The Mare


Mary Gaitskill - 2015
    Her host family is a couple in upstate New York: Ginger, a failed artist on the fringe of Alcoholics Anonymous, and Paul, an academic who wonders what it will mean to “make a difference” in such a contrived situation. The Mare illuminates the couple’s changing relationship with Velvet over the course of several years, as well as Velvet’s powerful encounter with the horses at the stable down the road, as Gaitskill weaves together Velvet’s vital inner-city community and the privileged country world of Ginger and Paul.

Long Ride Home: Guts and Guns and Grizzlies, 800 Days Through the Americas in a Saddle (Journey America Book 1)


Filipe Masetti Leite - 2018
     Two years. Three magnificent horses. Ten countries. A thousand stories of drug cartels, mass migration, the glorious wilderness, the old cowboy ways, the kindness of strangers and the powerful connection between man and beast. This is a tale of grit and inspiration, of Filipe and Frenchie, Bruiser and Dude chasing a dream, one hoof at a time. Please scroll up to grab your copy today!

Dead Certainty: A contemporary horse racing mystery


Glenis Wilson - 2015
    But as he begins to research her family history, it becomes increasingly clear to Harry that there are things Elspeth isn’t telling him about her past. What’s more, a series of threatening incidents, escalating in menace and intensity, begins to convince Harry that someone is determined to stop him writing this book – whatever it takes.And Harry is about to uncover secrets in his own family’s past too. Secrets that will shake him to his core and ensure that he can never feel certain about anything again.

Horse People: Scenes from the Riding Life


Michael Korda - 2003
    It is filled with intimate portraits of the kind of people, rich or poor, Eastern or Western, famous or humble, whose lives continue to revolve around the horse.Korda is a terrific storyteller, and his book is intensely personal and seductive, a joy for everyone who loves horses. Even those who have never ridden will be happy to saddle up and follow him through the world of horses, horse people, and the riding life.

Countryfile: Adam's Farm: My Life on the Land


Adam Henson - 2011
    

Pony Crazy


Bonnie Bryant - 1995
    They're May, Jasmine, and Corey -- three totally different girls with one thing in common -- they love ponies!Pony CrazyBest friends May Grover and Jasmine James each have their own pony. So does their neighbor, Joey Dutton. And when May, Jasmine, and Joey aren't riding their ponies in their backyards, they're riding them at Pony Club meetings at Pine Hollow Stables.Then Joey's family moves away, and a new neighbor moves in. At night, lights flicker on and off inside the house, and strange noises come from the stable.What's going on at Joey's old house? Can two pony-crazy girls find out?See back of book for May's Pony Grooming Tips!Don't miss The Saddle Club, the best-selling series by Bonnie Bryant!

Horse Heaven


Jane Smiley - 1999
    Haunting, exquisite Rosalind Maybrick, wife of a billionaire owner, one day can't quite decide what it is she wants, and discovers too late that her whole life is transformed . . . Twenty-year-old Tiffany Morse, stuck in her job at Wal-Mart, prays, "Please make something happen here . . . This time, I mean it," and something does . . . Farley, a good trainer in a bad slump; Buddy, a ruthless trainer who can't seem to lose even though he knows that his personal salvation depends upon it; Roberto, an apprentice jockey who has "the hands" but is growing too big for his dream career with every passing day; Leo the gambler and his earnest son, Jesse, who understands everything about his father's "system" except why it doesn't work; Elizabeth, the 62-year-old theorist of sex and animal communication, and her best friend, Joy, the mare manager at the ranch at the center of the universe—all are woven together by the horses that pass among them: Two colts and two fillies who begin with the promise of talent and breeding, and now might or might not achieve stardom. There are the geldings—Justa Bob, the plain brown horse who always wins by a nose, a lovable claimer who passes from owner to owner on a heart-wrenching journey down from the winner's circle; and the beautiful Mr. T., raced in France and rescued in Texas, who is discovered to have some unusual and amazing talents. And then there is the Jack Russell terrier, Eileen, a dog with real convictions—and the will to implement them.The strange, compelling, sparkling, and mysterious universe of horse racing that has fascinated generations of punters and robber barons, horse-lovers and wits, has never before been depicted with such verve and originality, such tenderness, such clarity, and, above all, such sheer exuberance.

For the Love of Horses


Kelly Wilson - 2014
    From the trials and tears of Pony Club, to the joy of riding bareback and the pressures of adolescence and competitive showjumping, it follows the Wilson sisters’ remarkable rise to success at the highest level of competition. It is also the story of an unlikely childhood dream coming true.Every second year in the wilderness of the Central Plateau, Kaimanawa horses are rounded up and sent to the slaughterhouse. In 2012 the Wilson sisters became aware of their plight and decided something needed to be done. Their days in the wild might be over, but did the horses deserve a death sentence? In this touching book, Kelly Wilson tells the story of how they embarked on a courageous journey to tame horses that many people believed were untrainable.

