I grew up in the state of Kentucky, known around the world as horse country. My state well deserves that reputation, and the rolling hills of rural Kentucky—and the horses that graze upon them—are beautiful to behold.
But here’s the thing: it’s a big state, and I’m a city girl. I’ve been on a horse twice in my life while still in grade school and was scared speechless both times. Horse country may be a lot closer to me than it is to you, but—minus that first Saturday in May—I don’t feel like it has a lot to do with me.
I’m always surprised when people assume—as they have for many years—that, being from Kentucky, I must love horses. And being a reader, I must love books about horses. For many years, I told myself that simply wasn’t true about my reading life.
But I may have to revise what I’ve been telling myself. Maybe I haven’t thought of myself as someone who loves horse books, but I sure love the books featuring horses on this list below.
How do you feel about horse books? I’d love to hear your experience with any of the books on this list, and welcome any recommendation you can offer.
8 horse books
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My Lady Jane
This quirky spin on the true story of Lady Jane Grey was pure laugh-out-loud fun. The three authors who co-wrote this book transformed the tragic historical interlude of Jane's 9-day reign into a zany comedy, akin to a mash-up of The Princess Bride and The Other Boleyn Girl. In their version, sixteen-year-old King Edward arranged a marriage for Jane in order to secure his line to the throne. The young king doesn’t have much interest in ruling, and she doesn’t have much interest in marriage. But duty is the least of their problems because, well...Jane’s betrothed turns into a horse every night. Audiophile alert: this sassy book is especially great on audio, as narrated by Katherine Kellgren. More info →
Girls and Their Horses
Here’s what I learned when I raced through this thriller in a single day: “Horse girls are the toughest girls around. You know why? They make a thousand-pound wild animal do whatever they ask.” And sometimes they ask for the unconscionable. I was hooked from page one: I wanted to know what would happen next, of course, but the story is also anchored by a strong emotional core revolving around ambition, sisterly rivalry, parenting angst, and devastating secrets. The stakes are high, the egos huge, the characters largely unlikable, and the horses untameable. I loved it. More info →
The God of Animals
This is the book that forced me to realize I love a good horse book; I finally picked it up at the urging of Amy Jo Burns, who called it one of her top 5 all-time books in any genre in What Should I Read Next Ep 383 (“Juicy, big-hearted family novels”). Kyle's 2007 debut coming of age tale is set over the course of a blazing hot summer on a Colorado horse farm. 12-year-old Alice's world was upended when her older sister Nona ran off with a rodeo cowboy. Now Alice feels like she's been left all alone to deal with the death of a classmate, her mother's ongoing depression, and her father's stress about the farm's finances. But when a new student starts taking riding lessons at the farm, that's when things really begin to change. Kyle draws beautiful and subtle parallels between life and horses as she shows us how Alice endures and changes over the course of one tumultuous summer. More info →
The Everlasting
I wouldn't call this a "horse book" but I’m including it here for its Big Horse Energy. The heart of this novel is an unlikely love story between Una and Owen. Una Everlasting was a medieval lady knight, legendary warrior, and patron saint of the nation of Dominion, who does it all accompanied by her loyal steed Hen. Owen Mallory is a tweedy scholar obsessed with Una’s legend. But then Dominion’s new chancellor sends Owen back in time to meet Una and write her definitive tale, so that the story may inspire the beleaguered nation. When he first meets her, he’s in awe and can barely believe she’s real. But then he falls in love with her—with disastrous consequences for them both. I don’t want to say too much—but I was completely entranced by this emotional, epic, and achingly intimate love story that unfolds across time and whose outcome will determine the fate of a nation. Don’t miss the Author’s Note for multiple reasons, including the scoop that Harrow’s mom sent her six pages of notes about what she got wrong about horses, which she then had to address. More info →
The Scorpio Races
A YA fantasy about wild water horses and the risks we’ll take to protect those we love. Every November 1, the Scorpio Races take place on the small island of Thisby. Riders try to stay on capall uisce long enough to cross the finish line or at least not to die. Everyone in the community has lost someone to the murderous capall uisce. Nineteen-year-old Sean has won the races four times and he’s back to defend the title. Puck never thought she’d enter and not just because she’ll be the first girl to ever complete. Her impoverished family desperately needs the cash prize. Sean and Puck are drawn into each other’s orbit despite themselves but there can only be one winner. More info →
Horse
