I can’t remember when I first got access to this series but as a young teen, I devoured any book I could get my hands on, impatiently reading copies in the school and local library when I didn’t have the funds to buy another in the series.

Book number 19 in the Thoroughbred series originally written and created by Joanna Campbell, this book is authored by Karen Bentley. Despite the change of writers, Cindy’s Heartbreak reads like those earlier in the series written by Joanna Campbell, not suffering a continuity issue.

A great series for pre-teens and teens alike, Cindy’s Heartbreak follows Cindy McLean’s love of a particular racehorse, Storm whom she has helped to train as a young racehorse.

Following the usual ups and downs in racing, Cindy works through the issues that arise in Storm’s racing career, convinced that the pair can work through anything and that Storm is the fastest sprinter that raced.

Tragedy strikes 100 miles from home when there is an outbreak of Equine Infectious Anaemia and suddenly the horses at Whitebrook have to be tested when Storm appears sick.

Cindy’s Heartbreak enlightens readers to the disasters of infectious diseases and what an epidemic can do to the livelihood of a farm. It also brings into focus the importance of quarantine issues and protocols while around horses that may be contagious.

Although a book for the younger reader, it’s an informative read and does a great job of portraying the excitement of working with horses, and I’ve no doubt this series is the cause of many a young person wanting to pursue work with horses whether it be in racing or otherwise.

Author: Karen Bentley; created by Joanna Campbell.
http://www.joannsimon.com/joanna/books.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thoroughbred_(series)
Fiction – 19th book in the Thoroughbred series.
In my library? Indeed. Sometimes a bit off the mark with regards to factual information regarding horses but a great read for the young horse enthusiast.
Want it? Get it now on Amazon.

Tag: horse story, equine book review, joanna campbell, karen bentley, equine author, horse library, horse writing

While at the Premier Yearling Sales at Oaklands Junction in February of this year, I came across a heap of books for sale for $5 and managed to snap up one of the Dick Francis novels I didn’t yet own.

Reflex mixes two of my favourite things – horses and photography and because of the storyline, is so far my favourite of his mystery novels.

Reflex revolves around jumps jockey Philip Nore who is just drifting along in life, taking whatever is thrown his way without high expectations for life or high opinions of himself.

A talented photographer but not seeing himself as skilled, just one who enjoys his hobby, Nore finds himself with a collection of odds and ends from a recently deceased photographer who lived in the racing world, capturing people’s best – and often worst – moments on film.

Quietly relieved that the sadistic photographer has passed on, Nore is amazed to find out much more about this character after his untimely death.  Such information leads him to a number of different investigations with regards to people in the racing world; investigations that start to threaten his own livelihood.

Throw in the grandmother who hates him, questions of who his father is and an annoying solicitor and it seems Nore almost doesn’t have time for the horses he rides for a living.  Reflex again shows the brilliant mind of Dick Francis and is a most enjoyable read.

Author: Dick Francis
http://www.dickfrancis.com/
Fiction – Crime.
In My Library? Absolutely.  Interesting and detailed enough to cause you to learn along the way, Francis keeps you interested to the end.  A small amount of swearing but otherwise a clean read.
Want it? Get it now on Amazon.

Check out other book reviews and what is currently in my equine library.

“Lessons from your horse: when you’re worried, let me entertain you with my mystery lameness.”

tag: horse story, equine book review, dick francis, equine author, horse library, horse writing

A week or so ago at work I was keeping an 8 year old girl – a relation to my boss – entertained by leading her around on our little Shetland pony, Banjo.

As we were walking up and down the drive, we were discussing one of my many loves – horse books. Although only 8 years of age, this young girl was very bright and reading above her level.  She also had the audacity to claim she had more horse books than me!  I may just have to check out her library.

Alison Lester came up in conversation and I found this amusing as at the time I was contemplating reading The Snow Pony as my next horse book to devour.

I thought the book would be written for young readers due to this young girl enjoying another of Lester’s books.  I was proven wrong.

