Far into the future, after the Dark Ages people find themselves nomads, travelling in clans in their search for food, shelter and a trace of the world that once was. In this world, a twelve year old named Sahara is confused by recurring dreams of four legged creatures, fleet of foot with flowing mane and tail.

It seems unthinkable to me that people wouldn’t know the word horse, or recognise the term that matches the image of this glorious animal. And yet, in The Girl Who Remembered Horses, this is the case for many, including young Sahara.

A chance viewing of a wild herd running in the distance captures her clan’s attention. As someone identifies them as horses, Sahara realises this is the creature she has been dreaming of, running amongst them; riding astride them. As she shares these dreams her belief that these large animals could be tamed and even trained is laughed off. None in the current environment are aware of this being a possibility; none know that humans used to ride horses in the past.

“Sahara stood transfixed. Their beauty sent a thrill through her. They stirred her soul down to its very depths.”

The Girl Who Remembered Horses explores a young girl developing into a teenager and her desire to work out what is important and how she can be a contribution to her clan. Orphaned at a young age, Sahara and her sister Laurel have only their grandfather for family. Sahara is able to share her dreams with her grandfather who seems to understand her desire to catch and tame a horse. What’s more, he encourages her.

With this, Sahara dares to dream the impossible. Whilst other clan members are keen to hunt the horses for their meat, Sahara is able to save a young horse after he is hunted down.

Sadly, disapproving clan members act in a way that causes her to lose an animal that she felt within her was able to be trained. Following the loss of her grandfather, Sahara vows to put childish dreaming aside and help out more with chores that everyone has to pitch in and do. The dreams persistently tempt the teen to dream about what could have been. It seems impossible that she should be given another chance with a horse but it also seems that she was born to tame horses again.

The Girl Who Remembered Horses is a fascinating read. It explores an interesting environment for humans set in the future after a disaster that seems to have taken out much of humanity, and technology along with it. As Sahara learns about and believes in herself, the story builds in an entertaining way.

Linda Benson explores well this captivating animal that many love and how it can feed the imagination.  The main character Sahara I found to be believable and likeable.  A great read.

Author: Linda Benson
http://www.lindabenson.net/
Fiction – a teen is the main character, but it will appeal to older readers too.
In my library? Another one that I now have as an eBook!
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“To many, the words love, hope and dreams are synonymous with horses.” – Author unknown

Half Broke Horses starts with a ten year old Lily Casey Smith having to think and act fast to save the lives of herself and her younger brother and sister from a flash flood. Lily grew up in a poor family with a strongly religious mother and a very bright father keen to impart his knowledge to her whenever he could.

A hard worker and keen to learn, Lily is obviously a bright child. It just doesn’t seem that life is going to throw her a good hand. Her father encouraged her often that whatever hand she was dealt in life, she needed to learn to play it the best that she could.

Half Broke Horses follows Lily’s desperate attempts to make something of herself as she grows into a young women and is given an opportunity to teach kids of varying ages during the war. Her family’s reliance on her to break in horses, carrying out necessary farm life chores and hiring, managing and firing staff due to her father not being able to communicate effectively with those outside of his family tires Lily. Seeing a chance to escape from the endless chores, Lily jumps at the opportunity to teach in a town 500 miles away.

At fifteen she packs her bags and sets off on a mustang mare named Patches that she broke in herself. Over these years that she is away from home, Lily follows her father’s advice about life and finds she is able to fend for herself and what’s more, plan for her future the way she’d like it to be.

After the war ends, there is no longer a need for a (great) teacher who is young and without an education past year eight. Finding herself without a job, Lily returns home but is soon bound for what Chicago has to offer her. Never one to back down when life throws you lemons, Half Broke Horses tells the story of Lily Casey Smith who just keeps getting back up from being knocked about by life.

I found this book easy to read.  It’s written in the first person from the point of view of a quick witted, straight thinking, ambitious woman. What surprised me about this novel is that it is in fact written by Jeanette Walls, the grand daughter of Lily Casey Smith. This factually based story has been turned into a novel but is written based on events that did occur.

The novel shows well the tough life of a rancher who is consistently kept busy in the hope of prospering. Horses feature throughout, thought not as heavily as I’d anticipated and there is some mild cursing throughout the book. Overall however it’s an interesting and inspiring read.

