there are more lows than highs, whether it’s her top ride being stolen, a potential plan disaster above the Alps, or the sudden death of a star horse.

As The Princess Royal so rightly says in the foreword to this book: “Thank goodness Anneli decided to write her story.”

Review

I sat down one evening intending to read a couple of chapters of Anneli Drummond-Hay’s autobiography but, so captivated was I by charming tales of her bizarrely unorthodox childhood and her gung-ho introduction to top level sport, that before I knew it I was romping my way through the rest of the book. I cannot recommend this book highly enough!

The name Anneli Drummond-Hay was legendary to me growing up, but I must confess that, bar her phenomenal achievements in the saddle, I knew very little about this gifted horsewoman. So what a captivating insight this is into her amazing life and riding career, as well as the wonderful equine heroes, many of whom she nurtures through an assortment of quirks. Her affinity with horses shines through and she is rewarded with immense success over the years.

One particular horse was the “feisty” Xanthos, with whom she would “shut my eyes and let him charge at the first fence” before settling to jump the rest of the course. But I was also enchanted by an early pony, the home-bred Spider (the result of a choreographed mating which will make you laugh) and I feel privileged to have been introduced so intimately to a “naughty” and unbroken Merely-A-Monarch, whom she later likens to a Ferrari.

There are wonderful tales from behind-the-scenes at great events such as Badminton and various championships before she embarks into the daunting world of showjumping where she describes herself as something of an anomaly, a recurring theme through much of her life. Anneli is propelled into the sport in part by “naughty Yorkshireman” Harvey Smith, who endearingly took Anneli under her wing and once gave her a lesson at 3am in how to clear a water jump.

I was left open-mouthed by many of Anneli’s amazing adventures, but I admit I also found tears rolling down my cheek on a couple of occasions – the trust her horses place in Anneli pulls every heart string as they come and go through her life.

Verdict

An enchanting insight into the pioneering life of this gifted horsewoman that will charm young and old, and not just horse enthusiasts. Pack it in your holiday suitcase, put it on your bedside table, but be prepared not to be able to tear yourself away for quite some time.

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The Gates to Brilliance, by Robert Dover

Martha Terry — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 11:19:19 +0000

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

The Gates to Brilliance: 16 Reasons a Gay, Jewish, Middle-Class Kid Who Loved Horses Found Success – and How You Can, Too

Author: Robert Dover

Published: 2021

Available as paperback or Kindle edition

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About The Gates to Brilliance

Billed as three-quarters memoir and a quarter self-improvement guide, US dressage rider Robert Dover’s autobiography takes readers through 16 “gates to brilliance”, key factors that have paved this Olympic bronze medallist’s career and personal life.

Review

I expected a standard autobiography with a dose of personal psychology on what made this hugely high-achieving rider the success he is. However, it delved so much deeper. Rather than a chronological account of Robert’s life, he picks key themes that have contributed to the rider and person he has become, and builds his life-story around that.

This is a no holds barred narrative – Robert doesn’t shirk the issue of abuse he suffered in his childhood, his father’s alcoholism, or his fear of coming out as a homosexual and his often rocky quest for love. He’s not inviting sympathy – his happy childhood, wonderful relationship with his family and particularly his mother, plus his well-heeled middle-class background tell us this is not a struggle against the odds. However, he does carry the reader along with him in his reflections on his very human, often bumpy road to the top in his dressage career and search for fulfilling relationships. His passion to make a difference in the world on a human level, notably in the AIDS crisis that hit so many of his friends, means you can’t help but warm to him.

Robert’s honesty means that the book is at times a little graphic perhaps for the younger reader, but that is in keeping with the overall style of holding nothing back.

For those hoping for a peek into the horsey side of what makes an equestrian star, there’s all that, too – the many horses Robert cherishes, from his childhood horse Ebony Cash on the Bahamas, to those who took him to the Olympic Games. He tells us the stories from the stables, the arenas and famous showgrounds, the glitz and glamour of some of the most prestigious events on the globe. We meet all the people – both his mentors and those who let him down – involved in his path to the top of the dressage ladder; the reader feels you’re allowed into every part.