The Snow Pony does indeed detail the love a young girl (14 or so) has for a brumby that her father catches for her while out droving but it also describes greatly the troubles encountered by a family in a time of drought that rely on cattle for their living.

The young girl ‘Dusty’ has to grow up quickly and in a time when she’s competing and winning at show jumping events, rather than focusing on the excitement of the win, the fact that she’s earned money that will keep them eating becomes more of a focus.

The Snow Pony flows over a few years, showing the desperation in the family as the drought continues.

Alison Lester does a great job of describing the work involved in running a farm, ‘breaking in’ the pony and the high plains area where the cattle are mustered.  It is on one of these musters that Dusty is truly put to the test and the family that is falling apart has to reconsider what’s really important in such a tough financial time.

I really enjoyed the book – it’s a very realistic story of drought times in the Australian bush – something that rings all too true for the current season in Victoria.

Author: Alison Lester
http://www.alisonlester.net/biography.html
Fiction – very factual though
In my library? Definitely. An enlightening and entertaining read that would appeal to early teens or older.

“A pony is a childhood dream, A horse is an adulthood treasure.” – Rebecca Carroll

Tag: horse story, equine book review, Alison Lester, horse library, horse writing

I was in town today at lunchtime and couldn’t help but notice a table full of $5 books – surely there had to be something horsey in it!

I didn’t actually find any books for myself – there was one horse book which I already have – but I purchased it anyway, for a mate who is also horse obsessed.  It’s a lovely ‘brick book’ and is indeed well named based on it’s size!

Titled simply ‘Horses’ it is made up of over 500 pages and is interchanged with gorgeous pictures of horses and awesome quotes and facts with regards to horses.

Did you know there are about 75 million horses alive in the world today?

For the horse lover, this is a great book that’ll keep them occupied with all the quotes, facts and pictures.

Indeed, many of the quotes featured on this site are listed in this brick book and the pictures elicit dreams relating to paddocks full of galloping horses, gorgeous ponies, loyal mounts, competition horses and so much more.

Editor: Kristin Maffei
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/dir/kristin/maffei
Non Fiction
In my library? You bet!  Not sure you can beat great quotes and awesome pictures that all relate to horses.

“Many a shabby foal makes a fine horse” – Irish Proverb

Tag: horse story, equine book review, equine author, horse library, horse writing

I think the Silver Brumby series will forever by my favourite horse fiction. The Silver Brumby I’ve devoured countless times and never grow tired of reading.

Son of the Whirlwind tells the tale of Thowra’s last son, a silver colt so like his father that he was also named for the wind.

Wirramirra and his mother Yuri travel from their home in the north to seek out the silver stallion that had run with Yuri for a season before returning south to his home where the winter snows beckoned him.

Not surprisingly the colt encounters dangers in the form of jealous stallions and men out to catch one of the rare silver brumbies. Wirramirra although not having grown up with the threat of man has engrained in him the wisdom of his father and grandmother Bel Bel which saves him on many occasions and further shows the qualities of his father as the young horse thrills in outwitting the hunters.

Elyne Mitchell once again does a wonderful job of depicting a young horse’s joy in being alive and his love for some beautiful parts of Australia’s terrain – the Snowy Mountains.

Son of the Whirlwind is yet another story that brings up romantic imagery of silver brumbies roaming wild and free across beautifully wild terrain located in Eastern Australia; so much so that it entices the reader with the idea of checking out the likes of the Kosciusko National Park.

Author: Elyne Mitchell
http://www.blaze.net.au/~sasami/brumby/
Fiction
In my library? It has to be to complete this awesome series that captures your heart and imagination.

“A horse’s magnificence is in his strength of heart. With flowing tail and flying main, Wide nostrils, never stretched by pain, Mouths bloodless to the bit or rein, And feet that iron never shod, A thousand horses – the wild – the free Like waves that follow o’er the sea, Came thickly thundering on.”

Tag: horse story, equine book review, elyne mitchell, equine author, horse library, horse writing