Cry Of The Heart


Ana McKenzie - 2019
    When she lands a job looking after the horse, it is like it was meant to be, and she thinks that bringing the rescue animal back to health might be as healing for her as it is for the horse. What she doesn't count on is Josie Tearney, owner of the horse, and the most startling, intriguing woman Colette has ever met. The attraction, it turns out, is mutual, but the last thing Colette thinks she deserves is a relationship with someone who's grounded, competent, and whole – all the things Colette isn't. Josie, who runs her own business making witchy teas and essential oils, is as planted on the land where she lives as is her garden – which makes her strong, centred, stable – and lonely. All her friends have moved to the city, and she's not at all sure that Colette won't leave as abruptly as she arrived. Josie lost her mother when she was young – and she won't take the risk of being abandoned again. But healing can happen when you least expect it, and the heart, that most magical part of ourselves, knows how to lead the way.

Demeron: A Horse's Tale


Guy Antibes - 2017
    To do so, Demeron must travel through the country of his birth, eluding humans who would eagerly take possession of him. Demeron: A Horse's Tale is a novella (about 60 printed pages or 20,000 words) and is intended to be read after Book Three, A Sip of Magic and before Book Five, The Emperor's Pet of The Disinherited Prince Series.

Where the Blind Horse Sings: The Uplifting Story of the Catskill Animal Sanctuary and the Animals Who Call It Home


Kathy Stevens - 2007
    In this deeply moving account, you will hear about Rambo, a sheep who informs the staff when another animal is in trouble; and Paulie, a former cockfighting rooster who eats lunch with humans; Dino, an old toothless pony who survived a fire; and many more. Alongside these horses, roosters, pigs, sheep, rabbits, cows, and other animals is a staff of loving humans for whom every animal life, even that of a frog rushed to the vet for emergency surgery, has merit. Reading this book can profoundly—and joyously—change your life.

Never Turn Your Back on an Angus Cow: My Life as a Country Vet


Jan Pol - 2014
    Pol shares his amusing, and often poignant, tales from his four decades as a vet in rural Michigan. Dr. Jan Pol is not your typical veterinarian. Born and raised the in Netherlands on a dairy farm, he is the star of Nat Geo Wild’s hit show The Incredible Dr. Pol and has been treating animals in rural Michigan since the 1970s. Dr. Pol’s more than 20,000 patients have ranged from white mice to 2600-pound horses and everything in between. From the time he was twelve years old and helped deliver a litter of piglets on his family’s farm to the incredible moments captured on his hit TV show, Dr. Pol has amassed a wealth of stories of what it’s like caring for this menagerie of animals. He shares his own story of growing up surrounded by animals, training to be a vet in the Netherlands, and moving to Michigan to open his first practice in a pre fab house. He has established himself as an empathetic yet no-nonsense vet who isn’t afraid to make the difficult decisions in order to do what’s best for his patients—and their hard-working owners. A sick pet can bring heartache, but a sick cow or horse could threaten the very livelihood of a farmer whose modest profits are dependent on healthy livestock.Reminiscent of the classic books of James Herriot, Never Turn Your Back on an Angus Cow is a charming, fascinating, and funny memoir that will delight animal lovers everywhere.

The New Class


Lauren Brooke - 2005
    This year, five girls from different backgrounds will challenge the Chestnut Hill stereotype. There's witty, spunky Dylan; secretive Malory; western tomboy Lani; Honey, the soft-spoken Brit; and polished New Yorker Razina. None is prepared for the social or riding rigors, and they all doubt they will fit in -- certainly not if queen bee Lynsey and her clique have any say. But if this unlikely fivesome can band together, they may prove themselves the true stars of Chestnut Hill.

Wild Thing


Dandi Daley Mackall - 2002
    She can gentle the wildest mare, but other parts of her life don't always come as easily. Along with her dad and sister, Lizzy, Winnie is learning how to live without her mom, who was also a natural horse gentler. As Winnie teaches her horses about unconditional love and blind trust, God shows Winnie that he can be trusted too. Readers will be hooked on the series' vivid characters, whose quirky personalities fill Winnie's life with friendship and adventure. In #1 Wild Thing, Winnie's fearful heart finally begins to trust God again as she tries to gentle the horse of her dreams, Wild Thing.

Three Strides Before the Wire: The Dark and Beautiful World of Horse Racing


Elizabeth Mitchell - 2002
    Focusing on the 1999 Derby winner Charismatic, Mitchell traces this horse's amazing and ultimately tragic story, from the birth of a foal through its surprising rise to fame. Mitchell also follows the major players in Charismatic's life, including the family who bred him, the trainer, the owners, and the famed jockey Chris Antley, whose own story is more tragic than that of his horse. Through these interlocking stories a sense of familiarity with the key players in the industry evolves, as well as a greater understanding of the heart and soul of a sport that has fascinated human beings for centuries.