This 2022 novel from Pulitzer Prize winning author Brooks spans three timelines as she delves into the true story of Lexington, one of the greatest racehorses in US history. In 1850 Kentucky, Jarret, an enslaved groom, bonds with the bay foal under his care oer the years against the backdrop of the Civil War, while an artist becomes known for his paintings of the racehorse. In 1954 New York City, a gallery owner comes across a mysterious nineteenth-century equestrian painting. In 2019 Washington, DC, a Smithsonian scientist and an art historian work to unearth the lost history and the Black men behind Lexington’s wins. I just finished reading Brooks’s more recent memoir Memorial Days, and was intrigued by her many references to working on Horse in those pages. More info →
Phoenix (Ride On #1)
Bestselling author of The War That Saved My Life Kimberly Brubaker Bradley launches a new uplifting Middle Grade series with this first installment. Harper’s life is upended when her parents announce they’re divorcing and she and her mom move to a new town. One day a truck drops off a neglected horse in her yard, instead of the riding barn next door. Harper may not have had any interest in horses before but she is drawn to this abandoned horse, who she names Phoenix—and a life-changing relationship begins. I haven’t read this yet, but I’ve loved Bradley’s work in the past and was excited to learn of this new one. More info →
Seabiscuit: An American Legend
Before Hillenbrand got a hold of Louie Zamperini's story for Unbroken, she was an editor at Equus magazine, having fallen in love with horses as a kid thanks to reading Come On, Seabiscuit! over and over again beginning at age eight. In this true story that reads like a novel, Hillenbrand takes her reader on a remarkable ride, masterfully weaving together the stories of a knock-kneed racehorse and the three men who made him a champion: a bookish half-blind jockey, an eccentric trainer, and a limelight-loving owner. An incredible tale, and not just for horse lovers. More info →
Do you have any favorite horse books? Please share in the comments.
P.S. Fly away with these 9 books about birds and 14 books about nature to inspire your next outdoor adventure.
46 comments
For anyone that used to or still rides English, you need to read Natalie Keller Reinert! She has a few different series, and I’ve only read the horse racing one and the eventing one but I absolutely love them. She does a good job with characters and gets all of the details right. It’s clear she’s actually a horse rider and has been involved in the different industries. I love a lot of the other books on this list, but sometimes they get the actual horse details all wrong so I’ve loved Natalie’s books for the realism along with a great story.
I was at her book launch for The Jump and if you haven’t read it, put it on your list! Natalie is great and I’m so happy for her success!
I loved Perestroika in Paris by Jane Smiley. It’s about a horse wandering Paris and the other animals she meets
Also, Horse Heaven by Jane Smiley
I loved this one, too!!
Kick the Latch is fantastic and completely unique.
I have two suggestions!
Any crime fiction lover who hasn’t yet read Dick Francis and wants a book on this theme (that could open up a completist project) should try ‘Odds Against’, his first Sid Halley novel. And a completely different suggestion, historical fantasy, with horses (trust me), is a personal fave by Katherine Arden ‘The Bear and the Nightingale’.
I second the Katherine Arden suggestion. The Winternight Trilogy is fantastic.
I began reading Dick Francis’s books almost 40 years ago with Sid Halley and Kit Christmas books being my favorites. Who knew horse racing could be so crime-ridden (pun intended)?!
The Ride of Her Life by Elizabeth Letts
I second this! What a great book!
Yes absolutely! I’m about to read it again!
I remember reading King of the Wind: The Story of the Godolphin Arabian (historical fiction by Marguerite Henry) when I was in elementary school and read it a few years later because it had so fascinated me. I read it again as an adult before introducing it to my children, and it was just as good from an adult perspective! It’s not a long book, but it’s a great story!
My dad read it to me, or else gave it to me to read, because he loved horses and Arabians in particular. And we later had several Arabs and a champion Half Arabian palomino. I went on to read the rest of Marguerite Henry’s books.
I second Smiley’s Horse Heaven.
One of my favorite childhood horse books! And as a crazy horse girl I had 100 of them!
Pony Confidential by Christina Lynch is such a touching and hilarious book. Told in first person (pony), the book follows its hero’s journey back to the human who loves him best in the moment she needs him the most. I guess if the main character read my comment he might insist that this is actually a pony book and not a horse book, but I thought I should mention it nonetheless.
Agree!!!!! Loved Pony Confidential!
A wonderful nonfiction book I discovered this last year is The Ride of Her Life by Elizabeth Letts. Its about Annie Wilkins who leaves her ramshackle farm in Maine in the 1950s to ride her horse, that she purchased with the last of her money, to the Pacific Ocean. Its about the sheer naivety of a hardworking farm women to attempt to ride across the country alone with her dog and horse. Its about resilience, the communities and people who rally around her, and second chances. I loved the historical background Letts provides and it shows a slice of American life before highway and plane travel became more everyday. Its a true story and Letts filled in the gaps through news articles. Look online for photos as the book I have doesn’t have any. Its an amazing story. I read it after an older friend recommended and then reread it with my book club.
