The Water Horse


Holly Webb - 2015
    So when the waters start to rise, she knows only her magic can prevent disaster befalling the city. Desperate for help, and for a friend, Olivia discovers something incredible: a water horse, hidden in the canals of the city. Invisible to most, Lucian knows the deepest secrets of the sea - secrets that could hold the key to saving the city. But can their friendship overcome those plotting against Olivia, and against Venice itself?The Magical Venice books are all share the same beautiful setting, but can be read as standalone stories. The series includes: The Water Horse, The Mermaid's Sister, The Maskmasker's Daughter, and The Girl of Glass. Discover more by Holly Webb with her Rose and Lily series - also filled with magical adventures.

Gaudenzia, Pride of the Palio


Marguerite Henry - 1960
    A story, based on real events, about a boy and a half-Arabian mare who enter the Palio, an annual race in Siena, Italy, with all the pageantry of a medieval contest.

Secret Rider


Claire Svendsen - 2013
    Her mother is terrified of them. Her dad left because of them. And all Emily wants is to ride them. But that isn’t going to happen any time soon unless Emily takes matters into her own hands and she’s been doing just that for the last year. The only trouble is that secrets are made to be broken and Emily has the biggest one of all. She works at Sand Hill Stables to pay for riding lessons and now she has the chance to prove herself at the prestigious Fox Run Farm show. With her best friend Mickey as her partner in crime, can she make it to show day without her mom finding out? And why do the girls who ride at Fox Run want to make sure that Sand Hill closes its doors once and for all?

The Escape


Kathryn Lasky - 2014
    They were rounded up by the two-legs and forced onto a boat to cross the wide ocean. The journey went badly and the boat was deemed too heavy, so the two-legs forced the horses into the sea and sailed away, leaving the herd to die in the deep.By a miracle, the horses survived and made it to land. All but one -- the ghost horse, the leader of the pack. Now it's up to her daughter, only a filly, to take charge of the terrified herd. Stranded in a new land, surrounded by two-legs, will the horses find a way to live safe and free?

The One Dollar Horse


Lauren St. John - 2012
    When she rescues a starving, half-wild horse, she’s convinced that the impossible can be made possible. But she has reckoned without the consequences of her father’s criminal record, or the distraction of a boy with melty, dark eyes, with whom she refuses to fall in love. Casey learns the hard way that no matter how high you jump, or how fast you gallop, you can never outrun the past.

The Forgotten Filly


Karle Dickerson - 1997
    Joelle has a very special relationship with her Thoroughbred mare, Dance Away. Then Dancer dies giving birth to her first foal, and Joelle swears that no horse, not even Dancer's filly, will ever replace Dancer in her heart. But Joelle's parents insist she take care if the orphaned filly--it needs her help to survive. Joelle does as little as she can to groom and train the foal. All she can think about is Dancer--that they won't be riding together in the big fall show where Joelle was sure they'd win a trophy. Joelle's convinced that Dancer's filly will never be a winner like her mother. Then something happens that will make Joelle change her mind forever...

National Velvet


Enid Bagnold - 1935
    The heroine's grit and determination, backed by the support of her eccentric and loving family, offer an inspiring example of the struggles and rewards of following a dream."The book is one that horse lovers of every age cannot fail to enjoy."--"The New York Times""Humorous, charming, National Velvet is a little masterpiece."--"Time""Put on your not-to-be-missed list."--"The New Yorker"

A Horse for Mandy


Lurlene McDaniel - 1981
    Is she jealous?

Old Bones the Wonder Horse


Mildred Mastin Pace - 1955
    Old Bones, as he was affectionately called, came out of nowhere to win a Kentucky Derby and to run a hundred races before his retirement."

War Horse


Michael Morpurgo - 1982
    With his officer, he charges toward the enemy, witnessing the horror of the battles in France. But even in the desolation of the trenches, Joey's courage touches the soldiers around him and he is able to find warmth and hope. But his heart aches for Albert, the farmer's son he left behind. Will he ever see his true master again?

Rider in the Dark


Victoria Holmes - 2004
    The daughter of magistrate Lord Roseby, she has a comfortable home on a grand estate, and with the help of her best friend, Jamie the stable boy, she is able to secretly ride her father's powerful horses -- without the confines of a sidesaddle.Then, suddenly, everything changes. Dangerous smugglers are on the loose in Helena's quiet village. And Helena's father brings home a mysterious and beautiful new stallion. Helena's world is suddenly turned upside down, and becomes more exciting than she ever could have imagined.

Horses of the Sun


Leanne Owens - 2011
    Also suitable for adults who like an inspiring story about the outback, horses and children achieving their dreams. Beautifully written by an English teacher/ journalist who lived in the outback for many years. Sunhaven Downs, a drought ravaged cattle station in outback Australia, is the home to Dane, Lani and Matthew Winter, three young outback riders whose lives centre around their horses. When their city cousin, Amy King, is left there for a year and declares that she hates horses, they know their lives are ruined. What they don't know is that Amy has a secret - a secret she is desperate to keep from her outback family, something that will ultimately save their lives – but not all of them - on the night the drought breaks. This is the first book in The Outback Riders series which follows the lives of these four children and their friends as they grow up in the outback with their horses and, ultimately, represent their country in their chosen horse sports (eventing, polocrosse, jumping, reining, cutting). It is approximately 36,000 words or just under 100 print pages and, as the introduction to the series, is the shortest of the books. Book Two, "Horses Of The Light" is now available and is 70,000 words and filled with excitement, adventure, some sadness and the start of a life-long romance.Author, Leanne Owens, is an English teacher with a Masters in Education and she been writing for horse magazines on and off for over thirty years. She lived in the outback for many years and currently owns and operates the Horses Of Gold Stud in Queensland with the famous Quarter Horse stallions, Days Of Gold and Nights Of Gold.

Smoky the Cow Horse


Will James - 1926
    Living on the open range, he is free to go where he wants and do what he wants. And being a smart colt, he learns what he must in order to survive. He can beat any enemy whether it be a rattlesnake or a hungry wolf. He is as much a part of the Wild West as it is of him, and Smokey can't imagine anything else.But then he comes across a new enemy, one that walks on two legs and makes funny sounds. Smoky can't beat this enemy like he has all the others. But does he really want to beat it? Or could giving up some of his freedom mean getting something else in return that's even more valuable?

Gypsy from Nowhere


Sharon Wagner - 1972
    Wendy loved horses - yet horses were the reason for her fight against living on a ranch. Her father's new foreign assignment was only for a year, but to Wendy, the thought of spending even one year on a ranch, so close to the hoses, was sheer torture.Aunt Laura and Uncle Art were kind and sympathetic, of course, but they didn't really understand - about Buck and all.Then there was Gypsy, a stunningly beautiful filly with one blue eye and one brown eye, who knew how to open doors - including the tightly locked door to Wendy's heart.No one knew where Gypsy came from. She appeared at the Cross-R Ranch the same day Wendy arrived.Gypsy and Wendy had other things in common, too. Each had something hidden in the past; each had been badly injured; each was afraid of people, afraid of being hurt again; each cried silently for understanding.So it was natural that Wendy should be the only one who could rescue Gypsy. And it was just as natural that this courageous, intelligent horse - the gently, shy, love-hungry Gypsy From Nowhere - should be the only one who could restore Wendy's happiness and self-confidence.

The Secret Horse


Marion Holland - 1959
    They hatch up a daring plan to steal a neglected and abandoned horse from the local pound and keep it in secret.