El Blanco – the Legend of the White Stallion is like another book I have read by Rutherford Montgomery. It seems this author likes to express things from the horse’s point of view. Though in El Blanco, the story is told from the point of view of an elderly gentleman as well as the wild horses in the area.

The old man lives in a dry valley where no other inhabitants are found. He struggles through the drought, believing the legend that a white horse will come to the valley and with it, bring rains. The old man takes great delight in watching the wild horses of the valley. When a group of men come to hunt the horses he is saddened. And yet, he is given the opportunity to hide a heavily pregnant mare in some ruins near to where he lives.

When it comes time for the mare to foal, she gives birth to a grey colt. This ‘white’ horse is born in heavy rains and the old man rejoices that the legend is true. With the arrival of a white horse comes the much needed rains. Although his crop of corn will now go on to flourish, the old man recognises he has another concern. The group of men hunting horses are after the mare and her foal.

El Blanco – the Legend of the White Stallion

This book tells the tale of a young colt’s struggle to survive in the wild whilst also trying to escape man’s clutches. Alongside this, a legend from the Indians is woven into the tale.

This is told through the eyes of an old man who loves the valley where he is the solitary inhabitant.  This is aside from the wild horses. With another man desperate to make a living from the wild horses, El Blanco ends in a delightful way that I hadn’t anticipated. This is a unique tale sure to interest horse fans.

Author – Rutherford Montgomery
Fiction – children
In my library – that it is.
Want it? Get it now on Amazon.

In Wild Horse Tamer, we learn the story of Ben and Dixie Darby. This brother and sister pair are incredibly proud of the black stallion they have named King. This wild horse is obviously ruler in the herds of wild horses that live around their farm. What makes King special is his incredible breeding – he wasn’t born in the wild. And Ben as well as his sister Dixie can see how the horse’s incredible conformation and breeding is positively impacting the wild horses in the area.

Keen to show off ‘their’ prize stallion to some other horse enthusiasts, Dixie and Ben make the trek out across the land with two men in tow. Having spent many hours in the saddle as well as watching the big black stallion, they are confident they will find him in his grazing grounds, watching over a large herd of mares and foals.

Ben is disappointed that they don’t manage to find the stallion. As his efforts bring up no results, his disappointment soon turns to concern. In time the brother and sister pair conclude that something awful has happened to the stallion. And so starts their great search.

Through some luck – and a lot of questioning – Ben starts to piece the mystery together. When he’s had one disappointment too many, the young boy decides to give up his search. This is when Dixie comes to his rescue. Her optimism and a bright idea allow them to continue the search. With the help of their trusty South American Gaucho, the three end up on an incredible search across the state.

In the end it is the steadfast patience and persistence of Gaucho that wins the day. Wild Horse Tamer is a great adventure for young readers featuring plenty of horses. An enjoyable read.

Author – Glenn Balch
Fiction – children
In my library – indeed it is as a paperback.
Want it? Get it now on Amazon.

In the fifth book in the Magic Pony series, Ghost in the House, young Natty has a great adventure with her unusual horse, Ned.  Natty spends as much time as she can with Penelope because she owns a real horse.  However, this neighbour is spoiled and bossy and at times she bullies Natty.

Penelope and her friend Trudi take great joy in teasing Natty.  When she comes to visit they are caught up in watching a ghost movie and decide to give Natty the fright of her life.  Natty is sick of being picked on by the other girls and with her magic pony, hatches a plan to get her own back.

As strange happenings occur in Penelope’s house, Natty can see that she and Trudi are getting scared.  They try to hide it, but when it becomes apparent that Natty can’t be doing these things, the girls get more scared still.

Ghost in the House by Elizabeth Lindsay

In Ghost in the House, magic pony Ned encourages Natty to get her own back with a couple of bullies.  The story is illustrated by John Eastwood and young horse fans are sure to enjoy these novels.  They have horse information, explore caring for horses and also have a touch of fantasy and adventure.  Natty’s character is honest, but without any meanness in her.  Her love of horses is enthusiastic and sure to resonate with any horse fan.

Author – Elizabeth Lindsay
Fiction – children
In my library – that it is, along with a few others in the series!
Want it? Get it now on Amazon.

