I was loaned this book by Lyndon Stacey from a friend who handed it over when she realised I was a fan of Dick Francis’ novels. Stacey has had said of her writing, “The closest to taking Dick Francis’ crown”.

Dead Fall revolves around Lincoln (Linc) Tremayne, an heir to a viscountcy rising thirty year old male who has a passion for horses, his goal to follow in the footsteps of his recently deceased mother. She was headed for the Olympics before an accident while riding took her life.

Linc keeps his horse elsewhere due to his father’s disapproval of equine pursuits and consequently becomes close friends with the family where he boards his horse.

When one of the young girls who straps for him at competitions ends up in a coma on account of some tack thieves, he finds himself investigating who the attackers are. No surprises, this brings on a heap of trouble for the young man.

Stacey’s novel is a really interesting read as well as extremely informative. For the equine enthusiast who perhaps isn’t familiar with the world of one and three day events, a lot of explanation goes into the book to bring you up to speed with rules and regulations, details of jumping courses and even gear used on horses.

The book is a long one – nearly 500 pages – but flows well and it wasn’t one that seemed to drag at any point. The characters are interesting and entertaining and the storyline is well researched and believable.

You can’t beat a fictional read that is entertaining and causes you to learn as you read.

Author: Lyndon Stacey
http://www.lyndon-stacey.com/
Fiction – Thriller.
In my library? I don’t own it yet as this was a borrowed copy but I’ll be on the look out for all that Stacey has put out on shelves so far. There is noticeable swearing throughout the book but otherwise it’s fairly friendly to the horse obsessed young adult.

“He who always needs a mounting block had better not fall off in the middle of the field.”

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

While studying in Ireland one of our teachers was clearing out her collection of old books and magazines. In the collection was a copy of the Horse Whisperer and because she was getting rid of it all, I quickly snapped up the copy.

Surprisingly, I’d not read the book before and set to devouring the story around a horse and young rider that were in a spirit shattering accident and the devastated family that sought to fix things with the help of a horse whisperer.

The majority of this story I really enjoyed and the imagery brought up from the first few pages when the equine related accident occurs was really well written.

It was also interesting to read about the ‘horse whisperer’ and his approach to horses and life in general. There were some… training perspectives, perhaps… that I found worth considering.

I didn’t however enjoy reading about the same character’s justification for a woman cheating on her husband.

Despite disagreeing with the way the characters’ relationships were panning out, I continued the book, eager to read how this traumatised horse was to be reached and hopefully restored to a happy individual.

The relationship with the young girl and her horse was amazing to read about but the ending of the book was for me a large disappointment, a cop out and I couldn’t see myself reading the book again.

Author: Nicholas Evans
http://www.nicholasevans.com/
Fiction
In my library? Without wanting to be flamed (and please understand that this is just my opinion), another no thanks. I strongly disliked the end of this book but was surprised to find that it was changed for the movie. The morals written throughout are too detailed and not appealing either.

“You cannot train a horse with shouts and expect it to obey a whisper.” – Dagobert D. Runes

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

Kirstie is back in the action with another wild stallion in Rodeo Rockey, the second in the Horses of Half Moon Ranch series.

Attending a rodeo with her mother, best friend Lisa and the guests of Half Moon Ranch, Kirstie disagrees with the treatment on the horses and one in particular but isn’t allowed to leave with her mother. The rodeo was a highlight for the guests and consequently to keep them happy, the Scott family stays put.

This results in a rash decision to purchase one of the horses – Rocky – to stop him from a potential future as a rodeo horse where he was being treated as a piece of meat rather than a living, breathing animal.

The second book in this series looks into the environment in which animals are treated in such situations and the potential end result for them. For those who aren’t familiar with rodeos, it opens their eyes to what can happen to such animals that are used in events such as bronc riding.

Upon the purchase of the horse by her mother, Kirstie takes it upon herself to work with the stallion in a non threatening way. She slowly gains his trust and is able to introduce him to the items that he was resisting so strongly at the rodeo – a saddle and bridle.

The young girl’s approach to the horse and how she gains his trust is well written. It’s also lovely to read the encouragement to act in such a way towards horses to receive the best result in the long run.