Our reading group really enjoyed her story.
I live in Michigan, not Kentucky, but love my horses and love a well written horse book. Jane Smiley has a wonderful middle grade series, The Georges and The Jewels, that I believe is semi-autobiographical. I’ve found the best horse books are often not advertized as such. Many of Robin McKinley’s books are unexpectedly horsey: Beauty (Greatheart is the horse of all horse girls’dreams), The Hero and the Crown, and The Blue Sword. Katherine Arden’s Winternight Trilogy is also very horsey (she’s a real-life horse girl who worked at a dude ranch in Hawaii). A self-published author I love is Kate Lattey who writes young adult horse books that are very accurate and set in New Zealand. Rita Mae Brown writes a fox hunting series (foxes are not killed during hunts, but are actually characters, too) that is fun (but sometimes body shames it’s characters). I loved The Ride of Her Life by Elizabeth Letts, which is all about a woman in the late 50s who rode across America. It’s horsey, but also about small town American life and how it changed with the advent of the expressway. The Hearts of Horses by Molly Gloss was a great historical fiction book about a woman trying to support herself in the early 1900s as a horse trainer. My best horse friend and I loved the Green Rider series by Kristin Britain when we were growing up, too.
The worst though is coming across books that feature horses and riders in highly inaccurate ways. I remember reading Meagan Spooner’s book Sherwood and cringing when the main character, a supposedly accomplished equestrian, complained about her horse’s bone-jarring trot. Not something an experienced rider with a good seat would think, but definitely something an author might write if they rode a horse one time for research ;D
I can’t believe the timing of this post! I’m in the middle of Girls and their Horses after picking it from my TBR – I added it back when you talked about it on WSIRN, and I’m LOVING it. I picked it up needing something to get me out of a rut, and it’s doing the trick. Crazy timing, it’s been on my TBR for a while now!
I would recommend The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes. It’s about pack horse librarians.
I grew up in the suburbs, but I was always fascinated with horses. My best friend had a horse that she boarded out in the country, and I was always a little envious of her. I remember setting up elaborate ranches with our Barbies and Breyer model horses on her back patio.
It was always a treat to visit my relatives who lived on farms and had horses and other livestock, but I can count the number of times I have actually ridden a horse on one hand. Nonetheless, I loved reading horse stories as a child. Misty of Chincoteague and Black Beauty stand out for me!
Thanks for the recommendation of adult horse stories. I’ve read a couple but will be checking out some of the other titles!
I lived for horse books as an elementary school kid. Have a special fondness for the horse-adjacent Brighty of the Grand Canyon.
I loved that book, and had completely forgotten about it!
Yes! Misty of Chincoteague is the one YA book that immediately leapt to my mind as well. In fact, on our honeymoon, my husband and I stopped by Chincoteague Island to see the ponies there. What a dream come true!
The Eighty-Dollar Champion by Elizabeth Letts is a non-fiction book about Snowman, a horse bought for $80 from a slaughterhouse truck by Dutch immigrant Harry de Leyer, who trained him to become a champion show jumper in the 1950s, captivating the nation with their underdog story. The book details their rise from humble beginnings on Long Island to winning at Madison Square Garden, becoming a symbol of hope and perseverance during the Cold War era.
I’m from Louisville though grew up in the country! We rode horses before we rode bicycles….though not “rode” like some do with gear and lessons and high-stepping horses. Horses were just around so we saddled up and got on back. Love horse books – and am thrilled to see this list. I remember reading “Pounding Hooves” by Dorothy Grunbock Johnston when I was very young and have been hooked on horse reading ever since:) Anyone else read this?
I loved this book when I was young! I got it as a gift and read it and reread it for years. I wish I still had it!
I have to echo recommendations for anything by Natalie Keller Reinert and Dick Francis. Natalie’s eventing series is being made into a Prime movie series. There are a lot of good adult horse books out there, James Patterson’s and Mike Lupica’s The Horsewoman, and Jojo Moyes’ The Horse Dancer for example. Mary Stewart’s Airs Above the Ground is about Lipizzaners. Once started you’ll find more.
I loved “$80 Champion” by Elizabeth Letts, even more than Ride of Her Life.