Author: Jeannette Walls
Half Broke Horses at GoodReads
Non Fiction – A factual novel told from the eyes of the main character’s grand daughter.
In my library? You bet.  A recent addition that will be staying in the collection.
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“The child who ran weeping to you with a cut finger is now brought home, smiling gamely, with a broken collarbone and incredible contusions- ‘it wasn’t Jezebels fault, Dad.'” – Pam Brown

Judith M. Berrisford has a name that many recognise as synonymous with horse stories for younger readers. Although I have a few by this author in my library collection, this is the first novel by her that I’ve taken the time to read.

Timber the Story of a Horse is a delightful read about a young boy John Lambert who acquires a horse in exchange for a loan of money that his Rector father had given. John’s father is very sceptical about taking on such a young, tall and green colt. John falls in love with Timber immediately.

Although the Lambert family have a place to keep a horse on their land, John is inexperienced and doesn’t have someone to teach him about horses. And so starts a long run of trial and error and a lot of learning!

Berrisford aptly writes about the keenness of a young man, inspired by the acquisition of a horse. John works hard to read all he can, ask questions and seek advice about how to improve himself as a rider and in doing so, improve his new horse.

It’s nice to read a story where a rider recognises their faults and how their riding can so greatly affect – and even hinder – a horse’s way of going. As John learns more about what he should be doing, his riding improves dramatically and he is lucky to be given many opportunities to show and improve himself as a capable horseperson.

An out of control ride on an unplanned fox hunt sparks a passion for jumping, leading John to consider the value of the mount he’s been kindly given. Aware that he knows nothing about jumping on a horse, John is advised to get his horse trained by fellow young horseman Anthony Montagu. The trouble is, John doesn’t like Anthony’s heavy handed way of riding.

Rather then have his new treasure ruined by another’s harsh ways, John opts to learn as much as he can and progress by himself. A chance meeting with a young established horsewoman soon gives John hope that he can indeed improve himself as a rider and not hinder his horse’s obvious potential.

Timber the Story of a Horse easily details the joys of owning and caring for horses, as well as how much fun horse riding can be socially. John’s knowledge and growth as a horse rider is well explored and the story ends in a delightful and realistic way. A great read to inspire the younger horse rider.

Author: Judith M. Berrisford
http://judithberrisford.ponymadbooklovers.co.uk/
Fiction – Children
In my library? It is! A delightful and realistic read about a first horse.
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“No hour of life is lost that is spent in the saddle.” – from a pony book written by Anne Bullen (1960’s)

I love the writings of Elyne Mitchell. As a pre-teen I fell in love with the Silver Brumby and still find it as one of my favourite novels at nearly thirty years of age.

Marking the centenary of this author, Elyne’s daughter Honor released Elyne Mitchell a Daughter Remembers. It was for Christmas that a sister bought this for me and I’m sad to say it’s taken me so long to get through it in spite of having started it shortly after receiving it!

I hadn’t thought I’d done so, but this account of Elyne’s life from the eyes of her youngest daughter has shocked me into realising that perhaps I’d put this author on a pedestal. Perhaps when we recognise someone’s strength in an area – such as writing – we go on subconsciously to assume that they’re strong in other areas.

I found this biography to highlight how hard it can be for one person to pursue their love of writing whilst raising a family, sometimes as a single parent due to Elyne’s husband being a prisoner of war for some time. Honor, the author of this biography accounts often how she is left to feel like she hasn’t achieved enough, isn’t smart enough and most of all, isn’t worthy of being given her mother’s time to help in school work and other areas she may be confused about.

I guess the revelation for me that a biography written by a daughter will be nothing like an author’s fictional world of horse herds! Consequently, I found this book to be disappointing, in spite of being enlightening.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s factual and well written – it just opened up one side of an author that perhaps I would rather stay ignorant to. At the end of the day, Elyne Mitchell’s writings will still be pieces that I will no doubt read over and again. This biography however, I’m not sure will fall into that category.

Author: Honor Auchinleck
Non Fiction – biographical
In my library? Indeed it is. An interesting insight into the life of a much loved author.
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“Wild horses run unbridled or the spirit dies.” – Author unknown