“When I bestride him, I soar, I am a hawk: he trots the air; the earth sings when he touches it; the basest horn of his hoof is more musical than the pipe of Hermes. ” ― William Shakespeare

Dr. Katie McCarty is pleased to be called into a horse case by local Deputy Sheriff Shallamon.  It seems that a well bred Impressive colt has been castrated in his stall.  To make things worse, this isn’t the only colt that has been suddenly, unexpectedly gelded.  In Impressive Bravado, Katie works against the clock to determine who has carried out this deed and also what their motive may be.

Katie is able to investigate the crime scene of the second unexpected castration.  Here the reader is introduced to an unusual horse psychic, a group of teenage girls with well bred, expensive colts as well as an underlying current of tension.  Katie cannot understand why so many young girls have access to such hormone charged colts and as she sees a theme for the girls getting hurt by their horses, she wonders who else is concerned about this – and just what extremes they will go to, to stop the young women from getting hurt.

Impressive Bravado by K. A. Jordan

Impressive Bravado is an extremely informative horse novella.  It explores well the genetic issue of Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis (HYPP) that was able to be traced back to one particular influential sire in the Quarter Horse Breed, Impressive.  Author K. A. Jordan aptly describes the issues that arose once this was discovered – and how the industry seemed to form two sides on what should be done about the issue.

With a very interesting horse genetic focus, Impressive Bravado is a short story that is bound to entertain as well as educate.  It is easy to read and also flows well, moving along at a nice pace.  The conclusion wraps up well making it a short, effective as well as enjoyable read.  Fans of the Quarter Horse breed will enjoy the story whilst also perhaps finding the topic a little controversial.  For those unfamiliar with the history of the Quarter Horse and HYPP, it’s bound to be a read that they find enlightens them.

Author: K. A. Jordan
Fiction – mystery
In My Library? As an eBook.
Want it? Get it now on Amazon.

In Thoroughbreds and Trailer Trash, 26 year old Jenna is a horse masseuse.  She lives in a beaten up trailer and barely survives from one pay to the next.  She is resourceful and carries out extra work whenever she can for cash, food or another item she needs to get by.  Any money she is able to make, she uses to fund her younger sister undertaking a college degree.  Jenna may be seen as the town trailer trash, but she is hard working and eager to help her sister make something of herself.

Things are all going to plan until the local equine centre Three Brooks where she works is taken over by a ‘corporate shark’.  Jenna finds herself suddenly up against a ruthless business man.  He is keen to cut out any employees who are not doing their job, are wasting time and money or worse yet, stealing from the business.

Not one to be intimidated by a bullying male, Jenna stands up to Derek Burke who is keen to make a lot of changes at Three Brooks before he flies out and handles another business takeover.  Jenna defends the lying Wally Turner who managed the facility – and always looked out for her, her younger sister and their mother.  Wally is like family to Jenna and she fights tooth and nail to keep the manager employed.  Derek works just as hard to find a valid reason to fire him.

In time the other staff members realise that Jenna isn’t scared of Burke – in fact, he seems to like her audacity.  They use this as best they can to get from the intimidating man anything they can to make their job easier – or more appealing to do.

Thoroughbreds and Trailer Trash

Burke is a stickler for education and promises raises to all staff who are suitably qualified.  Keen to improve the reputation of Three Brooks, he is aiming to bring in high paying clientele that have racehorses.  Jenna is dismayed that this new man feels only expensive horses are worth treating, not local ponies that also have lameness issues.  The two have an ongoing battle as Jenna focuses on the worth of every equine whilst Burke tries to cater the facility to high paying clients.

In amongst their conflict there is an obvious attraction and Jenna works hard to fight her interest in the ruthless man.  Although the others think he’s an ogre, she can see he has a good heart – and even relents as she pushes things.  But that doesn’t mean she’s about to get in his bed.  Jenna saw what an overbearing relationship did to her mother – and how it ultimately destroyed their family.  She has no interest in getting her heart involved.  It’s a pity her heart isn’t paying any attention to her plans.

Author: Bev Petterson
Fiction – adult
In My Library? As an eBook.
Want it? Get it now on Amazon.