Jane Smiley has a number of books for adults and young adults that feature horses. I particularly liked the YA series
Michael Morpurgo’s “War Horse” is technically a TA book, but its themes of loyalty, friendship and the brutality and technology of WWI make it a substantive and moving choice for adult readers, too. This is the original source material for the incredible play of the same name.
I loved Seabiscuit when I read it >20 years ago! My husband is from Kentucky, and I still have yet to make it to a Derby, though it’s on my wishlist. I imagine Secretariat: The Making of a Champion is a good book, though I haven’t yet read it.
Seabiscuit really was an amazing book and I still recommend it!
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Speaking of Jane Smiley, I reread Horse Heaven, by Smiley, at least every couple of years. I LOVE this book, it’s truly “horse heaven” to me! If you like horses or racing, it’s a Must Read. Audio great as well. Every year, thousands of thoroughbred foals are born, but how many will make it to the races? This book follows 4 foals, plus 2 other horses, and their journey thru life and the system in Kentucky. And it’s Jane Smiley, the Pulitzer Prize winner, this woman can write!! Rosalind Maybrick is the wife of a billionaire and as fascinating a character as I’ve ever come across, and then there’s Tiffany Morse, who works at Walmart…. Truly a work of art, it’s lit fic and horse fan heaven, all in one.
And I second the suggestion of Dick Francis for thriller or horse racing fans, and this is not just hack fiction! Great stories, good writing, and sympathetic characters. And yes, start with the older ones.
Also, for middle grade, you can’t do better than The Black Stallion series by Walter Farley! I read and reread those as a teen.
And one more (series)—My Friend Flicka and it’s two sequels by Mary O’Hara. These are not kid stories, they are for adults and are very thoughtful, though the protagonist is young. But it also focuses on his parents, and in particular, his mother. I couldn’t get enough of those, either!
I’m a horse person, eventing my horse in the 70s, and in 2020, I had reservations and plans to finally visit Kentucky and it’s vaunted horse country! I was so looking forward to visiting the famous studs and seeing some great racehorses! You know how that went….haven’t been able to make plans since.
The entire Dick Francis canon!!! His son Felix now writes in continuation but read the originals – the technology in them is dated but the stories are so human and timeless. There are a few repeating characters but the heroes are very similar.
Oh, I didn’t realize how much the horse loving little girl inside of me needed to see this list. Thank you! I loved the Thoroughbred Series by Joanna Campbell growing up.
I second the recommendation to read the original Dick Francis novels– they’re terrific. I have especially enjoyed his Sid Halley novels, but all of the original Dick Francis novels are absorbing. If you like audiobooks, Dick Francis’s Sid Halley quartet voiced by Simon Prebble and Ralph Coshom (the latter voices the first novel only) are top-drawer! DF’s son Felix wrote a fifth Sid Halley; I’ll try that one at some point, but am pretty much a Dick Francis purist.
I also really enjoyed God of the Animals by Aryn Kyle, a novel and author I’d never heard of until I became a media assistant at a local high school, where my work included reading tons of YA books so that I could credibly recommend them to students. It’s such a beautifully written novel, a lovely choice for adults as well as teens.
I really enjoyed the non-fiction book Marguerite, Misty, and Me, by Susan Friedland. Friedland tracks down the story of award winning children’s author Marguerite Henry. Henry’s book Misty of Chincoteague was a favorite of so many horse crazy girls (including me) but until Friedland NO ONE had tracked down Henry’s career, much less written a book about it. I appreciated learning the backstory, especially through the lens of a grown up horse girl (Friedland).
So many good recommendations! I was a horse-crazed kid who devoured British pony books like the Jill series by Ruby Ferguson and the Pullein-Thompson sisters. As an adult, I loved Anne McCaffrey’s The Lady (the same author as the Pern books) which reads like a grown up pony book. Other decent reads were Horseplay by Judy Renee Singer, Jody Jaffe’s Natalie Gold mysteries, The Fox in the Cupboard by Jane Shilling (a memoir about learning to ride as an adult and fox hunting–proceed at your own risk). British author Caroline Akrill’s books are being republished in digital editions and mostly feature young adults who are trying to make a career in the horse world.
Forgot to add that horse-adjacent Running With Sherman by Christopher McDougall is a lovely book about training a rescue donkey to run an endurance race.
I can’t believe Black Beauty wasn’t mentioned. Yes, it is a very old book but a classic to be sure
Horse girl and now middle aged horse woman, among the many mentioned here (so glad to see Pony Confidential getting the attention it deserves!), I loved the Flambards series by K.M. Peyton as a teen.