.:EQUUS:.

So I’m ashamed to say I bought this book about twelve months ago and haven’t touched it until now! A friend borrowed it and insisted I get on with reading so that I could review.

I’m glad she did! Rachel L. Burkum’s 2008 published novel Silent Ride was a delight to read. Interestingly, the book has remained exactly as the author intended, “verbatim, without editorial input.”

Randi Steel hasn’t been in touch with her brother for nearly a decade. Despite a difference of six years in age, she used to have an incredibly close relationship with her older brother. This changed drastically when she was twelve.

Now, at the age of 21 she finds herself living with Brad, who is none too happy about the interruption to his life.

Consumed with an endurance race that he’s training for, Brad finds his sister’s presence poor timing and irritating. Brad struggles to communicate with his younger sibling, making it a rough ride for Randi. The fact that she is deaf seems to make this all the harder for her older brother.

Two months out from the race Brad is suddenly unable to continue with his training due to an accident. With the accident dies his hopes of making a good name for his farm and showing the worth of his Arab cross Morgan mare. On the surface Brad’s sister and staff can understand his disappointment but are confused by Brad’s defeated attitude.

What they don’t realise is that more is at stake due to Brad not being able to race. When this information comes to light, it is Randi who is forced to consider taking her brother’s place – in a four day endurance race against eighty plus competitors, all of whom are male and all of whom can hear.

Silent Ride is a wonderfully written story, focusing on determination, second chances, God’s grace in an ever changing world and how going it alone is never the answer.

Author: Rachel L. Burkum
http://www.rachelburkum.com/
Fiction
In my library? A resounding yes for this one. I loved the characters, the horses and the way the story progressed.

“In the steady gaze of the horse shines a silent eloquence that speaks of love and loyalty, strength and courage. It is the window that reveals to us how willing is his spirit, how generous his heart.”

Tags: horse story, equine book review, equine author, horse library, horse writing, Rachel L. Burkum

New Years weekend I visited the parents and checked out a bookshop nearby with mum. There were many, many non fiction books for the horse enthusiast but not looking to spend too much, I was rapt to find a couple of the Thoroughbred series on sale and a couple by author Terri Farley.

Familiar with her Phantom Stallion series, I was interested to find that in 2008 the two books that were in the store were created as what seems to be a spinoff series. Phantom Stallion Wild Horse Island is set in Hawaii, the main character being young Darby.

In book seven of the series, Mistwalker, Darby is living with her grandfather in Hawaii on his 2000 acre ranch, ‘Iolani Ranch. Her mother is a well known actress and when younger had a falling out with her father, causing strain between the two. When Darby’s mother comes for a visit, the young girl concocts a plan to convince her mum that ‘Iolani Ranch is the place for them.

Jonah Kealoha, her grandfather breeds and trains purebred quarter horses on his ranch and is against the idea of other breeds and types – especially paints – on his farm.

Darby has acquired herself a wild filly in the form of Hoku - which means star. Aware that she has a lot to learn, Darby spends many hours with her filly, training and building a relationship with her as well as improving her riding skills on other reliable horses.

While out riding in the rain forest, Darby comes across a beautiful paint mare. With the impending arrival of her mother to the island, after stumbling across her mother’s diary as a teenager, Darby questions if the paint mare might be the answer to convincing her mother that Wild Horse Island is the place for them.

Set in gorgeous surroundings with interesting culture, characters, and the Hawaiian language thrown into the mix and of course horses, Wild Horse Island is an exciting read.

Author: Terri Farley
http://www.phantomstallion.com/author.shtml
Fiction
In my library? Definitely! It’s great to see Terri Farley working on another series with great characters and culture. An enticing read for early teens.

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

A gift from some mates, it only took a day or so to devour this book that is well suited to early teens. Living in Australia is thirteen year old Shelby, her mother, father, two younger brothers and pony Blue.

Shelby lives and breathes horses. Having ridden for a few years, she daydreams about being recognised by those at Pony Club for the great rider that she is.

Concluding that it’s her skewbald pony Blue that is holding her back, Shelby responds to a ‘for sale or swap’ ad in a horse magazine. Very quickly things escalate once she swaps the reliable Blue for a gorgeous mare named Maxshine Celtic Copper.

With her newly acquired horse, a gorgeous brown mare with a ‘three-barrelled name’, Shelby is convinced everyone at Pony Club will recognise her capabilities and she’ll be put up to the next riding level. What Shelby doesn’t bank on is Brat (Maxshine Celtic Copper) being a lot more flighty and less reliable than Blue.