Robert’s mentor, Swedish equestrian Col Bengt Ljungquist once told him: “The gates to brilliance are surrounded by a cloud of sweat and tears” – and this is the lesson that Robert seeks to portray, with a huge amount of fun, self-deprecation and humour to go with it.

Verdict

A no holds barred account of the personal life and career of leading US dressage rider Robert Dover. He writes with searing honesty, which is at times painful, at others glorious, but his mission to lay down fundamental life lessons both in achieving happiness and career goals is ultimately heartwarming and inspirational.

Suitable for both horsey and non-horsey readers, but a real treat for dressage fans.

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A Dorset Kitchen, by Patty Lowe

Martha Terry — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 09:53:24 +0000

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

A Dorset Kitchen

Author: Patty Lowe

Photos: Archie Lowe

Published: 2022

Available as hardback

View now at adorsetkitchen.com

About A Dorset Kitchen

A recipe book with more than 100 recipes inspired by ingredients grown in a Dorset kitchen garden. It’s a family affair – a mother and her children collaborating over growing the vegetables, fruit and herbs, working on the recipes and photographing the dishes.

Review

There is an abundance of cookery books on the market, but A Dorset Kitchen is just a little bit special. Patty Lowe was encouraged by friends to publish the recipe book following the sudden death of her 21-year-old son Archie, due to a rotational fall from a horse in September 2020, and is raising money for charity through its sales.

Fifteen years ago, Patty and her daughter Gertie started to grow their own vegetables, fruit and herbs in their garden, and working out recipes they could use in everyday cooking. Patty’s twin sons, Archie and Jamie, were seven at the time, and Archie “quickly became [the] primary food connoisseur – helping with the kitchen garden, preparing meals, advising on flavours and sampling everything”. As he grew up, Archie took over the photography for the cookbook, and each dish has an artistic colour photograph to go with it.

Archie’s photos are superb, beautifully lit (by his brother Jamie), and creatively arranged. Alongside the fresh, vividly coloured produce, they feature lots of herbs, pretty linens, flowers, and appealing layouts that entice you to test out the recipe. There are also photos of Archie and his siblings and horses, which remind you of the poignancy of this book’s publication.

The recipes are split up into nine sections: Before, Vegetarian, Fish, Chicken, Lamb, Beef, Pork, Duck & Game, and After. While the emphasis is on family everyday cooking, there’s a sense of adventure about the recipes, with Malaysian, Thai and Singaporean influences, rather than the typical British family fare of shepherd pie and lasagne.

The instructions are thorough but straightforward, and with the recipes set for four people, it’s easy to scale up or down.

I enjoyed the vegetarian stuffed peppers – a simple risotto packed with veggies spooned into baked peppers – for a weeknight supper, while the light Asian salmon salad tasted exotic and certainly a few notches up from what’s usually served on my own kitchen table. The “After” chapter is fairly sparse; more time and energy has been devoted to the savoury dishes, however the poached pears in marsala were super simple and very popular, and I’m looking forward to sampling the banana soufflé with toffee sauce.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Sales from the book are raising funds for “The Archie Foundation”, set up in memory of this committed and passionate young rider. Money is being donated to the Air Ambulance, which worked so hard to save Archie’s life at the scene of the accident, and the Archie & Manni Bursary. The bursary is aimed at helping committed young riders, particularly boys, build a partnership with their horses. Recipients will have a year’s training with William Fox-Pitt, Sam Griffiths and Sarah Bullen.

A thousand copies – the first print run – sold out almost immediately, via word of mouth and social media. The second print run of a further 1,000 went on sale in February.

Verdict

How I’d love to be a guest in the Lowes’ Dorset kitchen! Every recipe I’ve tried was delicious, relatively simple to produce and of a higher calibre, with more exotic flourishes, than the average family dish. The accompanying photos are outstanding, with vibrant colours and masses of herbs tempting you to try out the recipe.

View now at adorsetkitchen.com

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