The only query I had with the story was the stallion being put out with all the other horses at the ranch. I could understand if it was a stallion with only geldings or only mares but to have a mixed group, I believe a wild stallion would have conflicted with the other males in the group to show his dominance over them and own the mares.

The connection Rocky developed with Kirstie’s favourite gelding was well written though and showed how quickly a horse can develop such a strong bond with another horse.

The book built up to the point that I couldn’t foresee a happy ending with regard to the stallion and it was great to read of Kirstie’s completely selfless decision; her plan to do what was best for Rocky.

Another really entertaining read by Jenny Oldfield, Rodeo Rocky kept me interested until the end, finding it hard to put the book down.

Author: Jenny Oldfield
http://www.jennyoldfield.com/
Fiction
In my library? Absolutely! I look forward to purchasing the next few in the series that have been written by Jenny Oldfield and will be keeping an eye on others that come out. A great book for teens passionate about their horses.

“If you have it, it is for life. It is a disease for which there is no cure. You will go on riding even after they have to haul you on a comfortable wise old cob, with feet like inverted buckets and a back like a fireside chair… when I can’t ride anymore, I shall still keep horses as long as I can hobble about with a bucket and a wheelbarrow. When I can’t hobble, I shall roll my wheelchair out to the fence of the field where my horses graze, and watch them.” – Monica Dickens

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

The first of the Horses of Half Moon Ranch series. To live on a ranch where you’re able to horse ride daily, going out with clients of the property – I wish! Wild Horses details such a ride in which Kirstie ends up trapped – due to a landslide – with a herd of wild horses.

The troubles dealing with clients who ‘think they know better’ while on a trail ride ring true and I can’t help but think that the leaders of the ride handled that particular client with a lot more diplomacy than I would have!

The descriptions used on the first trek throughout the initial couple of chapters of the book help you to picture the ride as if it’s real. What I struggled to find so real however was Kirstie’s actions with a wild stallion that she ended up caught with.

From a realistic point of view, I couldn’t personally picture any wild horse allowing such contact when instinct would be screaming to stay away. If the natural response of flight proved to be unfruitful, I would expect the frightened animal to move into fight mode and consequently found the first half of the third chapter to be unrealistic – but this is fiction and allowed a little poetic license.

The feel of the book is great, with a determined young female as the lead role and someone who’s obviously horse crazy and willing to do what it takes to make sure the animals they love are looked after.

Although Kirstie isn’t caught up too long in the after affects of the land slide, the beautiful black stallion is and the rest of the story details her work to get him free which results in the meeting of some interesting characters and situations that test her strength.

The book was well written conjuring up images of the lovely environment in which it was set and I look forward to reading the second which will shortly be reviewed also.

Author: Jenny Oldfield
http://www.jennyoldfield.com/
Fiction
In my library?  Sure!  A lovely book to read, I’m sure Wild Horses is the start of a great series that’ll have horse crazy young girls rushing out to get the latest book of the series after devouring all others.

“A little horseplay… the way best to enjoy a summer day!”

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

The first of the Pony Pals series, this story starts out with Lulu unhappily stuck at her grandmother’s house while her dad is away on an exciting adventure that she should be on also.

Finding her grandmother to be ‘too proper’, Lulu feels stifled and sets out exploring the town, stumbling across a pair of girls who have their own ponies and a track between their two houses that seems to be used only by the pair.

Desperately loving horses and wanting one of her own, it’s not too long before Lulu discovers a beautiful pony in a nearby field.

Days later she is travelling the same path and discovers the same pony to be in danger. Unsure whether to stay and try to help or go and seek out someone who may be better suited to help the pony, Lulu is eventually recognised as the figure that saves the pony. Recognised by all it seems but the financial owner, the father of a young girl.

The race is shortly on to convince this same man that Lulu would nurse the pony back to full health and perhaps even be the one to own her, to be able to join the other two and their ponies and become pony pals, three that have a secret track between their houses that can be used to ride and meet up.

The story is a great lead in to the series and is well suited to pre teens being of simple language and about similar aged young girls who are pony obsessed.

Author: Jeanne Betancourt
http://www.jeannebetancourt.com/
Fiction
In my library? Sure! Although I’m yet to read them all, I have sixteen of the first seventeen in the series and would imagine them a hit amongst pre teen horse crazy girls.

“Horses lend us the wings we lack.”

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