To top things off, Brat’s stunning brown coloured coat washes out with shampoo, leaving the young woman questioning the actual origins of the mare she acquired. The pieces fall together and Shelby soon realises she has a stolen horse. Worry and fear take over when she also realises that her reliable pony Blue could be anywhere.

For Sale or Swap takes the reader on a chase as Shelby and her friends work to catch the horse thief and return Brat to her rightful owner. The catch is even if they manage to do so, there’s no guarantee of Shelby being reunited with her trustworthy Blue.

A good read for the pre-teen or early teens, For Sale or Swap nicely catches the obsession that young girls have with horses – who’s to say anything else matters, really?

Alyssa Brugman
www.alyssabrugman.com.au
Fiction
In my library? Indeed. Given as a gift, the first in the series provides a great introduction to a well-suited horse and rider.

“Horse terminology… Reluctant = Sale Comes with Title Deeds to Sydney Harbor Bridge.”

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

I’ve recently discovered in town a gorgeous bookshop called the Already Read Bookshop. Now on the weekends where I’m working and have a gap in the middle of the day where time needs to be spent, it’s not uncommon for me to head into town and browse through the bookshelves of this shop that sells on old library books – at a rather cheap price.

Last visit my poor workmate thought if she helped to find horse books with me, it’d mean exiting the premises quicker. I figured it just gave me more time to seek out horse books! A few of the latest acquisitions included three from the library of Thelwell.

Thelwell’s Riding Academy, which is based on a series that appeared in the Sunday Express, provides advice in a comedic way with regards to having a pony. Many who get a first pony for their children will be able to relate the cartoons and quotes that accompany them.

This book covers:
- The Mount
- First principles
- The Academy
- Care of your pony
- Safety precautions
- What to wear
- Good manners
- Academy pictures

A very entertaining read with over a hundred pages of cartoons and accompanying text, Thelwell focuses on the sense of humour that is required of those owning and working with horses.

The opening cartoon involves a picture of a riding instructor with a dozen young female students, coaching them on confidence with regards to being around horses. The picture itself has an extremely angry looking pony below a stable block. Seated safely above, high on the roof are the twelve girls and their instructor who is saying, “Remember what I told you girls, never let him see you’re afraid.”

Any Thelwell book I think would be a valuable addition to one’s horse book collection and I was rapt to find some in this second hand bookstore. For those seeking out any of Norman Thelwell’s books, a visit to eBay may be the way to go.

Author: Norman Thelwell
http://www.thelwell.org.uk/
Fiction - cartoon
In my library? Indeed! Along with Thelwell Country and Thelwell Angels on Horseback and Elsewhere.

“Never try out novel ways of getting into the saddle… you’ll enjoy quite enough variety – getting out of it.”

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

The Science Behind the Art

Here’s another book that was required reading for the Equine Behaviour subject I undertook as part of my course this year. Honestly I haven’t enough interest in equine behaviour, perhaps because a lot of it is someone’s theory rather than proven fact.

Andrew McLean’s text takes a different approach. As a zoologist and someone who in 2002 was completing his PhD in animal psychology, McLean focuses on explaining the natural mechanisms behind their training system based on how an equine learns. Following this is a series of defined practical tasks to be carried out in hand and under saddle. Each task has a specific goal and technique.

The McLean training system focuses on seven qualities required of the horse that will encourage the establishment of a disciplined individual. These qualities are progressive, being:

• basic attempt
• obedience
• rhythm
• straightness
• contact
• engagement
• proof

McLean suggests that any issue that arises while training a horse can be brought back to an inconsistency in one of these qualities. Consequently the problem can be fixed by going back in these progressive qualities and fixing the issue before again moving forward.

The book is very straightforward and logical, easily explaining why the training process works and how to go about fixing particular issues with regards to the horse’s response.

The success of both Andrew and Manuela McLean with regards to the Australian Equine Behaviour Centre and their riding achievements provides physical proof of this training system working. This book and other training resources can be found through their website.

Authors: Andrew and Manuela McLean
http://www.aebc.com.au/
Non Fiction
In my library? Not yet; I borrowed this one from a friend for the subject but would love to add it in the future as a training resource.

“A well trained horse isn’t less exciting than a wild one.”

Tag: horse story, equine book review, equine author, horse library, horse writing, Andrew McLean, Manuela McLean