The best horse books for tweens, teens, and young adults

I recommend this classic nonfiction book because it introduced me to the wonderful world of horses when I was a young child. I read the book so often through my young years, I could name every horse featured in the book and tell you all about him without referring to the book. I still have my first copy of this beautifully illustrated book that describes 25 different horse breeds in simple language for children to understand. From this book, I learned about horse breeds, horse traits, and the wonders of such amazing animals. It’s a book that every horse-loving child (and older!) should own.

Although I enjoy reading fiction the most, this true story, Pinto, intrigued me because the “star” of the show is a horse. Set in 1912, four men, called the "Overland Westerners," decided fame and fortune awaited them as they embarked on the longest horseback ride in history. Their goal was to visit all 48 state capitals in 3 years and complete their journey at the San Francisco World's Fair on June 1, 1915. Facing rugged roads, raging rivers, thieves, and near starvation, the men went through 17 horses. Only one horse completed the entire journey... Pinto, a little horse with a heart as big as the sky! The page-turning book describes Pinto's account of his dangerous adventure. 

As an author ready to write my own horse book series with a Christian message many years ago, I gleaned much from reading some of Dandi Daley Mackall’s Horse Gentler series. This first one impressed me the most because it portrays the main character, twelve-year-old Winnie Willis, close to the age of Skye Nicholson, the main character in my own series. As Winnie teaches her horses about unconditional love and blind trust, God shows Winnie that he can be trusted too. The book is good, safe reading for tween and teen horse lovers. 

What horse lover hasn’t read this age-long classic? As a child reading this book first published in 1941, the storyline of a boy and a wild horse only increased my love for horses and my desire to own them when I grew up. From Alec Ramsay and the Black's first meeting on an ill-fated ship to their adventures on a desert island and their eventual rescue, this beloved story will hold the attention of any horse lovers, young or old. 

I found this recent release a fascinating historical fiction for teens and older based on actual events of horses and their riders during World War II. 

Fearing an invasion by German and Japanese forces, the U.S. Coast Guard enlisted horsemen to patrol the beaches along the east and west coasts of our country from 1942 to 1944. The unit was called The Sand Pounders.

M.J. Evans wrote the book in a personal way, introducing In Tillamook, Oregon, a young equestrian, 17-year-old Jane, who decided to join the Sand Pounders. However, Sand Pounders were only accepting men. But that didn’t slow the main character and her horse down. The pair do ride successfully and serve their country well. 

This book is a good read for any horse lover of any age!